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

Monthly Cost of Living

A single person spends $2,612 per month in Stevenage vs $1,293 in Playa del Carmen, rent included.

A couple spends around $3,943 per month in Stevenage vs $2,334 in Playa del Carmen, rent included.

A family of three spends $5,273 per month in Stevenage vs $3,374 in Playa del Carmen, rent included.

Stevenage costs about 102% more than Playa del Carmen, driven mainly by Eating Out.

Stevenage sits 90% above the global median, while Playa del Carmen is 6% below – they fall on opposite sides of the world average.

Currency
🍽 Eating Out
Stevenage
Playa del Carmen
Difference
Meal at Budget Restaurant
$26.57 £19.64
$11.71 MX$198
126.90%
Three-Course Dinner for Two, Mid-Range
$80.8 £59.7
$46.59 MX$788
73.43%
Fast Food Meal (McDonalds, etc)
$10.76 £7.95
$11.65 MX$197
-7.64%
Cappuccino
$5.22 £3.86
$4.09 MX$69.2
27.63%
Coke/Pepsi/Fanta/Sprite (0.33 liter bottle)
$1.95 £1.44
$1.37 MX$23.23
42.34%
Water (0.33 liter bottle)
$1.73 £1.28
$0.83 MX$14.09
108.43%
Local Beer (0.5 liter draught)
$5.62 £4.16
$3.35 MX$56.7
67.76%
Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)
$5.46 £4.04
$6.91 MX$117
-20.98%
🛒 Groceries & Markets
Stevenage
Playa del Carmen
Difference
Milk (1 liter)
$1.75 £1.30
$1.73 MX$29.20
1.16%
White Bread (500g)
$1.55 £1.15
$2.26 MX$38.21
-31.42%
Rice (white) (1kg)
$1.90 £1.40
$1.77 MX$29.91
7.34%
Eggs
$4.21 £3.11
$2.73 MX$46.19
54.21%
Local Cheese (1kg)
$8.34 £6.17
$9.18 MX$155
-9.15%
Chicken Fillets (1kg)
$8.67 £6.41
$8.92 MX$151
-2.80%
Beef Round Steak (1kg)
$13.95 £10.31
$12.60 MX$213
10.71%
Apples (1kg)
$3.40 £2.51
$3.02 MX$51.1
12.58%
Banana (1kg)
$1.52 £1.12
$1.57 MX$26.55
-3.18%
Oranges (1kg)
$3.09 £2.29
$2.13 MX$35.93
45.07%
Tomato (1kg)
$2.89 £2.14
$2.26 MX$38.28
27.88%
Potato (1kg)
$1.19 £0.88
$2.00 MX$33.88
-40.50%
Onion (1kg)
$1.73 £1.28
$2.06 MX$34.90
-16.02%
Lettuce (1 head)
$1.23 £0.91
$1.18 MX$19.94
4.24%
Water (1.5 liter bottle)
$1.00 £0.74
$1.20 MX$20.35
-16.67%
Cigarettes 20 Pack (Marlboro, Camel)
$24.04 £17.77
$4.63 MX$78.4
419.22%
Wine (Bottle)
$10.19 £7.53
$10.69 MX$181
-4.68%
Local Beer (0.5 liter bottle)
$2.82 £2.08
$1.62 MX$27.38
74.07%
Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)
$2.99 £2.21
$2.88 MX$48.70
3.82%
🚌 Getting Around
Stevenage
Playa del Carmen
Difference
One-way Ticket (Public Transport)
$3.47 £2.56
$0.57 MX$9.69
508.77%
Public Transport Monthly Pass (Regular Price)
$108 £79.8
$29.83 MX$504
261.78%
Taxi Start (Normal Tariff)
$3.68 £2.72
$5.45 MX$92.1
-32.48%
Taxi (Normal Tariff) (1km)
$1.89 £1.40
$3.70 MX$62.6
-48.92%
Taxi 1hour Waiting (Normal Tariff)
$20.24 £14.96
$5.98 MX$101
238.46%
Gasoline (1 liter)
$1.91 £1.41
$1.55 MX$26.26
23.23%
Midsize Hatchback 1.4l (Volkswagen Golf, Toyota Prius, Honda Civic, etc)
$38.7K £28.6K
$22.3K MX$377.4K
73.13%
Compact Sedan 1.6l (Toyota Corolla, Mazda3, Kia K4, Hyundai Elantra, etc)
$42.1K £31.1K
$25.9K MX$438.7K
62.26%
🧾 Monthly Utilities & Internet
Stevenage
Playa del Carmen
Difference
Utilities for 2 People in 2-bedroom Apartment (Heating, Electricity, Gas, Water, Garbage) (85m2)
$236 £175
$89.1 MX$1,507
165.31%
SIM Card Monthly Plan (Calls and 10GB+ Data)
$23.25 £17.18
$25.04 MX$423
-7.15%
Internet (50+ Mbps, Unlimited Data)
$44.79 £33.11
$31.50 MX$532
42.19%
🎉 Sport & Entertainment
Stevenage
Playa del Carmen
Difference
Gym Membership (Monthly)
$47.89 £35.40
$67.8 MX$1,146
-29.34%
Tennis Court (1 Hour on Weekend)
-
$28.92 MX$489
-
Cinema Ticket
$13.37 £9.89
$5.05 MX$85.4
164.75%
🧸 Childcare & Education
Stevenage
Playa del Carmen
Difference
Preschool or Kindergarten, Full Day, Private, 1 Child (Monthly)
$1,065 £788
$225 MX$3,803
373.61%
International Primary School, 1 Child (Yearly)
-
$4,222 MX$71.4K
-
👕👟 Clothing & Footwear
Stevenage
Playa del Carmen
Difference
Jeans (Levis 501 Or Similar)
$80.9 £59.8
$47.44 MX$802
70.49%
Summer Dress (H&M, Zara, etc)
$38.76 £28.65
$44.98 MX$760
-13.83%
Sport Shoes (Adidas, Nike)
$65.6 £48.45
$82.0 MX$1,386
-20.05%
Men's Leather Business Shoes
$91.5 £67.6
$92.1 MX$1,557
-0.72%
🏠 Accommodation & Living
Stevenage
Playa del Carmen
Difference
1-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)
$1,674 £1,237
$1,069 MX$18.1K
56.52%
1-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)
$1,388 £1,026
$405 MX$6,852
242.40%
3-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)
$3,020 £2,233
$1,935 MX$32.7K
56.05%
3-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)
$2,440 £1,803
$1,301 MX$22.0K
87.48%
Buy Apartment in City Center (m2)
-
$3,995 MX$67.5K
-
Buy Apartment Outside City Center (m2)
-
$6,626 MX$112.0K
-
💵 Salaries & Financials
Stevenage
Playa del Carmen
Difference
Average Monthly Net Salary (After Tax)
$3,340 £2,469
$749 MX$12.7K
346.12%
20-Year Fixed Mortgage Interest Rate (Annual %)
5.51
11.45
-51.88%

