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 $1,271 per month in Playa del Carmen vs $1,151 in Saint Andrew Parish, rent included.

A couple spends around $2,126 per month in Playa del Carmen vs $1,900 in Saint Andrew Parish, rent included.

A family of three spends $2,980 per month in Playa del Carmen vs $2,650 in Saint Andrew Parish, rent included.

Playa del Carmen costs about 10% 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 14% lower.

Meal at Budget Restaurant

$11.87 MX$204

$7.61 JMD 1,197

55.98%

Three-Course Dinner for Two, Mid-Range

$42.90 MX$736

$34.16 JMD 5,373

25.59%

Fast Food Meal (McDonalds, etc)

$10.65 MX$183

$6.24 JMD 981

70.67%

Cappuccino

$3.45 MX$59.2

$1.90 JMD 299

81.58%

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

$1.50 MX$25.81

$0.96 JMD 152

56.25%

Water (0.33 liter bottle)

$0.95 MX$16.28

$0.75 JMD 117

26.67%

Local Beer (0.5 liter draught)

$3.03 MX$51.9

$2.43 JMD 383

24.69%

Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$4.61 MX$79.1

$3.16 JMD 497

45.89%

Milk (1 liter)

$1.38 MX$23.61

$4.26 JMD 670

-67.61%

White Bread (500g)

$1.85 MX$31.70

$1.03 JMD 162

79.61%

Rice (white) (1kg)

$1.61 MX$27.65

$1.29 JMD 202

24.81%

Eggs

$2.59 MX$44.51

$3.46 JMD 544

-25.14%

Local Cheese (1kg)

$8.26 MX$142

$10.96 JMD 1,723

-24.64%

Chicken Fillets (1kg)

$8.37 MX$144

$6.29 JMD 989

33.07%

Beef Round Steak (1kg)

$10.66 MX$183

$7.57 JMD 1,191

40.82%

Apples (1kg)

$2.63 MX$45.12

$5.99 JMD 942

-56.09%

Banana (1kg)

$1.49 MX$25.53

$3.09 JMD 487

-51.78%

Oranges (1kg)

$1.92 MX$32.94

$4.15 JMD 652

-53.73%

Tomato (1kg)

$2.09 MX$35.81

$2.90 JMD 456

-27.93%

Potato (1kg)

$1.86 MX$31.88

$2.01 JMD 316

-7.46%

Onion (1kg)

$2.26 MX$38.81

$2.02 JMD 318

11.88%

Lettuce (1 head)

$1.06 MX$18.23

$3.08 JMD 484

-65.58%

Water (1.5 liter bottle)

$1.09 MX$18.67

$1.50 JMD 236

-27.33%

Cigarettes 20 Pack (Marlboro, Camel)

$4.15 MX$71.2

$8.85 JMD 1,392

-53.11%

Wine (Bottle)

$10.39 MX$178

$11.46 JMD 1,802

-9.34%

Local Beer (0.5 liter bottle)

$1.72 MX$29.59

$2.77 JMD 436

-37.91%

Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$2.61 MX$44.85

$3.19 JMD 502

-18.18%

One-way Ticket (Public Transport)

$0.54 MX$9.30

Public Transport Monthly Pass (Regular Price)

$26.94 MX$462

Taxi Start (Normal Tariff)

$3.13 MX$53.7

$1.11 JMD 175

181.98%

Taxi (Normal Tariff) (1km)

$2.51 MX$43.09

$3.15 JMD 496

-20.32%

Taxi 1hour Waiting (Normal Tariff)

$3.15 MX$54.1

$6.22 JMD 977

-49.36%

Gasoline (1 liter)

$1.27 MX$21.88

$1.28 JMD 202

-0.78%

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

$30.4K MX$521.3K

$42.1K JMD 6.6M

-27.80%

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

$23.6K MX$404.5K

$34.1K JMD 5.4M

-30.85%

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

$83.0 MX$1,425

$165 JMD 25.9K

-49.59%

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

$22.71 MX$390

$21.80 JMD 3,429

4.17%

Internet (50+ Mbps, Unlimited Data)

$29.46 MX$506

$51.1 JMD 8,029

-42.29%

Gym Membership (Monthly)

$51.0 MX$875

Tennis Court (1 Hour on Weekend)

$18.33 MX$315

Cinema Ticket

$4.93 MX$84.5

$13.05 JMD 2,052

-62.22%

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

$197 MX$3,386

$222 JMD 34.9K

-11.07%

International Primary School, 1 Child (Yearly)

$5,280 MX$90.6K

$2,473 JMD 389.0K

113.46%

Jeans (Levis 501 Or Similar)

$36.90 MX$633

$26.59 JMD 4,182

38.77%

Summer Dress (H&M, Zara, etc)

$39.89 MX$685

$25.91 JMD 4,074

53.96%

Sport Shoes (Adidas, Nike)

$80.0 MX$1,373

$71.1 JMD 11.2K

12.52%

Men's Leather Business Shoes

$89.5 MX$1,536

$75.4 JMD 11.9K

18.71%

1-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)

$956 MX$16.4K

$747 JMD 117.4K

28.09%

1-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)

$477 MX$8,189

$309 JMD 48.6K

54.51%

3-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)

$1,646 MX$28.3K

$1,880 JMD 295.7K

-12.46%

3-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)

$1,225 MX$21.0K

$884 JMD 139.0K

38.52%

Buy Apartment in City Center (m2)

$3,918 MX$67.2K

$2,760 JMD 434.1K

41.95%

Buy Apartment Outside City Center (m2)

$6,459 MX$110.9K

Average Monthly Net Salary (After Tax)

$667 MX$11.4K

$724 JMD 113.8K

-7.83%

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: June 7, 2026

Last update for Saint Andrew Parish: June 8, 2026

Cost Breakdown

A central one-bedroom costs $956 in Playa del Carmen versus $747 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 8% 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 $43.00 in Playa del Carmen versus $34.00 in Saint Andrew Parish. Groceries tell a different story – $250 in Playa del Carmen vs $322 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 10%, 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 $1,906 per month in Playa del Carmen and $1,726 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 $1,271 in Playa del Carmen and $1,151 in Saint Andrew Parish. The difference isn't just one category – it shows up across housing, food, transport, and services.

Kindergarten costs $197 per month in Playa del Carmen and $222 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 $1,151, than in Playa del Carmen at $1,271. 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.