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 $1,080 per month in Stony Hill vs $1,271 in Playa del Carmen, rent included.

A couple spends around $2,425 per month in Stony Hill vs $2,126 in Playa del Carmen, rent included.

A family of three spends $3,771 per month in Stony Hill vs $2,980 in Playa del Carmen, rent included.

Stony Hill is about 15% cheaper than Playa del Carmen, driven mainly by Sport & Entertainment.

Both Stony Hill and Playa del Carmen are more affordable than the global median – Stony Hill 20% lower, Playa del Carmen 5% lower.

Meal at Budget Restaurant

$7.71 JMD 1,213

$11.87 MX$204

-35.05%

Three-Course Dinner for Two, Mid-Range

$63.2 JMD 9,931

$42.90 MX$736

47.20%

Fast Food Meal (McDonalds, etc)

$8.71 JMD 1,370

$10.65 MX$183

-18.22%

Cappuccino

$4.32 JMD 679

$3.45 MX$59.2

25.22%

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

$1.36 JMD 214

$1.50 MX$25.81

-9.33%

Water (0.33 liter bottle)

$0.65 JMD 103

$0.95 MX$16.28

-31.58%

Local Beer (0.5 liter draught)

$1.86 JMD 293

$3.03 MX$51.9

-38.61%

Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$3.12 JMD 491

$4.61 MX$79.1

-32.32%

Milk (1 liter)

$3.10 JMD 487

$1.38 MX$23.61

124.64%

White Bread (500g)

$1.56 JMD 245

$1.85 MX$31.70

-15.68%

Rice (white) (1kg)

$1.56 JMD 246

$1.61 MX$27.65

-3.11%

Eggs

$3.43 JMD 540

$2.59 MX$44.51

32.43%

Local Cheese (1kg)

$10.92 JMD 1,717

$8.26 MX$142

32.20%

Chicken Fillets (1kg)

$4.96 JMD 780

$8.37 MX$144

-40.74%

Beef Round Steak (1kg)

$2.76 JMD 434

$10.66 MX$183

-74.11%

Apples (1kg)

$5.89 JMD 926

$2.63 MX$45.12

123.95%

Banana (1kg)

$3.11 JMD 490

$1.49 MX$25.53

108.72%

Oranges (1kg)

$4.12 JMD 648

$1.92 MX$32.94

114.58%

Tomato (1kg)

$2.56 JMD 402

$2.09 MX$35.81

22.49%

Potato (1kg)

$2.08 JMD 326

$1.86 MX$31.88

11.83%

Onion (1kg)

$1.85 JMD 291

$2.26 MX$38.81

-18.14%

Lettuce (1 head)

$1.53 JMD 241

$1.06 MX$18.23

44.34%

Water (1.5 liter bottle)

$1.48 JMD 233

$1.09 MX$18.67

35.78%

Cigarettes 20 Pack (Marlboro, Camel)

$8.92 JMD 1,402

$4.15 MX$71.2

114.94%

Wine (Bottle)

$11.48 JMD 1,805

$10.39 MX$178

10.49%

Local Beer (0.5 liter bottle)

$2.79 JMD 439

$1.72 MX$29.59

62.21%

Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$3.16 JMD 498

$2.61 MX$44.85

21.07%

One-way Ticket (Public Transport)

$0.54 MX$9.30

Public Transport Monthly Pass (Regular Price)

$26.94 MX$462

Taxi Start (Normal Tariff)

$1.12 JMD 175

$3.13 MX$53.7

-64.22%

Taxi (Normal Tariff) (1km)

$3.26 JMD 512

$2.51 MX$43.09

29.88%

Taxi 1hour Waiting (Normal Tariff)

$6.44 JMD 1,014

$3.15 MX$54.1

104.44%

Gasoline (1 liter)

$0.67 JMD 105

$1.27 MX$21.88

-47.24%

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

$31.3K JMD 4.9M

$30.4K MX$521.3K

3.14%

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

$25.3K JMD 4.0M

$23.6K MX$404.5K

7.24%

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

$47.46 JMD 7,464

$83.0 MX$1,425

-42.82%

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

$22.24 JMD 3,498

$22.71 MX$390

-2.07%

Internet (50+ Mbps, Unlimited Data)

$40.37 JMD 6,350

$29.46 MX$506

37.03%

Gym Membership (Monthly)

$75.2 JMD 11.8K

$51.0 MX$875

47.43%

Tennis Court (1 Hour on Weekend)

$18.89 JMD 2,971

$18.33 MX$315

3.06%

Cinema Ticket

$12.46 JMD 1,959

$4.93 MX$84.5

152.74%

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

$230 JMD 36.2K

$197 MX$3,386

16.81%

International Primary School, 1 Child (Yearly)

$2,438 JMD 383.3K

$5,280 MX$90.6K

-53.83%

Jeans (Levis 501 Or Similar)

$26.57 JMD 4,178

$36.90 MX$633

-27.99%

Summer Dress (H&M, Zara, etc)

$25.81 JMD 4,058

$39.89 MX$685

-35.30%

Sport Shoes (Adidas, Nike)

$70.5 JMD 11.1K

$80.0 MX$1,373

-11.90%

Men's Leather Business Shoes

$77.2 JMD 12.1K

$89.5 MX$1,536

-13.71%

1-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)

$937 JMD 147.4K

$956 MX$16.4K

-1.97%

1-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)

$326 JMD 51.2K

$477 MX$8,189

-31.72%

3-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)

$2,225 JMD 350.0K

$1,646 MX$28.3K

35.20%

3-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)

$1,852 JMD 291.3K

$1,225 MX$21.0K

51.24%

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)

$667 MX$11.4K

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: June 7, 2026

Last update for Playa del Carmen: June 7, 2026

Cost Breakdown

A central one-bedroom costs $937 in Stony Hill 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.

A mid-range dinner for two costs $63.0 in Stony Hill versus $43.00 in Playa del Carmen. Monthly groceries follow the same trend: $287 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

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

Yes – Playa del Carmen is pricier by about 18%, and the gap shows up most in Sport & Entertainment. It's not just housing either; the difference applies across most spending categories.

For a comfortable life, plan on about $1,619 per month in Stony Hill 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 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 $1,080 in Stony Hill 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 $230 per month in Stony Hill 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 $1,000 monthly budget goes further in Stony Hill, where all-in costs run around $1,080, than in Playa del Carmen at $1,271. 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.