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

Monthly Cost of Living

A single person spends $1,297 per month in Playa del Carmen vs $1,226 in Saint George's, rent included.

A couple spends around $2,181 per month in Playa del Carmen vs $2,017 in Saint George's, rent included.

A family of three spends $3,065 per month in Playa del Carmen vs $2,807 in Saint George's, rent included.

Playa del Carmen costs about 6% more than Saint George's, driven mainly by Eating Out.

Both Playa del Carmen and Saint George's are more affordable than the global median – Playa del Carmen 3% lower, Saint George's 8% lower.

Meal at Budget Restaurant

$11.73 MX$203

$7.52 EC$20.31

55.98%

Three-Course Dinner for Two, Mid-Range

$41.62 MX$720

$112 EC$303

-62.88%

Fast Food Meal (McDonalds, etc)

$10.64 MX$184

$8.46 EC$22.83

25.77%

Cappuccino

$3.52 MX$60.9

$4.55 EC$12.29

-22.64%

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

$1.51 MX$26.12

$1.89 EC$5.11

-20.11%

Water (0.33 liter bottle)

$0.97 MX$16.84

$1.55 EC$4.20

-37.42%

Local Beer (0.5 liter draught)

$2.95 MX$51.0

$1.99 EC$5.36

48.24%

Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$4.45 MX$77.0

$3.67 EC$9.92

21.25%

Milk (1 liter)

$1.38 MX$23.93

$3.88 EC$10.47

-64.43%

White Bread (500g)

$1.89 MX$32.72

$1.66 EC$4.49

13.86%

Rice (white) (1kg)

$1.64 MX$28.32

$1.91 EC$5.17

-14.14%

Eggs

$2.51 MX$43.34

$4.12 EC$11.13

-39.08%

Local Cheese (1kg)

$8.34 MX$144

$10.13 EC$27.35

-17.67%

Chicken Fillets (1kg)

$8.34 MX$144

$5.91 EC$15.96

41.12%

Beef Round Steak (1kg)

$10.73 MX$186

$10.39 EC$28.06

3.27%

Apples (1kg)

$2.60 MX$45.04

$2.70 EC$7.30

-3.70%

Banana (1kg)

$1.46 MX$25.20

$1.82 EC$4.90

-19.78%

Oranges (1kg)

$1.90 MX$32.87

$1.70 EC$4.59

11.76%

Tomato (1kg)

$2.08 MX$35.91

$2.87 EC$7.75

-27.53%

Potato (1kg)

$1.78 MX$30.71

$1.58 EC$4.28

12.66%

Onion (1kg)

$2.19 MX$37.80

$1.52 EC$4.10

44.08%

Lettuce (1 head)

$1.04 MX$17.99

$1.27 EC$3.44

-18.11%

Water (1.5 liter bottle)

$1.08 MX$18.62

$1.32 EC$3.56

-18.18%

Cigarettes 20 Pack (Marlboro, Camel)

$4.08 MX$70.6

$1.86 EC$5.03

119.35%

Wine (Bottle)

$10.32 MX$178

$6.67 EC$18.00

54.72%

Local Beer (0.5 liter bottle)

$1.71 MX$29.61

$1.87 EC$5.04

-8.56%

Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$2.58 MX$44.54

$1.80 EC$4.85

43.33%

One-way Ticket (Public Transport)

$0.51 MX$8.81

$1.08 EC$2.91

-52.78%

Public Transport Monthly Pass (Regular Price)

$26.46 MX$458

$37.31 EC$101

-29.08%

Taxi Start (Normal Tariff)

$3.26 MX$56.4

$21.85 EC$59.0

-85.08%

Taxi (Normal Tariff) (1km)

$2.49 MX$43.09

Taxi 1hour Waiting (Normal Tariff)

$3.25 MX$56.2

Gasoline (1 liter)

