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

🙂 Solo nomad: Playa del Carmen is 54.2% cheaper than St Thomas without rent, and 71% cheaper with rent.
🙂 Family of 3: Playa del Carmen is 73.7% cheaper than St Thomas without rent, and 68.5% cheaper with rent.
Currency
🍽 Eating Out
Playa del Carmen
St Thomas
Difference
Meal at Budget Restaurant
$11.99 MX$227
$19.88 $19.88
-39.69%
Three-Course Dinner for Two, Mid-Range
$42.47 MX$803
$162 $162
-73.77%
Fast Food Meal (McDonalds, etc)
$10.47 MX$198
$12.13 $12.13
-13.69%
Cappuccino
$3.6 MX$68.2
$7.06 $7.06
-49.01%
Coke/Pepsi/Fanta/Sprite (0.33 liter bottle)
$1.44 MX$27.16
$3.88 $3.88
-62.89%
Water (0.33 liter bottle)
$0.89 MX$16.79
$3.31 $3.31
-73.11%
Local Beer (0.5 liter draught)
$3.09 MX$58.5
$6.67 $6.67
-53.67%
Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)
$4.58 MX$86.6
$9.85 $9.85
-53.50%
🛒 Groceries & Markets
Playa del Carmen
St Thomas
Difference
Milk (1 liter)
$1.38 MX$26.04
$2.44 $2.44
-43.44%
White Bread (500g)
$1.85 MX$34.9
$6.57 $6.57
-71.84%
Rice (white) (1kg)
$1.57 MX$29.68
$18.9 $18.9
-91.69%
Eggs
$2.55 MX$48.3
$9 $9
-71.67%
Local Cheese (1kg)
$8.61 MX$163
$11.33 $11.33
-24.01%
Chicken Fillets (1kg)
$8.54 MX$161
$32.23 $32.23
-73.50%
Beef Round Steak (1kg)
$10.98 MX$208
$39.25 $39.25
-72.03%
Apples (1kg)
$2.72 MX$51.4
$12.27 $12.27
-77.83%
Banana (1kg)
$1.51 MX$28.57
$11.05 $11.05
-86.33%
Oranges (1kg)
$1.88 MX$35.63
$12.06 $12.06
-84.41%
Tomato (1kg)
$2.19 MX$41.42
$19.53 $19.53
-88.79%
Potato (1kg)
$1.87 MX$35.3
$1.87 $1.87
-
Onion (1kg)
$2.19 MX$41.37
$8.65 $8.65
-74.68%
Lettuce (1 head)
$1.07 MX$20.23
$7.79 $7.79
-86.26%
Water (1.5 liter bottle)
$1.09 MX$20.64
$5.96 $5.96
-81.71%
Cigarettes 20 Pack (Marlboro, Camel)
$3.96 MX$74.9
-
-
Wine (Bottle)
$8.86 MX$167
$24.56 $24.56
-63.93%
Local Beer (0.5 liter bottle)
$1.72 MX$32.53
-
-
Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)
$2.61 MX$49.37
$6.16 $6.16
-57.63%
🚌 Getting Around
Playa del Carmen
St Thomas
Difference
One-way Ticket (Public Transport)
$0.52 MX$9.74
$2.06 $2.06
-74.76%
Public Transport Monthly Pass (Regular Price)
$26.59 MX$503
$59.9 $59.9
-55.61%
Taxi Start (Normal Tariff)
$3.24 MX$61.2
$20.35 $20.35
-84.08%
Taxi (Normal Tariff) (1km)
$2.38 MX$44.94
$3.13 $3.13
-23.96%
Taxi 1hour Waiting (Normal Tariff)
$3.11 MX$58.7
-
-
Gasoline (1 liter)
$1.31 MX$24.85
$1.29 $1.29
1.55%
Midsize Hatchback 1.4l (Volkswagen Golf, Toyota Prius, Honda Civic, etc)
$30.3K MX$573K
$55.9K $55.9K
-45.78%
Compact Sedan 1.6l (Toyota Corolla, Mazda3, Kia K4, Hyundai Elantra, etc)
$24K MX$453.6K
$37.9K $37.9K
-36.74%
🧾 Monthly Utilities & Internet
Playa del Carmen
St Thomas
Difference
Utilities for 2 People in 2-bedroom Apartment (Heating, Electricity, Gas, Water, Garbage) (85m2)
$84.2 MX$1,592
$382 $382
-77.97%
SIM Card Monthly Plan (Calls and 10GB+ Data)
$22.14 MX$419
$101 $101
-78.05%
Internet (50+ Mbps, Unlimited Data)
$30.14 MX$570
$129 $129
-76.65%
🎉 Sport & Entertainment
Playa del Carmen
St Thomas
Difference
Gym Membership (Monthly)
$52 MX$983
$123 $123
-57.79%
Tennis Court (1 Hour on Weekend)
$18.72 MX$354
-
-
Cinema Ticket
$5.07 MX$95.9
$12.06 $12.06
-57.96%
🧸 Childcare & Education
Playa del Carmen
St Thomas
Difference
Preschool or Kindergarten, Full Day, Private, 1 Child (Monthly)
$200 MX$3,787
$1,519 $1,519
-86.81%
International Primary School, 1 Child (Yearly)
$5,333 MX$100.8K
$21.8K $21.8K
-75.57%
👕👟 Clothing & Footwear
Playa del Carmen
St Thomas
Difference
Jeans (Levis 501 Or Similar)
$35.74 MX$676
$114 $114
-68.69%
Summer Dress (H&M, Zara, etc)
$39.8 MX$753
$152 $152
-73.87%
Sport Shoes (Adidas, Nike)
$79 MX$1,493
$198 $198
-60.12%
Men's Leather Business Shoes
$88.4 MX$1,671
$152 $152
-41.84%
🏠 Accommodation & Living
Playa del Carmen
St Thomas
Difference
1-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)
$965 MX$18.3K
$1,446 $1,446
-33.22%
1-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)
$474 MX$8,968
$1,822 $1,822
-73.97%
3-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)
$1,653 MX$31.2K
$3,308 $3,308
-50.03%
3-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)
$1,202 MX$22.7K
$4,322 $4,322
-72.19%
Buy Apartment in City Center (m2)
$3,081 MX$58.3K
$4,889 $4,889
-36.97%
Buy Apartment Outside City Center (m2)
$7,529 MX$142.3K
$10.6K $10.6K
-28.77%
💵 Salaries & Financials
Playa del Carmen
St Thomas
Difference
Average Monthly Net Salary (After Tax)
$792 MX$15K
$2,375 $2,375
-66.66%
20-Year Fixed Mortgage Interest Rate (Annual %)
11.42
9.45
20.85%

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

Last update for Playa del Carmen: October 28, 2025

Last update for St Thomas: October 28, 2025

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