Cost of Living Comparison Between St. Augustine, FL and Playa del Carmen Cost of Living Comparison Between St. Augustine, FL and Playa del Carmen

Monthly Cost of Living

A single person spends $2,851 per month in St. Augustine, FL vs $1,293 in Playa del Carmen, rent included.

A couple spends around $3,912 per month in St. Augustine, FL vs $2,334 in Playa del Carmen, rent included.

A family of three spends $4,973 per month in St. Augustine, FL vs $3,374 in Playa del Carmen, rent included.

St. Augustine, FL costs about 120% more than Playa del Carmen, driven mainly by Eating Out.

St. Augustine, FL sits 107% above the global median, while Playa del Carmen is 6% below – they fall on opposite sides of the world average.

Meal at Budget Restaurant

$21.33 $21.33

$11.71 MX$198

82.15%

Three-Course Dinner for Two, Mid-Range

$73.7 $73.7

$46.59 MX$786

58.21%

Fast Food Meal (McDonalds, etc)

$9.46 $9.46

$11.65 MX$197

-18.80%

Cappuccino

$5.08 $5.08

$4.09 MX$69.1

24.21%

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

$2.27 $2.27

$1.37 MX$23.20

65.69%

Water (0.33 liter bottle)

$1.47 $1.47

$0.83 MX$14.07

77.11%

Local Beer (0.5 liter draught)

$4.98 $4.98

$3.35 MX$56.6

48.66%

Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$6.84 $6.84

$6.91 MX$117

-1.01%

Milk (1 liter)

$0.82 $0.82

$1.73 MX$29.15

-52.60%

White Bread (500g)

$1.96 $1.96

$2.26 MX$38.15

-13.27%

Rice (white) (1kg)

$3.16 $3.16

$1.77 MX$29.86

78.53%

Eggs

$4.59 $4.59

$2.73 MX$46.12

68.13%

Local Cheese (1kg)

$13.35 $13.35

$9.18 MX$155

45.42%

Chicken Fillets (1kg)

$11.39 $11.39

$8.92 MX$151

27.69%

Beef Round Steak (1kg)

$14.99 $14.99

$12.60 MX$213

18.97%

Apples (1kg)

$4.68 $4.68

$3.02 MX$51.0

54.97%

Banana (1kg)

$1.50 $1.50

$1.57 MX$26.51

-4.46%

Oranges (1kg)

$4.38 $4.38

$2.13 MX$35.88

105.63%

Tomato (1kg)

$3.24 $3.24

$2.26 MX$38.22

43.36%

Potato (1kg)

$1.70 $1.70

$2.00 MX$33.82

-15.00%

Onion (1kg)

$3.36 $3.36

$2.06 MX$34.85

63.11%

Lettuce (1 head)

$2.29 $2.29

$1.18 MX$19.91

94.07%

Water (1.5 liter bottle)

$1.96 $1.96

$1.20 MX$20.32

63.33%

Cigarettes 20 Pack (Marlboro, Camel)

$6.88 $6.88

$4.63 MX$78.2

48.60%

Wine (Bottle)

$14.05 $14.05

$10.69 MX$180

31.43%

Local Beer (0.5 liter bottle)

$2.14 $2.14

$1.62 MX$27.33

32.10%

Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$2.48 $2.48

$2.88 MX$48.63

-13.89%

One-way Ticket (Public Transport)

$0.57 MX$9.68

Public Transport Monthly Pass (Regular Price)

$29.83 MX$503

Taxi Start (Normal Tariff)

$9.93 $9.93

$5.45 MX$91.9

82.20%

Taxi (Normal Tariff) (1km)

$1.91 $1.91

$3.70 MX$62.5

-48.38%

Taxi 1hour Waiting (Normal Tariff)

$5.98 MX$101

Gasoline (1 liter)

$0.85 $0.85

$1.55 MX$26.22

-45.16%

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

$36.6K $36.6K

$22.3K MX$376.8K

63.94%

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

$25.8K $25.8K

$25.9K MX$438.0K

-0.68%

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

$118 $118

$89.1 MX$1,504

32.09%

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

$62.2 $62.2

$25.04 MX$423

148.24%

Internet (50+ Mbps, Unlimited Data)

$77.5 $77.5

$31.50 MX$532

145.87%

Gym Membership (Monthly)

$39.88 $39.88

$67.8 MX$1,144

-41.16%

Tennis Court (1 Hour on Weekend)

$24.94 $24.94

$28.92 MX$488

-13.76%

Cinema Ticket

$12.91 $12.91

$5.05 MX$85.2

155.64%

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

$903 $903

$225 MX$3,797

301.38%

International Primary School, 1 Child (Yearly)

$8,000 $8,000

$4,222 MX$71.3K

89.47%

Jeans (Levis 501 Or Similar)

$73.5 $73.5

$47.44 MX$801

54.91%

Summer Dress (H&M, Zara, etc)

$56.4 $56.4

$44.98 MX$759

25.39%

Sport Shoes (Adidas, Nike)

$79.1 $79.1

$82.0 MX$1,384

-3.55%

Men's Leather Business Shoes

$102 $102

$92.1 MX$1,555

10.24%

1-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)

$1,829 $1,829

$1,069 MX$18.0K

71.03%

1-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)

$1,655 $1,655

$405 MX$6,842

308.23%

3-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)

$3,156 $3,156

$1,935 MX$32.7K

63.06%

3-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)

$2,384 $2,384

$1,301 MX$22.0K

83.23%

Buy Apartment in City Center (m2)

$3,279 $3,279

$3,995 MX$67.4K

-17.92%

Buy Apartment Outside City Center (m2)

$2,665 $2,665

$6,626 MX$111.8K

-59.78%

Average Monthly Net Salary (After Tax)

$4,488 $4,488

$749 MX$12.6K

499.44%

20-Year Fixed Mortgage Interest Rate (Annual %)

6.21

11.45

-45.76%

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

Last update for St. Augustine, FL: August 31, 2026

Last update for Playa del Carmen: August 29, 2026

Cost Breakdown

A central one-bedroom costs $1,829 in St. Augustine, FL versus $1,069 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 St. Augustine, FL, 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 St. Augustine, FL versus $47.00 in Playa del Carmen. Monthly groceries follow the same trend: $355 vs $277 – making Playa del Carmen the more affordable choice for daily food spending.

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

St. Augustine, FL vs Playa del Carmen: Cost of Living - Frequently Asked Questions

Yes – St. Augustine, FL is pricier by about 120%, and the gap shows up most in Eating Out. It's not just housing either; the difference applies across most spending categories.

For a comfortable life, plan on about $4,276 per month in St. Augustine, FL and $1,940 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 $2,851 in St. Augustine, FL and $1,293 in Playa del Carmen. The difference isn't just one category – it shows up across housing, food, transport, and services.

Kindergarten costs $903 per month in St. Augustine, FL and $225 in Playa del Carmen. For families with young kids, this one expense can tip the scales when choosing between the two cities.

A $1,500 monthly budget goes further in Playa del Carmen, where all-in costs run around $1,293, than in St. Augustine, FL at $2,851. In Playa del Carmen it covers expenses comfortably, while in St. Augustine, FL 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, St. Augustine, FL makes more sense. Both are solid long-term options with distinct trade-offs.