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 $1,287 per month in Playa del Carmen vs $1,070 in Saint Pierre, rent included.

A couple spends around $2,184 per month in Playa del Carmen vs $1,717 in Saint Pierre, rent included.

A family of three spends $3,082 per month in Playa del Carmen vs $2,363 in Saint Pierre, rent included.

Playa del Carmen costs about 20% 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 4% lower, Saint Pierre 20% lower.

Currency
🍽 Eating Out
Playa del Carmen
Saint Pierre
Difference
Meal at Budget Restaurant
$11.94 MX$208
$6.73 MUR 315
77.41%
Three-Course Dinner for Two, Mid-Range
$42.75 MX$744
$44.71 MUR 2,090
-4.38%
Fast Food Meal (McDonalds, etc)
$10.59 MX$184
$7.26 MUR 339
45.87%
Cappuccino
$3.62 MX$63.0
$2.55 MUR 119
41.96%
Coke/Pepsi/Fanta/Sprite (0.33 liter bottle)
$1.47 MX$25.54
$1.04 MUR 48.47
41.35%
Water (0.33 liter bottle)
$0.94 MX$16.41
$0.60 MUR 28.15
56.67%
Local Beer (0.5 liter draught)
$3.09 MX$53.8
$2.26 MUR 106
36.73%
Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)
$4.46 MX$77.6
$3.24 MUR 152
37.65%
🛒 Groceries & Markets
Playa del Carmen
Saint Pierre
Difference
Milk (1 liter)
$1.43 MX$24.80
$1.64 MUR 76.8
-12.80%
White Bread (500g)
$1.88 MX$32.79
$0.69 MUR 32.35
172.46%
Rice (white) (1kg)
$1.63 MX$28.34
$1.27 MUR 59.4
28.35%
Eggs
$2.64 MX$45.99
$2.31 MUR 108
14.29%
Local Cheese (1kg)
$8.21 MX$143
$11.99 MUR 561
-31.53%
Chicken Fillets (1kg)
$8.29 MX$144
$6.07 MUR 284
36.57%
Beef Round Steak (1kg)
$11.10 MX$193
$12.40 MUR 580
-10.48%
Apples (1kg)
$2.65 MX$46.14
$1.98 MUR 92.4
33.84%
Banana (1kg)
$1.50 MX$26.11
$1.97 MUR 91.9
-23.86%
Oranges (1kg)
$1.99 MX$34.59
$1.51 MUR 70.5
31.79%
Tomato (1kg)
$2.08 MX$36.13
$2.71 MUR 126
-23.25%
Potato (1kg)
$1.79 MX$31.11
$0.99 MUR 46.15
80.81%
Onion (1kg)
$2.18 MX$37.87
$0.95 MUR 44.31
129.47%
Lettuce (1 head)
$1.08 MX$18.73
$0.78 MUR 36.48
38.46%
Water (1.5 liter bottle)
$1.04 MX$18.04
$0.81 MUR 37.86
28.40%
Cigarettes 20 Pack (Marlboro, Camel)
$3.97 MX$69.1
$6.52 MUR 305
-39.11%
Wine (Bottle)
$10.20 MX$178
$8.81 MUR 412
15.78%
Local Beer (0.5 liter bottle)
$1.73 MX$30.04
$1.72 MUR 80.5
0.58%
Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)
$2.50 MX$43.46
$2.24 MUR 105
11.61%
🚌 Getting Around
Playa del Carmen
Saint Pierre
Difference
One-way Ticket (Public Transport)
$0.52 MX$9.02
$1.04 MUR 48.75
-50.00%
Public Transport Monthly Pass (Regular Price)
$26.97 MX$469
-
-
Taxi Start (Normal Tariff)
$3.14 MX$54.7
$4.49 MUR 210
-30.07%
Taxi (Normal Tariff) (1km)
$2.40 MX$41.80
$2.65 MUR 124
-9.43%
Taxi 1hour Waiting (Normal Tariff)
$3.09 MX$53.7
$19.62 MUR 917
-84.25%
Gasoline (1 liter)
$1.27 MX$22.16
$1.40 MUR 65.5
-9.29%
Midsize Hatchback 1.4l (Volkswagen Golf, Toyota Prius, Honda Civic, etc)
$30.9K MX$537.3K
$35.1K MUR 1.6M
-12.02%
Compact Sedan 1.6l (Toyota Corolla, Mazda3, Kia K4, Hyundai Elantra, etc)
$23.3K MX$405.7K
$28.4K MUR 1.3M
-17.92%
🧾 Monthly Utilities & Internet
Playa del Carmen
Saint Pierre
Difference
Utilities for 2 People in 2-bedroom Apartment (Heating, Electricity, Gas, Water, Garbage) (85m2)
