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

Monthly Cost of Living

A single person spends $1,287 per month in Playa del Carmen vs $1,062 in Stellenbosch, rent included.

A couple spends around $2,184 per month in Playa del Carmen vs $1,752 in Stellenbosch, rent included.

A family of three spends $3,082 per month in Playa del Carmen vs $2,441 in Stellenbosch, rent included.

Playa del Carmen costs about 21% more than Stellenbosch, driven mainly by Groceries & Markets.

Both Playa del Carmen and Stellenbosch are more affordable than the global median – Playa del Carmen 4% lower, Stellenbosch 21% lower.

Meal at Budget Restaurant

$11.94 MX$209

$8.51 R 143

40.31%

Three-Course Dinner for Two, Mid-Range

$42.75 MX$748

$33.68 R 565

26.93%

Fast Food Meal (McDonalds, etc)

$10.59 MX$185

$4.09 R 68.6

158.92%

Cappuccino

$3.62 MX$63.4

$1.81 R 30.27

100.00%

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

$1.47 MX$25.69

$0.80 R 13.50

83.75%

Water (0.33 liter bottle)

$0.94 MX$16.51

$0.58 R 9.67

62.07%

Local Beer (0.5 liter draught)

$3.09 MX$54.1

$2.17 R 36.47

42.40%

Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$4.46 MX$78.0

$2.18 R 36.55

104.59%

Milk (1 liter)

$1.43 MX$24.94

$0.88 R 14.79

62.50%

White Bread (500g)

$1.88 MX$32.97

$0.76 R 12.71

147.37%

Rice (white) (1kg)

$1.63 MX$28.50

$1.47 R 24.73

10.88%

Eggs

$2.64 MX$46.26

$2.00 R 33.58

32.00%

Local Cheese (1kg)

$8.21 MX$144

$7.04 R 118

16.62%

Chicken Fillets (1kg)

$8.29 MX$145

$4.49 R 75.3

84.63%

Beef Round Steak (1kg)

$11.10 MX$194

$7.42 R 124

49.60%

Apples (1kg)

$2.65 MX$46.40

$1.05 R 17.54

152.38%

Banana (1kg)

$1.50 MX$26.26

$1.24 R 20.75

20.97%

Oranges (1kg)

$1.99 MX$34.79

$0.80 R 13.42

148.75%

Tomato (1kg)

$2.08 MX$36.33

$1.34 R 22.49

55.22%

Potato (1kg)

$1.79 MX$31.29

$0.81 R 13.53

120.99%

Onion (1kg)

$2.18 MX$38.09

$1.22 R 20.53

78.69%

Lettuce (1 head)

$1.08 MX$18.84

$0.96 R 16.13

12.50%

Water (1.5 liter bottle)

$1.04 MX$18.15

$0.84 R 14.05

23.81%

Cigarettes 20 Pack (Marlboro, Camel)

$3.97 MX$69.5

$2.90 R 48.71

36.90%

Wine (Bottle)

$10.20 MX$179

$6.16 R 103

65.58%

Local Beer (0.5 liter bottle)

$1.73 MX$30.22

$1.41 R 23.66

22.70%

Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$2.50 MX$43.71

$1.74 R 29.25

43.68%

One-way Ticket (Public Transport)

$0.52 MX$9.07

$1.10 R 18.39

-52.73%

Public Transport Monthly Pass (Regular Price)

$26.97 MX$472

$8.17 R 137

230.11%

Taxi Start (Normal Tariff)

$3.14 MX$55.0

$1.44 R 24.08

118.06%

Taxi (Normal Tariff) (1km)

$2.40 MX$42.04

$0.95 R 15.85

152.63%

Taxi 1hour Waiting (Normal Tariff)

$3.09 MX$54.0

$2.84 R 47.56

8.80%

Gasoline (1 liter)

$1.27 MX$22.28

$1.25 R 21.00

1.60%

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

$30.9K MX$540.4K

$13.0K R 217.9K

137.71%

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

$23.3K MX$408.0K

$23.7K R 397.8K

-1.72%

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

$82.0 MX$1,435

$95.4 R 1,599

-13.99%

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

$22.45 MX$393

$28.17 R 472

-20.31%

Internet (50+ Mbps, Unlimited Data)

$29.66 MX$519

$40.90 R 686

-27.48%

Gym Membership (Monthly)

$51.9 MX$908

$36.14 R 606

43.53%

Tennis Court (1 Hour on Weekend)

$18.67 MX$327

$2.87 R 48.18

550.52%

Cinema Ticket

$4.97 MX$87.0

$5.65 R 94.7

-12.04%

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

$198 MX$3,462

$205 R 3,440

-3.57%

International Primary School, 1 Child (Yearly)

$5,273 MX$92.3K

$1,349 R 22.6K

290.81%

Jeans (Levis 501 Or Similar)

$36.34 MX$636

$45.35 R 760

-19.87%

Summer Dress (H&M, Zara, etc)

$40.05 MX$701

$19.31 R 324

107.41%

Sport Shoes (Adidas, Nike)

$79.9 MX$1,398

$99.8 R 1,673

-19.94%

Men's Leather Business Shoes

$88.9 MX$1,555

$56.7 R 951

56.75%

1-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)

$963 MX$16.9K

$562 R 9,429

71.33%

1-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)

$465 MX$8,133

$440 R 7,371

5.74%

3-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)

$1,596 MX$27.9K

$1,321 R 22.1K

20.88%

3-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)

$1,209 MX$21.2K

$1,066 R 17.9K

13.35%

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

$2,417 R 40.5K

-70.19%

20-Year Fixed Mortgage Interest Rate (Annual %)

11.42

11.77

-2.97%

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 Stellenbosch: April 27, 2026

Cost Breakdown

A central one-bedroom costs $963 in Playa del Carmen versus $562 in Stellenbosch. 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 235% higher in Stellenbosch, which reinforces the cost advantage – you earn more and spend less. Purchasing power leans clearly in its favor.

A mid-range dinner for two costs $43.00 in Playa del Carmen versus $34.00 in Stellenbosch. Monthly groceries follow the same trend: $251 vs $160 – making Stellenbosch 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 Stellenbosch: Cost of Living - Frequently Asked Questions

Yes – Playa del Carmen is pricier by about 21%, 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 $1,930 per month in Playa del Carmen and $1,593 in Stellenbosch. That covers rent, food, utilities, transport, and enough left over to feel settled – not just surviving.

Rent is clearly cheaper in Stellenbosch, 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 $1,062 in Stellenbosch. The difference isn't just one category – it shows up across housing, food, transport, and services.

Public transport costs about 230% less in Stellenbosch. For daily commuters, that gap adds up to noticeable savings over a year.

A $1,000 monthly budget goes further in Stellenbosch, where all-in costs run around $1,062, than in Playa del Carmen at $1,287. In Stellenbosch it covers expenses comfortably, while in Playa del Carmen it requires careful planning or may not stretch far enough.

Families tend to lean toward Stellenbosch – 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 Stellenbosch. 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.