Cost of Living Comparison Between Playa del Carmen and Saint Helier Cost of Living Comparison Between Playa del Carmen and Saint Helier

Monthly Cost of Living

A single person spends $1,256 per month in Playa del Carmen vs $3,333 in Saint Helier, rent included.

A couple spends around $2,137 per month in Playa del Carmen vs $5,458 in Saint Helier, rent included.

A family of three spends $3,017 per month in Playa del Carmen vs $7,584 in Saint Helier, rent included.

Playa del Carmen is about 62% cheaper than Saint Helier, driven mainly by Eating Out.

Playa del Carmen sits 6% below the global median, while Saint Helier is 149% above – they fall on opposite sides of the world average.

Meal at Budget Restaurant

$11.99 MX$210

$36.81 JEP 27.39

-67.43%

Three-Course Dinner for Two, Mid-Range

$41.78 MX$733

$135 JEP 100

-69.06%

Fast Food Meal (McDonalds, etc)

$10.75 MX$189

$10.82 JEP 8.05

-0.65%

Cappuccino

$3.50 MX$61.3

$5.04 JEP 3.75

-30.56%

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

$1.45 MX$25.41

$3.25 JEP 2.42

-55.38%

Water (0.33 liter bottle)

$0.88 MX$15.52

$2.55 JEP 1.90

-65.49%

Local Beer (0.5 liter draught)

$2.95 MX$51.7

$8.05 JEP 5.99

-63.35%

Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$4.51 MX$79.1

$8.16 JEP 6.07

-44.73%

Milk (1 liter)

$1.43 MX$25.12

$2.26 JEP 1.68

-36.73%

White Bread (500g)

$1.84 MX$32.23

$2.39 JEP 1.78

-23.01%

Rice (white) (1kg)

$1.57 MX$27.51

$3.56 JEP 2.65

-55.90%

Eggs

$2.51 MX$44.06

$5.87 JEP 4.37

-57.24%

Local Cheese (1kg)

$8.28 MX$145

$9.28 JEP 6.90

-10.78%

Chicken Fillets (1kg)

$8.43 MX$148

$11.59 JEP 8.62

-27.26%

Beef Round Steak (1kg)

$10.68 MX$187

$19.44 JEP 14.46

-45.06%

Apples (1kg)

$2.61 MX$45.76

$4.46 JEP 3.32

-41.48%

Banana (1kg)

$1.44 MX$25.22

$3.25 JEP 2.42

-55.69%

Oranges (1kg)

$1.96 MX$34.41

$4.32 JEP 3.21

-54.63%

Tomato (1kg)

$2.09 MX$36.74

$4.30 JEP 3.20

-51.40%

Potato (1kg)

$1.85 MX$32.47

$3.86 JEP 2.87

-52.07%

Onion (1kg)

$2.17 MX$38.02

$3.94 JEP 2.93

-44.92%

Lettuce (1 head)

$1.03 MX$18.09

$2.02 JEP 1.50

-49.01%

Water (1.5 liter bottle)

$1.07 MX$18.84

$2.45 JEP 1.82

-56.33%

Cigarettes 20 Pack (Marlboro, Camel)

$4.10 MX$72.0

$15.40 JEP 11.45

-73.38%

Wine (Bottle)

$10.17 MX$178

$10.55 JEP 7.85

-3.60%

Local Beer (0.5 liter bottle)

$1.68 MX$29.38

$4.58 JEP 3.40

-63.32%

Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$2.53 MX$44.31

$7.60 JEP 5.65

-66.71%

One-way Ticket (Public Transport)

$0.51 MX$8.93

$3.11 JEP 2.31

-83.60%

Public Transport Monthly Pass (Regular Price)

$26.04 MX$457

$68.3 JEP 50.8

-61.87%

Taxi Start (Normal Tariff)

$3.23 MX$56.7

$6.02 JEP 4.48

-46.35%

Taxi (Normal Tariff) (1km)

