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 $1,260 per month in Playa del Carmen vs $914 in St.James, rent included.

A couple spends around $2,125 per month in Playa del Carmen vs $1,615 in St.James, rent included.

A family of three spends $2,990 per month in Playa del Carmen vs $2,317 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 5% lower, St.James 31% lower.

Meal at Budget Restaurant

$11.72 MX$203

$10.37 TTD 69.7

13.02%

Three-Course Dinner for Two, Mid-Range

$41.89 MX$725

$89.0 TTD 598

-52.94%

Fast Food Meal (McDonalds, etc)

$10.51 MX$182

$7.52 TTD 50.5

39.76%

Cappuccino

$3.59 MX$62.0

$3.64 TTD 24.41

-1.37%

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

$1.51 MX$26.10

$1.05 TTD 7.02

43.81%

Water (0.33 liter bottle)

$0.92 MX$15.83

$0.78 TTD 5.26

17.95%

Local Beer (0.5 liter draught)

$2.96 MX$51.2

$1.81 TTD 12.13

63.54%

Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$4.41 MX$76.3

$3.17 TTD 21.30

39.12%

Milk (1 liter)

$1.40 MX$24.16

$2.69 TTD 18.06

-47.96%

White Bread (500g)

$1.88 MX$32.60

$2.81 TTD 18.85

-33.10%

Rice (white) (1kg)

$1.56 MX$26.97

$2.62 TTD 17.59

-40.46%

Eggs

$2.61 MX$45.14

$5.04 TTD 33.86

-48.21%

Local Cheese (1kg)

$8.32 MX$144

$8.02 TTD 53.8

3.74%

Chicken Fillets (1kg)

$8.35 MX$145

$10.23 TTD 68.7

-18.38%

Beef Round Steak (1kg)

$10.86 MX$188

$14.14 TTD 95.0

-23.20%

Apples (1kg)

$2.71 MX$46.93

$5.94 TTD 39.87

-54.38%

Banana (1kg)

$1.51 MX$26.04

$2.62 TTD 17.59

-42.37%

Oranges (1kg)

$1.87 MX$32.41

$4.43 TTD 29.76

-57.79%

Tomato (1kg)

$2.19 MX$37.89

$4.80 TTD 32.26

-54.37%

Potato (1kg)

$1.86 MX$32.14

$1.44 TTD 9.64

29.17%

Onion (1kg)

$2.23 MX$38.59

$1.72 TTD 11.57

29.65%

Lettuce (1 head)

$1.07 MX$18.48

$1.91 TTD 12.82

-43.98%

Water (1.5 liter bottle)

$1.09 MX$18.79

$1.40 TTD 9.37

-22.14%

Cigarettes 20 Pack (Marlboro, Camel)

$4.19 MX$72.4

$5.85 TTD 39.31

-28.38%

Wine (Bottle)

$10.43 MX$180

$19.42 TTD 130

-46.29%

Local Beer (0.5 liter bottle)

$1.66 MX$28.68

$2.20 TTD 14.77

-24.55%

Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$2.61 MX$45.19

$2.72 TTD 18.28

-4.04%

One-way Ticket (Public Transport)

$0.54 MX$9.37

Public Transport Monthly Pass (Regular Price)

$26.16 MX$453

Taxi Start (Normal Tariff)

$3.08 MX$53.3

$1.02 TTD 6.84

201.96%

Taxi (Normal Tariff) (1km)

$2.40 MX$41.61

$1.28 TTD 8.63

87.50%

Taxi 1hour Waiting (Normal Tariff)

$3.13 MX$54.1

$15.00 TTD 101

-79.13%

Gasoline (1 liter)

$1.31 MX$22.69

$1.09 TTD 7.32

20.18%

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

$29.8K MX$515.7K

$34.0K TTD 228.3K

-12.34%

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

$23.3K MX$403.5K

$38.6K TTD 259.4K

-39.62%

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

$81.3 MX$1,406

$79.3 TTD 532

2.55%

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

$22.56 MX$390

$46.15 TTD 310

-51.12%

Internet (50+ Mbps, Unlimited Data)

$30.05 MX$520

$62.4 TTD 419

-51.87%

Gym Membership (Monthly)

$52.9 MX$915

Tennis Court (1 Hour on Weekend)

$18.39 MX$318

Cinema Ticket

$4.92 MX$85.1

$10.11 TTD 67.9

-51.34%

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

$201 MX$3,474

$325 TTD 2,184

-38.27%

International Primary School, 1 Child (Yearly)

$5,175 MX$89.5K

$7,329 TTD 49.2K

-29.40%

Jeans (Levis 501 Or Similar)

$35.92 MX$622

$58.9 TTD 395

-38.99%

Summer Dress (H&M, Zara, etc)

$40.13 MX$694

$37.85 TTD 254

6.02%

Sport Shoes (Adidas, Nike)

$79.7 MX$1,379

$144 TTD 965

-44.54%

Men's Leather Business Shoes

$86.5 MX$1,496

$129 TTD 867

-33.03%

1-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)

$978 MX$16.9K

1-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)

$470 MX$8,140

3-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)

$1,651 MX$28.6K

3-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)

$1,203 MX$20.8K

Buy Apartment in City Center (m2)

$3,953 MX$68.4K

Buy Apartment Outside City Center (m2)

$6,607 MX$114.3K

Average Monthly Net Salary (After Tax)

$677 MX$11.7K

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: July 27, 2026

Last update for St.James: July 27, 2026

Cost Breakdown

A mid-range dinner for two costs $42.00 in Playa del Carmen versus $89.0 in St.James. Monthly groceries follow the same trend: $252 vs $378 – 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 $1,890 per month in Playa del Carmen and $1,370 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 $1,260 in Playa del Carmen and $914 in St.James. The difference isn't just one category – it shows up across housing, food, transport, and services.

Kindergarten costs $201 per month in Playa del Carmen and $325 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 $914, than in Playa del Carmen at $1,260. 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.