Last update: Oct 2026

Cost of Living Comparison Between St Lawrence and Playa del Carmen

For one person, living is cheaper in Playa del Carmen: $1,204 a month against $3,179 in St Lawrence, rent and utilities included – about $23,700 less a year. Rent and utilities account for most of the difference.

St Lawrence, Jersey
Playa del Carmen, Mexico
St Lawrence
🇯🇪 Jersey
$3,179
/mo nomad
Playa del Carmen
🇲🇽 Mexico
$1,204
/mo nomad
Monthly Cost of Living

How much you'll spend in St Lawrence and in Playa del Carmen

Real prices from locals and on-the-ground checks – rent, groceries, transit and the daily extras. Here's what a month in St Lawrence and in Playa del Carmen actually costs, broken down by who's living it.

A single person spends $3,179 per month in St Lawrence vs $1,204 in Playa del Carmen, rent included.

  • St Lawrence $3,179
  • Playa del Carmen $1,204

A couple spends around $5,207 per month in St Lawrence vs $2,082 in Playa del Carmen, rent included.

  • St Lawrence $5,207
  • Playa del Carmen $2,082

A family of three spends $7,234 per month in St Lawrence vs $2,959 in Playa del Carmen, rent included.

  • St Lawrence $7,234
  • Playa del Carmen $2,959

St Lawrence costs about 164% more than Playa del Carmen, and outside of rent the biggest gap is in eating out.

St Lawrence sits 134% above the global median, while Playa del Carmen is 12% below – they fall on opposite sides of the world average.

