Last update: Oct 2026

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

For one person, living is cheaper in Playa del Carmen: $1,204 a month against $1,496 in Saint Andrew Parish, rent and utilities included – about $3,500 less a year. Rent and utilities account for most of the difference.

Playa del Carmen, Mexico
Saint Andrew Parish, Jamaica
Playa del Carmen
🇲🇽 Mexico
$1,204
/mo nomad
Saint Andrew Parish
🇯🇲 Jamaica
$1,496
/mo nomad
Monthly Cost of Living

How much you'll spend in Playa del Carmen and in Saint Andrew Parish

Real prices from locals and on-the-ground checks – rent, groceries, transit and the daily extras. Here's what a month in Playa del Carmen and in Saint Andrew Parish actually costs, broken down by who's living it.

A single person spends $1,204 per month in Playa del Carmen vs $1,496 in Saint Andrew Parish, rent included.

  • Playa del Carmen $1,204
  • Saint Andrew Parish $1,496

A couple spends around $2,082 per month in Playa del Carmen vs $2,422 in Saint Andrew Parish, rent included.

  • Playa del Carmen $2,082
  • Saint Andrew Parish $2,422

A family of three spends $2,959 per month in Playa del Carmen vs $3,348 in Saint Andrew Parish, rent included.

  • Playa del Carmen $2,959
  • Saint Andrew Parish $3,348

Playa del Carmen is about 19% cheaper than Saint Andrew Parish, and outside of rent the biggest gap is in groceries.

Playa del Carmen sits 12% below the global median, while Saint Andrew Parish is 10% above – they fall on opposite sides of the world average.

