Cost of Living Comparison Between St Francis Bay and Playa del Carmen Cost of Living Comparison Between St Francis Bay and Playa del Carmen

Monthly Cost of Living

A single person spends $1,017 per month in St Francis Bay vs $1,260 in Playa del Carmen, rent included.

A couple spends around $1,580 per month in St Francis Bay vs $2,125 in Playa del Carmen, rent included.

A family of three spends $2,143 per month in St Francis Bay vs $2,990 in Playa del Carmen, rent included.

St Francis Bay is about 19% cheaper than Playa del Carmen, driven mainly by Groceries & Markets.

Both St Francis Bay and Playa del Carmen are more affordable than the global median – St Francis Bay 24% lower, Playa del Carmen 5% lower.

Meal at Budget Restaurant

$8.64 R 142

$11.72 MX$203

-26.28%

Three-Course Dinner for Two, Mid-Range

$33.34 R 549

$41.89 MX$725

-20.41%

Fast Food Meal (McDonalds, etc)

$4.94 R 81.4

$10.51 MX$182

-53.00%

Cappuccino

$2.11 R 34.73

$3.59 MX$62.0

-41.23%

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

$1.02 R 16.86

$1.51 MX$26.10

-32.45%

Water (0.33 liter bottle)

$0.78 R 12.78

$0.92 MX$15.83

-15.22%

Local Beer (0.5 liter draught)

$2.31 R 37.95

$2.96 MX$51.2

-21.96%

Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$2.59 R 42.62

$4.41 MX$76.3

-41.27%

Milk (1 liter)

$1.14 R 18.84

$1.40 MX$24.16

-18.57%

White Bread (500g)

$1.05 R 17.29

$1.88 MX$32.60

-44.15%

Rice (white) (1kg)

$1.57 R 25.80

$1.56 MX$26.97

0.64%

Eggs

$2.39 R 39.32

$2.61 MX$45.14

-8.43%

Local Cheese (1kg)

$7.92 R 130

$8.32 MX$144

-4.81%

Chicken Fillets (1kg)

$4.63 R 76.3

$8.35 MX$145

-44.55%

Beef Round Steak (1kg)

$6.76 R 111

$10.86 MX$188

-37.75%

Apples (1kg)

$1.66 R 27.40

$2.71 MX$46.93

-38.75%

Banana (1kg)

$1.52 R 25.02

$1.51 MX$26.04

0.66%

Oranges (1kg)

$1.48 R 24.30

$1.87 MX$32.41

-20.86%

Tomato (1kg)

$1.65 R 27.18

$2.19 MX$37.89

-24.66%

Potato (1kg)

$1.37 R 22.54

$1.86 MX$32.14

-26.34%

Onion (1kg)

$1.22 R 20.11

$2.23 MX$38.59

-45.29%

Lettuce (1 head)

$1.09 R 17.90

$1.07 MX$18.48

1.87%

Water (1.5 liter bottle)

$0.90 R 14.74

$1.09 MX$18.79

-17.43%

Cigarettes 20 Pack (Marlboro, Camel)

$2.77 R 45.60

$4.19 MX$72.4

-33.89%

Wine (Bottle)

$4.65 R 76.5

$10.43 MX$180

-55.42%

Local Beer (0.5 liter bottle)

$1.34 R 22.05

$1.66 MX$28.68

-19.28%

Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$1.72 R 28.35

$2.61 MX$45.19

-34.10%

One-way Ticket (Public Transport)

$1.67 R 27.54

$0.54 MX$9.37

209.26%

Public Transport Monthly Pass (Regular Price)

$26.16 MX$453

Taxi Start (Normal Tariff)

$1.09 R 18.00

$3.08 MX$53.3

-64.61%

Taxi (Normal Tariff) (1km)

$0.91 R 14.97

$2.40 MX$41.61

-62.08%

Taxi 1hour Waiting (Normal Tariff)

$3.98 R 65.6

$3.13 MX$54.1

27.16%

Gasoline (1 liter)

$1.27 R 20.97

$1.31 MX$22.69

-3.05%

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

$21.6K R 356.2K

$29.8K MX$515.7K

-27.41%

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

$23.4K R 385.8K

$23.3K MX$403.5K

0.49%

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

$118 R 1,944

$81.3 MX$1,406

45.30%

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

$34.99 R 576

$22.56 MX$390

55.10%

Internet (50+ Mbps, Unlimited Data)

$41.92 R 690

$30.05 MX$520

39.50%

Gym Membership (Monthly)

$30.80 R 507

$52.9 MX$915

-41.79%

Tennis Court (1 Hour on Weekend)

$10.99 R 181

$18.39 MX$318

-40.24%

Cinema Ticket

$6.55 R 108

$4.92 MX$85.1

33.13%

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

$195 R 3,203

$201 MX$3,474

-3.10%

International Primary School, 1 Child (Yearly)

$4,292 R 70.7K

$5,175 MX$89.5K

-17.06%

Jeans (Levis 501 Or Similar)

$51.0 R 839

$35.92 MX$622

41.87%

Summer Dress (H&M, Zara, etc)

$31.75 R 523

$40.13 MX$694

-20.88%

Sport Shoes (Adidas, Nike)

$89.4 R 1,472

$79.7 MX$1,379

12.21%

Men's Leather Business Shoes

$79.5 R 1,309

$86.5 MX$1,496

-8.06%

1-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)

$360 R 5,923

$978 MX$16.9K

-63.21%

1-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)

$339 R 5,580

$470 MX$8,140

-27.95%

3-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)

$682 R 11.2K

$1,651 MX$28.6K

-58.69%

3-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)

$693 R 11.4K

$1,203 MX$20.8K

-42.45%

Buy Apartment in City Center (m2)

$755 R 12.4K

$3,953 MX$68.4K

-80.90%

Buy Apartment Outside City Center (m2)

$645 R 10.6K

$6,607 MX$114.3K

-90.24%

Average Monthly Net Salary (After Tax)

$677 MX$11.7K

20-Year Fixed Mortgage Interest Rate (Annual %)

11.51

11.42

0.79%

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

Last update for St Francis Bay: July 26, 2026

Last update for Playa del Carmen: July 27, 2026

Cost Breakdown

A central one-bedroom costs $360 in St Francis Bay versus $978 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.

A mid-range dinner for two costs $33.00 in St Francis Bay versus $42.00 in Playa del Carmen. Monthly groceries follow the same trend: $178 vs $252 – making St Francis Bay the more affordable choice for daily food spending.

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

St Francis Bay vs Playa del Carmen: Cost of Living - Frequently Asked Questions

Yes – Playa del Carmen is pricier by about 24%, 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 $1,525 per month in St Francis Bay and $1,890 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 St Francis Bay, 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 $1,017 in St Francis Bay and $1,260 in Playa del Carmen. The difference isn't just one category – it shows up across housing, food, transport, and services.

Kindergarten costs $195 per month in St Francis Bay and $201 in Playa del Carmen. For families with young kids, this one expense can tip the scales when choosing between the two cities.

A $2,000 monthly budget goes further in St Francis Bay, where all-in costs run around $1,017, than in Playa del Carmen at $1,260. In St Francis Bay it covers expenses comfortably, while in Playa del Carmen it requires careful planning or may not stretch far enough.

Families tend to lean toward St Francis Bay – 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 St Francis Bay. 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.