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 $1,294 per month in Playa del Carmen vs $1,133 in Saint Andrew Parish, rent included.

A couple spends around $2,189 per month in Playa del Carmen vs $1,852 in Saint Andrew Parish, rent included.

A family of three spends $3,084 per month in Playa del Carmen vs $2,572 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 3% lower, Saint Andrew Parish 15% lower.

Meal at Budget Restaurant

$11.73 MX$202

$7.30 JMD 1,150

60.68%

Three-Course Dinner for Two, Mid-Range

$41.78 MX$719

$33.84 JMD 5,330

23.46%

Fast Food Meal (McDonalds, etc)

$10.41 MX$179

$6.37 JMD 1,003

63.42%

Cappuccino

$3.61 MX$62.1

$1.92 JMD 302

88.02%

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

$1.46 MX$25.06

$0.97 JMD 153

50.52%

Water (0.33 liter bottle)

$0.97 MX$16.70

$0.69 JMD 109

40.58%

Local Beer (0.5 liter draught)

$2.92 MX$50.3

$2.46 JMD 387

18.70%

Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$4.62 MX$79.5

$3.10 JMD 489

49.03%

Milk (1 liter)

$1.43 MX$24.59

$4.21 JMD 663

-66.03%

White Bread (500g)

$1.90 MX$32.70

$1.06 JMD 167

79.25%

Rice (white) (1kg)

$1.57 MX$26.95

$1.22 JMD 193

28.69%

Eggs

$2.64 MX$45.34

$3.50 JMD 551

-24.57%

Local Cheese (1kg)

$8.44 MX$145

$10.90 JMD 1,717

-22.57%

Chicken Fillets (1kg)

$8.58 MX$148

$6.20 JMD 976

38.39%

Beef Round Steak (1kg)

$11.00 MX$189

$7.58 JMD 1,194

45.12%

Apples (1kg)

$2.70 MX$46.51

$5.86 JMD 924

-53.92%

Banana (1kg)

$1.51 MX$25.92

$3.15 JMD 495

-52.06%

Oranges (1kg)

$1.91 MX$32.93

$4.30 JMD 676

-55.58%

Tomato (1kg)

$2.17 MX$37.37

$2.97 JMD 467

-26.94%

Potato (1kg)

$1.87 MX$32.25

$2.04 JMD 322

-8.33%

Onion (1kg)

$2.23 MX$38.43

$2.03 JMD 319

9.85%

Lettuce (1 head)

$1.08 MX$18.60

$3.08 JMD 484

-64.94%

Water (1.5 liter bottle)

$1.07 MX$18.47

$1.50 JMD 236

-28.67%

Cigarettes 20 Pack (Marlboro, Camel)

$4.16 MX$71.6

$8.90 JMD 1,401

-53.26%

Wine (Bottle)

$10.29 MX$177

$11.37 JMD 1,790

-9.50%

Local Beer (0.5 liter bottle)

$1.68 MX$28.95

$2.78 JMD 437

-39.57%

Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$2.53 MX$43.59

$3.08 JMD 486

-17.86%

One-way Ticket (Public Transport)

$0.55 MX$9.53

Public Transport Monthly Pass (Regular Price)

$26.29 MX$452

Taxi Start (Normal Tariff)

$3.20 MX$55.0

$1.08 JMD 170

196.30%

Taxi (Normal Tariff) (1km)

$2.46 MX$42.37

$3.09 JMD 487

-20.39%

Taxi 1hour Waiting (Normal Tariff)

$3.20 MX$55.0

$6.36 JMD 1,001

-49.69%

Gasoline (1 liter)

$1.32 MX$22.72

$1.24 JMD 195

6.45%

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

$30.2K MX$518.8K

$42.6K JMD 6.7M

-29.30%

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

$23.4K MX$402.5K

$33.6K JMD 5.3M

-30.34%

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

$81.4 MX$1,400

$162 JMD 25.5K

-49.68%

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

$22.41 MX$386

$22.13 JMD 3,485

1.27%

Internet (50+ Mbps, Unlimited Data)

$29.97 MX$516

$51.1 JMD 8,042

-41.32%

Gym Membership (Monthly)

$51.6 MX$887

Tennis Court (1 Hour on Weekend)

$18.39 MX$316

Cinema Ticket

$5.16 MX$88.9

$13.12 JMD 2,067

-60.67%

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

$202 MX$3,471

$222 JMD 34.9K

-9.03%

International Primary School, 1 Child (Yearly)

$5,311 MX$91.4K

$2,527 JMD 397.9K

110.18%

Jeans (Levis 501 Or Similar)

$35.61 MX$613

$25.76 JMD 4,056

38.24%

Summer Dress (H&M, Zara, etc)

$40.37 MX$695

$25.47 JMD 4,012

58.50%

Sport Shoes (Adidas, Nike)

$78.6 MX$1,353

$71.2 JMD 11.2K

10.48%

Men's Leather Business Shoes

$86.9 MX$1,495

$76.1 JMD 12.0K

14.11%

1-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)

$950 MX$16.3K

$741 JMD 116.7K

28.25%

1-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)

$478 MX$8,227

$316 JMD 49.7K

51.45%

3-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)

$1,621 MX$27.9K

$1,912 JMD 301.1K

-15.25%

3-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)

$1,223 MX$21.0K

$893 JMD 140.7K

36.90%

Buy Apartment in City Center (m2)

$4,009 MX$69.0K

$2,682 JMD 422.4K

49.49%

Buy Apartment Outside City Center (m2)

$6,473 MX$111.4K

Average Monthly Net Salary (After Tax)

$673 MX$11.6K

$715 JMD 112.6K

-5.89%

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 15, 2026

Last update for Saint Andrew Parish: June 15, 2026

Cost Breakdown

A central one-bedroom costs $950 in Playa del Carmen versus $741 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 $34.00 in Saint Andrew Parish. Groceries tell a different story – $254 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 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 $1,941 per month in Playa del Carmen and $1,699 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 $1,294 in Playa del Carmen and $1,133 in Saint Andrew Parish. The difference isn't just one category – it shows up across housing, food, transport, and services.

Kindergarten costs $202 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 $1,133, than in Playa del Carmen at $1,294. 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.