😐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 Carmen4% lower, Saint Pierre20% lower.
Currency
🍽 Eating Out
Playa del Carmen
Saint Pierre
Difference
Meal at Budget Restaurant
$11.94MX$208
$6.73MUR 315
77.41%
Three-Course Dinner for Two, Mid-Range
$42.75MX$744
$44.71MUR 2,090
-4.38%
Fast Food Meal(McDonalds, etc)
$10.59MX$184
$7.26MUR 339
45.87%
Cappuccino
$3.62MX$63.0
$2.55MUR 119
41.96%
Coke/Pepsi/Fanta/Sprite(0.33 liter bottle)
$1.47MX$25.54
$1.04MUR 48.47
41.35%
Water(0.33 liter bottle)
$0.94MX$16.41
$0.60MUR 28.15
56.67%
Local Beer(0.5 liter draught)
$3.09MX$53.8
$2.26MUR 106
36.73%
Imported Beer(0.33 liter bottle)
$4.46MX$77.6
$3.24MUR 152
37.65%
🛒 Groceries & Markets
Playa del Carmen
Saint Pierre
Difference
Milk(1 liter)
$1.43MX$24.80
$1.64MUR 76.8
-12.80%
White Bread(500g)
$1.88MX$32.79
$0.69MUR 32.35
172.46%
Rice(white)(1kg)
$1.63MX$28.34
$1.27MUR 59.4
28.35%
Eggs
$2.64MX$45.99
$2.31MUR 108
14.29%
Local Cheese(1kg)
$8.21MX$143
$11.99MUR 561
-31.53%
Chicken Fillets(1kg)
$8.29MX$144
$6.07MUR 284
36.57%
Beef Round Steak(1kg)
$11.10MX$193
$12.40MUR 580
-10.48%
Apples(1kg)
$2.65MX$46.14
$1.98MUR 92.4
33.84%
Banana(1kg)
$1.50MX$26.11
$1.97MUR 91.9
-23.86%
Oranges(1kg)
$1.99MX$34.59
$1.51MUR 70.5
31.79%
Tomato(1kg)
$2.08MX$36.13
$2.71MUR 126
-23.25%
Potato(1kg)
$1.79MX$31.11
$0.99MUR 46.15
80.81%
Onion(1kg)
$2.18MX$37.87
$0.95MUR 44.31
129.47%
Lettuce(1 head)
$1.08MX$18.73
$0.78MUR 36.48
38.46%
Water(1.5 liter bottle)
$1.04MX$18.04
$0.81MUR 37.86
28.40%
Cigarettes 20 Pack(Marlboro, Camel)
$3.97MX$69.1
$6.52MUR 305
-39.11%
Wine(Bottle)
$10.20MX$178
$8.81MUR 412
15.78%
Local Beer(0.5 liter bottle)
$1.73MX$30.04
$1.72MUR 80.5
0.58%
Imported Beer(0.33 liter bottle)
$2.50MX$43.46
$2.24MUR 105
11.61%
🚌 Getting Around
Playa del Carmen
Saint Pierre
Difference
One-way Ticket(Public Transport)
$0.52MX$9.02
$1.04MUR 48.75
-50.00%
Public Transport Monthly Pass(Regular Price)
$26.97MX$469
-
-
Taxi Start(Normal Tariff)
$3.14MX$54.7
$4.49MUR 210
-30.07%
Taxi(Normal Tariff)(1km)
$2.40MX$41.80
$2.65MUR 124
-9.43%
Taxi 1hour Waiting(Normal Tariff)
$3.09MX$53.7
$19.62MUR 917
-84.25%
Gasoline(1 liter)
$1.27MX$22.16
$1.40MUR 65.5
-9.29%
Midsize Hatchback 1.4l(Volkswagen Golf, Toyota Prius, Honda Civic, etc)
$30.9KMX$537.3K
$35.1KMUR 1.6M
-12.02%
Compact Sedan 1.6l(Toyota Corolla, Mazda3, Kia K4, Hyundai Elantra, etc)
$23.3KMX$405.7K
$28.4KMUR 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)
$82.0MX$1,427
$48.84MUR 2,283
67.92%
SIM Card Monthly Plan(Calls and 10GB+ Data)
$22.45MX$391
$18.05MUR 844
24.38%
Internet(50+ Mbps, Unlimited Data)
$29.66MX$516
$33.70MUR 1,576
-11.99%
🎉 Sport & Entertainment
Playa del Carmen
Saint Pierre
Difference
Gym Membership(Monthly)
$51.9MX$903
$37.75MUR 1,765
37.40%
Tennis Court(1 Hour on Weekend)
$18.67MX$325
-
-
Cinema Ticket
$4.97MX$86.5
$6.10MUR 285
-18.52%
🧸 Childcare & Education
Playa del Carmen
Saint Pierre
Difference
Preschool or Kindergarten, Full Day, Private, 1 Child(Monthly)
$198MX$3,442
$154MUR 7,189
28.64%
International Primary School, 1 Child(Yearly)
$5,273MX$91.7K
$3,971MUR 185.6K
32.78%
👕👟 Clothing & Footwear
Playa del Carmen
Saint Pierre
Difference
Jeans(Levis 501 Or Similar)
$36.34MX$632
$86.1MUR 4,024
-57.78%
Summer Dress(H&M, Zara, etc)
$40.05MX$697
$80.5MUR 3,761
-50.22%
Sport Shoes(Adidas, Nike)
$79.9MX$1,390
$130MUR 6,100
-38.78%
Men's Leather Business Shoes
$88.9MX$1,547
$94.1MUR 4,400
-5.57%
🏠 Accommodation & Living
Playa del Carmen
Saint Pierre
Difference
1-bedroom Apartment, City Center(Monthly)
$963MX$16.8K
$503MUR 23.5K
91.48%
1-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center(Monthly)
$465MX$8,086
$348MUR 16.3K
33.55%
3-bedroom Apartment, City Center(Monthly)
$1,596MX$27.8K
$943MUR 44.1K
69.24%
3-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center(Monthly)
$1,209MX$21.0K
$713MUR 33.3K
69.62%
Buy Apartment in City Center(m2)
$3,942MX$68.6K
-
-
Buy Apartment Outside City Center(m2)
$6,448MX$112.2K
-
-
💵 Salaries & Financials
Playa del Carmen
Saint Pierre
Difference
Average Monthly Net Salary(After Tax)
$720MX$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.
Playa del Carmen vs other spots: cost of living compared