Currency
🍽 Eating Out
Playa del Carmen
Saint Andrew Parish
Difference
Meal at Budget Restaurant
$10.92 MX$205
$13.43 JMD 2,121
-18.69%
Three-Course Dinner for Two, Mid-Range
$43.37 MX$813
$67.2 JMD 10.6K
-35.50%
Fast Food Meal (McDonalds, etc)
$11.78 MX$221
$8.15 JMD 1,288
44.54%
Cappuccino
$3.81 MX$71.4
$5.42 JMD 856
-29.70%
Coke/Pepsi/Fanta/Sprite (0.33 liter bottle)
$1.28 MX$24.03
$1.20 JMD 190
6.67%
Water (0.33 liter bottle)
$0.78 MX$14.67
$0.71 JMD 111
9.86%
Local Beer (0.5 liter draught)
$3.17 MX$59.3
$2.24 JMD 355
41.52%
Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)
$4.93 MX$92.5
$3.22 JMD 509
53.11%
🛒 Groceries & Markets
Playa del Carmen
Saint Andrew Parish
Difference
Milk (1 liter)
$1.41 MX$26.35
$3.38 JMD 533
-58.28%
White Bread (500g)
$2.22 MX$41.54
$2.60 JMD 411
-14.62%
Rice (white) (1kg)
$1.42 MX$26.56
$1.63 JMD 257
-12.88%
Eggs
$2.52 MX$47.27
$3.51 JMD 554
-28.21%
Local Cheese (1kg)
$7.26 MX$136
$11.52 JMD 1,820
-36.98%
Chicken Fillets (1kg)
$7.70 MX$144
$6.23 JMD 984
23.60%
Beef Round Steak (1kg)
$12.69 MX$238
$10.36 JMD 1,638
22.49%
Apples (1kg)
$2.78 MX$52.2
$6.07 JMD 960
-54.20%
Banana (1kg)
$1.37 MX$25.64
$3.98 JMD 630
-65.58%
Oranges (1kg)
$2.55 MX$47.80
$4.94 JMD 781
-48.38%
Tomato (1kg)
$2.12 MX$39.78
$3.10 JMD 489
-31.61%
Potato (1kg)
$1.94 MX$36.32
$3.32 JMD 525
-41.57%
Onion (1kg)
$1.89 MX$35.34
$2.58 JMD 408
-26.74%
Lettuce (1 head)
$1.15 MX$21.49
$1.86 JMD 294
-38.17%
Water (1.5 liter bottle)
$1.18 MX$22.09
$0.96 JMD 151
22.92%
Cigarettes 20 Pack (Marlboro, Camel)
$4.30 MX$80.5
$9.27 JMD 1,465
-53.61%
Wine (Bottle)
$9.95 MX$186
$11.46 JMD 1,810
-13.18%
Local Beer (0.5 liter bottle)
$1.58 MX$29.67
$2.54 JMD 401
-37.80%
Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)
$2.67 MX$50.1
$3.08 JMD 487
-13.31%
🚌 Getting Around
Playa del Carmen
Saint Andrew Parish
Difference
One-way Ticket (Public Transport)
$0.55 MX$10.37
$0.65 JMD 103
-15.38%
Public Transport Monthly Pass (Regular Price)
$26.62 MX$499
-
-
Taxi Start (Normal Tariff)
$4.97 MX$93.1
$0.97 JMD 154
412.37%
Taxi (Normal Tariff) (1km)
$3.33 MX$62.4
$3.10 JMD 490
7.42%
Taxi 1hour Waiting (Normal Tariff)
$5.36 MX$100
$6.14 JMD 970
-12.70%
Gasoline (1 liter)
$1.44 MX$27.06
$1.30 JMD 206
10.77%
Midsize Hatchback 1.4l (Volkswagen Golf, Toyota Prius, Honda Civic, etc)
$20.7K MX$387.3K
$44.9K JMD 7.1M
-54.00%
Compact Sedan 1.6l (Toyota Corolla, Mazda3, Kia K4, Hyundai Elantra, etc)
$23.5K MX$439.7K
$24.9K JMD 3.9M
-5.76%
🧾 Monthly Utilities & Internet
Playa del Carmen
Saint Andrew Parish
Difference
Utilities for 2 People in 2-bedroom Apartment (Heating, Electricity, Gas, Water, Garbage) (85m2)
$84.8 MX$1,589
$115 JMD 18.2K
-26.22%
SIM Card Monthly Plan (Calls and 10GB+ Data)
$23.41 MX$439
$29.93 JMD 4,728
-21.78%
Internet (50+ Mbps, Unlimited Data)
$28.66 MX$537
$53.3 JMD 8,419
-46.22%
🎉 Sport & Entertainment
Playa del Carmen
Saint Andrew Parish
Difference
Gym Membership (Monthly)
$57.1 MX$1,069
$60.1 JMD 9,497
-5.09%
Tennis Court (1 Hour on Weekend)
$28.91 MX$542
-
-
Cinema Ticket
$5.14 MX$96.3
$13.44 JMD 2,123
-61.76%
🧸 Childcare & Education
Playa del Carmen
Saint Andrew Parish
Difference
Preschool or Kindergarten, Full Day, Private, 1 Child (Monthly)
$207 MX$3,871
$254 JMD 40.1K
-18.53%
International Primary School, 1 Child (Yearly)
$3,927 MX$73.6K
$8,331 JMD 1.3M
-52.86%
👕👟 Clothing & Footwear
Playa del Carmen
Saint Andrew Parish
Difference
Jeans (Levis 501 Or Similar)
$43.35 MX$812
$23.59 JMD 3,727
83.76%
Summer Dress (H&M, Zara, etc)
$41.44 MX$777
$31.28 JMD 4,942
32.48%
Sport Shoes (Adidas, Nike)
$74.2 MX$1,390
$77.4 JMD 12.2K
-4.16%
Men's Leather Business Shoes
$89.3 MX$1,672
$74.8 JMD 11.8K
19.40%
🏠 Accommodation & Living
Playa del Carmen
Saint Andrew Parish
Difference
1-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)
$980 MX$18.4K
$825 JMD 130.3K
18.75%
1-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)
$381 MX$7,136
$534 JMD 84.3K
-28.65%
3-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)
$1,708 MX$32.0K
$1,680 JMD 265.4K
1.68%
3-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)
$1,075 MX$20.1K
$1,109 JMD 175.1K
-3.01%
Buy Apartment in City Center (m2)
$3,943 MX$73.9K
$2,675 JMD 422.7K
47.38%
Buy Apartment Outside City Center (m2)
$6,158 MX$115.4K
-
-
💵 Salaries & Financials
Playa del Carmen
Saint Andrew Parish
Difference
Average Monthly Net Salary (After Tax)
$735 MX$13.8K
$726 JMD 114.8K
1.13%
20-Year Fixed Mortgage Interest Rate (Annual %)
11.45
9
27.22%

