Last update: Oct 2026

Cost of Living Comparison Between Playa del Carmen and Stony Hill

For one person, living is cheaper in Playa del Carmen: $1,204 a month against $1,615 in Stony Hill, rent and utilities included – about $4,900 less a year. Rent and utilities account for most of the difference.

Playa del Carmen, Mexico
Stony Hill, Jamaica
Playa del Carmen
🇲🇽 Mexico
$1,204
/mo nomad
Stony Hill
🇯🇲 Jamaica
$1,615
/mo nomad
Monthly Cost of Living

How much you'll spend in Playa del Carmen and in Stony Hill

Real prices from locals and on-the-ground checks – rent, groceries, transit and the daily extras. Here's what a month in Playa del Carmen and in Stony Hill actually costs, broken down by who's living it.

A single person spends $1,204 per month in Playa del Carmen vs $1,615 in Stony Hill, rent included.

  • Playa del Carmen $1,204
  • Stony Hill $1,615

A couple spends around $2,082 per month in Playa del Carmen vs $2,814 in Stony Hill, rent included.

  • Playa del Carmen $2,082
  • Stony Hill $2,814

A family of three spends $2,959 per month in Playa del Carmen vs $4,012 in Stony Hill, rent included.

  • Playa del Carmen $2,959
  • Stony Hill $4,012

Playa del Carmen is about 25% cheaper than Stony Hill, and outside of rent the biggest gap is in groceries.

Playa del Carmen sits 12% below the global median, while Stony Hill is 19% above – they fall on opposite sides of the world average.

