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 $1,330 per month in Playa del Carmen vs $899 in Stilbaai, rent included.

A couple spends around $2,336 per month in Playa del Carmen vs $1,444 in Stilbaai, rent included.

A family of three spends $3,341 per month in Playa del Carmen vs $1,990 in Stilbaai, rent included.

Playa del Carmen costs about 48% more than Stilbaai, driven mainly by Groceries & Markets.

Both Playa del Carmen and Stilbaai are more affordable than the global median – Playa del Carmen 3% lower, Stilbaai 34% lower.

Meal at Budget Restaurant

$13.02 MX$221

$6.29 R 101

107.00%

Three-Course Dinner for Two, Mid-Range

$46.25 MX$784

$48.88 R 787

-5.38%

Fast Food Meal (McDonalds, etc)

$12.59 MX$213

$4.85 R 78.1

159.59%

Cappuccino

$4.00 MX$67.9

$1.56 R 25.20

156.41%

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

$1.42 MX$24.08

$0.65 R 10.41

118.46%

Water (0.33 liter bottle)

$0.81 MX$13.73

$0.60 R 9.66

35.00%

Local Beer (0.5 liter draught)

$3.05 MX$51.7

$3.04 R 49.03

0.33%

Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$6.82 MX$116

$1.83 R 29.41

272.68%

Milk (1 liter)

$1.71 MX$29.04

$0.82 R 13.19

108.54%

White Bread (500g)

$2.22 MX$37.62

$0.61 R 9.76

263.93%

Rice (white) (1kg)

$1.72 MX$29.13

$1.81 R 29.23

-4.97%

Eggs

$2.71 MX$45.99

$2.95 R 47.55

-8.14%

Local Cheese (1kg)

$9.37 MX$159

$4.89 R 78.8

91.62%

Chicken Fillets (1kg)

$8.86 MX$150

$4.96 R 79.9

78.63%

Beef Round Steak (1kg)

$12.78 MX$217

$8.55 R 138

49.47%

Apples (1kg)

$3.13 MX$53.0

$1.35 R 21.71

131.85%

Banana (1kg)

$1.55 MX$26.24

$0.97 R 15.56

59.79%

Oranges (1kg)

$2.15 MX$36.51

$1.21 R 19.52

77.69%

Tomato (1kg)

$2.35 MX$39.89

$1.33 R 21.48

76.69%

Potato (1kg)

$2.02 MX$34.23

$0.38 R 6.16

431.58%

Onion (1kg)

$1.99 MX$33.67

$1.47 R 23.73

35.37%

Lettuce (1 head)

$1.24 MX$21.09

$0.91 R 14.66

36.26%

Water (1.5 liter bottle)

$1.19 MX$20.21

$0.60 R 9.62

98.33%

Cigarettes 20 Pack (Marlboro, Camel)

$4.65 MX$78.8

$3.50 R 56.4

32.86%

Wine (Bottle)

$10.47 MX$177

$4.81 R 77.5

117.67%

Local Beer (0.5 liter bottle)

$1.58 MX$26.82

$0.98 R 15.81

61.22%

Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$2.92 MX$49.48

$1.21 R 19.54

141.32%

One-way Ticket (Public Transport)

$0.56 MX$9.53

$1.59 R 25.54

-64.78%

Public Transport Monthly Pass (Regular Price)

$29.76 MX$504

Taxi Start (Normal Tariff)

$5.32 MX$90.2

$0.60 R 9.72

786.67%

Taxi (Normal Tariff) (1km)

$3.72 MX$63.0

$0.32 R 5.22

1062.50%

Taxi 1hour Waiting (Normal Tariff)

$5.78 MX$97.9

$5.07 R 81.6

14.00%

Gasoline (1 liter)

$1.55 MX$26.27

$1.46 R 23.55

6.16%

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

$22.4K MX$379.1K

$18.2K R 292.8K

23.07%

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

$25.6K MX$433.3K

$18.8K R 302.7K

36.07%

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

$89.3 MX$1,513

$56.8 R 915

57.21%

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

$23.30 MX$395

$31.15 R 502

-25.20%

Internet (50+ Mbps, Unlimited Data)

$31.72 MX$538

$30.96 R 499

2.45%

Gym Membership (Monthly)

$68.8 MX$1,165

$32.41 R 522

112.16%

Tennis Court (1 Hour on Weekend)

$29.40 MX$498

Cinema Ticket

$5.06 MX$85.7

$5.43 R 87.5

-6.81%

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

$222 MX$3,765

$242 R 3,894

-8.12%

International Primary School, 1 Child (Yearly)

$4,293 MX$72.7K

$1,221 R 19.7K

251.47%

Jeans (Levis 501 Or Similar)

$46.21 MX$783

$31.20 R 502

48.11%

Summer Dress (H&M, Zara, etc)

$44.43 MX$753

$18.43 R 297

141.07%

Sport Shoes (Adidas, Nike)

$95.5 MX$1,618

$62.6 R 1,009

52.44%

Men's Leather Business Shoes

$92.5 MX$1,568

$62.6 R 1,009

47.78%

1-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)

$1,069 MX$18.1K

$402 R 6,476

165.87%

1-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)

$393 MX$6,663

$369 R 5,936

6.70%

3-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)

$1,988 MX$33.7K

$744 R 12.0K

167.10%

3-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)

$1,304 MX$22.1K

$768 R 12.4K

69.86%

Buy Apartment in City Center (m2)

$4,037 MX$68.4K

$888 R 14.3K

354.62%

Buy Apartment Outside City Center (m2)

$6,627 MX$112.3K

$634 R 10.2K

945.44%

Average Monthly Net Salary (After Tax)

$747 MX$12.7K

$2,513 R 40.5K

-70.28%

20-Year Fixed Mortgage Interest Rate (Annual %)

11.6

11.16

3.94%

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

Last update for Playa del Carmen: August 18, 2026

Last update for Stilbaai: August 16, 2026

Cost Breakdown

A central one-bedroom costs $1,069 in Playa del Carmen versus $402 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 237% 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 $46.00 in Playa del Carmen versus $49.00 in Stilbaai. Groceries tell a different story – $277 in Playa del Carmen vs $154 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 48%, 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 $1,995 per month in Playa del Carmen and $1,348 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 $1,330 in Playa del Carmen and $899 in Stilbaai. The difference isn't just one category – it shows up across housing, food, transport, and services.

Kindergarten costs $222 per month in Playa del Carmen and $242 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 $899, than in Playa del Carmen at $1,330. 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.