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

Last update for Playa del Carmen: October 25, 2026

Last update for Saint Andrew Parish: October 25, 2026

Monthly budget structure
Share of the monthly basket for one person, rent included.
Accommodation & Living
Playa del Carmen
$381
Saint Andrew Parish
$534 40.2% $153
Groceries & Markets
Playa del Carmen
$255
Saint Andrew Parish
$342 34.4% $88
Eating Out
Playa del Carmen
$202
Saint Andrew Parish
$222 9.8% $20
Monthly Utilities & Internet
Playa del Carmen
$137
Saint Andrew Parish
$198 44.8% $61
Clothing & Footwear
Playa del Carmen
$112
Saint Andrew Parish
$93 16.6% $19
Sport & Entertainment
Playa del Carmen
$67
Saint Andrew Parish
$87 29.2% $20
Getting Around
Playa del Carmen
$50
Saint Andrew Parish
$19 * 62.2% $31

Categories marked with * are only partly priced – their share counts the items that do have prices.

Cost Breakdown

A central one-bedroom costs $980 in Playa del Carmen versus $825 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.

A mid-range dinner for two costs $43 in Playa del Carmen versus $67 in Saint Andrew Parish. Monthly groceries follow the same trend: $255 vs $342 – making Playa del Carmen the more affordable choice for daily food spending.

Good to know
🇲🇽 Playa del Carmen
🇯🇲 Saint Andrew Parish
🕒 Local time
12:35 12:35 PM
12:35 12:35 PM
Same time as Playa del Carmen
🌤 Weather
👥 Population
149,923
555,995
💱 Currency
Exchange rates and currency converter

JMD, USD, EUR to MXN – Mexican Peso Converter

Mexican Peso exchange rates as of November 2, 2026: 1 USD = 18.74 MXN (100 MXN = 5.34 USD). 1 EUR = 20.91 MXN (100 MXN = 4.78 EUR).

Jamaican Dollar exchange rates as of November 2, 2026: 1 USD = 158 JMD (1,000 JMD = 6.33 USD). 1 EUR = 176 JMD (1,000 JMD = 5.67 EUR).

On the map
Between locations
  • Playa del Carmen Saint Andrew Parish 1,120 km ≈ 2 h nonstop flight
From you
  • Playa del Carmen
  • Saint Andrew Parish

Distances are measured in a straight line. Your location is detected approximately.

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
Is Playa del Carmen cheaper than Saint Andrew Parish?
Yes – Saint Andrew Parish is pricier by about 24%, and outside of rent the gap shows up most in groceries.
What income do you need for each city?
For a comfortable life, plan on about $1,806 per month in Playa del Carmen and $2,244 in Saint Andrew Parish. That covers rent, food, utilities, transport, and enough left over to feel settled – not just surviving.
Which city has lower housing costs?
Rent is clearly cheaper in Saint Andrew Parish, especially for central apartments: a one-bedroom in the center costs $825 there versus $980 in Playa del Carmen.
What are total monthly expenses in Playa del Carmen and in Saint Andrew Parish?
Monthly expenses with rent come to $1,204 in Playa del Carmen and $1,496 in Saint Andrew Parish. That makes Playa del Carmen about 19% cheaper.
Which city has cheaper kindergarten?
Kindergarten costs $207 per month in Playa del Carmen and $254 in Saint Andrew Parish. For families with young kids, this one expense can tip the scales when choosing between the two cities.
Is it better to live in Playa del Carmen or in Saint Andrew Parish?
It depends on your priorities. Playa del Carmen has an edge in some lifestyle areas, with costs from $1,204 in Playa del Carmen to $1,496 in Saint Andrew Parish. Climate, culture, job market, and personal taste all factor in.

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