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 $1,256 per month in Playa del Carmen vs $783 in Saint-Louis, rent included.

A couple spends around $2,137 per month in Playa del Carmen vs $1,274 in Saint-Louis, rent included.

A family of three spends $3,017 per month in Playa del Carmen vs $1,765 in Saint-Louis, rent included.

Playa del Carmen costs about 61% 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 6% lower, Saint-Louis 41% lower.

Meal at Budget Restaurant

$11.99 MX$209

$3.48 F CFA 1,998

244.54%

Three-Course Dinner for Two, Mid-Range

$41.78 MX$728

$53.0 F CFA 30.4K

-21.10%

Fast Food Meal (McDonalds, etc)

$10.75 MX$187

$10.20 F CFA 5,854

5.39%

Cappuccino

$3.50 MX$60.9

$4.59 F CFA 2,635

-23.75%

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

$1.45 MX$25.22

$0.92 F CFA 530

57.61%

Water (0.33 liter bottle)

$0.88 MX$15.41

$1.06 F CFA 606

-16.98%

Local Beer (0.5 liter draught)

$2.95 MX$51.3

$1.81 F CFA 1,038

62.98%

Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$4.51 MX$78.6

$4.47 F CFA 2,567

0.89%

Milk (1 liter)

$1.43 MX$24.94

$2.64 F CFA 1,515

-45.83%

White Bread (500g)

$1.84 MX$31.99

$0.27 F CFA 156

581.48%

Rice (white) (1kg)

$1.57 MX$27.31

$1.60 F CFA 918

-1.88%

Eggs

$2.51 MX$43.74

$2.71 F CFA 1,555

-7.38%

Local Cheese (1kg)

$8.28 MX$144

$12.92 F CFA 7,416

-35.91%

Chicken Fillets (1kg)

$8.43 MX$147

$9.08 F CFA 5,214

-7.16%

Beef Round Steak (1kg)

$10.68 MX$186

$10.94 F CFA 6,279

-2.38%

Apples (1kg)

$2.61 MX$45.43

$2.74 F CFA 1,573

-4.74%

Banana (1kg)

$1.44 MX$25.04

$1.90 F CFA 1,091

-24.21%

Oranges (1kg)

$1.96 MX$34.16

$2.60 F CFA 1,493

-24.62%

Tomato (1kg)

$2.09 MX$36.47

$2.08 F CFA 1,194

0.48%

Potato (1kg)

$1.85 MX$32.24

$1.49 F CFA 858

24.16%

Onion (1kg)

$2.17 MX$37.74

$1.35 F CFA 774

60.74%

Lettuce (1 head)

$1.03 MX$17.96

$1.02 F CFA 588

0.98%

Water (1.5 liter bottle)

$1.07 MX$18.70

$0.68 F CFA 390

57.35%

Cigarettes 20 Pack (Marlboro, Camel)

$4.10 MX$71.4

$1.55 F CFA 888

164.52%

Wine (Bottle)

$10.17 MX$177

$17.11 F CFA 9,826

-40.56%

Local Beer (0.5 liter bottle)

$1.68 MX$29.17

$1.19 F CFA 685

41.18%

Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$2.53 MX$43.98

$2.33 F CFA 1,338

8.58%

One-way Ticket (Public Transport)

$0.51 MX$8.87

Public Transport Monthly Pass (Regular Price)

$26.04 MX$453

Taxi Start (Normal Tariff)

$3.23 MX$56.3

$0.92 F CFA 528

251.09%

Taxi (Normal Tariff) (1km)

$2.41 MX$41.88

$2.85 F CFA 1,635

-15.44%

Taxi 1hour Waiting (Normal Tariff)

$3.23 MX$56.2

$17.70 F CFA 10.2K

-81.75%

Gasoline (1 liter)

$1.32 MX$23.00

$1.80 F CFA 1,031

-26.67%

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

$29.7K MX$517.1K

$36.0K F CFA 20.7M

-17.52%

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

$23.7K MX$412.0K

$50.3K F CFA 28.9M

-52.93%

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

$82.0 MX$1,428

$140 F CFA 80.1K

-41.24%

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

$22.95 MX$400

$9.72 F CFA 5,582

136.11%

Internet (50+ Mbps, Unlimited Data)

$30.11 MX$524

$50.1 F CFA 28.7K

-39.85%

Gym Membership (Monthly)

$52.0 MX$905

Tennis Court (1 Hour on Weekend)

$18.53 MX$323

Cinema Ticket

$4.98 MX$86.6

$9.06 F CFA 5,200

-45.03%

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

$197 MX$3,438

$267 F CFA 153.1K

-25.95%

International Primary School, 1 Child (Yearly)

$5,336 MX$92.9K

$7,248 F CFA 4.2M

-26.38%

Jeans (Levis 501 Or Similar)

$35.60 MX$620

$67.6 F CFA 38.8K

-47.35%

Summer Dress (H&M, Zara, etc)

$40.33 MX$702

$43.90 F CFA 25.2K

-8.13%

Sport Shoes (Adidas, Nike)

$78.8 MX$1,371

$103 F CFA 59.1K

-23.46%

Men's Leather Business Shoes

$88.9 MX$1,549

$128 F CFA 73.7K

-30.68%

1-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)

$947 MX$16.5K

$443 F CFA 254.2K

113.87%

1-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)

$474 MX$8,254

3-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)

$1,644 MX$28.6K

3-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)

$1,211 MX$21.1K

Buy Apartment in City Center (m2)

$4,056 MX$70.6K

Buy Apartment Outside City Center (m2)

$6,470 MX$112.7K

Average Monthly Net Salary (After Tax)

$654 MX$11.4K

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: July 13, 2026

Last update for Saint-Louis: July 11, 2026

Cost Breakdown

A central one-bedroom costs $947 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 $273 – 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 61%, 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 $1,174 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 $1,256 in Playa del Carmen and $783 in Saint-Louis. The difference isn't just one category – it shows up across housing, food, transport, and services.

Kindergarten costs $197 per month in Playa del Carmen and $267 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 $783, than in Playa del Carmen at $1,256. 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.