Cost of Living Comparison Between Pierre, SD and Playa del Carmen Cost of Living Comparison Between Pierre, SD and Playa del Carmen

Monthly Cost of Living

Monthly costs for one person with rent: $2,554 in Pierre, SD versus $1,266 in Playa del Carmen.

Estimated couple costs with rent: $3,695 in Pierre, SD versus $2,279 in Playa del Carmen.

Monthly costs for a family of three with rent: $4,836 in Pierre, SD versus $3,292 in Playa del Carmen.

Living in Pierre, SD is roughly 102% more expensive than in Playa del Carmen, driven mainly by Groceries & Markets.

The two cities straddle the global median: Pierre, SD is 87% above, Playa del Carmen is 7% below.

Meal at Budget Restaurant

$20.24 $20.24

$11.60 MX$200

74.48%

Three-Course Dinner for Two, Mid-Range

$78.4 $78.4

$47.11 MX$811

66.31%

Fast Food Meal (McDonalds, etc)

$11.79 $11.79

$11.88 MX$205

-0.76%

Cappuccino

$5.46 $5.46

$3.98 MX$68.5

37.19%

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

$2.68 $2.68

$1.43 MX$24.58

87.41%

Water (0.33 liter bottle)

$1.97 $1.97

$0.82 MX$14.20

140.24%

Local Beer (0.5 liter draught)

$6.25 $6.25

$3.19 MX$54.9

95.92%

Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$7.61 $7.61

$6.79 MX$117

12.08%

Milk (1 liter)

$0.89 $0.89

$1.68 MX$28.86

-47.02%

White Bread (500g)

$3.35 $3.35

$2.20 MX$37.84

52.27%

Rice (white) (1kg)

$4.17 $4.17

$1.71 MX$29.42

143.86%

Eggs

$4.70 $4.70

$2.74 MX$47.21

71.53%

Local Cheese (1kg)

$12.39 $12.39

$9.58 MX$165

29.33%

Chicken Fillets (1kg)

$12.75 $12.75

$9.01 MX$155

41.51%

Beef Round Steak (1kg)

$16.25 $16.25

$12.81 MX$221

26.85%

Apples (1kg)

$4.31 $4.31

$2.89 MX$49.75

49.13%

Banana (1kg)

$1.50 $1.50

$1.50 MX$25.79

Oranges (1kg)

$4.99 $4.99

$2.15 MX$37.00

132.09%

Tomato (1kg)

$5.17 $5.17

$2.26 MX$38.92

128.76%

Potato (1kg)

$3.03 $3.03

$1.98 MX$34.11

53.03%

Onion (1kg)

$3.15 $3.15

$1.99 MX$34.27

58.29%

Lettuce (1 head)

$2.21 $2.21

$1.23 MX$21.26

79.67%

Water (1.5 liter bottle)

$2.22 $2.22

$1.20 MX$20.61

85.00%

Cigarettes 20 Pack (Marlboro, Camel)

$9.72 $9.72

$4.55 MX$78.4

113.63%

Wine (Bottle)

$16.52 $16.52

$10.37 MX$179

59.31%

Local Beer (0.5 liter bottle)

$1.72 $1.72

$1.62 MX$27.88

6.17%

Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$3.12 $3.12

$2.88 MX$49.61

8.33%

One-way Ticket (Public Transport)

$2.22 $2.22

$0.60 MX$10.34

270.00%

Public Transport Monthly Pass (Regular Price)

$28.80 MX$496

Taxi Start (Normal Tariff)

$2.90 $2.90

$5.39 MX$92.8

-46.20%

Taxi (Normal Tariff) (1km)

$1.81 $1.81

$3.73 MX$64.2

-51.47%

Taxi 1hour Waiting (Normal Tariff)

$26.41 $26.41

$5.77 MX$99.4

357.71%

Gasoline (1 liter)

$0.94 $0.94

$1.54 MX$26.46

-38.96%

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

$36.9K $36.9K

$22.5K MX$388.4K

63.77%

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

$25.0K $25.0K

$26.1K MX$448.8K

-3.98%

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

$209 $209

$91.4 MX$1,574

128.23%

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

$53.7 $53.7

$25.20 MX$434

112.98%

Internet (50+ Mbps, Unlimited Data)

