Cost of Living Comparison Between St John and Playa del Carmen Cost of Living Comparison Between St John and Playa del Carmen

Monthly Cost of Living

A single person spends $3,187 per month in St John vs $1,294 in Playa del Carmen, rent included.

A couple spends around $4,769 per month in St John vs $2,189 in Playa del Carmen, rent included.

A family of three spends $6,351 per month in St John vs $3,084 in Playa del Carmen, rent included.

St John costs about 146% more than Playa del Carmen, driven mainly by Groceries & Markets.

St John sits 139% above the global median, while Playa del Carmen is 3% below – they fall on opposite sides of the world average.

Meal at Budget Restaurant

$17.33 $17.33

$11.73 MX$202

47.74%

Three-Course Dinner for Two, Mid-Range

$162 $162

$41.78 MX$719

287.65%

Fast Food Meal (McDonalds, etc)

$8.22 $8.22

$10.41 MX$179

-21.04%

Cappuccino

$6.62 $6.62

$3.61 MX$62.1

83.38%

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

$2.97 $2.97

$1.46 MX$25.06

103.42%

Water (0.33 liter bottle)

$1.96 $1.96

$0.97 MX$16.70

102.06%

Local Beer (0.5 liter draught)

$6.65 $6.65

$2.92 MX$50.3

127.74%

Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$6.87 $6.87

$4.62 MX$79.5

48.70%

Milk (1 liter)

$2.75 $2.75

$1.43 MX$24.59

92.31%

White Bread (500g)

$5.91 $5.91

$1.90 MX$32.70

211.05%

Rice (white) (1kg)

$1.46 $1.46

$1.57 MX$26.95

-7.01%

Eggs

$6.53 $6.53

$2.64 MX$45.34

147.35%

Local Cheese (1kg)

$17.82 $17.82

$8.44 MX$145

111.14%

Chicken Fillets (1kg)

$26.97 $26.97

$8.58 MX$148

214.34%

Beef Round Steak (1kg)

$11.00 MX$189

Apples (1kg)

$2.70 MX$46.51

Banana (1kg)

$4.96 $4.96

$1.51 MX$25.92

228.48%

Oranges (1kg)

$1.91 MX$32.93

Tomato (1kg)

$9.07 $9.07

$2.17 MX$37.37

317.97%

Potato (1kg)

$1.87 MX$32.25

Onion (1kg)

$4.39 $4.39

$2.23 MX$38.43

96.86%

Lettuce (1 head)

$5.08 $5.08

$1.08 MX$18.60

370.37%

Water (1.5 liter bottle)

$1.07 MX$18.47

Cigarettes 20 Pack (Marlboro, Camel)

$4.16 MX$71.6

Wine (Bottle)

$10.29 MX$177

Local Beer (0.5 liter bottle)

$1.68 MX$28.95

Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$6.11 $6.11

$2.53 MX$43.59

141.50%

One-way Ticket (Public Transport)

$5.84 $5.84

$0.55 MX$9.53

961.82%

Public Transport Monthly Pass (Regular Price)

$137 $137

$26.29 MX$452

422.02%

Taxi Start (Normal Tariff)

$3.20 MX$55.0

Taxi (Normal Tariff) (1km)

$3.05 $3.05

$2.46 MX$42.37

23.98%

Taxi 1hour Waiting (Normal Tariff)

$3.20 MX$55.0

Gasoline (1 liter)

$1.56 $1.56

$1.32 MX$22.72

18.18%

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

$30.2K MX$518.8K

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

$22.6K $22.6K

$23.4K MX$402.5K

-3.52%

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

$242 $242

$81.4 MX$1,400

197.81%

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

$22.41 MX$386

Internet (50+ Mbps, Unlimited Data)

$59.1 $59.1

$29.97 MX$516

97.10%

Gym Membership (Monthly)

$51.6 MX$887

Tennis Court (1 Hour on Weekend)

$18.39 MX$316

Cinema Ticket

$5.16 MX$88.9

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

$202 MX$3,471

International Primary School, 1 Child (Yearly)

$13.6K $13.6K

$5,311 MX$91.4K

155.87%

Jeans (Levis 501 Or Similar)

$101 $101

$35.61 MX$613

184.70%

Summer Dress (H&M, Zara, etc)

$59.0 $59.0

$40.37 MX$695

46.12%

Sport Shoes (Adidas, Nike)

$50.0 $50.0

$78.6 MX$1,353

-36.39%

Men's Leather Business Shoes

$50.6 $50.6

$86.9 MX$1,495

-41.77%

1-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)

$2,243 $2,243

$950 MX$16.3K

136.11%

1-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)

$1,830 $1,830

$478 MX$8,227

282.74%

3-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)

$1,621 MX$27.9K

3-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)

$2,990 $2,990

$1,223 MX$21.0K

144.57%

Buy Apartment in City Center (m2)

$12.7K $12.7K

$4,009 MX$69.0K

217.92%

Buy Apartment Outside City Center (m2)

$6,473 MX$111.4K

Average Monthly Net Salary (After Tax)

$4,050 $4,050

$673 MX$11.6K

501.84%

20-Year Fixed Mortgage Interest Rate (Annual %)

7.05

11.42

-38.27%

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

Last update for St John: June 15, 2026

Last update for Playa del Carmen: June 15, 2026

Cost Breakdown

A central one-bedroom costs $2,243 in St John versus $950 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 502% higher in St John, 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 $162 in St John versus $42.00 in Playa del Carmen. Monthly groceries follow the same trend: $423 vs $254 – 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 John vs Playa del Carmen: Cost of Living - Frequently Asked Questions

Yes – St John is pricier by about 146%, 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 $4,781 per month in St John and $1,941 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 $3,187 in St John and $1,294 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 $162 in St John and $42.00 in Playa del Carmen. That's a good indicator of the overall restaurant and café pricing gap between the two cities.

A $1,500 monthly budget goes further in Playa del Carmen, where all-in costs run around $1,294, than in St John at $3,187. In Playa del Carmen it covers expenses comfortably, while in St John 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.

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 Playa del Carmen. If higher salaries, better infrastructure, or specific career opportunities are the priority, St John makes more sense. Both are solid long-term options with distinct trade-offs.