Currency
🍽 Eating Out
St Lawrence
Playa del Carmen
Difference
Meal at Budget Restaurant
$40.12 JEP 29.97
$10.92 MX$205
267.40%
Three-Course Dinner for Two, Mid-Range
$118 JEP 88.2
$43.37 MX$814
172.24%
Fast Food Meal (McDonalds, etc)
$10.70 JEP 7.99
$11.78 MX$221
-9.17%
Cappuccino
$4.92 JEP 3.67
$3.81 MX$71.5
29.13%
Coke/Pepsi/Fanta/Sprite (0.33 liter bottle)
$3.38 JEP 2.52
$1.28 MX$24.07
164.06%
Water (0.33 liter bottle)
$2.45 JEP 1.83
$0.78 MX$14.70
214.10%
Local Beer (0.5 liter draught)
$8.24 JEP 6.16
$3.17 MX$59.5
159.94%
Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)
$6.42 JEP 4.79
$4.93 MX$92.7
30.22%
🛒 Groceries & Markets
St Lawrence
Playa del Carmen
Difference
Milk (1 liter)
$2.24 JEP 1.68
$1.41 MX$26.40
58.87%
White Bread (500g)
$2.77 JEP 2.07
$2.22 MX$41.62
24.77%
Rice (white) (1kg)
$2.62 JEP 1.96
$1.42 MX$26.61
84.51%
Eggs
$5.60 JEP 4.18
$2.52 MX$47.36
122.22%
Local Cheese (1kg)
$7.09 JEP 5.30
$7.26 MX$136
-2.34%
Chicken Fillets (1kg)
$12.12 JEP 9.06
$7.70 MX$144
57.40%
Beef Round Steak (1kg)
$18.43 JEP 13.77
$12.69 MX$238
45.23%
Apples (1kg)
$4.19 JEP 3.13
$2.78 MX$52.3
50.72%
Banana (1kg)
$3.51 JEP 2.62
$1.37 MX$25.68
156.20%
Oranges (1kg)
$4.24 JEP 3.17
$2.55 MX$47.89
66.27%
Tomato (1kg)
$4.46 JEP 3.33
$2.12 MX$39.86
110.38%
Potato (1kg)
$3.29 JEP 2.45
$1.94 MX$36.39
69.59%
Onion (1kg)
$3.13 JEP 2.34
$1.89 MX$35.41
65.61%
Lettuce (1 head)
$1.88 JEP 1.40
$1.15 MX$21.53
63.48%
Water (1.5 liter bottle)
$2.53 JEP 1.89
$1.18 MX$22.13
114.41%
Cigarettes 20 Pack (Marlboro, Camel)
$19.95 JEP 14.90
$4.30 MX$80.6
363.95%
Wine (Bottle)
$10.51 JEP 7.85
$9.95 MX$187
5.63%
Local Beer (0.5 liter bottle)
$4.78 JEP 3.57
$1.58 MX$29.73
202.53%
Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)
$7.55 JEP 5.64
$2.67 MX$50.1
182.77%
🚌 Getting Around
St Lawrence
Playa del Carmen
Difference
One-way Ticket (Public Transport)
-
$0.55 MX$10.39
-
Public Transport Monthly Pass (Regular Price)
-
$26.62 MX$500
-
Taxi Start (Normal Tariff)
$5.37 JEP 4.01
$4.97 MX$93.3
8.05%
Taxi (Normal Tariff) (1km)
$2.44 JEP 1.82
$3.33 MX$62.5
-26.73%
Taxi 1hour Waiting (Normal Tariff)
$52.7 JEP 39.36
$5.36 MX$101
883.02%
Gasoline (1 liter)
$2.13 JEP 1.59
$1.44 MX$27.11
47.92%
Midsize Hatchback 1.4l (Volkswagen Golf, Toyota Prius, Honda Civic, etc)
$26.7K JEP 19.9K
$20.7K MX$388.0K
29.17%
Compact Sedan 1.6l (Toyota Corolla, Mazda3, Kia K4, Hyundai Elantra, etc)
$37.2K JEP 27.8K
$23.5K MX$440.5K
58.62%
🧾 Monthly Utilities & Internet
St Lawrence
Playa del Carmen
Difference
Utilities for 2 People in 2-bedroom Apartment (Heating, Electricity, Gas, Water, Garbage) (85m2)
$319 JEP 238
$84.8 MX$1,592
276.07%
SIM Card Monthly Plan (Calls and 10GB+ Data)
$34.29 JEP 25.62
$23.41 MX$439
46.48%
Internet (50+ Mbps, Unlimited Data)
$74.0 JEP 55.3
$28.66 MX$538
158.06%
🎉 Sport & Entertainment
St Lawrence
Playa del Carmen
Difference
Gym Membership (Monthly)
$93.3 JEP 69.7
$57.1 MX$1,071
63.51%
Tennis Court (1 Hour on Weekend)
-
$28.91 MX$543
-
Cinema Ticket
$20.22 JEP 15.10
$5.14 MX$96.5
293.39%
🧸 Childcare & Education
St Lawrence
Playa del Carmen
Difference
Preschool or Kindergarten, Full Day, Private, 1 Child (Monthly)
$838 JEP 626
$207 MX$3,878
305.85%
International Primary School, 1 Child (Yearly)
$11.8K JEP 8,827
$3,927 MX$73.7K
200.89%
👕👟 Clothing & Footwear
St Lawrence
Playa del Carmen
Difference
Jeans (Levis 501 Or Similar)
$105 JEP 78.5
$43.35 MX$814
142.51%
Summer Dress (H&M, Zara, etc)
$74.4 JEP 55.6
$41.44 MX$778
79.56%
Sport Shoes (Adidas, Nike)
$122 JEP 90.8
$74.2 MX$1,393
63.84%
Men's Leather Business Shoes
$210 JEP 157
$89.3 MX$1,676
134.88%
🏠 Accommodation & Living
St Lawrence
Playa del Carmen
Difference
1-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)
$1,765 JEP 1,319
$980 MX$18.4K
80.21%
1-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)
$1,466 JEP 1,095
$381 MX$7,150
284.89%
3-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)
$3,932 JEP 2,937
$1,708 MX$32.1K
130.23%
3-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)
$3,393 JEP 2,535
$1,075 MX$20.2K
215.60%
Buy Apartment in City Center (m2)
-
$3,943 MX$74.0K
-
Buy Apartment Outside City Center (m2)
-
$6,158 MX$115.6K
-
💵 Salaries & Financials
St Lawrence
Playa del Carmen
Difference
Average Monthly Net Salary (After Tax)
-
$735 MX$13.8K
-
20-Year Fixed Mortgage Interest Rate (Annual %)
4.08
11.45
-64.37%