$73.2 $73.2

$31.24 MX$538

134.15%

Gym Membership (Monthly)

$42.39 $42.39

$67.2 MX$1,158

-36.92%

Tennis Court (1 Hour on Weekend)

$29.11 MX$501

Cinema Ticket

$15.06 $15.06

$4.86 MX$83.8

209.88%

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

$1,352 $1,352

$224 MX$3,852

504.68%

International Primary School, 1 Child (Yearly)

$22.4K $22.4K

$4,229 MX$72.8K

429.45%

Jeans (Levis 501 Or Similar)

$47.07 $47.07

$47.10 MX$811

-0.06%

Summer Dress (H&M, Zara, etc)

$38.77 $38.77

$44.29 MX$763

-12.46%

Sport Shoes (Adidas, Nike)

$79.5 $79.5

$80.1 MX$1,380

-0.80%

Men's Leather Business Shoes

$111 $111

$92.7 MX$1,596

19.68%

1-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)

$1,427 $1,427

$1,063 MX$18.3K

34.32%

1-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)

$1,438 $1,438

$390 MX$6,721

268.40%

3-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)

$2,310 $2,310

$2,149 MX$37.0K

7.50%

3-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)

$1,946 $1,946

$1,272 MX$21.9K

52.97%

Buy Apartment in City Center (m2)

$2,973 $2,973

$4,001 MX$68.9K

-25.71%

Buy Apartment Outside City Center (m2)

$2,716 $2,716

$6,502 MX$112.0K

-58.22%

Average Monthly Net Salary (After Tax)

$758 MX$13.1K

20-Year Fixed Mortgage Interest Rate (Annual %)

6.12

11.45

-46.55%

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

Last update for Pierre, SD: September 14, 2026

Last update for Playa del Carmen: September 12, 2026

Cost Breakdown

A one-bedroom apartment in the center runs $1,427 in Pierre, SD and $1,063 in Playa del Carmen. Housing cost is often the main lever when comparing two cities.

Dining out: $78.0 in Pierre, SD vs $47.00 in Playa del Carmen for a mid-range dinner for two. Groceries echo the gap at $403 vs $276 per month, with Playa del Carmen cheaper across the board.

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

Pierre, SD vs Playa del Carmen: Cost of Living - Frequently Asked Questions

Playa del Carmen is cheaper overall, especially in Groceries & Markets, Eating Out, Monthly Utilities & Internet, Clothing & Footwear. The 102% gap adds up to real monthly savings that compound significantly over time.

You'd need roughly $3,831 in Pierre, SD and $1,899 in Playa del Carmen to live well. The gap comes down to housing and overall price levels. Both cities are liveable on less, but these numbers represent actual comfort.

Rent for a central apartment: $1,427 in Pierre, SD versus $1,063 in Playa del Carmen. Housing is usually the single largest factor when comparing overall living costs between the two.

Supermarket bills run roughly 46% higher in Pierre, SD. For households that cook at home regularly, that difference adds up over a month.

All in, you'll spend $2,554 per month in Pierre, SD versus $1,266 in Playa del Carmen – a 102% gap that adds up to real savings over time for anyone picking the cheaper option.

At $1,266 in Playa del Carmen versus $2,554 in Pierre, SD, a $1,500 budget is realistic in Playa del Carmen but tight or insufficient in Pierre, SD. The gap between the two cities makes Playa del Carmen the clear choice for anyone on this budget.

For families, Playa del Carmen is more practical. Housing and childcare are both notably cheaper than in Pierre, SD, and the savings on those two alone free up budget for education, activities, and family trips.

Safety-wise, Pierre, SD and Playa del Carmen are on par. Petty crime is typical for cities this size, and most residents feel comfortable going about their daily routines in either place.

Expats usually find Playa del Carmen gentler on the wallet – expenses run 102% less than in Pierre, SD. Beyond cost, consider language, visa policies, and how big the international community is in each city.