Cost of Living Comparison Between Stanley and Playa del Carmen Cost of Living Comparison Between Stanley and Playa del Carmen

Monthly Cost of Living

A single person spends $2,429 per month in Stanley vs $1,271 in Playa del Carmen, rent included.

A couple spends around $3,457 per month in Stanley vs $2,126 in Playa del Carmen, rent included.

A family of three spends $4,485 per month in Stanley vs $2,980 in Playa del Carmen, rent included.

Stanley costs about 91% more than Playa del Carmen, driven mainly by Monthly Utilities & Internet.

Stanley sits 81% above the global median, while Playa del Carmen is 5% below – they fall on opposite sides of the world average.

Meal at Budget Restaurant

$27.66 FKP 20.60

$11.87 MX$204

133.02%

Three-Course Dinner for Two, Mid-Range

$82.7 FKP 61.6

$42.90 MX$736

92.68%

Fast Food Meal (McDonalds, etc)

$10.65 MX$183

Cappuccino

$2.71 FKP 2.02

$3.45 MX$59.2

-21.45%

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

$1.80 FKP 1.34

$1.50 MX$25.81

20.00%

Water (0.33 liter bottle)

$1.37 FKP 1.02

$0.95 MX$16.28

44.21%

Local Beer (0.5 liter draught)

$4.38 FKP 3.26

$3.03 MX$51.9

44.55%

Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$3.44 FKP 2.56

$4.61 MX$79.1

-25.38%

Milk (1 liter)

$2.25 FKP 1.68

$1.38 MX$23.61

63.04%

White Bread (500g)

$3.11 FKP 2.32

$1.85 MX$31.70

68.11%

Rice (white) (1kg)

$0.87 FKP 0.65

$1.61 MX$27.65

-45.96%

Eggs

$7.79 FKP 5.80

$2.59 MX$44.51

200.77%

Local Cheese (1kg)

$2.91 FKP 2.17

$8.26 MX$142

-64.77%

Chicken Fillets (1kg)

$5.83 FKP 4.34

$8.37 MX$144

-30.35%

Beef Round Steak (1kg)

$9.41 FKP 7.01

$10.66 MX$183

-11.73%

Apples (1kg)

$7.03 FKP 5.23

$2.63 MX$45.12

167.30%

Banana (1kg)

$5.10 FKP 3.80

$1.49 MX$25.53

242.28%

Oranges (1kg)

$5.31 FKP 3.95

$1.92 MX$32.94

176.56%

Tomato (1kg)

$5.37 FKP 4.00

$2.09 MX$35.81

156.94%

Potato (1kg)

$2.42 FKP 1.80

$1.86 MX$31.88

30.11%

Onion (1kg)

$0.77 FKP 0.58

$2.26 MX$38.81

-65.93%

Lettuce (1 head)

$4.90 FKP 3.65

$1.06 MX$18.23

362.26%

Water (1.5 liter bottle)

$1.09 MX$18.67

Cigarettes 20 Pack (Marlboro, Camel)

$18.85 FKP 14.04

$4.15 MX$71.2

354.22%

Wine (Bottle)

$12.15 FKP 9.05

$10.39 MX$178

16.94%

Local Beer (0.5 liter bottle)

$1.72 MX$29.59

Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$1.24 FKP 0.92

$2.61 MX$44.85

-52.49%

One-way Ticket (Public Transport)

$0.54 MX$9.30

Public Transport Monthly Pass (Regular Price)

$26.94 MX$462

Taxi Start (Normal Tariff)

$3.13 MX$53.7

Taxi (Normal Tariff) (1km)

$2.51 MX$43.09

Taxi 1hour Waiting (Normal Tariff)

$3.15 MX$54.1

Gasoline (1 liter)

$1.83 FKP 1.36

$1.27 MX$21.88

44.09%

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

$2,721 FKP 2,026

$30.4K MX$521.3K

-91.04%

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

$23.6K MX$404.5K

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

$406 FKP 302

$83.0 MX$1,425

389.00%

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

$86.6 FKP 64.5

$22.71 MX$390

281.29%

Internet (50+ Mbps, Unlimited Data)

$521 FKP 388

$29.46 MX$506

1668.57%

Gym Membership (Monthly)

$15.32 FKP 11.40

$51.0 MX$875

-69.96%

Tennis Court (1 Hour on Weekend)

$24.00 FKP 17.87

$18.33 MX$315

30.93%

Cinema Ticket

$10.77 FKP 8.02

$4.93 MX$84.5

118.46%

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

$609 FKP 453

$197 MX$3,386

208.68%

International Primary School, 1 Child (Yearly)

$5,280 MX$90.6K

Jeans (Levis 501 Or Similar)

$36.90 MX$633

Summer Dress (H&M, Zara, etc)

$39.89 MX$685

Sport Shoes (Adidas, Nike)

$60.1 FKP 44.76

$80.0 MX$1,373

-24.86%

Men's Leather Business Shoes

$89.5 MX$1,536

1-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)

$1,228 FKP 914

$956 MX$16.4K

28.39%

1-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)

$666 FKP 496

$477 MX$8,189

39.58%

3-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)

$2,307 FKP 1,718

$1,646 MX$28.3K

40.18%

3-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)

$1,352 FKP 1,007

$1,225 MX$21.0K

10.43%

Buy Apartment in City Center (m2)

$3,918 MX$67.2K

Buy Apartment Outside City Center (m2)

$6,459 MX$110.9K

Average Monthly Net Salary (After Tax)

$4,034 FKP 3,004

$667 MX$11.4K

504.88%

20-Year Fixed Mortgage Interest Rate (Annual %)

11.42

-38.70%

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

Last update for Stanley: June 6, 2026

Last update for Playa del Carmen: June 7, 2026

Cost Breakdown

A central one-bedroom costs $1,228 in Stanley versus $956 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 505% higher in Stanley, 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 $83.0 in Stanley versus $43.00 in Playa del Carmen. Monthly groceries follow the same trend: $323 vs $250 – 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

Stanley vs Playa del Carmen: Cost of Living - Frequently Asked Questions

Yes – Stanley is pricier by about 91%, and the gap shows up most in Monthly Utilities & Internet. It's not just housing either; the difference applies across most spending categories.

For a comfortable life, plan on about $3,643 per month in Stanley and $1,906 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 $2,429 in Stanley and $1,271 in Playa del Carmen. The difference isn't just one category – it shows up across housing, food, transport, and services.

Kindergarten costs $609 per month in Stanley and $197 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 $1,271, than in Stanley at $2,429. In Playa del Carmen it covers expenses comfortably, while in Stanley 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, Stanley makes more sense. Both are solid long-term options with distinct trade-offs.