$82.0 MX$1,427
$48.84 MUR 2,283
67.92%
SIM Card Monthly Plan (Calls and 10GB+ Data)
$22.45 MX$391
$18.05 MUR 844
24.38%
Internet (50+ Mbps, Unlimited Data)
$29.66 MX$516
$33.70 MUR 1,576
-11.99%
🎉 Sport & Entertainment
Playa del Carmen
Saint Pierre
Difference
Gym Membership (Monthly)
$51.9 MX$903
$37.75 MUR 1,765
37.40%
Tennis Court (1 Hour on Weekend)
$18.67 MX$325
-
-
Cinema Ticket
$4.97 MX$86.5
$6.10 MUR 285
-18.52%
🧸 Childcare & Education
Playa del Carmen
Saint Pierre
Difference
Preschool or Kindergarten, Full Day, Private, 1 Child (Monthly)
$198 MX$3,442
$154 MUR 7,189
28.64%
International Primary School, 1 Child (Yearly)
$5,273 MX$91.7K
$3,971 MUR 185.6K
32.78%
👕👟 Clothing & Footwear
Playa del Carmen
Saint Pierre
Difference
Jeans (Levis 501 Or Similar)
$36.34 MX$632
$86.1 MUR 4,024
-57.78%
Summer Dress (H&M, Zara, etc)
$40.05 MX$697
$80.5 MUR 3,761
-50.22%
Sport Shoes (Adidas, Nike)
$79.9 MX$1,390
$130 MUR 6,100
-38.78%
Men's Leather Business Shoes
$88.9 MX$1,547
$94.1 MUR 4,400
-5.57%
🏠 Accommodation & Living
Playa del Carmen
Saint Pierre
Difference
1-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)
$963 MX$16.8K
$503 MUR 23.5K
91.48%
1-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)
$465 MX$8,086
$348 MUR 16.3K
33.55%
3-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)
$1,596 MX$27.8K
$943 MUR 44.1K
69.24%
3-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)
$1,209 MX$21.0K
$713 MUR 33.3K
69.62%
Buy Apartment in City Center (m2)
$3,942 MX$68.6K
-
-
Buy Apartment Outside City Center (m2)
$6,448 MX$112.2K
-
-
💵 Salaries & Financials
Playa del Carmen
Saint Pierre
Difference
Average Monthly Net Salary (After Tax)
$720 MX$12.5K
-
-
20-Year Fixed Mortgage Interest Rate (Annual %)
11.42
6.67
71.21%

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

Last update for Playa del Carmen: April 25, 2026

Last update for Saint Pierre: April 26, 2026

Cost Breakdown

A central one-bedroom costs $963 in Playa del Carmen versus $503 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 $43.00 in Playa del Carmen versus $45.00 in Saint Pierre. Groceries tell a different story – $251 in Playa del Carmen vs $231 in Saint Pierre – so Saint Pierre wins on supermarket bills even if dining out costs more.

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 20%, 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 $1,930 per month in Playa del Carmen and $1,605 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 vs Saint Pierre?
Monthly expenses with rent come to $1,287 in Playa del Carmen and $1,070 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 $198 per month in Playa del Carmen and $154 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 Playa del Carmen or Saint Pierre?
A $1,500 monthly budget goes further in Saint Pierre, where all-in costs run around $1,070, than in Playa del Carmen at $1,287. 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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