Cost of Living Comparison Between Playa del Carmen and Saint-Louis Cost of Living Comparison Between Playa del Carmen and Saint-Louis

Monthly Cost of Living

A single person spends $1,297 per month in Playa del Carmen vs $778 in Saint-Louis, rent included.

A couple spends around $2,181 per month in Playa del Carmen vs $1,264 in Saint-Louis, rent included.

A family of three spends $3,065 per month in Playa del Carmen vs $1,750 in Saint-Louis, rent included.

Playa del Carmen costs about 67% more than Saint-Louis, driven mainly by Eating Out.

Both Playa del Carmen and Saint-Louis are more affordable than the global median – Playa del Carmen 3% lower, Saint-Louis 42% lower.

Meal at Budget Restaurant

$11.73 MX$203

$3.45 F CFA 1,943

240.00%

Three-Course Dinner for Two, Mid-Range

$41.62 MX$720

$53.5 F CFA 30.2K

-22.19%

Fast Food Meal (McDonalds, etc)

$10.64 MX$184

$10.42 F CFA 5,877

2.11%

Cappuccino

$3.52 MX$60.9

$4.51 F CFA 2,543

-21.95%

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

$1.51 MX$26.12

$0.84 F CFA 475

79.76%

Water (0.33 liter bottle)

$0.97 MX$16.84

$1.05 F CFA 594

-7.62%

Local Beer (0.5 liter draught)

$2.95 MX$51.0

$1.80 F CFA 1,017

63.89%

Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$4.45 MX$77.0

$4.28 F CFA 2,416

3.97%

Milk (1 liter)

$1.38 MX$23.93

$2.57 F CFA 1,450

-46.30%

White Bread (500g)

$1.89 MX$32.72

$0.27 F CFA 153

600.00%

Rice (white) (1kg)

$1.64 MX$28.32

$1.62 F CFA 912

1.23%

Eggs

$2.51 MX$43.34

$2.60 F CFA 1,464

-3.46%

Local Cheese (1kg)

$8.34 MX$144

$12.60 F CFA 7,107

-33.81%

Chicken Fillets (1kg)

$8.34 MX$144

$9.22 F CFA 5,198

-9.54%

Beef Round Steak (1kg)

$10.73 MX$186

$10.95 F CFA 6,176

-2.01%

Apples (1kg)

$2.60 MX$45.04

$2.82 F CFA 1,591

-7.80%

Banana (1kg)

$1.46 MX$25.20

$2.00 F CFA 1,126

-27.00%

Oranges (1kg)

$1.90 MX$32.87

$2.60 F CFA 1,469

-26.92%

Tomato (1kg)

$2.08 MX$35.91

$2.06 F CFA 1,164

0.97%

Potato (1kg)

$1.78 MX$30.71

$1.55 F CFA 874

14.84%

Onion (1kg)

$2.19 MX$37.80

$1.34 F CFA 755

63.43%

Lettuce (1 head)

$1.04 MX$17.99

$1.02 F CFA 573

1.96%

Water (1.5 liter bottle)

$1.08 MX$18.62

$0.72 F CFA 408

50.00%

Cigarettes 20 Pack (Marlboro, Camel)

$4.08 MX$70.6

$1.64 F CFA 922

148.78%

Wine (Bottle)

$10.32 MX$178

$15.33 F CFA 8,643

-32.68%

Local Beer (0.5 liter bottle)

$1.71 MX$29.61

$1.17 F CFA 660

46.15%

Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$2.58 MX$44.54

$2.24 F CFA 1,266

15.18%

One-way Ticket (Public Transport)

$0.51 MX$8.81

Public Transport Monthly Pass (Regular Price)

$26.46 MX$458

Taxi Start (Normal Tariff)

$3.26 MX$56.4

$0.91 F CFA 514

258.24%

Taxi (Normal Tariff) (1km)

$2.49 MX$43.09

$2.78 F CFA 1,569

-10.43%

Taxi 1hour Waiting (Normal Tariff)

$3.25 MX$56.2

$17.72 F CFA 9,996

-81.66%

Gasoline (1 liter)

$1.31 MX$22.61

$1.73 F CFA 974

-24.28%

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

$30.3K MX$523.7K

$36.0K F CFA 20.3M

-15.87%

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

$23.4K MX$405.3K

$49.7K F CFA 28.0M

-52.88%

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

$82.9 MX$1,433

$140 F CFA 79.1K

-40.94%

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

$22.22 MX$384

$9.67 F CFA 5,453

129.78%

Internet (50+ Mbps, Unlimited Data)

$29.34 MX$507

$50.6 F CFA 28.5K

-41.99%

Gym Membership (Monthly)

$51.6 MX$893

Tennis Court (1 Hour on Weekend)

$18.32 MX$317

Cinema Ticket

$5.07 MX$87.6

$8.93 F CFA 5,038

-43.23%

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

$201 MX$3,473

$265 F CFA 149.6K

-24.31%

International Primary School, 1 Child (Yearly)

$5,212 MX$90.1K

$7,357 F CFA 4.1M

-29.16%

Jeans (Levis 501 Or Similar)

$36.92 MX$639

$69.5 F CFA 39.2K

-46.86%

Summer Dress (H&M, Zara, etc)

$39.79 MX$688

$44.04 F CFA 24.8K

-9.65%

Sport Shoes (Adidas, Nike)

$78.5 MX$1,357

$103 F CFA 58.2K

-23.95%

Men's Leather Business Shoes

$87.1 MX$1,506

$130 F CFA 73.1K

-32.84%

1-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)

$973 MX$16.8K

$443 F CFA 249.7K

119.63%

1-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)

$468 MX$8,090

3-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)

$1,641 MX$28.4K

3-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)

$1,221 MX$21.1K

Buy Apartment in City Center (m2)

$3,946 MX$68.3K

Buy Apartment Outside City Center (m2)

$6,498 MX$112.4K

Average Monthly Net Salary (After Tax)

$664 MX$11.5K

20-Year Fixed Mortgage Interest Rate (Annual %)

11.42

8.25

38.42%

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-Louis: June 1, 2026

Cost Breakdown

A central one-bedroom costs $973 in Playa del Carmen versus $443 in Saint-Louis. 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 $42.00 in Playa del Carmen versus $53.0 in Saint-Louis. Monthly groceries follow the same trend: $249 vs $270 – 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-Louis: Cost of Living - Frequently Asked Questions

Yes – Playa del Carmen is pricier by about 67%, 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 $1,167 in Saint-Louis. That covers rent, food, utilities, transport, and enough left over to feel settled – not just surviving.

Rent is clearly cheaper in Saint-Louis, 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 $778 in Saint-Louis. The difference isn't just one category – it shows up across housing, food, transport, and services.

Kindergarten costs $201 per month in Playa del Carmen and $265 in Saint-Louis. 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-Louis, where all-in costs run around $778, than in Playa del Carmen at $1,297. In Saint-Louis 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-Louis – 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-Louis. 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.