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

Last update for Stevenage: August 31, 2026

Last update for Playa del Carmen: August 29, 2026

Cost Breakdown

A central one-bedroom costs $1,674 in Stevenage versus $1,069 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 346% higher in Stevenage, 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 Stevenage versus $47.00 in Playa del Carmen. Monthly groceries follow the same trend: $285 vs $277 – 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
Stevenage vs Playa del Carmen: Cost of Living - Frequently Asked Questions
Is Playa del Carmen cheaper than Stevenage?
Yes – Stevenage is pricier by about 102%, and the gap shows up most in Eating Out. It's not just housing either; the difference applies across most spending categories.
What income do you need for each city?
For a comfortable life, plan on about $3,918 per month in Stevenage and $1,940 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. Housing is actually the single biggest factor behind the overall cost gap between these two cities.
What are total monthly expenses in Stevenage and in Playa del Carmen?
Monthly expenses with rent come to $2,612 in Stevenage and $1,293 in Playa del Carmen. The difference isn't just one category – it shows up across housing, food, transport, and services.
Which city has cheaper public transport?
Public transport costs about 262% less in Playa del Carmen. For daily commuters, that gap adds up to noticeable savings over a year.
Is $1,500 a realistic budget for living in Stevenage or in Playa del Carmen?
A $1,500 monthly budget goes further in Playa del Carmen, where all-in costs run around $1,293, than in Stevenage at $2,612. In Playa del Carmen it covers expenses comfortably, while in Stevenage it requires careful planning or may not stretch far enough.
Is Stevenage 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.
Which city is the better choice to relocate to?
If budget matters most, go with Playa del Carmen. If higher salaries, better infrastructure, or specific career opportunities are the priority, Stevenage makes more sense. Both are solid long-term options with distinct trade-offs.

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