Currency
🍽 Eating Out
Playa del Carmen
Stony Hill
Difference
Meal at Budget Restaurant
$10.92 MX$205
$13.27 JMD 2,097
-17.71%
Three-Course Dinner for Two, Mid-Range
$43.37 MX$813
$76.8 JMD 12.1K
-43.52%
Fast Food Meal (McDonalds, etc)
$11.78 MX$221
$8.26 JMD 1,305
42.62%
Cappuccino
$3.81 MX$71.4
$5.22 JMD 824
-27.01%
Coke/Pepsi/Fanta/Sprite (0.33 liter bottle)
$1.28 MX$24.03
$1.16 JMD 183
10.34%
Water (0.33 liter bottle)
$0.78 MX$14.67
$0.64 JMD 101
21.88%
Local Beer (0.5 liter draught)
$3.17 MX$59.3
$1.85 JMD 293
71.35%
Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)
$4.93 MX$92.5
$3.13 JMD 495
57.51%
🛒 Groceries & Markets
Playa del Carmen
Stony Hill
Difference
Milk (1 liter)
$1.41 MX$26.35
$3.16 JMD 500
-55.38%
White Bread (500g)
$2.22 MX$41.54
$1.55 JMD 245
43.23%
Rice (white) (1kg)
$1.42 MX$26.56
$1.56 JMD 247
-8.97%
Eggs
$2.52 MX$47.27
$3.38 JMD 533
-25.44%
Local Cheese (1kg)
$7.26 MX$136
$11.27 JMD 1,780
-35.58%
Chicken Fillets (1kg)
$7.70 MX$144
$5.12 JMD 809
50.39%
Beef Round Steak (1kg)
$12.69 MX$238
$2.75 JMD 434
361.45%
Apples (1kg)
$2.78 MX$52.2
$6.01 JMD 950
-53.74%
Banana (1kg)
$1.37 MX$25.64
$3.78 JMD 598
-63.76%
Oranges (1kg)
$2.55 MX$47.80
$4.18 JMD 660
-39.00%
Tomato (1kg)
$2.12 MX$39.78
$2.50 JMD 394
-15.20%
Potato (1kg)
$1.94 MX$36.32
$2.81 JMD 444
-30.96%
Onion (1kg)
$1.89 MX$35.34
$1.91 JMD 302
-1.05%
Lettuce (1 head)
$1.15 MX$21.49
$1.61 JMD 255
-28.57%
Water (1.5 liter bottle)
$1.18 MX$22.09
$1.45 JMD 229
-18.62%
Cigarettes 20 Pack (Marlboro, Camel)
$4.30 MX$80.5
$9.73 JMD 1,537
-55.81%
Wine (Bottle)
$9.95 MX$186
$11.37 JMD 1,797
-12.49%
Local Beer (0.5 liter bottle)
$1.58 MX$29.67
$2.93 JMD 464
-46.08%
Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)
$2.67 MX$50.1
$3.96 JMD 626
-32.58%
🚌 Getting Around
Playa del Carmen
Stony Hill
Difference
One-way Ticket (Public Transport)
$0.55 MX$10.37
-
-
Public Transport Monthly Pass (Regular Price)
$26.62 MX$499
-
-
Taxi Start (Normal Tariff)
$4.97 MX$93.1
$1.29 JMD 203
285.27%
Taxi (Normal Tariff) (1km)
$3.33 MX$62.4
$3.14 JMD 495
6.05%
Taxi 1hour Waiting (Normal Tariff)
$5.36 MX$100
$6.12 JMD 966
-12.42%
Gasoline (1 liter)
$1.44 MX$27.06
$0.66 JMD 104
118.18%
Midsize Hatchback 1.4l (Volkswagen Golf, Toyota Prius, Honda Civic, etc)
$20.7K MX$387.3K
$31.7K JMD 5.0M
-34.81%
Compact Sedan 1.6l (Toyota Corolla, Mazda3, Kia K4, Hyundai Elantra, etc)
$23.5K MX$439.7K
$25.6K JMD 4.1M
-8.50%
🧾 Monthly Utilities & Internet
Playa del Carmen
Stony Hill
Difference
Utilities for 2 People in 2-bedroom Apartment (Heating, Electricity, Gas, Water, Garbage) (85m2)
$84.8 MX$1,589
$47.46 JMD 7,499
78.66%
SIM Card Monthly Plan (Calls and 10GB+ Data)
$23.41 MX$439
$22.45 JMD 3,547
4.28%
Internet (50+ Mbps, Unlimited Data)
$28.66 MX$537
$40.24 JMD 6,357
-28.78%
🎉 Sport & Entertainment
Playa del Carmen
Stony Hill
Difference
Gym Membership (Monthly)
$57.1 MX$1,069
$74.6 JMD 11.8K
-23.49%
Tennis Court (1 Hour on Weekend)
$28.91 MX$542
$19.00 JMD 3,002
52.16%
Cinema Ticket
$5.14 MX$96.3
$12.42 JMD 1,963
-58.62%
🧸 Childcare & Education
Playa del Carmen
Stony Hill
Difference
Preschool or Kindergarten, Full Day, Private, 1 Child (Monthly)
$207 MX$3,871
$359 JMD 56.7K
-42.41%
International Primary School, 1 Child (Yearly)
$3,927 MX$73.6K
$8,252 JMD 1.3M
-52.41%
👕👟 Clothing & Footwear
Playa del Carmen
Stony Hill
Difference
Jeans (Levis 501 Or Similar)
$43.35 MX$812
$23.71 JMD 3,745
82.83%
Summer Dress (H&M, Zara, etc)
$41.44 MX$777
$32.10 JMD 5,072
29.10%
Sport Shoes (Adidas, Nike)
$74.2 MX$1,390
$76.2 JMD 12.0K
-2.61%
Men's Leather Business Shoes
$89.3 MX$1,672
$103 JMD 16.2K
-13.05%
🏠 Accommodation & Living
Playa del Carmen
Stony Hill
Difference
1-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)
$980 MX$18.4K
$932 JMD 147.3K
5.07%
1-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)
$381 MX$7,136
$769 JMD 121.5K
-50.48%
3-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)
$1,708 MX$32.0K
$2,246 JMD 354.8K
-23.94%
3-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)
$1,075 MX$20.1K
$1,884 JMD 297.7K
-42.95%
Buy Apartment in City Center (m2)
$3,943 MX$73.9K
-
-
Buy Apartment Outside City Center (m2)
$6,158 MX$115.4K
-
-
💵 Salaries & Financials
Playa del Carmen
Stony Hill
Difference
Average Monthly Net Salary (After Tax)
$735 MX$13.8K
-
-
20-Year Fixed Mortgage Interest Rate (Annual %)
11.45
9
27.22%

