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 $914 per month in St.James vs $1,260 in Playa del Carmen, rent included.

A couple spends around $1,615 per month in St.James vs $2,125 in Playa del Carmen, rent included.

A family of three spends $2,317 per month in St.James vs $2,990 in Playa del Carmen, rent included.

St.James is about 28% 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 31% lower, Playa del Carmen 5% lower.

Meal at Budget Restaurant

$10.37 TTD 69.7

$11.72 MX$203

-11.52%

Three-Course Dinner for Two, Mid-Range

$89.0 TTD 598

$41.89 MX$725

112.49%

Fast Food Meal (McDonalds, etc)

$7.52 TTD 50.5

$10.51 MX$182

-28.45%

Cappuccino

$3.64 TTD 24.41

$3.59 MX$62.0

1.39%

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

$1.05 TTD 7.02

$1.51 MX$26.10

-30.46%

Water (0.33 liter bottle)

$0.78 TTD 5.26

$0.92 MX$15.83

-15.22%

Local Beer (0.5 liter draught)

$1.81 TTD 12.13

$2.96 MX$51.2

-38.85%

Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$3.17 TTD 21.30

$4.41 MX$76.3

-28.12%

Milk (1 liter)

$2.69 TTD 18.06

$1.40 MX$24.16

92.14%

White Bread (500g)

$2.81 TTD 18.85

$1.88 MX$32.60

49.47%

Rice (white) (1kg)

$2.62 TTD 17.59

$1.56 MX$26.97

67.95%

Eggs

$5.04 TTD 33.86

$2.61 MX$45.14

93.10%

Local Cheese (1kg)

$8.02 TTD 53.8

$8.32 MX$144

-3.61%

Chicken Fillets (1kg)

$10.23 TTD 68.7

$8.35 MX$145

22.51%

Beef Round Steak (1kg)

$14.14 TTD 95.0

$10.86 MX$188

30.20%

Apples (1kg)

$5.94 TTD 39.87

$2.71 MX$46.93

119.19%

Banana (1kg)

$2.62 TTD 17.59

$1.51 MX$26.04

73.51%

Oranges (1kg)

$4.43 TTD 29.76

$1.87 MX$32.41

136.90%

Tomato (1kg)

$4.80 TTD 32.26

$2.19 MX$37.89

119.18%

Potato (1kg)

$1.44 TTD 9.64

$1.86 MX$32.14

-22.58%

Onion (1kg)

$1.72 TTD 11.57

$2.23 MX$38.59

-22.87%

Lettuce (1 head)

$1.91 TTD 12.82

$1.07 MX$18.48

78.50%

Water (1.5 liter bottle)

$1.40 TTD 9.37

$1.09 MX$18.79

28.44%

Cigarettes 20 Pack (Marlboro, Camel)

$5.85 TTD 39.31

$4.19 MX$72.4

39.62%

Wine (Bottle)

$19.42 TTD 130

$10.43 MX$180

86.19%

Local Beer (0.5 liter bottle)

$2.20 TTD 14.77

$1.66 MX$28.68

32.53%

Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$2.72 TTD 18.28

$2.61 MX$45.19

4.21%

One-way Ticket (Public Transport)

$0.54 MX$9.37

Public Transport Monthly Pass (Regular Price)

$26.16 MX$453

Taxi Start (Normal Tariff)

$1.02 TTD 6.84

$3.08 MX$53.3

-66.88%

Taxi (Normal Tariff) (1km)

$1.28 TTD 8.63

$2.40 MX$41.61

-46.67%

Taxi 1hour Waiting (Normal Tariff)

$15.00 TTD 101

$3.13 MX$54.1

379.23%

Gasoline (1 liter)

$1.09 TTD 7.32

$1.31 MX$22.69

-16.79%

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

$34.0K TTD 228.3K

$29.8K MX$515.7K

14.08%

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

$38.6K TTD 259.4K

$23.3K MX$403.5K

65.62%

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

$79.3 TTD 532

$81.3 MX$1,406

-2.49%

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

$46.15 TTD 310

$22.56 MX$390

104.57%

Internet (50+ Mbps, Unlimited Data)

$62.4 TTD 419

$30.05 MX$520

107.79%

Gym Membership (Monthly)

$52.9 MX$915

Tennis Court (1 Hour on Weekend)

$18.39 MX$318

Cinema Ticket

$10.11 TTD 67.9

$4.92 MX$85.1

105.49%

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

$325 TTD 2,184

$201 MX$3,474

62.00%

International Primary School, 1 Child (Yearly)

$7,329 TTD 49.2K

$5,175 MX$89.5K

41.64%

Jeans (Levis 501 Or Similar)

$58.9 TTD 395

$35.92 MX$622

63.92%

Summer Dress (H&M, Zara, etc)

$37.85 TTD 254

$40.13 MX$694

-5.68%

Sport Shoes (Adidas, Nike)

$144 TTD 965

$79.7 MX$1,379

80.33%

Men's Leather Business Shoes

$129 TTD 867

$86.5 MX$1,496

49.32%

1-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)

$978 MX$16.9K

1-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)

$470 MX$8,140

3-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)

$1,651 MX$28.6K

3-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)

$1,203 MX$20.8K

Buy Apartment in City Center (m2)

$3,953 MX$68.4K

Buy Apartment Outside City Center (m2)

$6,607 MX$114.3K

Average Monthly Net Salary (After Tax)

$677 MX$11.7K

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: July 27, 2026

Last update for Playa del Carmen: July 27, 2026

Cost Breakdown

A mid-range dinner for two costs $89.0 in St.James versus $42.00 in Playa del Carmen. Monthly groceries follow the same trend: $378 vs $252 – 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 $1,370 per month in St.James and $1,890 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 $914 in St.James 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 $325 per month in St.James 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.James, where all-in costs run around $914, than in Playa del Carmen at $1,260. 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.