$2.41 MX$42.19

$3.80 JEP 2.82

-36.58%

Taxi 1hour Waiting (Normal Tariff)

$3.23 MX$56.6

$33.75 JEP 25.11

-90.43%

Gasoline (1 liter)

$1.32 MX$23.17

$2.21 JEP 1.65

-40.27%

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

$29.7K MX$520.9K

$22.4K JEP 16.7K

32.66%

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

$23.7K MX$415.0K

$33.8K JEP 25.1K

-29.97%

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

$82.0 MX$1,439

$247 JEP 184

-66.75%

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

$22.95 MX$403

$25.30 JEP 18.82

-9.29%

Internet (50+ Mbps, Unlimited Data)

$30.11 MX$528

$76.4 JEP 56.8

-60.56%

Gym Membership (Monthly)

$52.0 MX$912

$69.7 JEP 51.9

-25.47%

Tennis Court (1 Hour on Weekend)

$18.53 MX$325

$24.72 JEP 18.39

-25.04%

Cinema Ticket

$4.98 MX$87.3

$21.47 JEP 15.97

-76.80%

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

$197 MX$3,463

$2,208 JEP 1,643

-91.06%

International Primary School, 1 Child (Yearly)

$5,336 MX$93.6K

$17.4K JEP 13.0K

-69.36%

Jeans (Levis 501 Or Similar)

$35.60 MX$624

$108 JEP 80.3

-67.02%

Summer Dress (H&M, Zara, etc)

$40.33 MX$707

$73.6 JEP 54.7

-45.18%

Sport Shoes (Adidas, Nike)

$78.8 MX$1,381

$129 JEP 96.1

-39.06%

Men's Leather Business Shoes

$88.9 MX$1,560

$213 JEP 158

-58.25%

1-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)

$947 MX$16.6K

$1,999 JEP 1,487

-52.62%

1-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)

$474 MX$8,314

$1,647 JEP 1,225

-71.22%

3-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)

$1,644 MX$28.8K

$3,867 JEP 2,877

-57.50%

3-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)

$1,211 MX$21.2K

$3,473 JEP 2,584

-65.14%

Buy Apartment in City Center (m2)

$4,056 MX$71.1K

$11.6K JEP 8,599

-64.91%

Buy Apartment Outside City Center (m2)

$6,470 MX$113.5K

$10.3K JEP 7,643

-37.02%

Average Monthly Net Salary (After Tax)

$654 MX$11.5K

$4,665 JEP 3,471

-85.98%

20-Year Fixed Mortgage Interest Rate (Annual %)

11.42

3.85

196.62%

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

Last update for Playa del Carmen: July 13, 2026

Last update for Saint Helier: July 13, 2026

Cost Breakdown

A central one-bedroom costs $947 in Playa del Carmen versus $1,999 in Saint Helier. 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 613% higher in Saint Helier, which partly offsets the higher cost of living there. Purchasing power depends on which expenses matter most to you.

A mid-range dinner for two costs $42.00 in Playa del Carmen versus $135 in Saint Helier. Monthly groceries follow the same trend: $249 vs $425 – 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 Helier: Cost of Living - Frequently Asked Questions

Yes – Saint Helier is pricier by about 165%, 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 $1,884 per month in Playa del Carmen and $5,000 in Saint Helier. 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 $1,256 in Playa del Carmen and $3,333 in Saint Helier. The difference isn't just one category – it shows up across housing, food, transport, and services.

Public transport costs about 162% less in Playa del Carmen. For daily commuters, that gap adds up to noticeable savings over a year.

A $1,500 monthly budget goes further in Playa del Carmen, where all-in costs run around $1,256, than in Saint Helier at $3,333. In Playa del Carmen it covers expenses comfortably, while in Saint Helier 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.

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 Playa del Carmen. If higher salaries, better infrastructure, or specific career opportunities are the priority, Saint Helier makes more sense. Both are solid long-term options with distinct trade-offs.