😐A single person spends $1,271 per month in Playa del Carmen vs $1,070 in Saint Pierre, rent included.
😐A couple spends around $2,126 per month in Playa del Carmen vs $1,731 in Saint Pierre, rent included.
😐A family of three spends $2,980 per month in Playa del Carmen vs $2,393 in Saint Pierre, rent included.
😐Playa del Carmen costs about 19% 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 Carmen5% lower, Saint Pierre20% lower.
Currency
🍽 Eating Out
Playa del Carmen
Saint Pierre
Difference
Meal at Budget Restaurant
$11.87MX$204
$6.77MUR 319
75.33%
Three-Course Dinner for Two, Mid-Range
$42.90MX$736
$44.04MUR 2,074
-2.59%
Fast Food Meal(McDonalds, etc)
$10.65MX$183
$7.14MUR 336
49.16%
Cappuccino
$3.45MX$59.2
$2.65MUR 125
30.19%
Coke/Pepsi/Fanta/Sprite(0.33 liter bottle)
$1.50MX$25.81
$0.95MUR 44.81
57.89%
Water(0.33 liter bottle)
$0.95MX$16.28
$0.56MUR 26.22
69.64%
Local Beer(0.5 liter draught)
$3.03MX$51.9
$2.24MUR 106
35.27%
Imported Beer(0.33 liter bottle)
$4.61MX$79.1
$3.29MUR 155
40.12%
🛒 Groceries & Markets
Playa del Carmen
Saint Pierre
Difference
Milk(1 liter)
$1.38MX$23.61
$1.64MUR 77.2
-15.85%
White Bread(500g)
$1.85MX$31.70
$0.67MUR 31.47
176.12%
Rice(white)(1kg)
$1.61MX$27.65
$1.28MUR 60.1
25.78%
Eggs
$2.59MX$44.51
$2.34MUR 110
10.68%
Local Cheese(1kg)
$8.26MX$142
$11.71MUR 551
-29.46%
Chicken Fillets(1kg)
$8.37MX$144
$6.32MUR 298
32.44%
Beef Round Steak(1kg)
$10.66MX$183
$12.72MUR 599
-16.19%
Apples(1kg)
$2.63MX$45.12
$2.06MUR 96.8
27.67%
Banana(1kg)
$1.49MX$25.53
$2.01MUR 94.5
-25.87%
Oranges(1kg)
$1.92MX$32.94
$1.51MUR 71.0
27.15%
Tomato(1kg)
$2.09MX$35.81
$2.61MUR 123
-19.92%
Potato(1kg)
$1.86MX$31.88
$1.00MUR 46.99
86.00%
Onion(1kg)
$2.26MX$38.81
$1.02MUR 47.88
121.57%
Lettuce(1 head)
$1.06MX$18.23
$0.84MUR 39.42
26.19%
Water(1.5 liter bottle)
$1.09MX$18.67
$0.74MUR 34.90
47.30%
Cigarettes 20 Pack(Marlboro, Camel)
$4.15MX$71.2
$6.45MUR 304
-35.66%
Wine(Bottle)
$10.39MX$178
$8.51MUR 401
22.09%
Local Beer(0.5 liter bottle)
$1.72MX$29.59
$1.72MUR 81.2
-
Imported Beer(0.33 liter bottle)
$2.61MX$44.85
$2.15MUR 101
21.40%
🚌 Getting Around
Playa del Carmen
Saint Pierre
Difference
One-way Ticket(Public Transport)
$0.54MX$9.30
$1.04MUR 48.88
-48.08%
Public Transport Monthly Pass(Regular Price)
$26.94MX$462
-
-
Taxi Start(Normal Tariff)
$3.13MX$53.7
$4.52MUR 213
-30.75%
Taxi(Normal Tariff)(1km)
$2.51MX$43.09
$2.68MUR 126
-6.34%
Taxi 1hour Waiting(Normal Tariff)
$3.15MX$54.1
$19.71MUR 928
-84.02%
Gasoline(1 liter)
$1.27MX$21.88
$1.40MUR 66.2
-9.29%
Midsize Hatchback 1.4l(Volkswagen Golf, Toyota Prius, Honda Civic, etc)
$30.4KMX$521.3K
$36.3KMUR 1.7M
-16.37%
Compact Sedan 1.6l(Toyota Corolla, Mazda3, Kia K4, Hyundai Elantra, etc)
$23.6KMX$404.5K
$28.9KMUR 1.4M
-18.34%
🧾 Monthly Utilities & Internet
Playa del Carmen
Saint Pierre
Difference
Utilities for 2 People in 2-bedroom Apartment(Heating, Electricity, Gas, Water, Garbage)(85m2)
$83.0MX$1,425
$49.91MUR 2,350
66.30%
SIM Card Monthly Plan(Calls and 10GB+ Data)
$22.71MX$390
$18.64MUR 878
21.83%
Internet(50+ Mbps, Unlimited Data)
$29.46MX$506
$33.03MUR 1,556
-10.81%
🎉 Sport & Entertainment
Playa del Carmen
Saint Pierre
Difference
Gym Membership(Monthly)
$51.0MX$875
$38.75MUR 1,825
31.61%
Tennis Court(1 Hour on Weekend)
$18.33MX$315
-
-
Cinema Ticket
$4.93MX$84.5
$6.19MUR 291
-20.36%
🧸 Childcare & Education
Playa del Carmen
Saint Pierre
Difference
Preschool or Kindergarten, Full Day, Private, 1 Child(Monthly)
$197MX$3,386
$155MUR 7,314
27.03%
International Primary School, 1 Child(Yearly)
$5,280MX$90.6K
$3,891MUR 183.2K
35.69%
👕👟 Clothing & Footwear
Playa del Carmen
Saint Pierre
Difference
Jeans(Levis 501 Or Similar)
$36.90MX$633
$84.6MUR 3,982
-56.37%
Summer Dress(H&M, Zara, etc)
$39.89MX$685
$79.4MUR 3,738
-49.75%
Sport Shoes(Adidas, Nike)
$80.0MX$1,373
$132MUR 6,235
-39.57%
Men's Leather Business Shoes
$89.5MX$1,536
$94.8MUR 4,465
-5.64%
🏠 Accommodation & Living
Playa del Carmen
Saint Pierre
Difference
1-bedroom Apartment, City Center(Monthly)
$956MX$16.4K
$508MUR 23.9K
88.15%
1-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center(Monthly)
$477MX$8,189
$355MUR 16.7K
34.57%
3-bedroom Apartment, City Center(Monthly)
$1,646MX$28.3K
$953MUR 44.9K
72.75%
3-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center(Monthly)
$1,225MX$21.0K
$722MUR 34.0K
69.69%
Buy Apartment in City Center(m2)
$3,918MX$67.2K
-
-
Buy Apartment Outside City Center(m2)
$6,459MX$110.9K
-
-
💵 Salaries & Financials
Playa del Carmen
Saint Pierre
Difference
Average Monthly Net Salary(After Tax)
$667MX$11.4K
-
-
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: June 7, 2026
Last update for Saint Pierre: June 8, 2026
Cost Breakdown
🏠A central one-bedroom costs $956 in Playa del Carmen versus $508 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 $44.00 in Saint Pierre. Groceries tell a different story – $250 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 19%, 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 $1,906 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 $1,271 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 $197 per month in Playa del Carmen and $155 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 $1,271. 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