Cost of Living Comparison Between Saint Petersburg and Playa del Carmen Cost of Living Comparison Between Saint Petersburg and Playa del Carmen

Monthly Cost of Living

A single person spends $1,308 per month in Saint Petersburg vs $1,287 in Playa del Carmen, rent included.

A couple spends around $2,048 per month in Saint Petersburg vs $2,184 in Playa del Carmen, rent included.

A family of three spends $2,788 per month in Saint Petersburg vs $3,082 in Playa del Carmen, rent included.

Saint Petersburg costs about 2% more than Playa del Carmen, driven mainly by Clothing & Footwear.

Both Saint Petersburg and Playa del Carmen are more affordable than the global median – Saint Petersburg 2% lower, Playa del Carmen 4% lower.

Meal at Budget Restaurant

$9.46 ₽711

$11.94 MX$208

-20.77%

Three-Course Dinner for Two, Mid-Range

$49.63 ₽3,729

$42.75 MX$744

16.09%

Fast Food Meal (McDonalds, etc)

$5.67 ₽426

$10.59 MX$184

-46.46%

Cappuccino

$2.57 ₽193

$3.62 MX$63.0

-29.01%

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

$1.08 ₽81.5

$1.47 MX$25.54

-26.53%

Water (0.33 liter bottle)

$0.58 ₽43.64

$0.94 MX$16.41

-38.30%

Local Beer (0.5 liter draught)

$3.09 ₽233

$3.09 MX$53.8

Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$3.90 ₽293

$4.46 MX$77.6

-12.56%

Milk (1 liter)

$1.17 ₽88.2

$1.43 MX$24.80

-18.18%

White Bread (500g)

$0.96 ₽71.8

$1.88 MX$32.79

-48.94%

Rice (white) (1kg)

$1.61 ₽121

$1.63 MX$28.34

-1.23%

Eggs

$1.85 ₽139

$2.64 MX$45.99

-29.92%

Local Cheese (1kg)

$12.38 ₽930

$8.21 MX$143

50.79%

Chicken Fillets (1kg)

$5.44 ₽408

$8.29 MX$144

-34.38%

Beef Round Steak (1kg)

$10.62 ₽798

$11.10 MX$193

-4.32%

Apples (1kg)

$1.75 ₽131

$2.65 MX$46.14

-33.96%

Banana (1kg)

$1.85 ₽139

$1.50 MX$26.11

23.33%

Oranges (1kg)

$1.98 ₽149

$1.99 MX$34.59

-0.50%

Tomato (1kg)

$3.50 ₽263

$2.08 MX$36.13

68.27%

Potato (1kg)

$0.84 ₽63.0

$1.79 MX$31.11

-53.07%

Onion (1kg)

$0.64 ₽48.14

$2.18 MX$37.87

-70.64%

Lettuce (1 head)

$1.36 ₽102

$1.08 MX$18.73

25.93%

Water (1.5 liter bottle)

$0.75 ₽56.1

$1.04 MX$18.04

-27.88%

Cigarettes 20 Pack (Marlboro, Camel)

$2.91 ₽219

$3.97 MX$69.1

-26.70%

Wine (Bottle)

$9.57 ₽719

$10.20 MX$178

-6.18%

Local Beer (0.5 liter bottle)

$1.02 ₽76.3

$1.73 MX$30.04

-41.04%

Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$2.05 ₽154

$2.50 MX$43.46

-18.00%

One-way Ticket (Public Transport)

$0.90 ₽67.9

$0.52 MX$9.02

73.08%

Public Transport Monthly Pass (Regular Price)

$53.5 ₽4,017

$26.97 MX$469

98.26%

Taxi Start (Normal Tariff)

$2.87 ₽216

$3.14 MX$54.7

-8.60%

Taxi (Normal Tariff) (1km)

$0.59 ₽44.67

$2.40 MX$41.80

-75.42%

Taxi 1hour Waiting (Normal Tariff)

$7.70 ₽579

$3.09 MX$53.7

149.19%

Gasoline (1 liter)

$0.75 ₽56.7

$1.27 MX$22.16

-40.94%

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

$38.8K ₽2.9M

$30.9K MX$537.3K

25.49%

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

$37.0K ₽2.8M

$23.3K MX$405.7K

58.79%

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

$132 ₽9,882

$82.0 MX$1,427

60.38%

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

$6.70 ₽503

$22.45 MX$391

-70.16%

Internet (50+ Mbps, Unlimited Data)

$7.34 ₽551

$29.66 MX$516

-75.25%

Gym Membership (Monthly)

$36.88 ₽2,770

$51.9 MX$903

-28.90%

Tennis Court (1 Hour on Weekend)

$23.04 ₽1,731

$18.67 MX$325

23.41%

Cinema Ticket

$5.84 ₽439

$4.97 MX$86.5

17.51%

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

$397 ₽29.8K

$198 MX$3,442

100.74%

International Primary School, 1 Child (Yearly)

$9,653 ₽725.2K

$5,273 MX$91.7K

83.06%

Jeans (Levis 501 Or Similar)

$99.2 ₽7,451

$36.34 MX$632

172.92%

Summer Dress (H&M, Zara, etc)

$54.8 ₽4,116

$40.05 MX$697

36.80%

Sport Shoes (Adidas, Nike)

$117 ₽8,791

$79.9 MX$1,390

46.48%

Men's Leather Business Shoes

$133 ₽9,958

$88.9 MX$1,547

49.12%

1-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)

$784 ₽58.9K

$963 MX$16.8K

-18.60%

1-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)

$459 ₽34.5K

$465 MX$8,086

-1.13%

3-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)

$1,442 ₽108.3K

$1,596 MX$27.8K

-9.67%

3-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)

$907 ₽68.2K

$1,209 MX$21.0K

-24.94%

Buy Apartment in City Center (m2)

$4,548 ₽341.7K

$3,942 MX$68.6K

15.39%

Buy Apartment Outside City Center (m2)

$2,919 ₽219.3K

$6,448 MX$112.2K

-54.74%

Average Monthly Net Salary (After Tax)

$1,261 ₽94.7K

$720 MX$12.5K

75.01%

20-Year Fixed Mortgage Interest Rate (Annual %)

24.95

11.42

118.48%

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

Last update for Saint Petersburg: April 27, 2026

Last update for Playa del Carmen: April 25, 2026

Cost Breakdown

A central one-bedroom costs $784 in Saint Petersburg 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 75% higher in Saint Petersburg, 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 $50.0 in Saint Petersburg versus $43.00 in Playa del Carmen. Groceries tell a different story – $223 in Saint Petersburg vs $251 in Playa del Carmen – so Saint Petersburg wins on supermarket bills even if dining out costs more.

City Median Internet Speeds Comparison (Updated March 2026)

The chart highlights the Precision Threshold for mobile and fixed broadband internet speeds, updated quarterly.

Digital Nomad Cost of Living Index

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

Yes – Saint Petersburg is pricier by about 2%, 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 $1,961 per month in Saint Petersburg 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 $1,308 in Saint Petersburg and $1,287 in Playa del Carmen. The difference isn't just one category – it shows up across housing, food, transport, and services.

Public transport costs about 98% 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 $1,287, than in Saint Petersburg at $1,308. In Playa del Carmen it covers expenses comfortably, while in Saint Petersburg 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 Petersburg makes more sense. Both are solid long-term options with distinct trade-offs.