Cost of Living Comparison Between Playa del Carmen and Stanley Cost of Living Comparison Between Playa del Carmen and Stanley

Monthly Cost of Living

A single person spends $1,287 per month in Playa del Carmen vs $2,376 in Stanley, rent included.

A couple spends around $2,184 per month in Playa del Carmen vs $3,388 in Stanley, rent included.

A family of three spends $3,082 per month in Playa del Carmen vs $4,400 in Stanley, rent included.

Playa del Carmen is about 46% cheaper than Stanley, driven mainly by Monthly Utilities & Internet.

Playa del Carmen sits 4% below the global median, while Stanley is 77% above – they fall on opposite sides of the world average.

Meal at Budget Restaurant

$11.94 MX$209

$27.05 FKP 20.05

-55.86%

Three-Course Dinner for Two, Mid-Range

$42.75 MX$748

$80.7 FKP 59.8

-47.01%

Fast Food Meal (McDonalds, etc)

$10.59 MX$185

Cappuccino

$3.62 MX$63.4

$2.73 FKP 2.02

32.60%

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

$1.47 MX$25.69

$1.90 FKP 1.41

-22.63%

Water (0.33 liter bottle)

$0.94 MX$16.51

$1.37 FKP 1.02

-31.39%

Local Beer (0.5 liter draught)

$3.09 MX$54.1

$4.52 FKP 3.35

-31.64%

Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$4.46 MX$78.0

$3.36 FKP 2.49

32.74%

Milk (1 liter)

$1.43 MX$24.94

$2.27 FKP 1.68

-37.00%

White Bread (500g)

$1.88 MX$32.97

$3.19 FKP 2.37

-41.07%

Rice (white) (1kg)

$1.63 MX$28.50

$0.87 FKP 0.64

87.36%

Eggs

$2.64 MX$46.26

$7.67 FKP 5.68

-65.58%

Local Cheese (1kg)

$8.21 MX$144

$3.07 FKP 2.28

167.43%

Chicken Fillets (1kg)

$8.29 MX$145

$5.81 FKP 4.30

42.69%

Beef Round Steak (1kg)

$11.10 MX$194

$9.70 FKP 7.19

14.43%

Apples (1kg)

$2.65 MX$46.40

$7.17 FKP 5.32

-63.04%

Banana (1kg)

$1.50 MX$26.26

$5.24 FKP 3.88

-71.37%

Oranges (1kg)

$1.99 MX$34.79

$5.29 FKP 3.92

-62.38%

Tomato (1kg)

$2.08 MX$36.33

$5.22 FKP 3.87

-60.15%

Potato (1kg)

$1.79 MX$31.29

$2.39 FKP 1.77

-25.10%

Onion (1kg)

$2.18 MX$38.09

$0.79 FKP 0.58

175.95%

Lettuce (1 head)

$1.08 MX$18.84

$4.94 FKP 3.66

-78.14%

Water (1.5 liter bottle)

$1.04 MX$18.15

Cigarettes 20 Pack (Marlboro, Camel)

$3.97 MX$69.5

$19.00 FKP 14.08

-79.11%

Wine (Bottle)

$10.20 MX$179

$12.36 FKP 9.16

-17.48%

Local Beer (0.5 liter bottle)

$1.73 MX$30.22

Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$2.50 MX$43.71

$1.23 FKP 0.91

103.25%

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

Taxi (Normal Tariff) (1km)

$2.40 MX$42.04

Taxi 1hour Waiting (Normal Tariff)

$3.09 MX$54.0

Gasoline (1 liter)

$1.27 MX$22.28

$1.79 FKP 1.33

-29.05%

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

$30.9K MX$540.4K

$2,725 FKP 2,019

1033.45%

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

$23.3K MX$408.0K

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

$82.0 MX$1,435

$409 FKP 303

-79.93%

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

$22.45 MX$393

$89.1 FKP 66.0

-74.81%

Internet (50+ Mbps, Unlimited Data)

$29.66 MX$519

$518 FKP 384

-94.28%

Gym Membership (Monthly)

$51.9 MX$908

$15.07 FKP 11.17

244.19%

Tennis Court (1 Hour on Weekend)

$18.67 MX$327

$24.12 FKP 17.87

-22.60%

Cinema Ticket

$4.97 MX$87.0

$10.88 FKP 8.06

-54.32%

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

$198 MX$3,462

$610 FKP 452

-67.57%

International Primary School, 1 Child (Yearly)

$5,273 MX$92.3K

Jeans (Levis 501 Or Similar)

$36.34 MX$636

Summer Dress (H&M, Zara, etc)

$40.05 MX$701

Sport Shoes (Adidas, Nike)

$79.9 MX$1,398

$61.1 FKP 45.28

30.72%

Men's Leather Business Shoes

$88.9 MX$1,555

1-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)

$963 MX$16.9K

$1,218 FKP 903

-20.91%

1-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)

$465 MX$8,133

$669 FKP 496

-30.56%

3-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)

$1,596 MX$27.9K

$2,271 FKP 1,682

-29.70%

3-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)

$1,209 MX$21.2K

$1,335 FKP 989

-9.47%

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

$4,116 FKP 3,050

-82.50%

20-Year Fixed Mortgage Interest Rate (Annual %)

11.42

63.14%

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 Stanley: April 25, 2026

Cost Breakdown

A central one-bedroom costs $963 in Playa del Carmen versus $1,218 in Stanley. Rent is usually the largest line item in a monthly budget, so the gap here sets the tone for the overall comparison.

Salaries run about 471% higher in Stanley, which partly offsets the higher cost of living there. Purchasing power depends on which expenses matter most to you.

A mid-range dinner for two costs $43.00 in Playa del Carmen versus $81.0 in Stanley. Monthly groceries follow the same trend: $251 vs $326 – 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 Stanley: Cost of Living - Frequently Asked Questions

Yes – Stanley is pricier by about 85%, and the gap shows up most in Monthly Utilities & Internet. 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 $3,564 in Stanley. 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 $2,376 in Stanley. 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 $610 in Stanley. For families with young kids, this one expense can tip the scales when choosing between the two cities.

A $1,500 monthly budget goes further in Playa del Carmen, where all-in costs run around $1,287, than in Stanley at $2,376. In Playa del Carmen it covers expenses comfortably, while in Stanley 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, Stanley makes more sense. Both are solid long-term options with distinct trade-offs.