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 $2,376 per month in Stanley vs $1,287 in Playa del Carmen, rent included.

A couple spends around $3,388 per month in Stanley vs $2,184 in Playa del Carmen, rent included.

A family of three spends $4,400 per month in Stanley vs $3,082 in Playa del Carmen, rent included.

Stanley costs about 85% more than Playa del Carmen, driven mainly by Monthly Utilities & Internet.

Stanley sits 77% above the global median, while Playa del Carmen is 4% below – they fall on opposite sides of the world average.

Meal at Budget Restaurant

$27.05 FKP 20.02

$11.94 MX$208

126.55%

Three-Course Dinner for Two, Mid-Range

$80.7 FKP 59.7

$42.75 MX$744

88.73%

Fast Food Meal (McDonalds, etc)

$10.59 MX$184

Cappuccino

$2.73 FKP 2.02

$3.62 MX$63.0

-24.59%

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

$1.90 FKP 1.41

$1.47 MX$25.54

29.25%

Water (0.33 liter bottle)

$1.37 FKP 1.02

$0.94 MX$16.41

45.74%

Local Beer (0.5 liter draught)

$4.52 FKP 3.34

$3.09 MX$53.8

46.28%

Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$3.36 FKP 2.49

$4.46 MX$77.6

-24.66%

Milk (1 liter)

$2.27 FKP 1.68

$1.43 MX$24.80

58.74%

White Bread (500g)

$3.19 FKP 2.36

$1.88 MX$32.79

69.68%

Rice (white) (1kg)

$0.87 FKP 0.64

$1.63 MX$28.34

-46.63%

Eggs

$7.67 FKP 5.67

$2.64 MX$45.99

190.53%

Local Cheese (1kg)

$3.07 FKP 2.27

$8.21 MX$143

-62.61%

Chicken Fillets (1kg)

$5.81 FKP 4.30

$8.29 MX$144

-29.92%

Beef Round Steak (1kg)

$9.70 FKP 7.18

$11.10 MX$193

-12.61%

Apples (1kg)

$7.17 FKP 5.31

$2.65 MX$46.14

170.57%

Banana (1kg)

$5.24 FKP 3.88

$1.50 MX$26.11

249.33%

Oranges (1kg)

$5.29 FKP 3.91

$1.99 MX$34.59

165.83%

Tomato (1kg)

$5.22 FKP 3.87

$2.08 MX$36.13

150.96%

Potato (1kg)

$2.39 FKP 1.77

$1.79 MX$31.11

33.52%

Onion (1kg)

$0.79 FKP 0.58

$2.18 MX$37.87

-63.76%

Lettuce (1 head)

$4.94 FKP 3.65

$1.08 MX$18.73

357.41%

Water (1.5 liter bottle)

$1.04 MX$18.04

Cigarettes 20 Pack (Marlboro, Camel)

$19.00 FKP 14.06

$3.97 MX$69.1

378.59%

Wine (Bottle)

$12.36 FKP 9.15

$10.20 MX$178

21.18%

Local Beer (0.5 liter bottle)

$1.73 MX$30.04

Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$1.23 FKP 0.91

$2.50 MX$43.46

-50.80%

One-way Ticket (Public Transport)

$0.52 MX$9.02

Public Transport Monthly Pass (Regular Price)

$26.97 MX$469

Taxi Start (Normal Tariff)

$3.14 MX$54.7

Taxi (Normal Tariff) (1km)

$2.40 MX$41.80

Taxi 1hour Waiting (Normal Tariff)

$3.09 MX$53.7

Gasoline (1 liter)

$1.79 FKP 1.32

$1.27 MX$22.16

40.94%

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

$2,725 FKP 2,016

$30.9K MX$537.3K

-91.18%

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

$23.3K MX$405.7K

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

$409 FKP 302

$82.0 MX$1,427

398.33%

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

$89.1 FKP 65.9

$22.45 MX$391

296.93%

Internet (50+ Mbps, Unlimited Data)

$518 FKP 383

$29.66 MX$516

1646.73%

Gym Membership (Monthly)

$15.07 FKP 11.15

$51.9 MX$903

-70.95%

Tennis Court (1 Hour on Weekend)

$24.12 FKP 17.85

$18.67 MX$325

29.19%

Cinema Ticket

$10.88 FKP 8.05

$4.97 MX$86.5

118.91%

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

$610 FKP 451

$198 MX$3,442

208.37%

International Primary School, 1 Child (Yearly)

$5,273 MX$91.7K

Jeans (Levis 501 Or Similar)

$36.34 MX$632

Summer Dress (H&M, Zara, etc)

$40.05 MX$697

Sport Shoes (Adidas, Nike)

$61.1 FKP 45.22

$79.9 MX$1,390

-23.50%

Men's Leather Business Shoes

$88.9 MX$1,547

1-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)

$1,218 FKP 901

$963 MX$16.8K

26.44%

1-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)

$669 FKP 495

$465 MX$8,086

44.02%

3-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)

$2,271 FKP 1,680

$1,596 MX$27.8K

42.24%

3-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)

$1,335 FKP 988

$1,209 MX$21.0K

10.46%

Buy Apartment in City Center (m2)

$3,942 MX$68.6K

Buy Apartment Outside City Center (m2)

$6,448 MX$112.2K

Average Monthly Net Salary (After Tax)

$4,116 FKP 3,045

$720 MX$12.5K

471.28%

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: April 25, 2026

Last update for Playa del Carmen: April 25, 2026

Cost Breakdown

A central one-bedroom costs $1,218 in Stanley 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 471% 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 $81.0 in Stanley versus $43.00 in Playa del Carmen. Monthly groceries follow the same trend: $326 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

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

Yes – Stanley is pricier by about 85%, 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 $3,564 per month in Stanley 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 $2,376 in Stanley and $1,287 in Playa del Carmen. The difference isn't just one category – it shows up across housing, food, transport, and services.

Kindergarten costs $610 per month in Stanley and $198 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 $1,287, than in Stanley at $2,376. 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.