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 $1,305 per month in Playa del Carmen vs $1,029 in Saint Ann's Bay, rent included.

A couple spends around $2,334 per month in Playa del Carmen vs $1,626 in Saint Ann's Bay, rent included.

A family of three spends $3,362 per month in Playa del Carmen vs $2,223 in Saint Ann's Bay, rent included.

Playa del Carmen costs about 27% more than Saint Ann's Bay, driven mainly by Groceries & Markets.

Both Playa del Carmen and Saint Ann's Bay are more affordable than the global median – Playa del Carmen 5% lower, Saint Ann's Bay 25% lower.

Meal at Budget Restaurant

$11.96 MX$203

$15.54 JMD 2,441

-23.04%

Three-Course Dinner for Two, Mid-Range

$47.38 MX$804

$49.54 JMD 7,781

-4.36%

Fast Food Meal (McDonalds, etc)

$11.75 MX$199

$8.64 JMD 1,357

36.00%

Cappuccino

$4.12 MX$70.0

$5.19 JMD 815

-20.62%

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

$1.40 MX$23.74

$1.20 JMD 188

16.67%

Water (0.33 liter bottle)

$0.91 MX$15.48

$0.73 JMD 114

24.66%

Local Beer (0.5 liter draught)

$3.21 MX$54.4

$2.26 JMD 355

42.04%

Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$7.07 MX$120

$3.10 JMD 487

128.06%

Milk (1 liter)

$1.68 MX$28.44

$4.21 JMD 662

-60.10%

White Bread (500g)

$2.15 MX$36.48

$3.84 JMD 604

-44.01%

Rice (white) (1kg)

$1.77 MX$30.10

$1.62 JMD 254

9.26%

Eggs

$2.82 MX$47.76

$3.52 JMD 553

-19.89%

Local Cheese (1kg)

$9.20 MX$156

$11.31 JMD 1,776

-18.66%

Chicken Fillets (1kg)

$9.23 MX$157

$6.39 JMD 1,003

44.44%

Beef Round Steak (1kg)

$12.64 MX$214

$10.43 JMD 1,638

21.19%

Apples (1kg)

$2.95 MX$50.1

$5.92 JMD 929

-50.17%

Banana (1kg)

$1.58 MX$26.79

$3.78 JMD 594

-58.20%

Oranges (1kg)

$2.22 MX$37.70

$7.59 JMD 1,193

-70.75%

Tomato (1kg)

$2.36 MX$40.09

$3.13 JMD 491

-24.60%

Potato (1kg)

$1.99 MX$33.81

$3.29 JMD 516

-39.51%

Onion (1kg)

$1.98 MX$33.58

$2.63 JMD 413

-24.71%

Lettuce (1 head)

$1.24 MX$21.04

$3.03 JMD 476

-59.08%

Water (1.5 liter bottle)

$1.21 MX$20.55

$1.47 JMD 231

-17.69%

Cigarettes 20 Pack (Marlboro, Camel)

$4.60 MX$78.1

$9.37 JMD 1,472

-50.91%

Wine (Bottle)

$10.52 MX$178

$11.52 JMD 1,809

-8.68%

Local Beer (0.5 liter bottle)

$1.69 MX$28.70

$2.92 JMD 459

-42.12%

Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$2.77 MX$47.06

$3.91 JMD 614

-29.16%

One-way Ticket (Public Transport)

$0.60 MX$10.22

Public Transport Monthly Pass (Regular Price)

$29.70 MX$504

Taxi Start (Normal Tariff)

$5.24 MX$88.8

$1.17 JMD 184

347.86%

Taxi (Normal Tariff) (1km)

$3.65 MX$61.9

$3.12 JMD 491

16.99%

Taxi 1hour Waiting (Normal Tariff)

$5.78 MX$98.1

$6.38 JMD 1,002

-9.40%

Gasoline (1 liter)

$1.54 MX$26.09

$1.32 JMD 207

16.67%

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

$22.8K MX$386.8K

$44.9K JMD 7.1M

-49.21%

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

$25.8K MX$437.9K

$32.5K JMD 5.1M

-20.62%

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

$90.7 MX$1,538

$178 JMD 28.0K

-49.18%

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

$25.19 MX$427

$29.66 JMD 4,659

-15.07%

Internet (50+ Mbps, Unlimited Data)

$31.75 MX$539

$53.6 JMD 8,426

-40.81%

Gym Membership (Monthly)

$68.8 MX$1,167

Tennis Court (1 Hour on Weekend)

$29.37 MX$498

Cinema Ticket

$4.86 MX$82.5

$13.17 JMD 2,069

-63.10%

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

$226 MX$3,828

$356 JMD 55.9K

-36.60%

International Primary School, 1 Child (Yearly)

$4,194 MX$71.1K

$8,294 JMD 1.3M

-49.43%

Jeans (Levis 501 Or Similar)

$47.38 MX$804

$24.11 JMD 3,787

96.52%

Summer Dress (H&M, Zara, etc)

$43.45 MX$737

$32.22 JMD 5,061

34.85%

Sport Shoes (Adidas, Nike)

$80.2 MX$1,361

$76.9 JMD 12.1K

4.29%

Men's Leather Business Shoes

$91.4 MX$1,550

$101 JMD 15.9K

-9.86%

1-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)

$1,086 MX$18.4K

1-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)

$409 MX$6,933

3-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)

$1,972 MX$33.5K

3-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)

$1,281 MX$21.7K

Buy Apartment in City Center (m2)

$4,046 MX$68.6K

Buy Apartment Outside City Center (m2)

$6,704 MX$113.7K

Average Monthly Net Salary (After Tax)

$773 MX$13.1K

20-Year Fixed Mortgage Interest Rate (Annual %)

11.45

9.45

21.16%

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

Last update for Playa del Carmen: September 7, 2026

Last update for Saint Ann's Bay: September 7, 2026

Cost Breakdown

A mid-range dinner for two costs $47.00 in Playa del Carmen versus $50.0 in Saint Ann's Bay. Monthly groceries follow the same trend: $278 vs $387 – 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 – Playa del Carmen is pricier by about 27%, 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 $1,958 per month in Playa del Carmen and $1,544 in Saint Ann's Bay. That covers rent, food, utilities, transport, and enough left over to feel settled – not just surviving.

Monthly expenses with rent come to $1,305 in Playa del Carmen and $1,029 in Saint Ann's Bay. The difference isn't just one category – it shows up across housing, food, transport, and services.

Kindergarten costs $226 per month in Playa del Carmen and $356 in Saint Ann's Bay. For families with young kids, this one expense can tip the scales when choosing between the two cities.

A $1,000 monthly budget goes further in Saint Ann's Bay, where all-in costs run around $1,029, than in Playa del Carmen at $1,305. In Saint Ann's Bay 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 Ann's Bay – 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 Ann's Bay. 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.