Cost of Living Comparison Between Sant Julia de Loria and Playa del Carmen Cost of Living Comparison Between Sant Julia de Loria and Playa del Carmen

Monthly Cost of Living

A single person spends $874 per month in Sant Julia de Loria vs $1,287 in Playa del Carmen, rent included.

A couple spends around $1,409 per month in Sant Julia de Loria vs $2,184 in Playa del Carmen, rent included.

A family of three spends $1,943 per month in Sant Julia de Loria vs $3,082 in Playa del Carmen, rent included.

Sant Julia de Loria is about 32% cheaper than Playa del Carmen, driven mainly by Groceries & Markets.

Both Sant Julia de Loria and Playa del Carmen are more affordable than the global median – Sant Julia de Loria 35% lower, Playa del Carmen 4% lower.

Meal at Budget Restaurant

$13.46 €11.49

$11.94 MX$208

12.73%

Three-Course Dinner for Two, Mid-Range

$46.10 €39.37

$42.75 MX$744

7.84%

Fast Food Meal (McDonalds, etc)

$9.39 €8.02

$10.59 MX$184

-11.33%

Cappuccino

$1.49 €1.28

$3.62 MX$63.0

-58.84%

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

$2.01 €1.72

$1.47 MX$25.54

36.73%

Water (0.33 liter bottle)

$1.82 €1.56

$0.94 MX$16.41

93.62%

Local Beer (0.5 liter draught)

$1.95 €1.66

$3.09 MX$53.8

-36.89%

Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$3.22 €2.75

$4.46 MX$77.6

-27.80%

Milk (1 liter)

$1.43 MX$24.80

White Bread (500g)

$1.88 MX$32.79

Rice (white) (1kg)

$1.63 MX$28.34

Eggs

$2.64 MX$45.99

Local Cheese (1kg)

$8.21 MX$143

Chicken Fillets (1kg)

$8.29 MX$144

Beef Round Steak (1kg)

$11.10 MX$193

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)

$2.18 MX$37.87

Lettuce (1 head)

$1.08 MX$18.73

Water (1.5 liter bottle)

$1.04 MX$18.04

Cigarettes 20 Pack (Marlboro, Camel)

$3.97 MX$69.1

Wine (Bottle)

$10.20 MX$178

Local Beer (0.5 liter bottle)

$1.73 MX$30.04

Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$2.50 MX$43.46

One-way Ticket (Public Transport)

$2.09 €1.79

$0.52 MX$9.02

301.92%

Public Transport Monthly Pass (Regular Price)

$45.57 €38.92

$26.97 MX$469

68.97%

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)

$1.27 MX$22.16

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)

$82.0 MX$1,427

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

$22.45 MX$391

Internet (50+ Mbps, Unlimited Data)

$29.66 MX$516

Gym Membership (Monthly)

$34.47 €29.44

$51.9 MX$903

-33.55%

Tennis Court (1 Hour on Weekend)

$15.16 €12.95

$18.67 MX$325

-18.80%

Cinema Ticket

$4.97 MX$86.5

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)

$36.34 MX$632

Summer Dress (H&M, Zara, etc)

$40.05 MX$697

Sport Shoes (Adidas, Nike)

$79.9 MX$1,390

Men's Leather Business Shoes

$88.9 MX$1,547

1-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)

$804 €687

$963 MX$16.8K

-16.53%

1-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)

$612 €523

$465 MX$8,086

31.67%

3-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)

$1,492 €1,275

$1,596 MX$27.8K

-6.51%

3-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)

$1,105 €944

$1,209 MX$21.0K

-8.59%

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)

$4,318 €3,688

$720 MX$12.5K

499.38%

20-Year Fixed Mortgage Interest Rate (Annual %)

11.42

-82.49%

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

Last update for Sant Julia de Loria: April 28, 2026

Last update for Playa del Carmen: April 25, 2026

Cost Breakdown

A central one-bedroom costs $804 in Sant Julia de Loria 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 499% higher in Sant Julia de Loria, which reinforces the cost advantage – you earn more and spend less. Purchasing power leans clearly in its favor.

A mid-range dinner for two costs $46.00 in Sant Julia de Loria versus $43.00 in Playa del Carmen. Use this as a proxy for overall food spending across the two cities.

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

Sant Julia de Loria vs Playa del Carmen: Cost of Living - Frequently Asked Questions

Yes – Playa del Carmen is pricier by about 47%, 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 $1,311 per month in Sant Julia de Loria 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 Sant Julia de Loria, especially for central apartments. Housing is actually the single biggest factor behind the overall cost gap between these two cities.

Public transport costs about 69% less in Sant Julia de Loria. For daily commuters, that gap adds up to noticeable savings over a year.

A mid-range dinner for two costs $46.00 in Sant Julia de Loria 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 $2,000 monthly budget goes further in Sant Julia de Loria, where all-in costs run around $874, than in Playa del Carmen at $1,287. In Sant Julia de Loria it covers expenses comfortably, while in Playa del Carmen it requires careful planning or may not stretch far enough.

Families tend to lean toward Sant Julia de Loria – 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 Sant Julia de Loria. If higher salaries, better infrastructure, or specific career opportunities are the priority, Playa del Carmen makes more sense. Both are solid long-term options with distinct trade-offs.