🙂A single person spends $1,287 per month in Playa del Carmen vs $3,296 in St Lawrence, rent included.
🙂A couple spends around $2,184 per month in Playa del Carmen vs $4,960 in St Lawrence, rent included.
🙂A family of three spends $3,082 per month in Playa del Carmen vs $6,625 in St Lawrence, rent included.
🙂Playa del Carmen is about 61% cheaper than St Lawrence, driven mainly by Eating Out.
📊Playa del Carmen sits 4% below the global median, while St Lawrence is 146% above – they fall on opposite sides of the world average.
Moneda
🍽 Eating Out
Playa del Carmen
St Lawrence
Diferencia
Meal at Budget Restaurant
$11.94MX$209
$20.33JEP 15.06
-41.27%
Three-Course Dinner for Two, Mid-Range
$42.75MX$748
$66.6JEP 49.35
-35.81%
Fast Food Meal(McDonalds, etc)
$10.59MX$185
$10.83JEP 8.03
-2.22%
Cappuccino
$3.62MX$63.4
$4.04JEP 3.00
-10.40%
Coke/Pepsi/Fanta/Sprite(0.33 liter bottle)
$1.47MX$25.69
$1.39JEP 1.03
5.76%
Water(0.33 liter bottle)
$0.94MX$16.51
$1.39JEP 1.03
-32.37%
Local Beer(0.5 liter draught)
$3.09MX$54.1
$4.03JEP 2.99
-23.33%
Imported Beer(0.33 liter bottle)
$4.46MX$78.0
$6.92JEP 5.13
-35.55%
🛒 Groceries & Markets
Playa del Carmen
St Lawrence
Diferencia
Milk(1 liter)
$1.43MX$24.94
$1.78JEP 1.32
-19.66%
White Bread(500g)
$1.88MX$32.97
$2.01JEP 1.49
-6.47%
Rice(white)(1kg)
$1.63MX$28.50
$2.03JEP 1.50
-19.70%
Eggs
$2.64MX$46.26
$5.33JEP 3.95
-50.47%
Local Cheese(1kg)
$8.21MX$144
$4.03JEP 2.99
103.72%
Chicken Fillets(1kg)
$8.29MX$145
$11.65JEP 8.63
-28.84%
Beef Round Steak(1kg)
$11.10MX$194
$6.89JEP 5.11
61.10%
Apples(1kg)
$2.65MX$46.40
$4.13JEP 3.06
-35.84%
Banana(1kg)
$1.50MX$26.26
$2.09JEP 1.55
-28.23%
Oranges(1kg)
$1.99MX$34.79
$3.48JEP 2.58
-42.82%
Tomato(1kg)
$2.08MX$36.33
$4.18JEP 3.10
-50.24%
Potato(1kg)
$1.79MX$31.29
$3.91JEP 2.89
-54.22%
Onion(1kg)
$2.18MX$38.09
$2.70JEP 2.00
-19.26%
Lettuce(1 head)
$1.08MX$18.84
$1.99JEP 1.47
-45.73%
Water(1.5 liter bottle)
$1.04MX$18.15
$1.65JEP 1.22
-36.97%
Cigarettes 20 Pack(Marlboro, Camel)
$3.97MX$69.5
$11.34JEP 8.40
-64.99%
Wine(Bottle)
$10.20MX$179
$11.02JEP 8.17
-7.44%
Local Beer(0.5 liter bottle)
$1.73MX$30.22
$4.18JEP 3.10
-58.61%
Imported Beer(0.33 liter bottle)
$2.50MX$43.71
$6.65JEP 4.93
-62.41%
🚌 Getting Around
Playa del Carmen
St Lawrence
Diferencia
One-way Ticket(Public Transport)
$0.52MX$9.07
$3.45JEP 2.55
-84.93%
Public Transport Monthly Pass(Regular Price)
$26.97MX$472
$70.3JEP 52.1
-61.65%
Taxi Start(Normal Tariff)
$3.14MX$55.0
$6.03JEP 4.47
-47.93%
Taxi(Normal Tariff)(1km)
$2.40MX$42.04
$3.85JEP 2.85
-37.66%
Taxi 1hour Waiting(Normal Tariff)
$3.09MX$54.0
$2.74JEP 2.03
12.77%
Gasoline(1 liter)
$1.27MX$22.28
$2.09JEP 1.55
-39.23%
Midsize Hatchback 1.4l(Volkswagen Golf, Toyota Prius, Honda Civic, etc)
$30.9KMX$540.4K
$22.4KJEP 16.6K
37.69%
Compact Sedan 1.6l(Toyota Corolla, Mazda3, Kia K4, Hyundai Elantra, etc)
$23.3KMX$408.0K
$33.5KJEP 24.8K
-30.37%
🧾 Monthly Utilities & Internet
Playa del Carmen
St Lawrence
Diferencia
Utilities for 2 People in 2-bedroom Apartment(Heating, Electricity, Gas, Water, Garbage)(85m2)
$82.0MX$1,435
$136JEP 101
-39.66%
SIM Card Monthly Plan(Calls and 10GB+ Data)
$22.45MX$393
$25.07JEP 18.58
-10.45%
Internet(50+ Mbps, Unlimited Data)
$29.66MX$519
$66.8JEP 49.50
-55.60%
🎉 Sport & Entertainment
Playa del Carmen
St Lawrence
Diferencia
Gym Membership(Monthly)
$51.9MX$908
$88.6JEP 65.6
-41.43%
Tennis Court(1 Hour on Weekend)
$18.67MX$327
$20.42JEP 15.13
-8.57%
Cinema Ticket
$4.97MX$87.0
$14.40JEP 10.67
-65.49%
🧸 Childcare & Education
Playa del Carmen
St Lawrence
Diferencia
Preschool or Kindergarten, Full Day, Private, 1 Child(Monthly)
$198MX$3,462
$2,011JEP 1,490
-90.16%
International Primary School, 1 Child(Yearly)
$5,273MX$92.3K
$17.5KJEP 12.9K
-69.79%
👕👟 Clothing & Footwear
Playa del Carmen
St Lawrence
Diferencia
Jeans(Levis 501 Or Similar)
$36.34MX$636
$95.2JEP 70.5
-61.82%
Summer Dress(H&M, Zara, etc)
$40.05MX$701
$48.11JEP 35.65
-16.75%
Sport Shoes(Adidas, Nike)
$79.9MX$1,398
$126JEP 93.0
-36.36%
Men's Leather Business Shoes
$88.9MX$1,555
