Cost of Living Comparison Between Playa del Carmen and Saint Ann's Bay Cost of Living Comparison Between Playa del Carmen and Saint Ann's Bay

Monthly Cost of Living

A single person spends $1,271 per month in Playa del Carmen vs $1,362 in Saint Ann's Bay, rent included.

A couple spends around $2,126 per month in Playa del Carmen vs $2,027 in Saint Ann's Bay, rent included.

A family of three spends $2,980 per month in Playa del Carmen vs $2,692 in Saint Ann's Bay, rent included.

Playa del Carmen is about 7% cheaper than Saint Ann's Bay, driven mainly by Groceries & Markets.

Playa del Carmen sits 5% below the global median, while Saint Ann's Bay is 1% above – they fall on opposite sides of the world average.

Meal at Budget Restaurant

$11.87 MX$207

$7.38 JMD 1,161

60.84%

Three-Course Dinner for Two, Mid-Range

$42.90 MX$747

$50.3 JMD 7,909

-14.69%

Fast Food Meal (McDonalds, etc)

$10.65 MX$186

$8.91 JMD 1,401

19.53%

Cappuccino

$3.45 MX$60.1

$4.38 JMD 690

-21.23%

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

$1.50 MX$26.19

$1.36 JMD 214

10.29%

Water (0.33 liter bottle)

$0.95 MX$16.52

$0.71 JMD 111

33.80%

Local Beer (0.5 liter draught)

$3.03 MX$52.7

$2.46 JMD 386

23.17%

Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$4.61 MX$80.3

$3.10 JMD 488

48.71%

Milk (1 liter)

$1.38 MX$23.96

$4.34 JMD 682

-68.20%

White Bread (500g)

$1.85 MX$32.18

$2.75 JMD 433

-32.73%

Rice (white) (1kg)

$1.61 MX$28.06

$1.55 JMD 245

3.87%

Eggs

$2.59 MX$45.18

$3.48 JMD 548

-25.57%

Local Cheese (1kg)

$8.26 MX$144

$11.20 JMD 1,762

-26.25%

Chicken Fillets (1kg)

$8.37 MX$146

$6.22 JMD 978

34.57%

Beef Round Steak (1kg)

$10.66 MX$186

$7.47 JMD 1,175

42.70%

Apples (1kg)

$2.63 MX$45.80

$6.15 JMD 968

-57.24%

Banana (1kg)

$1.49 MX$25.92

$3.04 JMD 479

-50.99%

Oranges (1kg)

$1.92 MX$33.44

$4.24 JMD 667

-54.72%

Tomato (1kg)

$2.09 MX$36.34

$3.03 JMD 477

-31.02%

Potato (1kg)

$1.86 MX$32.35

$2.09 JMD 328

-11.00%

Onion (1kg)

$2.26 MX$39.39

$1.98 JMD 312

14.14%

Lettuce (1 head)

$1.06 MX$18.51

$2.99 JMD 470

-64.55%

Water (1.5 liter bottle)

$1.09 MX$18.95

$1.15 JMD 182

-5.22%

Cigarettes 20 Pack (Marlboro, Camel)

$4.15 MX$72.3

$8.83 JMD 1,388

-53.00%

Wine (Bottle)

$10.39 MX$181

$11.49 JMD 1,807

-9.57%

Local Beer (0.5 liter bottle)

$1.72 MX$30.03

$2.75 JMD 432

-37.45%

Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$2.61 MX$45.52

$3.17 JMD 498

-17.67%

One-way Ticket (Public Transport)

$0.54 MX$9.44

Public Transport Monthly Pass (Regular Price)

$26.94 MX$469

Taxi Start (Normal Tariff)

$3.13 MX$54.5

$0.97 JMD 153

222.68%

Taxi (Normal Tariff) (1km)

$2.51 MX$43.73

$3.12 JMD 491

-19.55%

Taxi 1hour Waiting (Normal Tariff)

$3.15 MX$54.9

$6.38 JMD 1,004

-50.63%

Gasoline (1 liter)

$1.27 MX$22.21

$1.28 JMD 201

-0.78%

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

$30.4K MX$529.1K

$23.9K JMD 3.8M

27.11%

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

$23.6K MX$410.5K

$17.4K JMD 2.7M

35.20%

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

$83.0 MX$1,446

$165 JMD 25.9K

-49.64%

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

$22.71 MX$396

$22.42 JMD 3,527

1.29%

Internet (50+ Mbps, Unlimited Data)

$29.46 MX$513

$50.1 JMD 7,878

-41.17%

Gym Membership (Monthly)

$51.0 MX$888

Tennis Court (1 Hour on Weekend)

$18.33 MX$319

Cinema Ticket

$4.93 MX$85.8

$13.37 JMD 2,103

-63.13%

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

$197 MX$3,437

$228 JMD 35.8K

-13.39%

International Primary School, 1 Child (Yearly)

$5,280 MX$92.0K

$2,501 JMD 393.4K

111.12%

Jeans (Levis 501 Or Similar)

$36.90 MX$643

$25.88 JMD 4,071

42.58%

Summer Dress (H&M, Zara, etc)

$39.89 MX$695

$25.88 JMD 4,071

54.13%

Sport Shoes (Adidas, Nike)

$80.0 MX$1,394

$69.8 JMD 11.0K

14.58%

Men's Leather Business Shoes

$89.5 MX$1,559

$75.8 JMD 11.9K

18.00%

1-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)

$956 MX$16.7K

$499 JMD 78.5K

91.56%

1-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)

$477 MX$8,311

$474 JMD 74.6K

0.55%

3-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)

$1,646 MX$28.7K

$991 JMD 155.8K

66.13%

3-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)

$1,225 MX$21.3K

$829 JMD 130.5K

47.65%

Buy Apartment in City Center (m2)

$3,918 MX$68.3K

Buy Apartment Outside City Center (m2)

$6,459 MX$112.5K

Average Monthly Net Salary (After Tax)

$667 MX$11.6K

20-Year Fixed Mortgage Interest Rate (Annual %)

11.42

185.50%

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 Ann's Bay: June 9, 2026

Cost Breakdown

A central one-bedroom costs $956 in Playa del Carmen versus $499 in Saint Ann's Bay. 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 $43.00 in Playa del Carmen versus $50.0 in Saint Ann's Bay. Monthly groceries follow the same trend: $250 vs $338 – making Playa del Carmen the more affordable choice for daily food spending.

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 Ann's Bay: Cost of Living - Frequently Asked Questions

Yes – Saint Ann's Bay is pricier by about 7%, and the gap shows up most in Groceries & Markets. 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 $2,043 in Saint Ann's Bay. That covers rent, food, utilities, transport, and enough left over to feel settled – not just surviving.

Rent is clearly cheaper in Playa del Carmen, 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 $1,362 in Saint Ann's Bay. 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 $228 in Saint Ann's Bay. For families with young kids, this one expense can tip the scales when choosing between the two cities.

A $1,500 monthly budget goes further in Playa del Carmen, where all-in costs run around $1,271, than in Saint Ann's Bay at $1,362. In Playa del Carmen it covers expenses comfortably, while in Saint Ann's Bay it requires careful planning or may not stretch far enough.

Families tend to lean toward Playa del Carmen – 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 Playa del Carmen. If higher salaries, better infrastructure, or specific career opportunities are the priority, Saint Ann's Bay makes more sense. Both are solid long-term options with distinct trade-offs.