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 $1,260 per month in Playa del Carmen vs $1,348 in Saint Ann's Bay, rent included.

A couple spends around $2,125 per month in Playa del Carmen vs $2,019 in Saint Ann's Bay, rent included.

A family of three spends $2,990 per month in Playa del Carmen vs $2,690 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

$11.72 MX$204

$7.54 JMD 1,186

55.44%

Three-Course Dinner for Two, Mid-Range

$41.89 MX$731

$49.85 JMD 7,840

-15.97%

Fast Food Meal (McDonalds, etc)

$10.51 MX$183

$8.82 JMD 1,387

19.16%

Cappuccino

$3.59 MX$62.5

$4.41 JMD 694

-18.59%

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

$1.51 MX$26.31

$1.35 JMD 213

11.85%

Water (0.33 liter bottle)

$0.92 MX$15.96

$0.75 JMD 118

22.67%

Local Beer (0.5 liter draught)

$2.96 MX$51.6

$2.45 JMD 385

20.82%

Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$4.41 MX$76.9

$3.08 JMD 484

43.18%

Milk (1 liter)

$1.40 MX$24.35

$4.30 JMD 676

-67.44%

White Bread (500g)

$1.88 MX$32.87

$2.75 JMD 433

-31.64%

Rice (white) (1kg)

$1.56 MX$27.19

$1.55 JMD 244

0.65%

Eggs

$2.61 MX$45.50

$3.61 JMD 568

-27.70%

Local Cheese (1kg)

$8.32 MX$145

$11.08 JMD 1,743

-24.91%

Chicken Fillets (1kg)

$8.35 MX$146

$6.30 JMD 990

32.54%

Beef Round Steak (1kg)

$10.86 MX$189

$7.51 JMD 1,181

44.61%

Apples (1kg)

$2.71 MX$47.31

$6.15 JMD 967

-55.93%

Banana (1kg)

$1.51 MX$26.25

$3.09 JMD 485

-51.13%

Oranges (1kg)

$1.87 MX$32.67

$4.20 JMD 660

-55.48%

Tomato (1kg)

$2.19 MX$38.19

$3.00 JMD 471

-27.00%

Potato (1kg)

$1.86 MX$32.40

$2.05 JMD 322

-9.27%

Onion (1kg)

$2.23 MX$38.90

$2.00 JMD 314

11.50%

Lettuce (1 head)

$1.07 MX$18.63

$3.11 JMD 489

-65.59%

Water (1.5 liter bottle)

$1.09 MX$18.94

$1.11 JMD 174

-1.80%

Cigarettes 20 Pack (Marlboro, Camel)

$4.19 MX$73.0

$8.98 JMD 1,413

-53.34%

Wine (Bottle)

$10.43 MX$182

$11.45 JMD 1,801

-8.91%

Local Beer (0.5 liter bottle)

$1.66 MX$28.91

$2.88 JMD 454

-42.36%

Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$2.61 MX$45.56

$3.10 JMD 488

-15.81%

One-way Ticket (Public Transport)

$0.54 MX$9.45

Public Transport Monthly Pass (Regular Price)

$26.16 MX$456

Taxi Start (Normal Tariff)

$3.08 MX$53.7

$0.92 JMD 145

234.78%

Taxi (Normal Tariff) (1km)

$2.40 MX$41.94

$3.13 JMD 493

-23.32%

Taxi 1hour Waiting (Normal Tariff)

$3.13 MX$54.5

$6.22 JMD 979

-49.68%

Gasoline (1 liter)

$1.31 MX$22.87

$1.28 JMD 202

2.34%

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

$29.8K MX$519.9K

$23.8K JMD 3.7M

25.36%

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

$23.3K MX$406.8K

$17.4K JMD 2.7M

34.13%

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

$81.3 MX$1,418

$164 JMD 25.8K

-50.52%

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

$22.56 MX$393

$21.88 JMD 3,441

3.11%

Internet (50+ Mbps, Unlimited Data)

$30.05 MX$524

$51.1 JMD 8,033

-41.16%

Gym Membership (Monthly)

$52.9 MX$923

Tennis Court (1 Hour on Weekend)

$18.39 MX$321

Cinema Ticket

$4.92 MX$85.8

$13.38 JMD 2,104

-63.23%

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

$201 MX$3,502

$223 JMD 35.1K

-9.90%

International Primary School, 1 Child (Yearly)

$5,175 MX$90.2K

$2,512 JMD 395.1K

106.02%

Jeans (Levis 501 Or Similar)

$35.92 MX$627

$26.02 JMD 4,092

38.05%

Summer Dress (H&M, Zara, etc)

$40.13 MX$700

$25.86 JMD 4,068

55.18%

Sport Shoes (Adidas, Nike)

$79.7 MX$1,390

$68.0 JMD 10.7K

17.14%

Men's Leather Business Shoes

$86.5 MX$1,508

$76.4 JMD 12.0K

13.11%

1-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)

$978 MX$17.1K

$511 JMD 80.3K

91.49%

1-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)

$470 MX$8,206

$476 JMD 74.9K

-1.25%

3-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)

$1,651 MX$28.8K

$991 JMD 155.9K

66.60%

3-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)

$1,203 MX$21.0K

$815 JMD 128.2K

47.69%

Buy Apartment in City Center (m2)

$3,953 MX$69.0K

Buy Apartment Outside City Center (m2)

$6,607 MX$115.2K

Average Monthly Net Salary (After Tax)

$677 MX$11.8K

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: July 27, 2026

Last update for Saint Ann's Bay: July 26, 2026

Cost Breakdown

A central one-bedroom costs $978 in Playa del Carmen versus $511 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 $42.00 in Playa del Carmen versus $50.0 in Saint Ann's Bay. Monthly groceries follow the same trend: $252 vs $339 – 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 $1,890 per month in Playa del Carmen and $2,022 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 $1,260 in Playa del Carmen and $1,348 in Saint Ann's Bay. 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 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 $1,260, than in Saint Ann's Bay at $1,348. 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.