Cost of Living Comparison Between Playa del Carmen and St.James Cost of Living Comparison Between Playa del Carmen and St.James

Monthly Cost of Living

A single person spends $1,287 per month in Playa del Carmen vs $936 in St.James, rent included.

A couple spends around $2,184 per month in Playa del Carmen vs $1,628 in St.James, rent included.

A family of three spends $3,082 per month in Playa del Carmen vs $2,320 in St.James, rent included.

Playa del Carmen costs about 38% more than St.James, driven mainly by Groceries & Markets.

Both Playa del Carmen and St.James are more affordable than the global median – Playa del Carmen 4% lower, St.James 30% lower.

Meal at Budget Restaurant

$11.94 MX$209

$10.25 TTD 69.6

16.49%

Three-Course Dinner for Two, Mid-Range

$42.75 MX$748

$89.4 TTD 607

-52.17%

Fast Food Meal (McDonalds, etc)

$10.59 MX$185

$7.46 TTD 50.7

41.96%

Cappuccino

$3.62 MX$63.4

$3.67 TTD 24.95

-1.36%

Coke/Pepsi/Fanta/Sprite (0.33 liter bottle)

$1.47 MX$25.69

$1.09 TTD 7.39

34.86%

Water (0.33 liter bottle)

$0.94 MX$16.51

$0.82 TTD 5.58

14.63%

Local Beer (0.5 liter draught)

$3.09 MX$54.1

$1.83 TTD 12.41

68.85%

Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$4.46 MX$78.0

$3.04 TTD 20.62

46.71%

Milk (1 liter)

$1.43 MX$24.94

$2.68 TTD 18.19

-46.64%

White Bread (500g)

$1.88 MX$32.97

$2.81 TTD 19.07

-33.10%

Rice (white) (1kg)

$1.63 MX$28.50

$2.58 TTD 17.54

-36.82%

Eggs

$2.64 MX$46.26

$5.04 TTD 34.24

-47.62%

Local Cheese (1kg)

$8.21 MX$144

$7.99 TTD 54.3

2.75%

Chicken Fillets (1kg)

$8.29 MX$145

$10.50 TTD 71.3

-21.05%

Beef Round Steak (1kg)

$11.10 MX$194

$14.13 TTD 95.9

-21.44%

Apples (1kg)

$2.65 MX$46.40

$5.85 TTD 39.71

-54.70%

Banana (1kg)

$1.50 MX$26.26

$2.63 TTD 17.83

-42.97%

Oranges (1kg)

$1.99 MX$34.79

$4.33 TTD 29.43

-54.04%

Tomato (1kg)

$2.08 MX$36.33

$4.68 TTD 31.80

-55.56%

Potato (1kg)

$1.79 MX$31.29

$1.49 TTD 10.12

20.13%

Onion (1kg)

$2.18 MX$38.09

$1.67 TTD 11.32

30.54%

Lettuce (1 head)

$1.08 MX$18.84

$1.89 TTD 12.82

-42.86%

Water (1.5 liter bottle)

$1.04 MX$18.15

$1.40 TTD 9.52

-25.71%

Cigarettes 20 Pack (Marlboro, Camel)

$3.97 MX$69.5

$5.78 TTD 39.26

-31.31%

Wine (Bottle)

$10.20 MX$179

$19.31 TTD 131

-47.18%

Local Beer (0.5 liter bottle)

$1.73 MX$30.22

$2.10 TTD 14.25

-17.62%

Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$2.50 MX$43.71

$2.69 TTD 18.29

-7.06%

One-way Ticket (Public Transport)

$0.52 MX$9.07

Public Transport Monthly Pass (Regular Price)

$26.97 MX$472

Taxi Start (Normal Tariff)

$3.14 MX$55.0

$1.05 TTD 7.13

199.05%

Taxi (Normal Tariff) (1km)

$2.40 MX$42.04

$1.24 TTD 8.41

93.55%

Taxi 1hour Waiting (Normal Tariff)

$3.09 MX$54.0

$14.98 TTD 102

-79.37%

Gasoline (1 liter)

