Cost of Living Comparison Between Playa del Carmen and Saint Andrew Parish Cost of Living Comparison Between Playa del Carmen and Saint Andrew Parish

Monthly Cost of Living

A single person spends $1,266 per month in Playa del Carmen vs $1,487 in Saint Andrew Parish, rent included.

A couple spends around $2,279 per month in Playa del Carmen vs $2,416 in Saint Andrew Parish, rent included.

A family of three spends $3,292 per month in Playa del Carmen vs $3,345 in Saint Andrew Parish, rent included.

Playa del Carmen is about 15% cheaper than Saint Andrew Parish, driven mainly by Groceries & Markets.

Playa del Carmen sits 7% below the global median, while Saint Andrew Parish is 9% above – they fall on opposite sides of the world average.

Meal at Budget Restaurant

$11.60 MX$199

$15.54 JMD 2,435

-25.35%

Three-Course Dinner for Two, Mid-Range

$47.11 MX$809

$66.6 JMD 10.4K

-29.31%

Fast Food Meal (McDonalds, etc)

$11.88 MX$204

$8.64 JMD 1,353

37.50%

Cappuccino

$3.98 MX$68.2

$5.49 JMD 860

-27.50%

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

$1.43 MX$24.49

$1.20 JMD 189

19.17%

Water (0.33 liter bottle)

$0.82 MX$14.16

$0.73 JMD 115

12.33%

Local Beer (0.5 liter draught)

$3.19 MX$54.7

$2.26 JMD 354

41.15%

Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$6.79 MX$117

$3.23 JMD 506

110.22%

Milk (1 liter)

$1.68 MX$28.76

$3.40 JMD 532

-50.59%

White Bread (500g)

$2.20 MX$37.71

$2.53 JMD 397

-13.04%

Rice (white) (1kg)

$1.71 MX$29.32

$1.57 JMD 246

8.92%

Eggs

$2.74 MX$47.05

$3.51 JMD 550

-21.94%

Local Cheese (1kg)

$9.58 MX$164

$11.68 JMD 1,831

-17.98%

Chicken Fillets (1kg)

$9.01 MX$155

$6.44 JMD 1,009

39.91%

Beef Round Steak (1kg)

$12.81 MX$220

$10.52 JMD 1,648

21.77%

Apples (1kg)

$2.89 MX$49.58

$5.92 JMD 929

-51.18%

Banana (1kg)

$1.50 MX$25.70

$4.01 JMD 629

-62.59%

Oranges (1kg)

$2.15 MX$36.87

$5.01 JMD 785

-57.09%

Tomato (1kg)

$2.26 MX$38.79

$3.08 JMD 483

-26.62%

Potato (1kg)

$1.98 MX$34.00

$3.21 JMD 504

-38.32%

Onion (1kg)

$1.99 MX$34.15

$2.72 JMD 426

-26.84%

Lettuce (1 head)

$1.23 MX$21.18

$1.86 JMD 292

-33.87%

Water (1.5 liter bottle)

$1.20 MX$20.54

$0.99 JMD 155

21.21%

Cigarettes 20 Pack (Marlboro, Camel)

$4.55 MX$78.1

$9.36 JMD 1,467

-51.39%

Wine (Bottle)

$10.37 MX$178

$11.36 JMD 1,781

-8.71%

Local Beer (0.5 liter bottle)

$1.62 MX$27.79

$2.61 JMD 409

-37.93%

Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$2.88 MX$49.44

$3.15 JMD 493

-8.57%

One-way Ticket (Public Transport)

$0.60 MX$10.30

$0.60 JMD 94.7

Public Transport Monthly Pass (Regular Price)

$28.80 MX$494

Taxi Start (Normal Tariff)

$5.39 MX$92.5

$0.90 JMD 141

498.89%

Taxi (Normal Tariff) (1km)

$3.73 MX$64.0

$3.12 JMD 488

19.55%

Taxi 1hour Waiting (Normal Tariff)

