Last update: Oct 2026

Cost of Living Comparison Between Saint Cloud, MN and Playa del Carmen

For one person, living is cheaper in Playa del Carmen: $1,204 a month against $1,894 in Saint Cloud, MN, rent and utilities included – about $8,300 less a year. Rent and utilities account for most of the difference.

91

Cost of Living Index in Saint Cloud, MN
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Saint Cloud, MN Living Index
59

Cost of Living Index in Playa del Carmen
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Playa del Carmen Living Index

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Saint Cloud, MN

🇺🇸 United States

$1,894

/mo nomad

Playa del Carmen

🇲🇽 Mexico

$1,204

/mo nomad

Monthly Cost of Living

How much you'll spend in Saint Cloud, MN and in Playa del Carmen

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

A single person spends $1,894 per month in Saint Cloud, MN vs $1,204 in Playa del Carmen, rent included.

Saint Cloud, MN $1,894
Playa del Carmen $1,204

A couple spends around $2,718 per month in Saint Cloud, MN vs $2,102 in Playa del Carmen, rent included.

Saint Cloud, MN $2,718
Playa del Carmen $2,102

A family of three spends $3,543 per month in Saint Cloud, MN vs $3,000 in Playa del Carmen, rent included.

Saint Cloud, MN $3,543
Playa del Carmen $3,000

Saint Cloud, MN costs about 57% more than Playa del Carmen, and outside of rent the biggest gap is in groceries.

Saint Cloud, MN sits 40% above the global median, while Playa del Carmen is 11% below – they fall on opposite sides of the world average.

Meal at Budget Restaurant

$15.19 $15.19

$10.86 MX$201

39.87%

Three-Course Dinner for Two, Mid-Range

$40.27 $40.27

$44.21 MX$817

-8.91%

Fast Food Meal (McDonalds, etc)

$8.63 $8.63

$11.76 MX$217

-26.62%

Cappuccino

$4.47 $4.47

$3.68 MX$68.0

21.47%

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

$2.88 $2.88

$1.34 MX$24.79

114.93%

Water (0.33 liter bottle)

$2.25 $2.25

$0.82 MX$15.24

174.39%

Local Beer (0.5 liter draught)

$6.08 $6.08

$3.06 MX$56.6

98.69%

Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$4.85 $4.85

$4.94 MX$91.2

-1.82%

Milk (1 liter)

$0.92 $0.92

$1.47 MX$27.17

-37.41%

White Bread (500g)

$1.50 $1.50

$2.22 MX$40.95

-32.43%

Rice (white) (1kg)

$1.90 $1.90

$1.48 MX$27.32

28.38%

Eggs

$3.78 $3.78

$2.49 MX$45.99

51.81%

Local Cheese (1kg)

$9.54 $9.54

$7.52 MX$139

26.86%

Chicken Fillets (1kg)

$6.53 $6.53

$7.96 MX$147

-17.96%

Beef Round Steak (1kg)

$19.42 $19.42

$12.57 MX$232

54.49%

Apples (1kg)

$3.66 $3.66

$2.78 MX$51.3

31.65%

Banana (1kg)

$1.09 $1.09

$1.43 MX$26.37

-23.78%

Oranges (1kg)

$2.82 $2.82

$2.62 MX$48.37

7.63%

Tomato (1kg)

$3.63 $3.63

$2.14 MX$39.49

69.63%

Potato (1kg)

$2.03 $2.03

$2.02 MX$37.38

0.50%

Onion (1kg)

$2.91 $2.91

$1.99 MX$36.74

46.23%

Lettuce (1 head)

$1.99 $1.99

$1.14 MX$21.01

74.56%

Water (1.5 liter bottle)

$3.08 $3.08

$1.20 MX$22.18

156.67%

Cigarettes 20 Pack (Marlboro, Camel)

$11.38 $11.38

$4.26 MX$78.7

167.14%

Wine (Bottle)

$15.07 $15.07

$10.02 MX$185

50.40%

Local Beer (0.5 liter bottle)

$1.69 $1.69

$1.54 MX$28.41

9.74%

Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$3.04 $3.04

$2.66 MX$49.17

14.29%

One-way Ticket (Public Transport)

$1.71 $1.71

$0.53 MX$9.73

222.64%

Public Transport Monthly Pass (Regular Price)

$59.8 $59.8

$27.51 MX$508

117.45%

Taxi Start (Normal Tariff)

$3.48 $3.48

$4.90 MX$90.6

-28.98%

Taxi (Normal Tariff) (1km)

$0.84 $0.84

$3.43 MX$63.5

-75.51%

Taxi 1hour Waiting (Normal Tariff)

$12.16 $12.16

$5.38 MX$99.4

126.02%

Gasoline (1 liter)

$0.92 $0.92

$1.45 MX$26.76

-36.55%

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

$30.2K $30.2K

$21.2K MX$391.0K

42.77%

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

$23.7K $23.7K

$23.0K MX$425.3K

2.98%

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

$118 $118

$85.4 MX$1,577

38.13%

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

$46.72 $46.72

$23.46 MX$434

99.15%

Internet (50+ Mbps, Unlimited Data)

$43.38 $43.38

$28.43 MX$525

52.59%

Gym Membership (Monthly)

