Cost of Living Comparison Between Playa del Carmen and St Lawrence Cost of Living Comparison Between Playa del Carmen and St Lawrence

Monthly Cost of Living

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.

Meal at Budget Restaurant

$11.94 MX$209

$20.33 JEP 15.06

-41.27%

Three-Course Dinner for Two, Mid-Range

$42.75 MX$748

$66.6 JEP 49.35

-35.81%

Fast Food Meal (McDonalds, etc)

$10.59 MX$185

$10.83 JEP 8.03

-2.22%

Cappuccino

$3.62 MX$63.4

$4.04 JEP 3.00

-10.40%

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

$1.47 MX$25.69

$1.39 JEP 1.03

5.76%

Water (0.33 liter bottle)

$0.94 MX$16.51

$1.39 JEP 1.03

-32.37%

Local Beer (0.5 liter draught)

$3.09 MX$54.1

$4.03 JEP 2.99

-23.33%

Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$4.46 MX$78.0

$6.92 JEP 5.13

-35.55%

Milk (1 liter)

$1.43 MX$24.94

$1.78 JEP 1.32

-19.66%

White Bread (500g)

$1.88 MX$32.97

$2.01 JEP 1.49

-6.47%

Rice (white) (1kg)

$1.63 MX$28.50

$2.03 JEP 1.50

-19.70%

Eggs

$2.64 MX$46.26

$5.33 JEP 3.95

-50.47%

Local Cheese (1kg)

$8.21 MX$144

$4.03 JEP 2.99

103.72%

Chicken Fillets (1kg)

$8.29 MX$145

$11.65 JEP 8.63

-28.84%

Beef Round Steak (1kg)

$11.10 MX$194

$6.89 JEP 5.11

61.10%

Apples (1kg)

$2.65 MX$46.40

$4.13 JEP 3.06

-35.84%

Banana (1kg)

$1.50 MX$26.26

$2.09 JEP 1.55

-28.23%

Oranges (1kg)

$1.99 MX$34.79

$3.48 JEP 2.58

-42.82%

Tomato (1kg)

$2.08 MX$36.33

$4.18 JEP 3.10

-50.24%

Potato (1kg)

$1.79 MX$31.29

$3.91 JEP 2.89

-54.22%

Onion (1kg)

$2.18 MX$38.09

$2.70 JEP 2.00

-19.26%

Lettuce (1 head)

$1.08 MX$18.84

$1.99 JEP 1.47

-45.73%

Water (1.5 liter bottle)

$1.04 MX$18.15

$1.65 JEP 1.22

-36.97%

Cigarettes 20 Pack (Marlboro, Camel)

$3.97 MX$69.5

$11.34 JEP 8.40

-64.99%

Wine (Bottle)

$10.20 MX$179

$11.02 JEP 8.17

-7.44%

Local Beer (0.5 liter bottle)

$1.73 MX$30.22

$4.18 JEP 3.10

-58.61%

Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$2.50 MX$43.71

$6.65 JEP 4.93

-62.41%

One-way Ticket (Public Transport)

$0.52 MX$9.07

$3.45 JEP 2.55

-84.93%

Public Transport Monthly Pass (Regular Price)

$26.97 MX$472

$70.3 JEP 52.1

-61.65%

Taxi Start (Normal Tariff)

$3.14 MX$55.0

$6.03 JEP 4.47

-47.93%

Taxi (Normal Tariff) (1km)

$2.40 MX$42.04

$3.85 JEP 2.85

-37.66%

Taxi 1hour Waiting (Normal Tariff)

$3.09 MX$54.0

$2.74 JEP 2.03

12.77%

Gasoline (1 liter)

$1.27 MX$22.28

$2.09 JEP 1.55

-39.23%

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

$30.9K MX$540.4K

$22.4K JEP 16.6K

37.69%

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

$23.3K MX$408.0K

$33.5K JEP 24.8K

-30.37%

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

$82.0 MX$1,435

$136 JEP 101

-39.66%

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

$22.45 MX$393

$25.07 JEP 18.58

-10.45%

Internet (50+ Mbps, Unlimited Data)

$29.66 MX$519

$66.8 JEP 49.50

-55.60%

Gym Membership (Monthly)

$51.9 MX$908

$88.6 JEP 65.6

-41.43%

Tennis Court (1 Hour on Weekend)

$18.67 MX$327

$20.42 JEP 15.13

-8.57%

Cinema Ticket

$4.97 MX$87.0

$14.40 JEP 10.67

-65.49%

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

$198 MX$3,462

$2,011 JEP 1,490

-90.16%

International Primary School, 1 Child (Yearly)

$5,273 MX$92.3K

$17.5K JEP 12.9K

-69.79%

Jeans (Levis 501 Or Similar)

$36.34 MX$636

$95.2 JEP 70.5

-61.82%

Summer Dress (H&M, Zara, etc)

$40.05 MX$701

$48.11 JEP 35.65

-16.75%

Sport Shoes (Adidas, Nike)

$79.9 MX$1,398

$126 JEP 93.0

-36.36%

Men's Leather Business Shoes

$88.9 MX$1,555

$135 JEP 100

-34.15%

1-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)

$963 MX$16.9K

$1,919 JEP 1,422

-49.80%

1-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)

$465 MX$8,133

$2,104 JEP 1,559

-77.91%

3-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)

$1,596 MX$27.9K

$3,434 JEP 2,545

-53.52%

3-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)

$1,209 MX$21.2K

$3,739 JEP 2,770

-67.67%

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

2.75

315.27%

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 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.

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 Lawrence: Cost of Living - Frequently Asked Questions

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.

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.

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.

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.

Public transport costs about 161% less in Playa del Carmen. For daily commuters, that gap adds up to noticeable savings over a year.

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.

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.

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.

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.