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

Monthly Cost of Living

A single person spends $2,390 per month in Stephenville vs $1,297 in Playa del Carmen, rent included.

A couple spends around $3,471 per month in Stephenville vs $2,181 in Playa del Carmen, rent included.

A family of three spends $4,552 per month in Stephenville vs $3,065 in Playa del Carmen, rent included.

Stephenville costs about 84% more than Playa del Carmen, driven mainly by Groceries & Markets.

Stephenville sits 78% above the global median, while Playa del Carmen is 3% below – they fall on opposite sides of the world average.

Meal at Budget Restaurant

$17.23 CA$23.96

$11.73 MX$203

46.89%

Three-Course Dinner for Two, Mid-Range

$70.6 CA$98.1

$41.62 MX$719

69.51%

Fast Food Meal (McDonalds, etc)

$10.83 CA$15.05

$10.64 MX$184

1.79%

Cappuccino

$3.83 CA$5.33

$3.52 MX$60.8

8.81%

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

$2.05 CA$2.85

$1.51 MX$26.09

35.76%

Water (0.33 liter bottle)

$1.70 CA$2.36

$0.97 MX$16.82

75.26%

Local Beer (0.5 liter draught)

$5.66 CA$7.88

$2.95 MX$51.0

91.86%

Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$5.96 CA$8.29

$4.45 MX$77.0

33.93%

Milk (1 liter)

$2.62 CA$3.64

$1.38 MX$23.90

89.86%

White Bread (500g)

$2.61 CA$3.63

$1.89 MX$32.69

38.10%

Rice (white) (1kg)

$3.50 CA$4.87

$1.64 MX$28.29

113.41%

Eggs

$3.56 CA$4.96

$2.51 MX$43.30

41.83%

Local Cheese (1kg)

$10.98 CA$15.26

$8.34 MX$144

31.65%

Chicken Fillets (1kg)

$11.60 CA$16.13

$8.34 MX$144

39.09%

Beef Round Steak (1kg)

$14.45 CA$20.10

$10.73 MX$185

34.67%

Apples (1kg)

$4.09 CA$5.69

$2.60 MX$45.00

57.31%

Banana (1kg)

$1.43 CA$1.99

$1.46 MX$25.18

-2.05%

Oranges (1kg)

$3.72 CA$5.17

$1.90 MX$32.84

95.79%

Tomato (1kg)

$3.83 CA$5.32

$2.08 MX$35.88

84.13%

Potato (1kg)

$2.46 CA$3.42

$1.78 MX$30.68

38.20%

Onion (1kg)

$2.47 CA$3.43

$2.19 MX$37.76

12.79%

Lettuce (1 head)

$4.50 CA$6.26

$1.04 MX$17.97

332.69%

Water (1.5 liter bottle)

$1.76 CA$2.45

$1.08 MX$18.60

62.96%

Cigarettes 20 Pack (Marlboro, Camel)

$14.23 CA$19.79

$4.08 MX$70.5

248.77%

Wine (Bottle)

$11.39 CA$15.85

$10.32 MX$178

10.37%

Local Beer (0.5 liter bottle)

$2.91 CA$4.05

$1.71 MX$29.59

70.18%

Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$3.07 CA$4.27

$2.58 MX$44.50

18.99%

One-way Ticket (Public Transport)

$2.42 CA$3.37

$0.51 MX$8.81

374.51%

Public Transport Monthly Pass (Regular Price)

$63.5 CA$88.3

$26.46 MX$457

140.06%

Taxi Start (Normal Tariff)

$3.14 CA$4.37

$3.26 MX$56.4

-3.68%

Taxi (Normal Tariff) (1km)

$1.48 CA$2.06

$2.49 MX$43.05

-40.56%

Taxi 1hour Waiting (Normal Tariff)

$26.21 CA$36.46

$3.25 MX$56.1

706.46%

Gasoline (1 liter)

$1.11 CA$1.54

$1.31 MX$22.59

-15.27%

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

$24.8K CA$34.5K

$30.3K MX$523.2K

-18.00%

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

$20.9K CA$29.0K

$23.4K MX$404.9K

-10.93%

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

$141 CA$196

$82.9 MX$1,432

69.84%

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

$43.50 CA$60.5

$22.22 MX$384

95.77%

Internet (50+ Mbps, Unlimited Data)

$61.6 CA$85.7

$29.34 MX$507

110.09%

Gym Membership (Monthly)

$41.56 CA$57.8

$51.6 MX$892

-19.50%

Tennis Court (1 Hour on Weekend)

$36.59 CA$50.9

$18.32 MX$317

99.73%

Cinema Ticket

$11.52 CA$16.02

$5.07 MX$87.5

127.22%

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

$748 CA$1,040

$201 MX$3,470

272.50%

International Primary School, 1 Child (Yearly)

$11.8K CA$16.4K

$5,212 MX$90.1K

126.52%

Jeans (Levis 501 Or Similar)

$53.8 CA$74.8

$36.92 MX$638

45.77%

Summer Dress (H&M, Zara, etc)

$39.80 CA$55.4

$39.79 MX$688

0.03%

Sport Shoes (Adidas, Nike)

$85.2 CA$118

$78.5 MX$1,356

8.55%

Men's Leather Business Shoes

$106 CA$148

$87.1 MX$1,505

22.20%

1-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)

$1,323 CA$1,840

$973 MX$16.8K

36.03%

1-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)

$1,167 CA$1,622

$468 MX$8,082

149.40%

3-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)

$1,999 CA$2,780

$1,641 MX$28.4K

21.79%

3-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)

$1,831 CA$2,546

$1,221 MX$21.1K

49.95%

Buy Apartment in City Center (m2)

$3,964 CA$5,512

$3,946 MX$68.2K

0.45%

Buy Apartment Outside City Center (m2)

$4,022 CA$5,594

$6,498 MX$112.3K

-38.10%

Average Monthly Net Salary (After Tax)

$664 MX$11.5K

20-Year Fixed Mortgage Interest Rate (Annual %)

6.46

11.42

-43.43%

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

Last update for Stephenville: May 31, 2026

Last update for Playa del Carmen: June 2, 2026

Cost Breakdown

A central one-bedroom costs $1,323 in Stephenville versus $973 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 $71.0 in Stephenville versus $42.00 in Playa del Carmen. Monthly groceries follow the same trend: $373 vs $249 – 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

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

Yes – Stephenville is pricier by about 84%, 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 $3,585 per month in Stephenville and $1,945 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 $2,390 in Stephenville and $1,297 in Playa del Carmen. The difference isn't just one category – it shows up across housing, food, transport, and services.

Public transport costs about 140% less in Playa del Carmen. For daily commuters, that gap adds up to noticeable savings over a year.

A $1,500 monthly budget goes further in Playa del Carmen, where all-in costs run around $1,297, than in Stephenville at $2,390. In Playa del Carmen it covers expenses comfortably, while in Stephenville 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, Stephenville makes more sense. Both are solid long-term options with distinct trade-offs.