Cost of Living Comparison Between St. Louis, MO and Playa del Carmen Cost of Living Comparison Between St. Louis, MO and Playa del Carmen

Monthly Cost of Living

A single person spends $2,570 per month in St. Louis, MO vs $1,266 in Playa del Carmen, rent included.

A couple spends around $3,759 per month in St. Louis, MO vs $2,279 in Playa del Carmen, rent included.

A family of three spends $4,947 per month in St. Louis, MO vs $3,292 in Playa del Carmen, rent included.

St. Louis, MO costs about 103% more than Playa del Carmen, driven mainly by Groceries & Markets.

St. Louis, MO sits 88% above the global median, while Playa del Carmen is 7% below – they fall on opposite sides of the world average.

Meal at Budget Restaurant

$18.77 $18.77

$11.60 MX$200

61.81%

Three-Course Dinner for Two, Mid-Range

$74.7 $74.7

$47.11 MX$811

58.48%

Fast Food Meal (McDonalds, etc)

$10.86 $10.86

$11.88 MX$205

-8.59%

Cappuccino

$5.23 $5.23

$3.98 MX$68.5

31.41%

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

$2.56 $2.56

$1.43 MX$24.58

79.02%

Water (0.33 liter bottle)

$2.06 $2.06

$0.82 MX$14.20

151.22%

Local Beer (0.5 liter draught)

$6.01 $6.01

$3.19 MX$54.9

88.40%

Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$7.07 $7.07

$6.79 MX$117

4.12%

Milk (1 liter)

$1.00 $1.00

$1.68 MX$28.86

-40.48%

White Bread (500g)

$3.43 $3.43

$2.20 MX$37.84

55.91%

Rice (white) (1kg)

$4.34 $4.34

$1.71 MX$29.42

153.80%

Eggs

$4.24 $4.24

$2.74 MX$47.21

54.74%

Local Cheese (1kg)

$12.49 $12.49

$9.58 MX$165

30.38%

Chicken Fillets (1kg)

$11.48 $11.48

$9.01 MX$155

27.41%

Beef Round Steak (1kg)

$15.25 $15.25

$12.81 MX$221

19.05%

Apples (1kg)

$4.79 $4.79

$2.89 MX$49.75

65.74%

Banana (1kg)

$1.63 $1.63

$1.50 MX$25.79

8.67%

Oranges (1kg)

$4.18 $4.18

$2.15 MX$37.00

94.42%

Tomato (1kg)

$4.83 $4.83

$2.26 MX$38.92

113.72%

Potato (1kg)

$2.87 $2.87

$1.98 MX$34.11

44.95%

Onion (1kg)

$2.81 $2.81

$1.99 MX$34.27

41.21%

Lettuce (1 head)

$2.03 $2.03

$1.23 MX$21.26

65.04%

Water (1.5 liter bottle)

$2.18 $2.18

$1.20 MX$20.61

81.67%

Cigarettes 20 Pack (Marlboro, Camel)

$9.36 $9.36

$4.55 MX$78.4

105.71%

Wine (Bottle)

$13.98 $13.98

$10.37 MX$179

34.81%

Local Beer (0.5 liter bottle)

$1.79 $1.79

$1.62 MX$27.88

10.49%

Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$3.38 $3.38

$2.88 MX$49.61

17.36%

One-way Ticket (Public Transport)

$2.04 $2.04

$0.60 MX$10.34

240.00%

Public Transport Monthly Pass (Regular Price)

$28.80 MX$496

Taxi Start (Normal Tariff)

$3.42 $3.42

$5.39 MX$92.8

-36.55%

Taxi (Normal Tariff) (1km)

$1.58 $1.58

$3.73 MX$64.2

-57.64%

Taxi 1hour Waiting (Normal Tariff)

$29.00 $29.00

$5.77 MX$99.4

402.60%

Gasoline (1 liter)

$0.85 $0.85

$1.54 MX$26.46

-44.81%

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

$29.7K $29.7K

$22.5K MX$388.4K

31.79%

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

$25.3K $25.3K

$26.1K MX$448.8K

-2.86%

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

$184 $184

$91.4 MX$1,574

101.19%

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

$53.5 $53.5

$25.20 MX$434

112.42%

Internet (50+ Mbps, Unlimited Data)

$67.5 $67.5

$31.24 MX$538

116.13%

Gym Membership (Monthly)

$42.90 $42.90

$67.2 MX$1,158

-36.16%

Tennis Court (1 Hour on Weekend)

$29.11 MX$501

Cinema Ticket

$13.32 $13.32

$4.86 MX$83.8

174.07%

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

$1,284 $1,284

$224 MX$3,852

474.13%

International Primary School, 1 Child (Yearly)

$23.5K $23.5K

$4,229 MX$72.8K

455.12%

Jeans (Levis 501 Or Similar)

$50.4 $50.4

$47.10 MX$811

6.99%

Summer Dress (H&M, Zara, etc)

$39.63 $39.63

$44.29 MX$763

-10.52%

Sport Shoes (Adidas, Nike)

$87.0 $87.0

$80.1 MX$1,380

8.65%

Men's Leather Business Shoes

$110 $110

$92.7 MX$1,596

18.51%

1-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)

$1,619 $1,619

$1,063 MX$18.3K

52.40%

1-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)

$1,329 $1,329

$390 MX$6,721

240.66%

3-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)

$2,668 $2,668

$2,149 MX$37.0K

24.17%

3-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)

$2,253 $2,253

$1,272 MX$21.9K

77.10%

Buy Apartment in City Center (m2)

$2,734 $2,734

$4,001 MX$68.9K

-31.68%

Buy Apartment Outside City Center (m2)

$2,470 $2,470

$6,502 MX$112.0K

-62.01%

Average Monthly Net Salary (After Tax)

$758 MX$13.1K

20-Year Fixed Mortgage Interest Rate (Annual %)

6.51

11.45

-43.14%

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

Last update for St. Louis, MO: September 14, 2026

Last update for Playa del Carmen: September 12, 2026

Cost Breakdown

A central one-bedroom costs $1,619 in St. Louis, MO versus $1,063 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 $75.0 in St. Louis, MO versus $47.00 in Playa del Carmen. Monthly groceries follow the same trend: $386 vs $276 – 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. Louis, MO vs Playa del Carmen: Cost of Living - Frequently Asked Questions

Yes – St. Louis, MO is pricier by about 103%, 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 $3,855 per month in St. Louis, MO and $1,899 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 $2,570 in St. Louis, MO and $1,266 in Playa del Carmen. The difference isn't just one category – it shows up across housing, food, transport, and services.

Kindergarten costs $1,284 per month in St. Louis, MO and $224 in Playa del Carmen. For families with young kids, this one expense can tip the scales when choosing between the two cities.

A $1,500 monthly budget goes further in Playa del Carmen, where all-in costs run around $1,266, than in St. Louis, MO at $2,570. In Playa del Carmen it covers expenses comfortably, while in St. Louis, MO 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.

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