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 $3,096 per month in St John vs $1,260 in Playa del Carmen, rent included.

A couple spends around $4,732 per month in St John vs $2,125 in Playa del Carmen, rent included.

A family of three spends $6,368 per month in St John vs $2,990 in Playa del Carmen, rent included.

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

St John sits 133% above the global median, while Playa del Carmen is 5% below – they fall on opposite sides of the world average.

Meal at Budget Restaurant

$17.26 $17.26

$11.72 MX$203

47.27%

Three-Course Dinner for Two, Mid-Range

$163 $163

$41.89 MX$725

288.09%

Fast Food Meal (McDonalds, etc)

$8.48 $8.48

$10.51 MX$182

-19.31%

Cappuccino

$6.53 $6.53

$3.59 MX$62.0

81.89%

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

$3.08 $3.08

$1.51 MX$26.10

103.97%

Water (0.33 liter bottle)

$1.98 $1.98

$0.92 MX$15.83

115.22%

Local Beer (0.5 liter draught)

$6.41 $6.41

$2.96 MX$51.2

116.55%

Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$6.95 $6.95

$4.41 MX$76.3

57.60%

Milk (1 liter)

$2.76 $2.76

$1.40 MX$24.16

97.14%

White Bread (500g)

$5.88 $5.88

$1.88 MX$32.60

212.77%

Rice (white) (1kg)

$1.47 $1.47

$1.56 MX$26.97

-5.77%

Eggs

$6.39 $6.39

$2.61 MX$45.14

144.83%

Local Cheese (1kg)

$17.97 $17.97

$8.32 MX$144

115.99%

Chicken Fillets (1kg)

$25.97 $25.97

$8.35 MX$145

211.02%

Beef Round Steak (1kg)

$10.86 MX$188

Apples (1kg)

$2.71 MX$46.93

Banana (1kg)

$4.99 $4.99

$1.51 MX$26.04

230.46%

Oranges (1kg)

$1.87 MX$32.41

Tomato (1kg)

$8.89 $8.89

$2.19 MX$37.89

305.94%

Potato (1kg)

$1.86 MX$32.14

Onion (1kg)

$4.52 $4.52

$2.23 MX$38.59

102.69%

Lettuce (1 head)

$5.10 $5.10

$1.07 MX$18.48

376.64%

Water (1.5 liter bottle)

$1.09 MX$18.79

Cigarettes 20 Pack (Marlboro, Camel)

$4.19 MX$72.4

Wine (Bottle)

$10.43 MX$180

Local Beer (0.5 liter bottle)

$1.66 MX$28.68

Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$5.98 $5.98

$2.61 MX$45.19

129.12%

One-way Ticket (Public Transport)

$6.11 $6.11

$0.54 MX$9.37

1031.48%

Public Transport Monthly Pass (Regular Price)

$138 $138

$26.16 MX$453

429.20%

Taxi Start (Normal Tariff)

$3.08 MX$53.3

Taxi (Normal Tariff) (1km)

$3.15 $3.15

$2.40 MX$41.61

31.25%

Taxi 1hour Waiting (Normal Tariff)

$3.13 MX$54.1

Gasoline (1 liter)

$1.64 $1.64

$1.31 MX$22.69

25.19%

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

$29.8K MX$515.7K

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

$22.4K $22.4K

$23.3K MX$403.5K

-3.84%

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

$244 $244

$81.3 MX$1,406

199.74%

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

$22.56 MX$390

Internet (50+ Mbps, Unlimited Data)

$60.1 $60.1

$30.05 MX$520

99.87%

Gym Membership (Monthly)

$52.9 MX$915

Tennis Court (1 Hour on Weekend)

$18.39 MX$318

Cinema Ticket

$4.92 MX$85.1

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

$201 MX$3,474

International Primary School, 1 Child (Yearly)

$13.6K $13.6K

$5,175 MX$89.5K

163.02%

Jeans (Levis 501 Or Similar)

$101 $101

$35.92 MX$622

182.29%

Summer Dress (H&M, Zara, etc)

$58.8 $58.8

$40.13 MX$694

46.60%

Sport Shoes (Adidas, Nike)

$49.18 $49.18

$79.7 MX$1,379

-38.29%

Men's Leather Business Shoes

$49.15 $49.15

$86.5 MX$1,496

-43.15%

1-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)

$2,207 $2,207

$978 MX$16.9K

125.69%

1-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)

$1,790 $1,790

$470 MX$8,140

280.35%

3-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)

$1,651 MX$28.6K

3-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)

$2,965 $2,965

$1,203 MX$20.8K

146.37%

Buy Apartment in City Center (m2)

$12.7K $12.7K

$3,953 MX$68.4K

222.01%

Buy Apartment Outside City Center (m2)

$6,607 MX$114.3K

Average Monthly Net Salary (After Tax)

$4,033 $4,033

$677 MX$11.7K

496.03%

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: July 28, 2026

Last update for Playa del Carmen: July 27, 2026

Cost Breakdown

A central one-bedroom costs $2,207 in St John 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.

Salaries run about 496% 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 $163 in St John versus $42.00 in Playa del Carmen. Monthly groceries follow the same trend: $417 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 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 $4,645 per month in St John 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 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 $3,096 in St John and $1,260 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 $163 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 $1,260, than in St John at $3,096. 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.