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 $207 per month in Sant Julia de Loria vs $1,266 in Playa del Carmen, rent included.

A couple spends around $438 per month in Sant Julia de Loria vs $2,279 in Playa del Carmen, rent included.

A family of three spends $670 per month in Sant Julia de Loria vs $3,292 in Playa del Carmen, rent included.

Sant Julia de Loria is about 84% 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 85% lower, Playa del Carmen 7% lower.

Meal at Budget Restaurant

$13.80 €12.03

$11.60 MX$200

18.97%

Three-Course Dinner for Two, Mid-Range

$52.1 €45.41

$47.11 MX$812

10.57%

Fast Food Meal (McDonalds, etc)

$12.57 €10.96

$11.88 MX$205

5.81%

Cappuccino

$1.90 €1.66

$3.98 MX$68.6

-52.26%

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

$2.39 €2.08

$1.43 MX$24.60

67.13%

Water (0.33 liter bottle)

$2.14 €1.87

$0.82 MX$14.22

160.98%

Local Beer (0.5 liter draught)

$2.40 €2.09

$3.19 MX$55.0

-24.76%

Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$4.02 €3.50

$6.79 MX$117

-40.80%

Milk (1 liter)

$1.68 MX$28.89

White Bread (500g)

$2.20 MX$37.88

Rice (white) (1kg)

$1.71 MX$29.45

Eggs

$2.74 MX$47.26

Local Cheese (1kg)

$9.58 MX$165

Chicken Fillets (1kg)

$9.01 MX$155

Beef Round Steak (1kg)

$12.81 MX$221

Apples (1kg)

$2.89 MX$49.81

Banana (1kg)

$1.50 MX$25.81

Oranges (1kg)

$2.15 MX$37.03

Tomato (1kg)

$2.26 MX$38.96

Potato (1kg)

$1.98 MX$34.15

Onion (1kg)

$1.99 MX$34.30

Lettuce (1 head)

$1.23 MX$21.28

Water (1.5 liter bottle)

$1.20 MX$20.63

Cigarettes 20 Pack (Marlboro, Camel)

$4.55 MX$78.5

Wine (Bottle)

$10.37 MX$179

Local Beer (0.5 liter bottle)

$1.62 MX$27.91

Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$2.88 MX$49.67

One-way Ticket (Public Transport)

$0.60 MX$10.35

Public Transport Monthly Pass (Regular Price)

$28.80 MX$497

Taxi Start (Normal Tariff)

$5.39 MX$92.9

Taxi (Normal Tariff) (1km)

$3.73 MX$64.3

Taxi 1hour Waiting (Normal Tariff)

$5.77 MX$99.5

Gasoline (1 liter)

$1.54 MX$26.48

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

$22.5K MX$388.8K

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

$26.1K MX$449.3K

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

$91.4 MX$1,576

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

$25.20 MX$435

Internet (50+ Mbps, Unlimited Data)

$31.24 MX$539

Gym Membership (Monthly)

$67.2 MX$1,159

Tennis Court (1 Hour on Weekend)

$29.11 MX$502

Cinema Ticket

$4.86 MX$83.8

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

$224 MX$3,856

International Primary School, 1 Child (Yearly)

$4,229 MX$72.9K

Jeans (Levis 501 Or Similar)

$47.10 MX$812

Summer Dress (H&M, Zara, etc)

$44.29 MX$764

Sport Shoes (Adidas, Nike)

$80.1 MX$1,381

Men's Leather Business Shoes

$92.7 MX$1,598

1-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)

$1,063 MX$18.3K

1-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)

$390 MX$6,728

3-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)

$2,149 MX$37.1K

3-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)

$1,272 MX$21.9K

Buy Apartment in City Center (m2)

$4,001 MX$69.0K

Buy Apartment Outside City Center (m2)

$6,502 MX$112.1K

Average Monthly Net Salary (After Tax)

$5,674 €4,946

$758 MX$13.1K

648.34%

20-Year Fixed Mortgage Interest Rate (Annual %)

11.45

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

Last update for Sant Julia de Loria: September 12, 2026

Last update for Playa del Carmen: September 12, 2026

Cost Breakdown

Salaries run about 648% 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 $52.0 in Sant Julia de Loria versus $47.00 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 513%, 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 $310 per month in Sant Julia de Loria and $1,899 in Playa del Carmen. That covers rent, food, utilities, transport, and enough left over to feel settled – not just surviving.

Monthly expenses with rent come to $207 in Sant Julia de Loria and $1,266 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 $52.0 in Sant Julia de Loria 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 $2,000 monthly budget goes further in Sant Julia de Loria, where all-in costs run around $207, than in Playa del Carmen at $1,266. 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.