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

Monthly Cost of Living

A single person spends $1,305 per month in Playa del Carmen vs $1,052 in Saint Pierre, rent included.

A couple spends around $2,334 per month in Playa del Carmen vs $1,720 in Saint Pierre, rent included.

A family of three spends $3,362 per month in Playa del Carmen vs $2,389 in Saint Pierre, rent included.

Playa del Carmen costs about 24% more than Saint Pierre, driven mainly by Eating Out.

Both Playa del Carmen and Saint Pierre are more affordable than the global median – Playa del Carmen 5% lower, Saint Pierre 24% lower.

Currency
🍽 Eating Out
Playa del Carmen
Saint Pierre
Difference
Meal at Budget Restaurant
$11.96 MX$203
$5.97 MUR 279
100.34%
Three-Course Dinner for Two, Mid-Range
$47.38 MX$804
$37.75 MUR 1,767
25.51%
Fast Food Meal (McDonalds, etc)
$11.75 MX$199
$7.64 MUR 358
53.80%
Cappuccino
$4.12 MX$70.0
$2.72 MUR 127
51.47%
Coke/Pepsi/Fanta/Sprite (0.33 liter bottle)
$1.40 MX$23.74
$1.18 MUR 55.3
18.64%
Water (0.33 liter bottle)
$0.91 MX$15.48
$0.62 MUR 29.02
46.77%
Local Beer (0.5 liter draught)
$3.21 MX$54.4
$2.60 MUR 122
23.46%
Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)
$7.07 MX$120
$4.68 MUR 219
51.07%
🛒 Groceries & Markets
Playa del Carmen
Saint Pierre
Difference
Milk (1 liter)
$1.68 MX$28.44
$1.59 MUR 74.5
5.66%
White Bread (500g)
$2.15 MX$36.48
$0.79 MUR 36.82
172.15%
Rice (white) (1kg)
$1.77 MX$30.10
$1.16 MUR 54.2
52.59%
Eggs
$2.82 MX$47.76
$2.60 MUR 122
8.46%
Local Cheese (1kg)
$9.20 MX$156
$5.46 MUR 255
68.50%
Chicken Fillets (1kg)
$9.23 MX$157
$6.27 MUR 293
47.21%
Beef Round Steak (1kg)
$12.64 MX$214
$11.16 MUR 522
13.26%
Apples (1kg)
$2.95 MX$50.1
$2.84 MUR 133
3.87%
Banana (1kg)
$1.58 MX$26.79
$2.67 MUR 125
-40.82%
Oranges (1kg)
$2.22 MX$37.70
$1.38 MUR 64.5
60.87%
Tomato (1kg)
$2.36 MX$40.09
$2.99 MUR 140
-21.07%
Potato (1kg)
$1.99 MX$33.81
$0.99 MUR 46.34
101.01%
Onion (1kg)
$1.98 MX$33.58
$0.94 MUR 43.86
110.64%
Lettuce (1 head)
$1.24 MX$21.04
$0.75 MUR 35.19
65.33%
Water (1.5 liter bottle)
$1.21 MX$20.55
$0.86 MUR 40.13
40.70%
Cigarettes 20 Pack (Marlboro, Camel)
$4.60 MX$78.1
$6.34 MUR 297
-27.44%
Wine (Bottle)
$10.52 MX$178
$8.52 MUR 399
23.47%
Local Beer (0.5 liter bottle)
$1.69 MX$28.70
$1.65 MUR 77.1
2.42%
Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)
$2.77 MX$47.06
$2.39 MUR 112
15.90%
🚌 Getting Around
Playa del Carmen
Saint Pierre
Difference
One-way Ticket (Public Transport)
$0.60 MX$10.22
-
-
Public Transport Monthly Pass (Regular Price)
$29.70 MX$504
-
-
Taxi Start (Normal Tariff)
$5.24 MX$88.8
$4.27 MUR 200
22.72%
Taxi (Normal Tariff) (1km)
$3.65 MX$61.9
$3.10 MUR 145
17.74%
Taxi 1hour Waiting (Normal Tariff)
$5.78 MX$98.1
$21.26 MUR 995
-72.81%
Gasoline (1 liter)
$1.54 MX$26.09
$1.40 MUR 65.3
10.00%
Midsize Hatchback 1.4l (Volkswagen Golf, Toyota Prius, Honda Civic, etc)
$22.8K MX$386.8K
$36.9K MUR 1.7M
-38.15%
Compact Sedan 1.6l (Toyota Corolla, Mazda3, Kia K4, Hyundai Elantra, etc)
$25.8K MX$437.9K
$30.8K MUR 1.4M
-16.32%
🧾 Monthly Utilities & Internet
Playa del Carmen
Saint Pierre
Difference
Utilities for 2 People in 2-bedroom Apartment (Heating, Electricity, Gas, Water, Garbage) (85m2)
$90.7 MX$1,538
$44.57 MUR 2,086
103.43%
SIM Card Monthly Plan (Calls and 10GB+ Data)
$25.19 MX$427
$10.45 MUR 489
141.05%
Internet (50+ Mbps, Unlimited Data)
$31.75 MX$539
$29.44 MUR 1,378
7.85%
🎉 Sport & Entertainment
Playa del Carmen
Saint Pierre
Difference
Gym Membership (Monthly)
$68.8 MX$1,167
$34.95 MUR 1,636
96.82%
Tennis Court (1 Hour on Weekend)
$29.37 MX$498
-
-
Cinema Ticket
$4.86 MX$82.5
$6.52 MUR 305
-25.46%
🧸 Childcare & Education
Playa del Carmen
Saint Pierre
Difference
Preschool or Kindergarten, Full Day, Private, 1 Child (Monthly)
$226 MX$3,828
$125 MUR 5,845
80.70%
International Primary School, 1 Child (Yearly)
$4,194 MX$71.1K
$7,568 MUR 354.2K
-44.59%
👕👟 Clothing & Footwear
Playa del Carmen
Saint Pierre
Difference
Jeans (Levis 501 Or Similar)
$47.38 MX$804
$78.2 MUR 3,661
-39.43%
Summer Dress (H&M, Zara, etc)
$43.45 MX$737
$75.0 MUR 3,511
-42.08%
Sport Shoes (Adidas, Nike)
$80.2 MX$1,361
$121 MUR 5,673
-33.82%
Men's Leather Business Shoes
$91.4 MX$1,550
$77.9 MUR 3,646
17.30%
🏠 Accommodation & Living
Playa del Carmen
Saint Pierre
Difference
1-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)
$1,086 MX$18.4K
$588 MUR 27.5K
84.73%
1-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)
$409 MX$6,933
$404 MUR 18.9K
1.18%
3-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)
$1,972 MX$33.5K
$1,107 MUR 51.8K
78.08%
3-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)
$1,281 MX$21.7K
$837 MUR 39.2K
53.09%
Buy Apartment in City Center (m2)
$4,046 MX$68.6K
-
-
Buy Apartment Outside City Center (m2)
$6,704 MX$113.7K
-
-
💵 Salaries & Financials
Playa del Carmen
Saint Pierre
Difference
Average Monthly Net Salary (After Tax)
$773 MX$13.1K
-
-
20-Year Fixed Mortgage Interest Rate (Annual %)
11.45
6.67
71.66%