$135JEP 100
-34.15%
🏠 Accommodation & Living
Playa del Carmen
St Lawrence
Diferencia
1-bedroom Apartment, City Center(Monthly)
$963MX$16.9K
$1,919JEP 1,422
-49.80%
1-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center(Monthly)
$465MX$8,133
$2,104JEP 1,559
-77.91%
3-bedroom Apartment, City Center(Monthly)
$1,596MX$27.9K
$3,434JEP 2,545
-53.52%
3-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center(Monthly)
$1,209MX$21.2K
$3,739JEP 2,770
-67.67%
Buy Apartment in City Center(m2)
$3,942MX$69.0K
-
-
Buy Apartment Outside City Center(m2)
$6,448MX$112.8K
-
-
💵 Salaries & Financials
Playa del Carmen
St Lawrence
Diferencia
Average Monthly Net Salary(After Tax)
$720MX$12.6K
-
-
20-Year Fixed Mortgage Interest Rate(Annual %)
11.42
2.75
315.27%
Los datos de CityCost se basan en IA y aportaciones de usuarios. Puede haber pequeñas variaciones.
Última actualización para Playa del Carmen: April 25, 2026
Última actualización para St Lawrence: April 27, 2026
Cost Breakdown
🏠A central one-bedroom costs $963 in Playa del Carmen versus $1,919 in St Lawrence. Rent is usually the largest line item in a monthly budget, so the gap here sets the tone for the overall comparison.
🛒A mid-range dinner for two costs $43.00 in Playa del Carmen versus $67.0 in St Lawrence. Monthly groceries follow the same trend: $251 vs $327 – making Playa del Carmen the more affordable choice for daily food spending.
Comparación de velocidades medias de internet por ciudad (actualizado April 2026)
El gráfico resalta el umbral de precisión para velocidades de internet móvil y fija, actualizado trimestralmente.
Índice del coste de vida para nómadas digitales
Playa del Carmen vs St Lawrence: Coste de vida - preguntas frecuentes
Is St Lawrence cheaper than Playa del Carmen?
Yes – St Lawrence is pricier by about 156%, and the gap shows up most in Eating Out. It's not just housing either; the difference applies across most spending categories.
What income do you need for each city?
For a comfortable life, plan on about $1,930 per month in Playa del Carmen and $4,943 in St Lawrence. That covers rent, food, utilities, transport, and enough left over to feel settled – not just surviving.
Which city has lower housing costs?
Rent is clearly cheaper in Playa del Carmen, especially for central apartments. Housing is actually the single biggest factor behind the overall cost gap between these two cities.
What are total monthly expenses in Playa del Carmen vs St Lawrence?
Monthly expenses with rent come to $1,287 in Playa del Carmen and $3,296 in St Lawrence. The difference isn't just one category – it shows up across housing, food, transport, and services.
Which city has cheaper public transport?
Public transport costs about 161% less in Playa del Carmen. For daily commuters, that gap adds up to noticeable savings over a year.
Is $1,500 a realistic budget for Playa del Carmen or St Lawrence?
A $1,500 monthly budget goes further in Playa del Carmen, where all-in costs run around $1,287, than in St Lawrence at $3,296. In Playa del Carmen it covers expenses comfortably, while in St Lawrence it requires careful planning or may not stretch far enough.
Is Playa del Carmen or St Lawrence more family-friendly?
Families tend to lean toward Playa del Carmen – lower housing and cheaper childcare make a real difference, especially on a single income or when paying for private education.
Which city is safer, Playa del Carmen or St Lawrence?
Both have safer and rougher neighborhoods, but overall safety is comparable to other large cities. Neighborhood choice matters more than the city-level comparison – central, well-trafficked areas feel secure in both.
Which city is the better choice to relocate to?
If budget matters most, go with Playa del Carmen. If higher salaries, better infrastructure, or specific career opportunities are the priority, St Lawrence makes more sense. Both are solid long-term options with distinct trade-offs.
Playa del Carmen vs otros destinos: coste de vida comparado