$24.65 $24.65

$62.2 MX$1,149

-60.36%

Tennis Court (1 Hour on Weekend)

$28.09 $28.09

$28.68 MX$530

-2.06%

Cinema Ticket

$12.18 $12.18

$5.10 MX$94.3

138.82%

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

$1,709 $1,709

$201 MX$3,715

750.02%

International Primary School, 1 Child (Yearly)

$5,778 $5,778

$3,947 MX$72.9K

46.39%

Jeans (Levis 501 Or Similar)

$57.4 $57.4

$44.39 MX$820

29.40%

Summer Dress (H&M, Zara, etc)

$50.1 $50.1

$41.35 MX$764

21.06%

Sport Shoes (Adidas, Nike)

$73.4 $73.4

$72.7 MX$1,344

0.85%

Men's Leather Business Shoes

$78.9 $78.9

$89.6 MX$1,656

-11.93%

1-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)

$931 $931

$979 MX$18.1K

-4.96%

1-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)

$862 $862

$373 MX$6,887

131.17%

3-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)

$1,371 $1,371

$1,681 MX$31.1K

-18.45%

3-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)

$1,290 $1,290

$1,095 MX$20.2K

17.81%

Buy Apartment in City Center (m2)

$1,993 $1,993

$3,949 MX$73.0K

-49.53%

Buy Apartment Outside City Center (m2)

$1,745 $1,745

$6,137 MX$113.4K

-71.56%

Average Monthly Net Salary (After Tax)

$3,967 $3,967

$738 MX$13.6K

437.86%

20-Year Fixed Mortgage Interest Rate (Annual %)

6.61

11.45

-42.27%

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

Last update for Saint Cloud, MN: October 17, 2026

Last update for Playa del Carmen: October 17, 2026

Monthly budget structure

Share of the monthly basket for one person, rent included.

Accommodation & Living

Saint Cloud, MN

$862 45.5%

Playa del Carmen

$373 31% 56.7% $489

Groceries & Markets

Saint Cloud, MN

$322 17%

Playa del Carmen

$258 21.5% 19.8% $64

Eating Out

Saint Cloud, MN

$262 13.8%

Playa del Carmen

$200 16.6% 23.5% $62

Monthly Utilities & Internet

Saint Cloud, MN

$208 11%

Playa del Carmen

$137 11.4% 34% $71

Clothing & Footwear

Saint Cloud, MN

$117 6.2%

Playa del Carmen

$112 9.3% 4.5% $5.3

Getting Around

Saint Cloud, MN

$74 3.9%

Playa del Carmen

$52 4.3% 30.5% $23

Sport & Entertainment

Saint Cloud, MN

$49 2.6%

Playa del Carmen

$72 6% 47.7% $23

Cost Breakdown

A central one-bedroom costs $931 in Saint Cloud, MN versus $979 in Playa del Carmen. 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 438% higher in Saint Cloud, MN, 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 $40.00 in Saint Cloud, MN versus $44.00 in Playa del Carmen. Groceries tell a different story – $322 in Saint Cloud, MN vs $258 in Playa del Carmen – so Playa del Carmen wins on supermarket bills even if dining out costs more.

Good to know

🇺🇸 Saint Cloud, MN

🇲🇽 Playa del Carmen

🕒 Local time

01:28 1:28 AM

Same time as Saint Cloud, MN

🌤 Weather

👥 Population

67,109

149,923

💱 Currency

United States Dollar USD $

Mexican Peso MXN $

📈 Exchange rate

1 USD = 0.89 EUR

100 MXN = 5.41 USD

100 MXN = 4.81 EUR

Exchange rates and currency converter

MXN, EUR to USD – United States Dollar Converter

🇲🇽 Mexican Peso ($)

🇺🇸 United States Dollar ($)

United States Dollar exchange rates as of October 21, 2026: 1 EUR = 1.12 USD (1 USD = 0.89 EUR).

Mexican Peso exchange rates as of October 21, 2026: 1 USD = 18.48 MXN (100 MXN = 5.41 USD). 1 EUR = 20.77 MXN (100 MXN = 4.81 EUR).

MXN to USD in detail →

On the map

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Between locations

Saint Cloud, MN Playa del Carmen 2,850 km ≈ 4 h nonstop flight

From you

Saint Cloud, MN
Playa del Carmen

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

Saint Cloud, MN vs Playa del Carmen: Cost of Living - Frequently Asked Questions

Yes – Saint Cloud, MN is pricier by about 57%, and outside of rent the gap shows up most in groceries.

For a comfortable life, plan on about $2,841 per month in Saint Cloud, MN and $1,806 in Playa del Carmen. 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 $1,894 in Saint Cloud, MN and $1,204 in Playa del Carmen. That's a gap of about 57%.

Public transport costs about 117% less in Playa del Carmen. For daily commuters, that gap adds up to noticeable savings over a year.

A $1,500 monthly budget goes further in Playa del Carmen, where all-in costs run around $1,204, than in Saint Cloud, MN at $1,894. In Playa del Carmen it covers expenses comfortably, while in Saint Cloud, MN 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.

If budget matters most, go with Playa del Carmen. If higher salaries, better infrastructure, or specific career opportunities are the priority, Saint Cloud, MN makes more sense. Both are solid long-term options with distinct trade-offs.