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 $1,262 per month in Playa del Carmen vs $1,360 in Saint Ann's Bay, rent included.

A couple spends around $2,158 per month in Playa del Carmen vs $2,028 in Saint Ann's Bay, rent included.

A family of three spends $3,054 per month in Playa del Carmen vs $2,695 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 6% 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

$11.61 MX$201

$7.52 JMD 1,190

54.39%

Three-Course Dinner for Two, Mid-Range

$42.75 MX$740

$49.83 JMD 7,887

-14.21%

Fast Food Meal (McDonalds, etc)

$10.60 MX$184

$8.91 JMD 1,410

18.97%

Cappuccino

$3.59 MX$62.2

$4.41 JMD 698

-18.59%

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

$1.45 MX$25.15

$1.36 JMD 215

6.62%

Water (0.33 liter bottle)

$0.90 MX$15.55

$0.72 JMD 114

25.00%

Local Beer (0.5 liter draught)

$3.03 MX$52.5

$2.46 JMD 389

23.17%

Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$4.56 MX$79.0

$3.21 JMD 509

42.06%

Milk (1 liter)

$1.45 MX$25.14

$4.43 JMD 701

-67.27%

White Bread (500g)

$1.83 MX$31.64

$2.65 JMD 420

-30.94%

Rice (white) (1kg)

$1.61 MX$27.85

$1.60 JMD 253

0.63%

Eggs

$2.54 MX$43.95

$3.44 JMD 545

-26.16%

Local Cheese (1kg)

$8.54 MX$148

$11.25 JMD 1,780

-24.09%

Chicken Fillets (1kg)

$8.47 MX$147

$6.53 JMD 1,033

29.71%

Beef Round Steak (1kg)

$10.86 MX$188

$7.55 JMD 1,195

43.84%

Apples (1kg)

$2.73 MX$47.26

$6.05 JMD 957

-54.88%

Banana (1kg)

$1.49 MX$25.85

$3.10 JMD 491

-51.94%

Oranges (1kg)

$1.94 MX$33.65

$4.16 JMD 658

-53.37%

Tomato (1kg)

$2.16 MX$37.49

$3.02 JMD 478

-28.48%

Potato (1kg)

$1.85 MX$31.97

$2.10 JMD 332

-11.90%

Onion (1kg)

$2.19 MX$37.91

$2.00 JMD 316

9.50%

Lettuce (1 head)

$1.07 MX$18.58

$2.97 JMD 469

-63.97%

Water (1.5 liter bottle)

$1.08 MX$18.76

$1.16 JMD 183

-6.90%

Cigarettes 20 Pack (Marlboro, Camel)

$4.06 MX$70.3

$8.80 JMD 1,393

-53.86%

Wine (Bottle)

$10.46 MX$181

$11.35 JMD 1,796

-7.84%

Local Beer (0.5 liter bottle)

$1.65 MX$28.64

$2.81 JMD 445

-41.28%

Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$2.55 MX$44.13

$3.15 JMD 499

-19.05%

One-way Ticket (Public Transport)

$0.56 MX$9.63

Public Transport Monthly Pass (Regular Price)

$26.20 MX$454

Taxi Start (Normal Tariff)

$3.14 MX$54.4

$0.97 JMD 153

223.71%

Taxi (Normal Tariff) (1km)

$2.37 MX$41.08

$3.27 JMD 517

-27.52%

Taxi 1hour Waiting (Normal Tariff)

$3.24 MX$56.1

$6.31 JMD 999

-48.65%

Gasoline (1 liter)

$1.31 MX$22.76

$1.24 JMD 195

5.65%

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

$30.5K MX$528.9K

$23.6K JMD 3.7M

29.13%

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

$23.8K MX$412.6K

$17.2K JMD 2.7M

38.62%

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

$83.1 MX$1,440

$166 JMD 26.3K

-49.98%

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

$22.15 MX$384

$22.26 JMD 3,523

-0.49%

Internet (50+ Mbps, Unlimited Data)

$29.37 MX$509

$51.9 JMD 8,211

-43.39%

Gym Membership (Monthly)

$51.2 MX$887

Tennis Court (1 Hour on Weekend)

$18.69 MX$324

Cinema Ticket

$4.89 MX$84.7

$12.92 JMD 2,045

-62.15%

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

$199 MX$3,441

$230 JMD 36.4K

-13.51%

International Primary School, 1 Child (Yearly)

$5,207 MX$90.2K

$2,517 JMD 398.4K

106.85%

Jeans (Levis 501 Or Similar)

$35.93 MX$622

$26.36 JMD 4,172

36.31%

Summer Dress (H&M, Zara, etc)

$39.39 MX$682

$26.02 JMD 4,118

51.38%

Sport Shoes (Adidas, Nike)

$80.3 MX$1,391

$68.9 JMD 10.9K

16.48%

Men's Leather Business Shoes

$87.6 MX$1,517

$76.6 JMD 12.1K

14.37%

1-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)

$963 MX$16.7K

$495 JMD 78.4K

94.51%

1-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)

$482 MX$8,350

$475 JMD 75.2K

1.48%

3-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)

$1,645 MX$28.5K

$1,000 JMD 158.2K

64.59%

3-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)

$1,192 MX$20.6K

$829 JMD 131.3K

43.71%

Buy Apartment in City Center (m2)

$3,957 MX$68.5K

Buy Apartment Outside City Center (m2)

$6,513 MX$112.8K

Average Monthly Net Salary (After Tax)

$726 MX$12.6K

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: April 12, 2026

Last update for Saint Ann's Bay: April 13, 2026

Cost Breakdown

A central one-bedroom costs $963 in Playa del Carmen versus $495 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 in Playa del Carmen versus $50 in Saint Ann's Bay. Monthly groceries follow the same trend: $253 vs $340 – 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 8%, 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 $1,894 per month in Playa del Carmen and $2,040 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 $1,262 in Playa del Carmen and $1,360 in Saint Ann's Bay. The difference isn't just one category – it shows up across housing, food, transport, and services.

Kindergarten costs $199 per month in Playa del Carmen and $230 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 $1,262, than in Saint Ann's Bay at $1,360. 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.