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

Monthly Cost of Living

A single person spends $1,271 per month in Playa del Carmen vs $1,566 in Basseterre, rent included.

A couple spends around $2,126 per month in Playa del Carmen vs $1,957 in Basseterre, rent included.

A family of three spends $2,980 per month in Playa del Carmen vs $2,348 in Basseterre, rent included.

Playa del Carmen is about 19% cheaper than Basseterre, driven mainly by Groceries & Markets.

Playa del Carmen sits 5% below the global median, while Basseterre is 17% above – they fall on opposite sides of the world average.

Meal at Budget Restaurant

$11.87 MX$204

$20.56 EC$55.5

-42.27%

Three-Course Dinner for Two, Mid-Range

$42.90 MX$736

$92.8 EC$251

-53.79%

Fast Food Meal (McDonalds, etc)

$10.65 MX$183

$13.87 EC$37.45

-23.22%

Cappuccino

$3.45 MX$59.2

$3.79 EC$10.23

-8.97%

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

$1.50 MX$25.81

$2.07 EC$5.58

-27.54%

Water (0.33 liter bottle)

$0.95 MX$16.28

$2.38 EC$6.43

-60.08%

Local Beer (0.5 liter draught)

$3.03 MX$51.9

$2.18 EC$5.90

38.99%

Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$4.61 MX$79.1

$3.67 EC$9.91

25.61%

Milk (1 liter)

$1.38 MX$23.61

$3.92 EC$10.60

-64.80%

White Bread (500g)

$1.85 MX$31.70

$3.99 EC$10.76

-53.63%

Rice (white) (1kg)

$1.61 MX$27.65

$3.81 EC$10.27

-57.74%

Eggs

$2.59 MX$44.51

$5.54 EC$14.95

-53.25%

Local Cheese (1kg)

$8.26 MX$142

$12.31 EC$33.24

-32.90%

Chicken Fillets (1kg)

$8.37 MX$144

$13.12 EC$35.43

-36.20%

Beef Round Steak (1kg)

$10.66 MX$183

Apples (1kg)

$2.63 MX$45.12

$4.56 EC$12.32

-42.32%

Banana (1kg)

$1.49 MX$25.53

$2.99 EC$8.07

-50.17%

Oranges (1kg)

$1.92 MX$32.94

Tomato (1kg)

$2.09 MX$35.81

$3.79 EC$10.24

-44.85%

Potato (1kg)

$1.86 MX$31.88

$2.16 EC$5.83

-13.89%

Onion (1kg)

$2.26 MX$38.81

$2.08 EC$5.61

8.65%

Lettuce (1 head)

$1.06 MX$18.23

$5.85 EC$15.79

-81.88%

Water (1.5 liter bottle)

$1.09 MX$18.67

$1.40 EC$3.77

-22.14%

Cigarettes 20 Pack (Marlboro, Camel)

$4.15 MX$71.2

Wine (Bottle)

$10.39 MX$178

Local Beer (0.5 liter bottle)

$1.72 MX$29.59

$2.52 EC$6.81

-31.75%

Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$2.61 MX$44.85

$3.72 EC$10.04

-29.84%

One-way Ticket (Public Transport)

$0.54 MX$9.30

$2.24 EC$6.06

-75.89%

Public Transport Monthly Pass (Regular Price)

$26.94 MX$462

Taxi Start (Normal Tariff)

$3.13 MX$53.7

$20.30 EC$54.8

-84.58%

Taxi (Normal Tariff) (1km)

$2.51 MX$43.09

Taxi 1hour Waiting (Normal Tariff)

$3.15 MX$54.1

Gasoline (1 liter)

$1.27 MX$21.88

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

$30.4K MX$521.3K

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

$23.6K MX$404.5K

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

$83.0 MX$1,425

$99.8 EC$269

-16.81%

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

$22.71 MX$390

$41.05 EC$111

-44.68%

Internet (50+ Mbps, Unlimited Data)

$29.46 MX$506

Gym Membership (Monthly)

$51.0 MX$875

Tennis Court (1 Hour on Weekend)

$18.33 MX$315

Cinema Ticket

$4.93 MX$84.5

$5.83 EC$15.74

-15.44%

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

$197 MX$3,386

International Primary School, 1 Child (Yearly)

$5,280 MX$90.6K

Jeans (Levis 501 Or Similar)

$36.90 MX$633

$88.7 EC$239

-58.38%

Summer Dress (H&M, Zara, etc)

$39.89 MX$685

Sport Shoes (Adidas, Nike)

$80.0 MX$1,373

$128 EC$347

-37.72%

Men's Leather Business Shoes

$89.5 MX$1,536

1-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)

$956 MX$16.4K

$707 EC$1,908

35.30%

1-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)

$477 MX$8,189

$650 EC$1,755

-26.61%

3-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)

$1,646 MX$28.3K

3-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)

$1,225 MX$21.0K

Buy Apartment in City Center (m2)

$3,918 MX$67.2K

$4,910 EC$13.3K

-20.21%

Buy Apartment Outside City Center (m2)

$6,459 MX$110.9K

$3,921 EC$10.6K

64.75%

Average Monthly Net Salary (After Tax)

$667 MX$11.4K

$1,105 EC$2,985

-39.66%

20-Year Fixed Mortgage Interest Rate (Annual %)

11.42

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

Last update for Playa del Carmen: June 7, 2026

Last update for Basseterre: June 8, 2026

Cost Breakdown

A central one-bedroom costs $956 in Playa del Carmen versus $707 in Basseterre. 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 66% higher in Basseterre, 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 $43.00 in Playa del Carmen versus $93.0 in Basseterre. Monthly groceries follow the same trend: $250 vs $350 – 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

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

Monthly costs with rent: $1,271 in Playa del Carmen, $1,566 in Basseterre – roughly 23% apart. Basseterre costs more across the board, with Groceries & Markets showing the biggest gap.

For a comfortable life, plan on about $1,906 per month in Playa del Carmen and $2,349 in Basseterre. 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.

A mid-range dinner for two costs $43.00 in Playa del Carmen and $93.0 in Basseterre. That's a good indicator of the overall restaurant and café pricing gap between the two cities.

Monthly expenses with rent come to $1,271 in Playa del Carmen and $1,566 in Basseterre. The difference isn't just one category – it shows up across housing, food, transport, and services.

A $1,500 monthly budget goes further in Playa del Carmen, where all-in costs run around $1,271, than in Basseterre at $1,566. In Playa del Carmen it covers expenses comfortably, while in Basseterre it requires careful planning or may not stretch far enough.

It depends on your priorities. Playa del Carmen has an edge in some lifestyle areas, with costs from $1,271 in Playa del Carmen to $1,566 in Basseterre. Climate, culture, job market, and personal taste all factor in.

If budget matters most, go with Playa del Carmen. If higher salaries, better infrastructure, or specific career opportunities are the priority, Basseterre makes more sense. Both are solid long-term options with distinct trade-offs.