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 $1,262 per month in Playa del Carmen vs $1,112 in Saint Andrew Parish, rent included.

A couple spends around $2,158 per month in Playa del Carmen vs $1,858 in Saint Andrew Parish, rent included.

A family of three spends $3,054 per month in Playa del Carmen vs $2,604 in Saint Andrew Parish, rent included.

Playa del Carmen costs about 14% more than Saint Andrew Parish, driven mainly by Eating Out.

Both Playa del Carmen and Saint Andrew Parish are more affordable than the global median – Playa del Carmen 6% lower, Saint Andrew Parish 17% lower.

Meal at Budget Restaurant

$11.61 MX$201

$7.40 JMD 1,171

56.89%

Three-Course Dinner for Two, Mid-Range

$42.75 MX$740

$34.06 JMD 5,391

25.51%

Fast Food Meal (McDonalds, etc)

$10.60 MX$184

$6.09 JMD 964

74.06%

Cappuccino

$3.59 MX$62.2

$1.90 JMD 301

88.95%

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

$1.45 MX$25.15

$0.91 JMD 143

59.34%

Water (0.33 liter bottle)

$0.90 MX$15.55

$0.71 JMD 113

26.76%

Local Beer (0.5 liter draught)

$3.03 MX$52.5

$2.48 JMD 392

22.18%

Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$4.56 MX$79.0

$3.05 JMD 483

49.51%

Milk (1 liter)

$1.45 MX$25.14

$4.22 JMD 668

-65.64%

White Bread (500g)

$1.83 MX$31.64

$1.02 JMD 161

79.41%

Rice (white) (1kg)

$1.61 MX$27.85

$1.27 JMD 200

26.77%

Eggs

$2.54 MX$43.95

$3.48 JMD 550

-27.01%

Local Cheese (1kg)

$8.54 MX$148

$10.89 JMD 1,723

-21.58%

Chicken Fillets (1kg)

$8.47 MX$147

$6.43 JMD 1,018

31.73%

Beef Round Steak (1kg)

$10.86 MX$188

$7.52 JMD 1,190

44.41%

Apples (1kg)

$2.73 MX$47.26

$6.11 JMD 967

-55.32%

Banana (1kg)

$1.49 MX$25.85

$3.12 JMD 493

-52.24%

Oranges (1kg)

$1.94 MX$33.65

$4.24 JMD 672

-54.25%

Tomato (1kg)

$2.16 MX$37.49

$2.99 JMD 474

-27.76%

Potato (1kg)

$1.85 MX$31.97

$2.03 JMD 321

-8.87%

Onion (1kg)

$2.19 MX$37.91

$1.92 JMD 304

14.06%

Lettuce (1 head)

$1.07 MX$18.58

$3.10 JMD 491

-65.48%

Water (1.5 liter bottle)

$1.08 MX$18.76

$1.43 JMD 226

-24.48%

Cigarettes 20 Pack (Marlboro, Camel)

$4.06 MX$70.3

$8.56 JMD 1,355

-52.57%

Wine (Bottle)

$10.46 MX$181

$11.56 JMD 1,830

-9.52%

Local Beer (0.5 liter bottle)

$1.65 MX$28.64

$2.78 JMD 441

-40.65%

Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$2.55 MX$44.13

$3.09 JMD 488

-17.48%

One-way Ticket (Public Transport)

$0.56 MX$9.63

Public Transport Monthly Pass (Regular Price)

$26.20 MX$454

Taxi Start (Normal Tariff)

$3.14 MX$54.4

$1.12 JMD 177

180.36%

Taxi (Normal Tariff) (1km)

$2.37 MX$41.08

$3.16 JMD 500

-25.00%

Taxi 1hour Waiting (Normal Tariff)

$3.24 MX$56.1

$6.09 JMD 965

-46.80%

Gasoline (1 liter)

$1.31 MX$22.76

$1.25 JMD 197

4.80%

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

$30.5K MX$528.9K

$43.4K JMD 6.9M

-29.60%

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

$23.8K MX$412.6K

$33.7K JMD 5.3M

-29.32%

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

$83.1 MX$1,440

$162 JMD 25.7K

-48.71%

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

$22.15 MX$384

$22.01 JMD 3,483

0.64%

Internet (50+ Mbps, Unlimited Data)

$29.37 MX$509

$51.7 JMD 8,189

-43.24%

Gym Membership (Monthly)

$51.2 MX$887

Tennis Court (1 Hour on Weekend)

$18.69 MX$324

Cinema Ticket

$4.89 MX$84.7

$13.22 JMD 2,092

-63.01%

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

$199 MX$3,441

$229 JMD 36.2K

-13.15%

International Primary School, 1 Child (Yearly)

$5,207 MX$90.2K

$2,526 JMD 399.8K

106.14%

Jeans (Levis 501 Or Similar)

$35.93 MX$622

$26.37 JMD 4,174

36.25%

Summer Dress (H&M, Zara, etc)

$39.39 MX$682

$25.69 JMD 4,067

53.33%

Sport Shoes (Adidas, Nike)

$80.3 MX$1,391

$70.2 JMD 11.1K

14.44%

Men's Leather Business Shoes

$87.6 MX$1,517

$75.4 JMD 11.9K

16.19%

1-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)

$963 MX$16.7K

$752 JMD 119.0K

28.08%

1-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)

$482 MX$8,350

$310 JMD 49.1K

55.51%

3-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)

$1,645 MX$28.5K

$1,904 JMD 301.3K

-13.59%

3-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)

$1,192 MX$20.6K

$907 JMD 143.6K

31.39%

Buy Apartment in City Center (m2)

$3,957 MX$68.5K

Buy Apartment Outside City Center (m2)

$6,513 MX$112.8K

Average Monthly Net Salary (After Tax)

$726 MX$12.6K

$743 JMD 117.5K

-2.21%

20-Year Fixed Mortgage Interest Rate (Annual %)

11.42

9.15

24.81%

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

Last update for Playa del Carmen: April 12, 2026

Last update for Saint Andrew Parish: April 13, 2026

Cost Breakdown

A central one-bedroom costs $963 in Playa del Carmen versus $752 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 2% higher in Saint Andrew Parish, 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 $43 in Playa del Carmen versus $34 in Saint Andrew Parish. Groceries tell a different story – $253 in Playa del Carmen vs $323 in Saint Andrew Parish – so Playa del Carmen wins on supermarket bills even if dining out costs more.

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 – 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 $1,894 per month in Playa del Carmen and $1,667 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 Saint Andrew Parish, 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 $1,262 in Playa del Carmen and $1,112 in Saint Andrew Parish. The difference isn't just one category – it shows up across housing, food, transport, and services.

Kindergarten costs $199 per month in Playa del Carmen and $229 in Saint Andrew Parish. For families with young kids, this one expense can tip the scales when choosing between the two cities.

A $2,000 monthly budget goes further in Saint Andrew Parish, where all-in costs run around $1,112, than in Playa del Carmen at $1,262. In Saint Andrew Parish it covers expenses comfortably, while in Playa del Carmen it requires careful planning or may not stretch far enough.

Families tend to lean toward Saint Andrew Parish – 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 Saint Andrew Parish. 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.