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

Last update for St Lawrence: October 27, 2026

Last update for Playa del Carmen: October 25, 2026

Monthly budget structure
Share of the monthly basket for one person, rent included.
Accommodation & Living
St Lawrence
$1.5K
Playa del Carmen
$381 74% $1.1K
Eating Out
St Lawrence
$489
Playa del Carmen
$202 58.7% $287
Monthly Utilities & Internet
St Lawrence
$427
Playa del Carmen
$137 68% $290
Groceries & Markets
St Lawrence
$416
Playa del Carmen
$255 38.7% $161
Clothing & Footwear
St Lawrence
$230
Playa del Carmen
$112 51.4% $118
Sport & Entertainment
St Lawrence
$134
Playa del Carmen
$67 49.7% $66
Getting Around
St Lawrence
$18 *
Playa del Carmen
$50 187% $33

Categories marked with * are only partly priced – their share counts the items that do have prices.

Cost Breakdown

A central one-bedroom costs $1,765 in St Lawrence versus $980 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.

A mid-range dinner for two costs $118 in St Lawrence versus $43 in Playa del Carmen. Monthly groceries follow the same trend: $416 vs $255 – making Playa del Carmen the more affordable choice for daily food spending.

Good to know
🇯🇪 St Lawrence
🇲🇽 Playa del Carmen
🕒 Local time
02:38 2:38 AM
21:38 9:38 PM
5 h behind St Lawrence
🌤 Weather
👥 Population
5,500
149,923
💱 Currency
Exchange rates and currency converter

MXN, USD, EUR to JEP – Jersey Pound Converter

Jersey Pound exchange rates as of November 2, 2026: 1 USD = 0.747 JEP (1 JEP = 1.34 USD). 1 EUR = 0.834 JEP (1 JEP = 1.2 EUR).

Mexican Peso exchange rates as of November 2, 2026: 1 USD = 18.77 MXN (100 MXN = 5.33 USD). 1 EUR = 20.96 MXN (100 MXN = 4.77 EUR).

On the map
Between locations
  • St Lawrence Playa del Carmen 7,930 km ≈ 10 h nonstop flight
From you
  • St Lawrence
  • Playa del Carmen

Distances are measured in a straight line. Your location is detected approximately.

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 Lawrence vs Playa del Carmen: Cost of Living - Frequently Asked Questions
Is Playa del Carmen cheaper than St Lawrence?
Yes – St Lawrence is pricier by about 164%, and outside of rent the gap shows up most in eating out.
What income do you need for each city?
For a comfortable life, plan on about $4,768 per month in St Lawrence and $1,806 in Playa del Carmen. That covers rent, food, utilities, transport, and enough left over to feel settled – not just surviving.
Which city has lower housing costs?
Rent is clearly cheaper in Playa del Carmen, especially for central apartments: a one-bedroom in the center costs $980 there versus $1,765 in St Lawrence.
What are total monthly expenses in St Lawrence and in Playa del Carmen?
Monthly expenses with rent come to $3,179 in St Lawrence and $1,204 in Playa del Carmen. That makes Playa del Carmen about 62% cheaper.
Which city has cheaper kindergarten?
Kindergarten costs $838 per month in St Lawrence and $207 in Playa del Carmen. For families with young kids, this one expense can tip the scales when choosing between the two cities.
Is $1,500 a realistic budget for living in St Lawrence or in Playa del Carmen?
A $1,500 monthly budget goes further in Playa del Carmen, where all-in costs run around $1,204, than in St Lawrence at $3,179. In Playa del Carmen it covers expenses comfortably, while in St Lawrence it requires careful planning or may not stretch far enough.
Is St Lawrence or Playa del Carmen more family-friendly?
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.

St Lawrence vs other spots: cost of living compared

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