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 $3,105 per month in St John vs $1,287 in Playa del Carmen, rent included.

A couple spends around $4,790 per month in St John vs $2,184 in Playa del Carmen, rent included.

A family of three spends $6,476 per month in St John vs $3,082 in Playa del Carmen, rent included.

St John costs about 141% more than Playa del Carmen, driven mainly by Groceries & Markets.

St John sits 132% above the global median, while Playa del Carmen is 4% below – they fall on opposite sides of the world average.

Meal at Budget Restaurant

$17.56 $17.56

$11.94 MX$208

47.07%

Three-Course Dinner for Two, Mid-Range

$161 $161

$42.75 MX$744

275.93%

Fast Food Meal (McDonalds, etc)

$8.60 $8.60

$10.59 MX$184

-18.79%

Cappuccino

$6.38 $6.38

$3.62 MX$63.0

76.24%

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

$3.02 $3.02

$1.47 MX$25.54

105.44%

Water (0.33 liter bottle)

$2.05 $2.05

$0.94 MX$16.41

118.09%

Local Beer (0.5 liter draught)

$6.32 $6.32

$3.09 MX$53.8

104.53%

Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$7.12 $7.12

$4.46 MX$77.6

59.64%

Milk (1 liter)

$2.85 $2.85

$1.43 MX$24.80

99.30%

White Bread (500g)

$5.88 $5.88

$1.88 MX$32.79

212.77%

Rice (white) (1kg)

$1.46 $1.46

$1.63 MX$28.34

-10.43%

Eggs

$6.22 $6.22

$2.64 MX$45.99

135.61%

Local Cheese (1kg)

$17.40 $17.40

$8.21 MX$143

111.94%

Chicken Fillets (1kg)

$26.03 $26.03

$8.29 MX$144

213.99%

Beef Round Steak (1kg)

$11.10 MX$193

Apples (1kg)

$2.65 MX$46.14

Banana (1kg)

$4.92 $4.92

$1.50 MX$26.11

228.00%

Oranges (1kg)

$1.99 MX$34.59

Tomato (1kg)

$8.88 $8.88

$2.08 MX$36.13

326.92%

Potato (1kg)

$1.79 MX$31.11

Onion (1kg)

$4.39 $4.39

$2.18 MX$37.87

101.38%

Lettuce (1 head)

$4.92 $4.92

$1.08 MX$18.73

355.56%

Water (1.5 liter bottle)

$1.04 MX$18.04

Cigarettes 20 Pack (Marlboro, Camel)

$3.97 MX$69.1

Wine (Bottle)

$10.20 MX$178

Local Beer (0.5 liter bottle)

$1.73 MX$30.04

Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$5.90 $5.90

$2.50 MX$43.46

136.00%

One-way Ticket (Public Transport)

$5.84 $5.84

$0.52 MX$9.02

1023.08%

Public Transport Monthly Pass (Regular Price)

$140 $140

$26.97 MX$469

420.50%

Taxi Start (Normal Tariff)

$3.14 MX$54.7

Taxi (Normal Tariff) (1km)

$3.04 $3.04

$2.40 MX$41.80

26.67%

Taxi 1hour Waiting (Normal Tariff)

$3.09 MX$53.7

Gasoline (1 liter)

$1.61 $1.61

$1.27 MX$22.16

26.77%

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

$30.9K MX$537.3K

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

$23.3K $23.3K

$23.3K MX$405.7K

-0.22%

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

$243 $243

$82.0 MX$1,427

196.46%

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

$22.45 MX$391

Internet (50+ Mbps, Unlimited Data)

$61.1 $61.1

$29.66 MX$516

106.00%

Gym Membership (Monthly)

$51.9 MX$903

Tennis Court (1 Hour on Weekend)

$18.67 MX$325

Cinema Ticket

$4.97 MX$86.5

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

$198 MX$3,442

International Primary School, 1 Child (Yearly)

$13.7K $13.7K

$5,273 MX$91.7K

159.51%

Jeans (Levis 501 Or Similar)

$98.7 $98.7

$36.34 MX$632

171.60%

Summer Dress (H&M, Zara, etc)

$60.0 $60.0

$40.05 MX$697

49.91%

Sport Shoes (Adidas, Nike)

$50.9 $50.9

$79.9 MX$1,390

-36.33%

Men's Leather Business Shoes

$50.5 $50.5

$88.9 MX$1,547

-43.15%

1-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)

$2,217 $2,217

$963 MX$16.8K

130.13%

1-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)

$1,799 $1,799

$465 MX$8,086

287.18%

3-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)

$1,596 MX$27.8K

3-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)

$2,996 $2,996

$1,209 MX$21.0K

147.81%

Buy Apartment in City Center (m2)

$13.2K $13.2K

$3,942 MX$68.6K

233.62%

Buy Apartment Outside City Center (m2)

$6,448 MX$112.2K

Average Monthly Net Salary (After Tax)

$4,039 $4,039

$720 MX$12.5K

460.64%

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: April 27, 2026

Last update for Playa del Carmen: April 25, 2026

Cost Breakdown

A central one-bedroom costs $2,217 in St John versus $963 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 461% 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 $161 in St John versus $43.00 in Playa del Carmen. Monthly groceries follow the same trend: $415 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 John vs Playa del Carmen: Cost of Living - Frequently Asked Questions

Yes – St John is pricier by about 141%, 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 $4,657 per month in St John and $1,930 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 $3,105 in St John and $1,287 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 $161 in St John and $43.00 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 $1,287, than in St John at $3,105. 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.