Cost of Living Comparison Between Saint-Joseph and Playa del Carmen Cost of Living Comparison Between Saint-Joseph and Playa del Carmen

Monthly Cost of Living

A single person spends $1,563 per month in Saint-Joseph vs $1,287 in Playa del Carmen, rent included.

A couple spends around $2,243 per month in Saint-Joseph vs $2,184 in Playa del Carmen, rent included.

A family of three spends $2,923 per month in Saint-Joseph vs $3,082 in Playa del Carmen, rent included.

Saint-Joseph costs about 21% more than Playa del Carmen, driven mainly by Clothing & Footwear.

Saint-Joseph sits 17% above the global median, while Playa del Carmen is 4% below – they fall on opposite sides of the world average.

Meal at Budget Restaurant

$11.67 €9.97

$11.94 MX$208

-2.26%

Three-Course Dinner for Two, Mid-Range

$57.3 €48.97

$42.75 MX$744

34.13%

Fast Food Meal (McDonalds, etc)

$10.60 €9.05

$10.59 MX$184

0.09%

Cappuccino

$2.32 €1.98

$3.62 MX$63.0

-35.91%

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

$3.48 €2.97

$1.47 MX$25.54

136.73%

Water (0.33 liter bottle)

$2.37 €2.02

$0.94 MX$16.41

152.13%

Local Beer (0.5 liter draught)

$3.45 €2.95

$3.09 MX$53.8

11.65%

Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$4.60 €3.93

$4.46 MX$77.6

3.14%

Milk (1 liter)

$1.88 €1.61

$1.43 MX$24.80

31.47%

White Bread (500g)

$1.36 €1.16

$1.88 MX$32.79

-27.66%

Rice (white) (1kg)

$1.63 MX$28.34

Eggs

$5.75 €4.91

$2.64 MX$45.99

117.80%

Local Cheese (1kg)

$5.73 €4.89

$8.21 MX$143

-30.21%

Chicken Fillets (1kg)

$9.22 €7.88

$8.29 MX$144

11.22%

Beef Round Steak (1kg)

$17.32 €14.79

$11.10 MX$193

56.04%

Apples (1kg)

$2.65 MX$46.14

Banana (1kg)

$1.50 MX$26.11

Oranges (1kg)

$1.99 MX$34.59

Tomato (1kg)

$2.08 MX$36.13

Potato (1kg)

$1.79 MX$31.11

Onion (1kg)

$3.49 €2.98

$2.18 MX$37.87

60.09%

Lettuce (1 head)

$1.08 MX$18.73

Water (1.5 liter bottle)

$2.36 €2.02

$1.04 MX$18.04

126.92%

Cigarettes 20 Pack (Marlboro, Camel)

$17.25 €14.74

$3.97 MX$69.1

334.51%

Wine (Bottle)

$9.63 €8.22

$10.20 MX$178

-5.59%

Local Beer (0.5 liter bottle)

$2.33 €1.99

$1.73 MX$30.04

34.68%

Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$3.57 €3.05

$2.50 MX$43.46

42.80%

One-way Ticket (Public Transport)

$2.25 €1.92

$0.52 MX$9.02

332.69%

Public Transport Monthly Pass (Regular Price)

$41.04 €35.05

$26.97 MX$469

52.17%

Taxi Start (Normal Tariff)

$3.14 MX$54.7

Taxi (Normal Tariff) (1km)

$2.40 MX$41.80

Taxi 1hour Waiting (Normal Tariff)

$3.09 MX$53.7

Gasoline (1 liter)

$2.25 €1.92

$1.27 MX$22.16

77.17%

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

$30.9K MX$537.3K

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

$23.3K MX$405.7K

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

$230 €196

$82.0 MX$1,427

179.97%

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

$22.45 MX$391

Internet (50+ Mbps, Unlimited Data)

$46.13 €39.39

$29.66 MX$516

55.53%

Gym Membership (Monthly)

$23.17 €19.78

$51.9 MX$903

-55.33%

Tennis Court (1 Hour on Weekend)

$18.67 MX$325

Cinema Ticket

$11.79 €10.07

$4.97 MX$86.5

137.22%

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

$198 MX$3,442

International Primary School, 1 Child (Yearly)

$5,273 MX$91.7K

Jeans (Levis 501 Or Similar)

$70.1 €59.8

$36.34 MX$632

92.82%

Summer Dress (H&M, Zara, etc)

$22.82 €19.48

$40.05 MX$697

-43.02%

Sport Shoes (Adidas, Nike)

$90.9 €77.6

$79.9 MX$1,390

13.77%

Men's Leather Business Shoes

$171 €146

$88.9 MX$1,547

92.25%

1-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)

$696 €594

$963 MX$16.8K

-27.78%

1-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)

$569 €486

$465 MX$8,086

22.34%

3-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)

$1,035 €884

$1,596 MX$27.8K

-35.13%

3-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)

$804 €686

$1,209 MX$21.0K

-33.53%

Buy Apartment in City Center (m2)

$3,942 MX$68.6K

Buy Apartment Outside City Center (m2)

$6,448 MX$112.2K

Average Monthly Net Salary (After Tax)

$1,380 €1,178

$720 MX$12.5K

91.50%

20-Year Fixed Mortgage Interest Rate (Annual %)

11.42

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

Last update for Saint-Joseph: April 26, 2026

Last update for Playa del Carmen: April 25, 2026

Cost Breakdown

A central one-bedroom costs $696 in Saint-Joseph versus $963 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 92% higher in Saint-Joseph, 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 $57.0 in Saint-Joseph versus $43.00 in Playa del Carmen. Groceries tell a different story – $244 in Saint-Joseph vs $251 in Playa del Carmen – so Saint-Joseph 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

Saint-Joseph vs Playa del Carmen: Cost of Living - Frequently Asked Questions

Yes – Saint-Joseph is pricier by about 21%, and the gap shows up most in Clothing & Footwear. It's not just housing either; the difference applies across most spending categories.

For a comfortable life, plan on about $2,345 per month in Saint-Joseph and $1,930 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 $1,563 in Saint-Joseph and $1,287 in Playa del Carmen. The difference isn't just one category – it shows up across housing, food, transport, and services.

A mid-range dinner for two costs $57.0 in Saint-Joseph and $43.00 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 $1,287, than in Saint-Joseph at $1,563. In Playa del Carmen it covers expenses comfortably, while in Saint-Joseph 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-Joseph makes more sense. Both are solid long-term options with distinct trade-offs.