Cost of Living Comparison Between Stony Hill and Playa del Carmen Cost of Living Comparison Between Stony Hill and Playa del Carmen

Monthly Cost of Living

A single person spends $1,106 per month in Stony Hill vs $1,260 in Playa del Carmen, rent included.

A couple spends around $2,445 per month in Stony Hill vs $2,125 in Playa del Carmen, rent included.

A family of three spends $3,785 per month in Stony Hill vs $2,990 in Playa del Carmen, rent included.

Stony Hill is about 12% cheaper than Playa del Carmen, driven mainly by Eating Out.

Both Stony Hill and Playa del Carmen are more affordable than the global median – Stony Hill 17% lower, Playa del Carmen 5% lower.

Meal at Budget Restaurant

$7.46 JMD 1,175

$11.72 MX$203

-36.35%

Three-Course Dinner for Two, Mid-Range

$63.8 JMD 10.1K

$41.89 MX$725

52.35%

Fast Food Meal (McDonalds, etc)

$8.57 JMD 1,349

$10.51 MX$182

-18.46%

Cappuccino

$4.26 JMD 671

$3.59 MX$62.0

18.66%

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

$1.32 JMD 208

$1.51 MX$26.10

-12.58%

Water (0.33 liter bottle)

$0.64 JMD 101

$0.92 MX$15.83

-30.43%

Local Beer (0.5 liter draught)

$1.85 JMD 291

$2.96 MX$51.2

-37.50%

Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$3.14 JMD 495

$4.41 MX$76.3

-28.80%

Milk (1 liter)

$3.21 JMD 505

$1.40 MX$24.16

129.29%

White Bread (500g)

$1.58 JMD 249

$1.88 MX$32.60

-15.96%

Rice (white) (1kg)

$1.56 JMD 246

$1.56 MX$26.97

Eggs

$3.42 JMD 539

$2.61 MX$45.14

31.03%

Local Cheese (1kg)

$11.26 JMD 1,773

$8.32 MX$144

35.34%

Chicken Fillets (1kg)

$5.08 JMD 799

$8.35 MX$145

-39.16%

Beef Round Steak (1kg)

$2.74 JMD 432

$10.86 MX$188

-74.77%

Apples (1kg)

$6.13 JMD 965

$2.71 MX$46.93

126.20%

Banana (1kg)

$3.14 JMD 495

$1.51 MX$26.04

107.95%

Oranges (1kg)

$4.01 JMD 631

$1.87 MX$32.41

114.44%

Tomato (1kg)

$2.49 JMD 391

$2.19 MX$37.89

13.70%

Potato (1kg)

$2.09 JMD 328

$1.86 MX$32.14

12.37%

Onion (1kg)

$1.86 JMD 294

$2.23 MX$38.59

-16.59%

Lettuce (1 head)

$1.53 JMD 242

$1.07 MX$18.48

42.99%

Water (1.5 liter bottle)

$1.46 JMD 229

$1.09 MX$18.79

33.94%

Cigarettes 20 Pack (Marlboro, Camel)

$8.81 JMD 1,387

$4.19 MX$72.4

110.26%

Wine (Bottle)

$11.21 JMD 1,766

$10.43 MX$180

7.48%

Local Beer (0.5 liter bottle)

$2.82 JMD 444

$1.66 MX$28.68

69.88%

Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$3.08 JMD 485

$2.61 MX$45.19

18.01%

One-way Ticket (Public Transport)

$0.54 MX$9.37

Public Transport Monthly Pass (Regular Price)

$26.16 MX$453

Taxi Start (Normal Tariff)

$1.11 JMD 175

$3.08 MX$53.3

-63.96%

Taxi (Normal Tariff) (1km)

$3.11 JMD 490

$2.40 MX$41.61

29.58%

Taxi 1hour Waiting (Normal Tariff)

$6.21 JMD 978

$3.13 MX$54.1

98.40%

Gasoline (1 liter)

$0.68 JMD 107

$1.31 MX$22.69

-48.09%

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

$31.7K JMD 5.0M

$29.8K MX$515.7K

6.24%

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

$25.3K JMD 4.0M

$23.3K MX$403.5K

8.34%

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

$47.89 JMD 7,542

$81.3 MX$1,406

-41.08%

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

$21.64 JMD 3,408

$22.56 MX$390

-4.08%

Internet (50+ Mbps, Unlimited Data)

$40.48 JMD 6,375

$30.05 MX$520

34.71%

Gym Membership (Monthly)

$75.8 JMD 11.9K

$52.9 MX$915

43.19%

Tennis Court (1 Hour on Weekend)

$18.46 JMD 2,908

$18.39 MX$318

0.38%

Cinema Ticket

$12.62 JMD 1,987

$4.92 MX$85.1

156.50%

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

$227 JMD 35.7K

$201 MX$3,474

13.04%

International Primary School, 1 Child (Yearly)

$2,479 JMD 390.5K

$5,175 MX$89.5K

-52.08%

Jeans (Levis 501 Or Similar)

$25.98 JMD 4,091

$35.92 MX$622

-27.67%

Summer Dress (H&M, Zara, etc)

$25.13 JMD 3,958

$40.13 MX$694

-37.38%

Sport Shoes (Adidas, Nike)

$72.3 JMD 11.4K

$79.7 MX$1,379

-9.30%

Men's Leather Business Shoes

$75.7 JMD 11.9K

$86.5 MX$1,496

-12.48%

1-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)

$928 JMD 146.1K

$978 MX$16.9K

-5.14%

1-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)

$337 JMD 53.0K

$470 MX$8,140

-28.47%

3-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)

$2,209 JMD 347.8K

$1,651 MX$28.6K

33.75%

3-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)

$1,858 JMD 292.6K

$1,203 MX$20.8K

54.36%

Buy Apartment in City Center (m2)

$3,953 MX$68.4K

Buy Apartment Outside City Center (m2)

$6,607 MX$114.3K

Average Monthly Net Salary (After Tax)

$677 MX$11.7K

20-Year Fixed Mortgage Interest Rate (Annual %)

11.42

-21.19%

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

Last update for Stony Hill: July 27, 2026

Last update for Playa del Carmen: July 27, 2026

Cost Breakdown

A central one-bedroom costs $928 in Stony Hill versus $978 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 $64.0 in Stony Hill versus $42.00 in Playa del Carmen. Monthly groceries follow the same trend: $289 vs $252 – 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

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

Yes – Playa del Carmen is pricier by about 14%, and the gap shows up most in Eating Out. It's not just housing either; the difference applies across most spending categories.

For a comfortable life, plan on about $1,658 per month in Stony Hill and $1,890 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 Stony Hill, 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 $1,106 in Stony Hill and $1,260 in Playa del Carmen. The difference isn't just one category – it shows up across housing, food, transport, and services.

Kindergarten costs $227 per month in Stony Hill and $201 in Playa del Carmen. For families with young kids, this one expense can tip the scales when choosing between the two cities.

A $1,000 monthly budget goes further in Stony Hill, where all-in costs run around $1,106, than in Playa del Carmen at $1,260. In Stony Hill it covers expenses comfortably, while in Playa del Carmen it requires careful planning or may not stretch far enough.

Families tend to lean toward Stony Hill – 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 Stony Hill. If higher salaries, better infrastructure, or specific career opportunities are the priority, Playa del Carmen makes more sense. Both are solid long-term options with distinct trade-offs.