$1.31 MX$22.61

$1.33 EC$3.59

-1.50%

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

$30.3K MX$523.7K

$24.7K EC$66.6K

22.68%

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

$23.4K MX$405.3K

$29.7K EC$80.2K

-21.09%

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

$82.9 MX$1,433

$209 EC$564

-60.30%

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

$22.22 MX$384

$18.59 EC$50.2

19.53%

Internet (50+ Mbps, Unlimited Data)

$29.34 MX$507

$47.62 EC$129

-38.39%

Gym Membership (Monthly)

$51.6 MX$893

$36.68 EC$99.0

40.76%

Tennis Court (1 Hour on Weekend)

$18.32 MX$317

$18.44 EC$49.80

-0.65%

Cinema Ticket

$5.07 MX$87.6

$11.13 EC$30.06

-54.45%

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

$201 MX$3,473

$55.5 EC$150

261.56%

International Primary School, 1 Child (Yearly)

$5,212 MX$90.1K

$2,294 EC$6,194

127.18%

Jeans (Levis 501 Or Similar)

$36.92 MX$639

$25.43 EC$68.7

45.18%

Summer Dress (H&M, Zara, etc)

$39.79 MX$688

$43.63 EC$118

-8.80%

Sport Shoes (Adidas, Nike)

$78.5 MX$1,357

$42.82 EC$116

83.21%

Men's Leather Business Shoes

$87.1 MX$1,506

$77.2 EC$209

12.75%

1-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)

$973 MX$16.8K

$577 EC$1,559

68.45%

1-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)

$468 MX$8,090

$290 EC$784

61.10%

3-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)

$1,641 MX$28.4K

$1,097 EC$2,961

49.67%

3-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)

$1,221 MX$21.1K

$513 EC$1,386

137.86%

Buy Apartment in City Center (m2)

$3,946 MX$68.3K

$406 EC$1,096

872.41%

Buy Apartment Outside City Center (m2)

$6,498 MX$112.4K

$109.6K EC$295.8K

-94.07%

Average Monthly Net Salary (After Tax)

$664 MX$11.5K

$924 EC$2,495

-28.14%

20-Year Fixed Mortgage Interest Rate (Annual %)

11.42

6.33

80.41%

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

Last update for Playa del Carmen: June 2, 2026

Last update for Saint George's: May 31, 2026

Cost Breakdown

A central one-bedroom costs $973 in Playa del Carmen versus $577 in Saint George's. Rent is usually the largest line item in a monthly budget, so the gap here sets the tone for the overall comparison.

Salaries run about 39% higher in Saint George's, which reinforces the cost advantage – you earn more and spend less. Purchasing power leans clearly in its favor.

A mid-range dinner for two costs $42.00 in Playa del Carmen versus $112 in Saint George's. Monthly groceries follow the same trend: $249 vs $271 – 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 George's: Cost of Living - Frequently Asked Questions

Yes – Playa del Carmen is pricier by about 6%, and the gap shows up most in Eating Out. It's not just housing either; the difference applies across most spending categories.

For a comfortable life, plan on about $1,945 per month in Playa del Carmen and $1,840 in Saint George's. That covers rent, food, utilities, transport, and enough left over to feel settled – not just surviving.

Rent is clearly cheaper in Saint George's, 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 $1,297 in Playa del Carmen and $1,226 in Saint George's. The difference isn't just one category – it shows up across housing, food, transport, and services.

Public transport costs about 41% less in Saint George's. For daily commuters, that gap adds up to noticeable savings over a year.

A $1,500 monthly budget goes further in Saint George's, where all-in costs run around $1,226, than in Playa del Carmen at $1,297. In Saint George's 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 George's – lower housing and cheaper childcare make a real difference, especially on a single income or when paying for private education.

Both have safer and rougher neighborhoods, but overall safety is comparable to other large cities. Neighborhood choice matters more than the city-level comparison – central, well-trafficked areas feel secure in both.

If budget matters most, go with Saint George's. 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.