$5.77 MX$99.0

$6.48 JMD 1,016

-10.96%

Gasoline (1 liter)

$1.54 MX$26.37

$1.28 JMD 200

20.31%

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

$22.5K MX$387.0K

$43.7K JMD 6.8M

-48.39%

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

$26.1K MX$447.3K

$25.2K JMD 4.0M

3.23%

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

$91.4 MX$1,569

$113 JMD 17.8K

-19.48%

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

$25.20 MX$433

$29.07 JMD 4,556

-13.31%

Internet (50+ Mbps, Unlimited Data)

$31.24 MX$536

$53.4 JMD 8,367

-41.49%

Gym Membership (Monthly)

$67.2 MX$1,154

$61.1 JMD 9,581

9.93%

Tennis Court (1 Hour on Weekend)

$29.11 MX$500

Cinema Ticket

$4.86 MX$83.5

$13.49 JMD 2,114

-63.97%

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

$224 MX$3,839

$258 JMD 40.5K

-13.39%

International Primary School, 1 Child (Yearly)

$4,229 MX$72.6K

$8,164 JMD 1.3M

-48.20%

Jeans (Levis 501 Or Similar)

$47.10 MX$808

$23.76 JMD 3,724

98.23%

Summer Dress (H&M, Zara, etc)

$44.29 MX$760

$31.85 JMD 4,991

39.06%

Sport Shoes (Adidas, Nike)

$80.1 MX$1,375

$77.1 JMD 12.1K

3.94%

Men's Leather Business Shoes

$92.7 MX$1,591

$74.9 JMD 11.7K

23.65%

1-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)

$1,063 MX$18.2K

$826 JMD 129.5K

28.60%

1-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)

$390 MX$6,698

$520 JMD 81.4K

-24.90%

3-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)

$2,149 MX$36.9K

$1,714 JMD 268.6K

25.40%

3-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)

$1,272 MX$21.8K

$1,116 JMD 174.9K

13.97%

Buy Apartment in City Center (m2)

$4,001 MX$68.7K

$2,708 JMD 424.4K

47.76%

Buy Apartment Outside City Center (m2)

$6,502 MX$111.6K

Average Monthly Net Salary (After Tax)

$758 MX$13.0K

$736 JMD 115.4K

2.96%

20-Year Fixed Mortgage Interest Rate (Annual %)

11.45

27.22%

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

Last update for Playa del Carmen: September 12, 2026

Last update for Saint Andrew Parish: September 14, 2026

Cost Breakdown

A central one-bedroom costs $1,063 in Playa del Carmen versus $826 in Saint Andrew Parish. 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 3% higher in Playa del Carmen, which reinforces the cost advantage – you earn more and spend less. Purchasing power leans clearly in its favor.

A mid-range dinner for two costs $47.00 in Playa del Carmen versus $67.0 in Saint Andrew Parish. Monthly groceries follow the same trend: $276 vs $344 – 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 Saint Andrew Parish: Cost of Living - Frequently Asked Questions

Yes – Saint Andrew Parish is pricier by about 17%, and the gap shows up most in Groceries & Markets. It's not just housing either; the difference applies across most spending categories.

For a comfortable life, plan on about $1,899 per month in Playa del Carmen and $2,230 in Saint Andrew Parish. 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.

Monthly expenses with rent come to $1,266 in Playa del Carmen and $1,487 in Saint Andrew Parish. The difference isn't just one category – it shows up across housing, food, transport, and services.

Kindergarten costs $224 per month in Playa del Carmen and $258 in Saint Andrew Parish. For families with young kids, this one expense can tip the scales when choosing between the two cities.

A $1,500 monthly budget goes further in Playa del Carmen, where all-in costs run around $1,266, than in Saint Andrew Parish at $1,487. In Playa del Carmen it covers expenses comfortably, while in Saint Andrew Parish it requires careful planning or may not stretch far enough.

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.

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