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

Last update for Playa del Carmen: September 7, 2026

Last update for Saint Pierre: September 6, 2026

Cost Breakdown

A central one-bedroom costs $1,086 in Playa del Carmen versus $588 in Saint Pierre. 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 $47.00 in Playa del Carmen versus $38.00 in Saint Pierre. Monthly groceries follow the same trend: $278 vs $219 – making Saint Pierre 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 Pierre: Cost of Living - Frequently Asked Questions
Is Saint Pierre cheaper than Playa del Carmen?
Yes – Playa del Carmen is pricier by about 24%, and the gap shows up most in Eating Out. It's not just housing either; the difference applies across most spending categories.
What income do you need for each city?
For a comfortable life, plan on about $1,958 per month in Playa del Carmen and $1,577 in Saint Pierre. That covers rent, food, utilities, transport, and enough left over to feel settled – not just surviving.
Which city has lower housing costs?
Rent is clearly cheaper in Saint Pierre, especially for central apartments. Housing is actually the single biggest factor behind the overall cost gap between these two cities.
What are total monthly expenses in Playa del Carmen and in Saint Pierre?
Monthly expenses with rent come to $1,305 in Playa del Carmen and $1,052 in Saint Pierre. The difference isn't just one category – it shows up across housing, food, transport, and services.
Which city has cheaper kindergarten?
Kindergarten costs $226 per month in Playa del Carmen and $125 in Saint Pierre. For families with young kids, this one expense can tip the scales when choosing between the two cities.
Is $1,500 a realistic budget for living in Playa del Carmen or in Saint Pierre?
A $1,500 monthly budget goes further in Saint Pierre, where all-in costs run around $1,052, than in Playa del Carmen at $1,305. In Saint Pierre it covers expenses comfortably, while in Playa del Carmen it requires careful planning or may not stretch far enough.
Is Playa del Carmen or Saint Pierre more family-friendly?
Families tend to lean toward Saint Pierre – lower housing and cheaper childcare make a real difference, especially on a single income or when paying for private education.
Which city is safer, Playa del Carmen or Saint Pierre?
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.
Which city is the better choice to relocate to?
If budget matters most, go with Saint Pierre. 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.

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