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 $1,297 per month in Playa del Carmen vs $3,315 in Saint Helier, rent included.

A couple spends around $2,181 per month in Playa del Carmen vs $5,404 in Saint Helier, rent included.

A family of three spends $3,065 per month in Playa del Carmen vs $7,493 in Saint Helier, rent included.

Playa del Carmen is about 61% cheaper than Saint Helier, driven mainly by Eating Out.

Playa del Carmen sits 3% below the global median, while Saint Helier is 147% above – they fall on opposite sides of the world average.

Meal at Budget Restaurant

$11.73 MX$203

$37.77 JEP 28.06

-68.94%

Three-Course Dinner for Two, Mid-Range

$41.62 MX$720

$138 JEP 103

-69.94%

Fast Food Meal (McDonalds, etc)

$10.64 MX$184

$11.01 JEP 8.18

-3.36%

Cappuccino

$3.52 MX$60.9

$5.11 JEP 3.80

-31.12%

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

$1.51 MX$26.12

$3.15 JEP 2.34

-52.06%

Water (0.33 liter bottle)

$0.97 MX$16.84

$2.57 JEP 1.91

-62.26%

Local Beer (0.5 liter draught)

$2.95 MX$51.0

$8.24 JEP 6.12

-64.20%

Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$4.45 MX$77.0

$8.37 JEP 6.22

-46.83%

Milk (1 liter)

$1.38 MX$23.93

$2.24 JEP 1.67

-38.39%

White Bread (500g)

$1.89 MX$32.72

$2.31 JEP 1.72

-18.18%

Rice (white) (1kg)

$1.64 MX$28.32

$3.44 JEP 2.56

-52.33%

Eggs

$2.51 MX$43.34

$5.98 JEP 4.44

-58.03%

Local Cheese (1kg)

$8.34 MX$144

$9.25 JEP 6.87

-9.84%

Chicken Fillets (1kg)

$8.34 MX$144

$11.69 JEP 8.69

-28.66%

Beef Round Steak (1kg)

$10.73 MX$186

$19.10 JEP 14.19

-43.82%

Apples (1kg)

$2.60 MX$45.04

$4.35 JEP 3.24

-40.23%

Banana (1kg)

$1.46 MX$25.20

$3.16 JEP 2.35

-53.80%

Oranges (1kg)

$1.90 MX$32.87

$4.31 JEP 3.20

-55.92%

Tomato (1kg)

$2.08 MX$35.91

$4.15 JEP 3.08

-49.88%

Potato (1kg)

$1.78 MX$30.71

$4.05 JEP 3.01

-56.05%

Onion (1kg)

$2.19 MX$37.80

$3.92 JEP 2.91

-44.13%

Lettuce (1 head)

$1.04 MX$17.99

$2.04 JEP 1.52

-49.02%

Water (1.5 liter bottle)

$1.08 MX$18.62

$2.45 JEP 1.82

-55.92%

Cigarettes 20 Pack (Marlboro, Camel)

$4.08 MX$70.6

$15.74 JEP 11.70

-74.08%

Wine (Bottle)

$10.32 MX$178

$10.62 JEP 7.89

-2.82%

Local Beer (0.5 liter bottle)

$1.71 MX$29.61

$4.51 JEP 3.35

-62.08%

Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$2.58 MX$44.54

$7.35 JEP 5.46

-64.90%

One-way Ticket (Public Transport)

$0.51 MX$8.81

$3.05 JEP 2.27

-83.28%

Public Transport Monthly Pass (Regular Price)

$26.46 MX$458

$69.2 JEP 51.4

-61.76%

Taxi Start (Normal Tariff)

$3.26 MX$56.4

$6.26 JEP 4.65

-47.92%

Taxi (Normal Tariff) (1km)

$2.49 MX$43.09

$3.92 JEP 2.91

-36.48%

Taxi 1hour Waiting (Normal Tariff)

$3.25 MX$56.2

$33.52 JEP 24.90

-90.30%

Gasoline (1 liter)

$1.31 MX$22.61

$2.17 JEP 1.61

-39.63%

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

$30.3K MX$523.7K

$22.6K JEP 16.8K

34.23%

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

$23.4K MX$405.3K

$33.3K JEP 24.7K

-29.64%

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

$82.9 MX$1,433

$242 JEP 180

-65.76%

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

$22.22 MX$384

$24.99 JEP 18.57

-11.08%

Internet (50+ Mbps, Unlimited Data)

$29.34 MX$507

$75.0 JEP 55.7

-60.89%

Gym Membership (Monthly)

$51.6 MX$893

$69.0 JEP 51.3

-25.16%

Tennis Court (1 Hour on Weekend)

$18.32 MX$317

$25.09 JEP 18.64

-26.98%

Cinema Ticket

$5.07 MX$87.6

$21.07 JEP 15.66

-75.94%

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

$201 MX$3,473

$2,217 JEP 1,647

-90.94%

International Primary School, 1 Child (Yearly)

$5,212 MX$90.1K

$17.3K JEP 12.9K

-69.93%

Jeans (Levis 501 Or Similar)

$36.92 MX$639

$109 JEP 80.8

-66.03%

Summer Dress (H&M, Zara, etc)

$39.79 MX$688

$71.7 JEP 53.3

-44.50%

Sport Shoes (Adidas, Nike)

$78.5 MX$1,357

$129 JEP 95.8

-39.14%

Men's Leather Business Shoes

$87.1 MX$1,506

$215 JEP 160

-59.53%

1-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)

$973 MX$16.8K

$2,030 JEP 1,508

-52.10%

1-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)

$468 MX$8,090

$1,650 JEP 1,226

-71.65%

3-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)

$1,641 MX$28.4K

$3,871 JEP 2,876

-57.60%

3-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)

$1,221 MX$21.1K

$3,538 JEP 2,629

-65.50%

Buy Apartment in City Center (m2)

$3,946 MX$68.3K

$11.9K JEP 8,831

-66.80%

Buy Apartment Outside City Center (m2)

$6,498 MX$112.4K

$10.4K JEP 7,759

-37.78%

Average Monthly Net Salary (After Tax)

$664 MX$11.5K

$4,831 JEP 3,590

-86.26%

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: June 2, 2026

Last update for Saint Helier: May 30, 2026

Cost Breakdown

A central one-bedroom costs $973 in Playa del Carmen versus $2,030 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 628% 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 $138 in Saint Helier. Monthly groceries follow the same trend: $249 vs $421 – 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 156%, 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 $4,972 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 $1,297 in Playa del Carmen and $3,315 in Saint Helier. The difference isn't just one category – it shows up across housing, food, transport, and services.

Public transport costs about 161% 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 $1,297, than in Saint Helier at $3,315. 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.