$1.27 MX$22.28

$1.15 TTD 7.79

10.43%

Midsize Hatchback 1.4l (Volkswagen Golf, Toyota Prius, Honda Civic, etc)

$30.9K MX$540.4K

$34.2K TTD 232.0K

-9.60%

Compact Sedan 1.6l (Toyota Corolla, Mazda3, Kia K4, Hyundai Elantra, etc)

$23.3K MX$408.0K

$39.0K TTD 265.0K

-40.26%

Utilities for 2 People in 2-bedroom Apartment (Heating, Electricity, Gas, Water, Garbage) (85m2)

$82.0 MX$1,435

$80.0 TTD 543

2.56%

SIM Card Monthly Plan (Calls and 10GB+ Data)

$22.45 MX$393

$47.03 TTD 319

-52.26%

Internet (50+ Mbps, Unlimited Data)

$29.66 MX$519

$61.6 TTD 418

-51.85%

Gym Membership (Monthly)

$51.9 MX$908

Tennis Court (1 Hour on Weekend)

$18.67 MX$327

Cinema Ticket

$4.97 MX$87.0

$10.01 TTD 68.0

-50.35%

Preschool or Kindergarten, Full Day, Private, 1 Child (Monthly)

$198 MX$3,462

$321 TTD 2,181

-38.41%

International Primary School, 1 Child (Yearly)

$5,273 MX$92.3K

$7,320 TTD 49.7K

-27.97%

Jeans (Levis 501 Or Similar)

$36.34 MX$636

$59.9 TTD 407

-39.34%

Summer Dress (H&M, Zara, etc)

$40.05 MX$701

$37.68 TTD 256

6.29%

Sport Shoes (Adidas, Nike)

$79.9 MX$1,398

$143 TTD 973

-44.28%

Men's Leather Business Shoes

$88.9 MX$1,555

$126 TTD 857

-29.56%

1-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)

$963 MX$16.9K

1-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)

$465 MX$8,133

3-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)

$1,596 MX$27.9K

3-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)

$1,209 MX$21.2K

Buy Apartment in City Center (m2)

$3,942 MX$69.0K

Buy Apartment Outside City Center (m2)

$6,448 MX$112.8K

Average Monthly Net Salary (After Tax)

$720 MX$12.6K

20-Year Fixed Mortgage Interest Rate (Annual %)

11.42

5.38

112.27%

CityCost data is based on AI and user input – minor inaccuracies may occur.

Last update for Playa del Carmen: April 25, 2026

Last update for St.James: April 26, 2026

Cost Breakdown

A mid-range dinner for two costs $43.00 in Playa del Carmen versus $89.0 in St.James. Monthly groceries follow the same trend: $251 vs $377 – making Playa del Carmen the more affordable choice for daily food spending.

City Median Internet Speeds Comparison (Updated April 2026)

The chart highlights the Precision Threshold for mobile and fixed broadband internet speeds, updated quarterly.

Digital Nomad Cost of Living Index

Playa del Carmen vs St.James: Cost of Living - Frequently Asked Questions

Yes – Playa del Carmen is pricier by about 38%, and the gap shows up most in Groceries & Markets. It's not just housing either; the difference applies across most spending categories.

For a comfortable life, plan on about $1,930 per month in Playa del Carmen and $1,404 in St.James. That covers rent, food, utilities, transport, and enough left over to feel settled – not just surviving.

Monthly expenses with rent come to $1,287 in Playa del Carmen and $936 in St.James. The difference isn't just one category – it shows up across housing, food, transport, and services.

Kindergarten costs $198 per month in Playa del Carmen and $321 in St.James. For families with young kids, this one expense can tip the scales when choosing between the two cities.

A $2,000 monthly budget goes further in St.James, where all-in costs run around $936, than in Playa del Carmen at $1,287. In St.James it covers expenses comfortably, while in Playa del Carmen it requires careful planning or may not stretch far enough.

Families tend to lean toward St.James – lower housing and cheaper childcare make a real difference, especially on a single income or when paying for private education.

If budget matters most, go with St.James. If higher salaries, better infrastructure, or specific career opportunities are the priority, Playa del Carmen makes more sense. Both are solid long-term options with distinct trade-offs.