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 $1,260 per month in Playa del Carmen vs $1,152 in Saint Andrew Parish, rent included.

A couple spends around $2,125 per month in Playa del Carmen vs $1,857 in Saint Andrew Parish, rent included.

A family of three spends $2,990 per month in Playa del Carmen vs $2,562 in Saint Andrew Parish, rent included.

Playa del Carmen costs about 9% 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 5% lower, Saint Andrew Parish 13% lower.

Meal at Budget Restaurant

$11.72 MX$203

$7.67 JMD 1,208

52.80%

Three-Course Dinner for Two, Mid-Range

$41.89 MX$725

$34.87 JMD 5,492

20.13%

Fast Food Meal (McDonalds, etc)

$10.51 MX$182

$6.20 JMD 977

69.52%

Cappuccino

$3.59 MX$62.0

$1.92 JMD 303

86.98%

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

$1.51 MX$26.10

$0.91 JMD 143

65.93%

Water (0.33 liter bottle)

$0.92 MX$15.83

$0.74 JMD 117

24.32%

Local Beer (0.5 liter draught)

$2.96 MX$51.2

$2.43 JMD 383

21.81%

Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$4.41 MX$76.3

$3.11 JMD 491

41.80%

Milk (1 liter)

$1.40 MX$24.16

$4.24 JMD 668

-66.98%

White Bread (500g)

$1.88 MX$32.60

$1.05 JMD 166

79.05%

Rice (white) (1kg)

$1.56 MX$26.97

$1.22 JMD 192

27.87%

Eggs

$2.61 MX$45.14

$3.60 JMD 566

-27.50%

Local Cheese (1kg)

$8.32 MX$144

$10.97 JMD 1,728

-24.16%

Chicken Fillets (1kg)

$8.35 MX$145

$6.23 JMD 981

34.03%

Beef Round Steak (1kg)

$10.86 MX$188

$7.60 JMD 1,198

42.89%

Apples (1kg)

$2.71 MX$46.93

$6.11 JMD 963

-55.65%

Banana (1kg)

$1.51 MX$26.04

$3.12 JMD 491

-51.60%

Oranges (1kg)

$1.87 MX$32.41

$4.13 JMD 650

-54.72%

Tomato (1kg)

$2.19 MX$37.89

$3.05 JMD 480

-28.20%

Potato (1kg)

$1.86 MX$32.14

$2.09 JMD 330

-11.00%

Onion (1kg)

$2.23 MX$38.59

$1.93 JMD 303

15.54%

Lettuce (1 head)

$1.07 MX$18.48

$3.04 JMD 478

-64.80%

Water (1.5 liter bottle)

$1.09 MX$18.79

$1.50 JMD 235

-27.33%

Cigarettes 20 Pack (Marlboro, Camel)

$4.19 MX$72.4

$8.98 JMD 1,414

-53.34%

Wine (Bottle)

$10.43 MX$180

$11.52 JMD 1,814

-9.46%

Local Beer (0.5 liter bottle)

$1.66 MX$28.68

$2.80 JMD 440

-40.71%

Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$2.61 MX$45.19

$3.22 JMD 507

-18.94%

One-way Ticket (Public Transport)

$0.54 MX$9.37

Public Transport Monthly Pass (Regular Price)

$26.16 MX$453

Taxi Start (Normal Tariff)

$3.08 MX$53.3

$1.07 JMD 168

187.85%

Taxi (Normal Tariff) (1km)

$2.40 MX$41.61

$3.14 JMD 495

-23.57%

Taxi 1hour Waiting (Normal Tariff)

$3.13 MX$54.1

$6.28 JMD 989

-50.16%

Gasoline (1 liter)

$1.31 MX$22.69

$1.27 JMD 201

3.15%

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

$29.8K MX$515.7K

$43.1K JMD 6.8M

-30.84%

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

$23.3K MX$403.5K

$32.9K JMD 5.2M

-29.13%

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

$81.3 MX$1,406

$162 JMD 25.5K

-49.81%

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

$22.56 MX$390

$22.24 JMD 3,502

1.44%

Internet (50+ Mbps, Unlimited Data)

$30.05 MX$520

$52.0 JMD 8,190

-42.21%

Gym Membership (Monthly)

$52.9 MX$915

Tennis Court (1 Hour on Weekend)

$18.39 MX$318

Cinema Ticket

$4.92 MX$85.1

$13.18 JMD 2,075

-62.67%

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

$201 MX$3,474

$223 JMD 35.1K

-9.92%

International Primary School, 1 Child (Yearly)

$5,175 MX$89.5K

$2,442 JMD 384.5K

111.93%

Jeans (Levis 501 Or Similar)

$35.92 MX$622

$26.01 JMD 4,096

38.10%

Summer Dress (H&M, Zara, etc)

$40.13 MX$694

$25.72 JMD 4,051

56.03%

Sport Shoes (Adidas, Nike)

$79.7 MX$1,379

$71.0 JMD 11.2K

12.21%

Men's Leather Business Shoes

$86.5 MX$1,496

$77.7 JMD 12.2K

11.26%

1-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)

$978 MX$16.9K

$755 JMD 118.9K

29.53%

1-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)

$470 MX$8,140

$311 JMD 48.9K

51.40%

3-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)

$1,651 MX$28.6K

$1,895 JMD 298.5K

-12.86%

3-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)

$1,203 MX$20.8K

$889 JMD 139.9K

35.44%

Buy Apartment in City Center (m2)

$3,953 MX$68.4K

$2,736 JMD 430.8K

44.52%

Buy Apartment Outside City Center (m2)

$6,607 MX$114.3K

Average Monthly Net Salary (After Tax)

$677 MX$11.7K

$720 JMD 113.4K

-6.03%

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: July 27, 2026

Last update for Saint Andrew Parish: July 26, 2026

Cost Breakdown

A central one-bedroom costs $978 in Playa del Carmen versus $755 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 6% 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 $42.00 in Playa del Carmen versus $35.00 in Saint Andrew Parish. Groceries tell a different story – $252 in Playa del Carmen vs $324 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 9%, 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 $1,890 per month in Playa del Carmen and $1,728 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 $1,260 in Playa del Carmen and $1,152 in Saint Andrew Parish. The difference isn't just one category – it shows up across housing, food, transport, and services.

Kindergarten costs $201 per month in Playa del Carmen and $223 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 $1,152, than in Playa del Carmen at $1,260. 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.