Cost of Living Comparison Between St.James and Playa del Carmen Cost of Living Comparison Between St.James and Playa del Carmen

Monthly Cost of Living

A single person spends $936 per month in St.James vs $1,287 in Playa del Carmen, rent included.

A couple spends around $1,628 per month in St.James vs $2,184 in Playa del Carmen, rent included.

A family of three spends $2,320 per month in St.James vs $3,082 in Playa del Carmen, rent included.

St.James is about 27% cheaper than Playa del Carmen, driven mainly by Groceries & Markets.

Both St.James and Playa del Carmen are more affordable than the global median – St.James 30% lower, Playa del Carmen 4% lower.

Meal at Budget Restaurant

$10.25 TTD 69.6

$11.94 MX$209

-14.15%

Three-Course Dinner for Two, Mid-Range

$89.4 TTD 607

$42.75 MX$748

109.08%

Fast Food Meal (McDonalds, etc)

$7.46 TTD 50.7

$10.59 MX$185

-29.56%

Cappuccino

$3.67 TTD 24.95

$3.62 MX$63.4

1.38%

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

$1.09 TTD 7.39

$1.47 MX$25.69

-25.85%

Water (0.33 liter bottle)

$0.82 TTD 5.58

$0.94 MX$16.51

-12.77%

Local Beer (0.5 liter draught)

$1.83 TTD 12.41

$3.09 MX$54.1

-40.78%

Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$3.04 TTD 20.62

$4.46 MX$78.0

-31.84%

Milk (1 liter)

$2.68 TTD 18.19

$1.43 MX$24.94

87.41%

White Bread (500g)

$2.81 TTD 19.07

$1.88 MX$32.97

49.47%

Rice (white) (1kg)

$2.58 TTD 17.54

$1.63 MX$28.50

58.28%

Eggs

$5.04 TTD 34.24

$2.64 MX$46.26

90.91%

Local Cheese (1kg)

$7.99 TTD 54.3

$8.21 MX$144

-2.68%

Chicken Fillets (1kg)

$10.50 TTD 71.3

$8.29 MX$145

26.66%

Beef Round Steak (1kg)

$14.13 TTD 95.9

$11.10 MX$194

27.30%

Apples (1kg)

$5.85 TTD 39.71

$2.65 MX$46.40

120.75%

Banana (1kg)

$2.63 TTD 17.83

$1.50 MX$26.26

75.33%

Oranges (1kg)

$4.33 TTD 29.43

$1.99 MX$34.79

117.59%

Tomato (1kg)

$4.68 TTD 31.80

$2.08 MX$36.33

125.00%

Potato (1kg)

$1.49 TTD 10.12

$1.79 MX$31.29

-16.76%

Onion (1kg)

$1.67 TTD 11.32

$2.18 MX$38.09

-23.39%

Lettuce (1 head)

$1.89 TTD 12.82

$1.08 MX$18.84

75.00%

Water (1.5 liter bottle)

$1.40 TTD 9.52

$1.04 MX$18.15

34.62%

Cigarettes 20 Pack (Marlboro, Camel)

$5.78 TTD 39.26

$3.97 MX$69.5

45.59%

Wine (Bottle)

$19.31 TTD 131

$10.20 MX$179

89.31%

Local Beer (0.5 liter bottle)

$2.10 TTD 14.25

$1.73 MX$30.22

21.39%

Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$2.69 TTD 18.29

$2.50 MX$43.71

7.60%

One-way Ticket (Public Transport)

$0.52 MX$9.07

Public Transport Monthly Pass (Regular Price)

$26.97 MX$472

Taxi Start (Normal Tariff)

$1.05 TTD 7.13

$3.14 MX$55.0

-66.56%

Taxi (Normal Tariff) (1km)

$1.24 TTD 8.41

$2.40 MX$42.04

-48.33%

Taxi 1hour Waiting (Normal Tariff)

$14.98 TTD 102

$3.09 MX$54.0

384.79%

Gasoline (1 liter)

$1.15 TTD 7.79

$1.27 MX$22.28

-9.45%

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

$34.2K TTD 232.0K

$30.9K MX$540.4K

10.62%

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

$39.0K TTD 265.0K

$23.3K MX$408.0K

67.38%

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

$80.0 TTD 543

$82.0 MX$1,435

-2.50%

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

$47.03 TTD 319

$22.45 MX$393

109.49%

Internet (50+ Mbps, Unlimited Data)

$61.6 TTD 418

$29.66 MX$519

107.69%

Gym Membership (Monthly)

$51.9 MX$908

Tennis Court (1 Hour on Weekend)

$18.67 MX$327

Cinema Ticket

$10.01 TTD 68.0

$4.97 MX$87.0

101.41%

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

$321 TTD 2,181

$198 MX$3,462

62.35%

International Primary School, 1 Child (Yearly)

$7,320 TTD 49.7K

$5,273 MX$92.3K

38.83%

Jeans (Levis 501 Or Similar)

$59.9 TTD 407

$36.34 MX$636

64.86%

Summer Dress (H&M, Zara, etc)

$37.68 TTD 256

$40.05 MX$701

-5.92%

Sport Shoes (Adidas, Nike)

$143 TTD 973

$79.9 MX$1,398

79.46%

Men's Leather Business Shoes

$126 TTD 857

$88.9 MX$1,555

41.96%

1-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)

$963 MX$16.9K

1-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)

$465 MX$8,133

3-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)

$1,596 MX$27.9K

3-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)

$1,209 MX$21.2K

Buy Apartment in City Center (m2)

$3,942 MX$69.0K

Buy Apartment Outside City Center (m2)

$6,448 MX$112.8K

Average Monthly Net Salary (After Tax)

$720 MX$12.6K

20-Year Fixed Mortgage Interest Rate (Annual %)

5.38

11.42

-52.89%

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

Last update for St.James: April 26, 2026

Last update for Playa del Carmen: April 25, 2026

Cost Breakdown

A mid-range dinner for two costs $89.0 in St.James versus $43.00 in Playa del Carmen. Monthly groceries follow the same trend: $377 vs $251 – making Playa del Carmen 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.James vs Playa del Carmen: Cost of Living - Frequently Asked Questions

Yes – Playa del Carmen is pricier by about 38%, 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 $1,404 per month in St.James and $1,930 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 $936 in St.James and $1,287 in Playa del Carmen. The difference isn't just one category – it shows up across housing, food, transport, and services.

Kindergarten costs $321 per month in St.James and $198 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.James, where all-in costs run around $936, than in Playa del Carmen at $1,287. In St.James 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.James – 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 St.James. 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.