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

Last update for Playa del Carmen: October 25, 2026

Last update for Stony Hill: October 26, 2026

Monthly budget structure
Share of the monthly basket for one person, rent included.
Accommodation & Living
Playa del Carmen
$381
Stony Hill
$769 102% $388
Groceries & Markets
Playa del Carmen
$255
Stony Hill
$298 17% $43
Eating Out
Playa del Carmen
$202
Stony Hill
$216 6.9% $14
Monthly Utilities & Internet
Playa del Carmen
$137
Stony Hill
$110 19.5% $27
Clothing & Footwear
Playa del Carmen
$112
Stony Hill
$106 5.5% $6.1
Sport & Entertainment
Playa del Carmen
$67
Stony Hill
$99 47.7% $32
Getting Around
Playa del Carmen
$50
Stony Hill
$17 * 66.4% $33

Categories marked with * are only partly priced – their share counts the items that do have prices.

Cost Breakdown

A central one-bedroom costs $980 in Playa del Carmen versus $932 in Stony Hill. Rent is usually the largest line item in a monthly budget, so the gap here sets the tone for the overall comparison.

A mid-range dinner for two costs $43 in Playa del Carmen versus $77 in Stony Hill. Monthly groceries follow the same trend: $255 vs $298 – making Playa del Carmen the more affordable choice for daily food spending.

Good to know
🇲🇽 Playa del Carmen
🇯🇲 Stony Hill
🕒 Local time
13:23 1:23 PM
13:23 1:23 PM
Same time as Playa del Carmen
🌤 Weather
👥 Population
149,923
8,551
💱 Currency
Exchange rates and currency converter

JMD, USD, EUR to MXN – Mexican Peso Converter

Mexican Peso exchange rates as of November 2, 2026: 1 USD = 18.74 MXN (100 MXN = 5.34 USD). 1 EUR = 20.91 MXN (100 MXN = 4.78 EUR).

Jamaican Dollar exchange rates as of November 2, 2026: 1 USD = 158 JMD (1,000 JMD = 6.33 USD). 1 EUR = 176 JMD (1,000 JMD = 5.67 EUR).

On the map
Between locations
  • Playa del Carmen Stony Hill 1,110 km ≈ 2 h nonstop flight
From you
  • Playa del Carmen
  • Stony Hill

Distances are measured in a straight line. Your location is detected approximately.

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 Stony Hill: Cost of Living - Frequently Asked Questions
Is Playa del Carmen cheaper than Stony Hill?
Yes – Stony Hill is pricier by about 34%, and outside of rent the gap shows up most in groceries.
What income do you need for each city?
For a comfortable life, plan on about $1,806 per month in Playa del Carmen and $2,423 in Stony Hill. That covers rent, food, utilities, transport, and enough left over to feel settled – not just surviving.
What is the rent difference between Playa del Carmen and Stony Hill?
A central 1-bedroom goes for about $980 in Playa del Carmen and $932 in Stony Hill. The gap holds across neighborhoods – outer areas show a similar spread, just at lower price points.
What are total monthly expenses in Playa del Carmen and in Stony Hill?
Monthly expenses with rent come to $1,204 in Playa del Carmen and $1,615 in Stony Hill. That makes Playa del Carmen about 25% cheaper.
Which city has cheaper kindergarten?
Kindergarten costs $207 per month in Playa del Carmen and $359 in Stony Hill. For families with young kids, this one expense can tip the scales when choosing between the two cities.
Is $1,500 a realistic budget for living in Playa del Carmen or in Stony Hill?
A $1,500 monthly budget goes further in Playa del Carmen, where all-in costs run around $1,204, than in Stony Hill at $1,615. In Playa del Carmen it covers expenses comfortably, while in Stony Hill it requires careful planning or may not stretch far enough.
Is it better to live in Playa del Carmen or in Stony Hill?
It depends on your priorities. Playa del Carmen has an edge in some lifestyle areas, with costs from $1,204 in Playa del Carmen to $1,615 in Stony Hill. Climate, culture, job market, and personal taste all factor in.

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