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

Monthly Cost of Living

A single person spends $1,287 per month in Playa del Carmen vs $809 in Stilbaai, rent included.

A couple spends around $2,184 per month in Playa del Carmen vs $1,327 in Stilbaai, rent included.

A family of three spends $3,082 per month in Playa del Carmen vs $1,845 in Stilbaai, rent included.

Playa del Carmen costs about 59% more than Stilbaai, driven mainly by Groceries & Markets.

Both Playa del Carmen and Stilbaai are more affordable than the global median – Playa del Carmen 4% lower, Stilbaai 40% lower.

Meal at Budget Restaurant

$11.94 MX$209

$5.43 R 91.1

119.89%

Three-Course Dinner for Two, Mid-Range

$42.75 MX$748

$44.59 R 748

-4.13%

Fast Food Meal (McDonalds, etc)

$10.59 MX$185

$4.41 R 74.0

140.14%

Cappuccino

$3.62 MX$63.4

$1.43 R 24.03

153.15%

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

$1.47 MX$25.69

$0.59 R 9.82

149.15%

Water (0.33 liter bottle)

$0.94 MX$16.51

$0.58 R 9.71

62.07%

Local Beer (0.5 liter draught)

$3.09 MX$54.1

$2.75 R 46.15

12.36%

Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$4.46 MX$78.0

$1.66 R 27.77

168.67%

Milk (1 liter)

$1.43 MX$24.94

$0.79 R 13.26

81.01%

White Bread (500g)

$1.88 MX$32.97

$0.51 R 8.57

268.63%

Rice (white) (1kg)

$1.63 MX$28.50

$1.71 R 28.59

-4.68%

Eggs

$2.64 MX$46.26

$2.45 R 41.13

7.76%

Local Cheese (1kg)

$8.21 MX$144

$4.36 R 73.1

88.30%

Chicken Fillets (1kg)

$8.29 MX$145

$4.35 R 72.9

90.57%

Beef Round Steak (1kg)

$11.10 MX$194

$7.46 R 125

48.79%

Apples (1kg)

$2.65 MX$46.40

$1.20 R 20.07

120.83%

Banana (1kg)

$1.50 MX$26.26

$0.81 R 13.51

85.19%

Oranges (1kg)

$1.99 MX$34.79

$1.13 R 18.97

76.11%

Tomato (1kg)

$2.08 MX$36.33

$1.21 R 20.27

71.90%

Potato (1kg)

$1.79 MX$31.29

$0.35 R 5.91

411.43%

Onion (1kg)

$2.18 MX$38.09

$1.19 R 19.99

83.19%

Lettuce (1 head)

$1.08 MX$18.84

$0.85 R 14.27

27.06%

Water (1.5 liter bottle)

$1.04 MX$18.15

$0.55 R 9.18

89.09%

Cigarettes 20 Pack (Marlboro, Camel)

$3.97 MX$69.5

$3.13 R 52.5

26.84%

Wine (Bottle)

$10.20 MX$179

$4.82 R 80.9

111.62%

Local Beer (0.5 liter bottle)

$1.73 MX$30.22

$0.87 R 14.65

98.85%

Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$2.50 MX$43.71

$1.14 R 19.06

119.30%

One-way Ticket (Public Transport)

$0.52 MX$9.07

$1.61 R 27.02

-67.70%

Public Transport Monthly Pass (Regular Price)

$26.97 MX$472

Taxi Start (Normal Tariff)

$3.14 MX$55.0

$1.42 R 23.82

121.13%

Taxi (Normal Tariff) (1km)

$2.40 MX$42.04

$0.28 R 4.74

757.14%

Taxi 1hour Waiting (Normal Tariff)

$3.09 MX$54.0

$4.40 R 73.9

-29.77%

Gasoline (1 liter)

$1.27 MX$22.28

$1.19 R 19.89

6.72%

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

$30.9K MX$540.4K

$17.0K R 284.4K

82.09%

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

$23.3K MX$408.0K

$16.6K R 277.8K

40.72%

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

$82.0 MX$1,435

$52.1 R 873

57.50%

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

$22.45 MX$393

$32.87 R 551

-31.70%

Internet (50+ Mbps, Unlimited Data)

$29.66 MX$519

$27.50 R 461

7.85%

Gym Membership (Monthly)

$51.9 MX$908

$30.71 R 515

68.90%

Tennis Court (1 Hour on Weekend)

$18.67 MX$327

Cinema Ticket

$4.97 MX$87.0

$4.92 R 82.5

1.02%

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

$198 MX$3,462

$210 R 3,518

-5.71%

International Primary School, 1 Child (Yearly)

$5,273 MX$92.3K

$1,126 R 18.9K

368.45%

Jeans (Levis 501 Or Similar)

$36.34 MX$636

$28.12 R 472

29.23%

Summer Dress (H&M, Zara, etc)

$40.05 MX$701

$16.86 R 283

137.54%

Sport Shoes (Adidas, Nike)

$79.9 MX$1,398

$56.2 R 942

42.21%

Men's Leather Business Shoes

$88.9 MX$1,555

$56.2 R 942

58.23%

1-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)

$963 MX$16.9K

$357 R 5,994

169.53%

1-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)

$465 MX$8,133

$335 R 5,615

38.79%

3-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)

$1,596 MX$27.9K

$693 R 11.6K

130.33%

3-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)

$1,209 MX$21.2K

$679 R 11.4K

78.00%

Buy Apartment in City Center (m2)

$3,942 MX$69.0K

$686 R 11.5K

474.70%

Buy Apartment Outside City Center (m2)

$6,448 MX$112.8K

$635 R 10.6K

915.94%

Average Monthly Net Salary (After Tax)

$720 MX$12.6K

$2,414 R 40.5K

-70.16%

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 Stilbaai: April 25, 2026

Cost Breakdown

A central one-bedroom costs $963 in Playa del Carmen versus $357 in Stilbaai. 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 Stilbaai, 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 $45.00 in Stilbaai. Groceries tell a different story – $251 in Playa del Carmen vs $138 in Stilbaai – so Stilbaai wins on supermarket bills even if dining out costs more.

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 Stilbaai: Cost of Living - Frequently Asked Questions

Yes – Playa del Carmen is pricier by about 59%, 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 $1,214 in Stilbaai. That covers rent, food, utilities, transport, and enough left over to feel settled – not just surviving.

Rent is clearly cheaper in Stilbaai, 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 $809 in Stilbaai. 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 $210 in Stilbaai. For families with young kids, this one expense can tip the scales when choosing between the two cities.

A $2,000 monthly budget goes further in Stilbaai, where all-in costs run around $809, than in Playa del Carmen at $1,287. In Stilbaai it covers expenses comfortably, while in Playa del Carmen it requires careful planning or may not stretch far enough.

Families tend to lean toward Stilbaai – 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 Stilbaai. 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.