Cost of Living Comparison Between Saint John's and Playa del Carmen Cost of Living Comparison Between Saint John's and Playa del Carmen

Monthly Cost of Living

A single person spends $1,857 per month in Saint John's vs $1,305 in Playa del Carmen, rent included.

A couple spends around $2,872 per month in Saint John's vs $2,334 in Playa del Carmen, rent included.

A family of three spends $3,887 per month in Saint John's vs $3,362 in Playa del Carmen, rent included.

Saint John's costs about 42% more than Playa del Carmen, driven mainly by Groceries & Markets.

Saint John's sits 35% above the global median, while Playa del Carmen is 5% below – they fall on opposite sides of the world average.

Meal at Budget Restaurant

$22.01 EC$59.4

$11.96 MX$203

84.03%

Three-Course Dinner for Two, Mid-Range

$74.0 EC$200

$47.38 MX$804

56.14%

Fast Food Meal (McDonalds, etc)

$10.92 EC$29.48

$11.75 MX$199

-7.06%

Cappuccino

$3.78 EC$10.20

$4.12 MX$70.0

-8.25%

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

$1.97 EC$5.32

$1.40 MX$23.74

40.71%

Water (0.33 liter bottle)

$0.90 EC$2.43

$0.91 MX$15.48

-1.10%

Local Beer (0.5 liter draught)

$1.82 EC$4.92

$3.21 MX$54.4

-43.30%

Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$4.56 EC$12.30

$7.07 MX$120

-35.50%

Milk (1 liter)

$2.25 EC$6.07

$1.68 MX$28.44

33.93%

White Bread (500g)

$2.75 EC$7.43

$2.15 MX$36.48

27.91%

Rice (white) (1kg)

$1.90 EC$5.12

$1.77 MX$30.10

7.34%

Eggs

$6.78 EC$18.30

$2.82 MX$47.76

140.43%

Local Cheese (1kg)

$8.06 EC$21.77

$9.20 MX$156

-12.39%

Chicken Fillets (1kg)

$8.32 EC$22.47

$9.23 MX$157

-9.86%

Beef Round Steak (1kg)

$12.64 MX$214

Apples (1kg)

$6.69 EC$18.06

$2.95 MX$50.1

126.78%

Banana (1kg)

$2.52 EC$6.80

$1.58 MX$26.79

59.49%

Oranges (1kg)

$8.28 EC$22.35

$2.22 MX$37.70

272.97%

Tomato (1kg)

$8.11 EC$21.90

$2.36 MX$40.09

243.64%

Potato (1kg)

$2.85 EC$7.68

$1.99 MX$33.81

43.22%

Onion (1kg)

$2.87 EC$7.76

$1.98 MX$33.58

44.95%

Lettuce (1 head)

$2.51 EC$6.79

$1.24 MX$21.04

102.42%

Water (1.5 liter bottle)

$1.59 EC$4.29

$1.21 MX$20.55

31.40%

Cigarettes 20 Pack (Marlboro, Camel)

$4.60 MX$78.1

Wine (Bottle)

$5.60 EC$15.12

$10.52 MX$178

-46.77%

Local Beer (0.5 liter bottle)

$2.88 EC$7.78

$1.69 MX$28.70

70.41%

Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$4.32 EC$11.67

$2.77 MX$47.06

55.96%

One-way Ticket (Public Transport)

$0.60 MX$10.22

Public Transport Monthly Pass (Regular Price)

$29.70 MX$504

Taxi Start (Normal Tariff)

$5.24 MX$88.8

Taxi (Normal Tariff) (1km)

$3.65 MX$61.9

Taxi 1hour Waiting (Normal Tariff)

$5.78 MX$98.1

Gasoline (1 liter)

$1.63 EC$4.40

$1.54 MX$26.09

5.84%

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

$22.8K MX$386.8K

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

$25.8K MX$437.9K

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

$256 EC$690

$90.7 MX$1,538

181.97%

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

$41.37 EC$112

$25.19 MX$427

64.23%

Internet (50+ Mbps, Unlimited Data)

$82.0 EC$221

$31.75 MX$539

158.14%

Gym Membership (Monthly)

$65.7 EC$177

$68.8 MX$1,167

-4.43%

Tennis Court (1 Hour on Weekend)

$29.37 MX$498

Cinema Ticket

$6.20 EC$16.73

$4.86 MX$82.5

27.57%

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

$226 MX$3,828

International Primary School, 1 Child (Yearly)

$1,836 EC$4,956

$4,194 MX$71.1K

-56.23%

Jeans (Levis 501 Or Similar)

$50.4 EC$136

$47.38 MX$804

6.31%

Summer Dress (H&M, Zara, etc)

$43.45 MX$737

Sport Shoes (Adidas, Nike)

$72.8 EC$196

$80.2 MX$1,361

-9.31%

Men's Leather Business Shoes

$91.4 MX$1,550

1-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)

$1,055 EC$2,849

$1,086 MX$18.4K

-2.82%

1-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)

$679 EC$1,834

$409 MX$6,933

66.19%

3-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)

$1,670 EC$4,510

$1,972 MX$33.5K

-15.30%

3-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)

$1,469 EC$3,966

$1,281 MX$21.7K

14.63%

Buy Apartment in City Center (m2)

$4,046 MX$68.6K

Buy Apartment Outside City Center (m2)

$6,704 MX$113.7K

Average Monthly Net Salary (After Tax)

$1,366 EC$3,688

$773 MX$13.1K

76.66%

20-Year Fixed Mortgage Interest Rate (Annual %)

5.5

11.45

-51.97%

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

Last update for Saint John's: September 5, 2026

Last update for Playa del Carmen: September 7, 2026

Cost Breakdown

A central one-bedroom costs $1,055 in Saint John's versus $1,086 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 77% higher in Saint John's, 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 $74.0 in Saint John's versus $47.00 in Playa del Carmen. Monthly groceries follow the same trend: $350 vs $278 – making Playa del Carmen 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

Saint John's vs Playa del Carmen: Cost of Living - Frequently Asked Questions

Yes – Saint John's is pricier by about 42%, 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 $2,785 per month in Saint John's and $1,958 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.

Groceries cost about 26% more in Saint John's, though it depends on what you buy. Local produce may be comparable; imported and premium items show the biggest price gap.

A mid-range dinner for two costs $74.0 in Saint John's and $47.00 in Playa del Carmen. That's a good indicator of the overall restaurant and café pricing gap between the two cities.

A $1,500 monthly budget goes further in Playa del Carmen, where all-in costs run around $1,305, than in Saint John's at $1,857. In Playa del Carmen it covers expenses comfortably, while in Saint John's 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.

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 Playa del Carmen. If higher salaries, better infrastructure, or specific career opportunities are the priority, Saint John's makes more sense. Both are solid long-term options with distinct trade-offs.