😐A single person spends $1,260 per month in Playa del Carmen vs $1,042 in Saint Pierre, rent included.
😐A couple spends around $2,125 per month in Playa del Carmen vs $1,722 in Saint Pierre, rent included.
😐A family of three spends $2,990 per month in Playa del Carmen vs $2,401 in Saint Pierre, rent included.
😐Playa del Carmen costs about 21% 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 Pierre22% lower.
Currency
🍽 Eating Out
Playa del Carmen
Saint Pierre
Difference
Meal at Budget Restaurant
$11.72MX$204
$6.57MUR 310
78.39%
Three-Course Dinner for Two, Mid-Range
$41.89MX$731
$44.01MUR 2,078
-4.82%
Fast Food Meal(McDonalds, etc)
$10.51MX$183
$7.03MUR 332
49.50%
Cappuccino
$3.59MX$62.5
$2.65MUR 125
35.47%
Coke/Pepsi/Fanta/Sprite(0.33 liter bottle)
$1.51MX$26.31
$0.97MUR 45.75
55.67%
Water(0.33 liter bottle)
$0.92MX$15.96
$0.60MUR 28.26
53.33%
Local Beer(0.5 liter draught)
$2.96MX$51.6
$2.24MUR 106
32.14%
Imported Beer(0.33 liter bottle)
$4.41MX$76.9
$3.24MUR 153
36.11%
🛒 Groceries & Markets
Playa del Carmen
Saint Pierre
Difference
Milk(1 liter)
$1.40MX$24.35
$1.69MUR 79.6
-17.16%
White Bread(500g)
$1.88MX$32.87
$0.70MUR 33.27
168.57%
Rice(white)(1kg)
$1.56MX$27.19
$1.34MUR 63.1
16.42%
Eggs
$2.61MX$45.50
$2.23MUR 105
17.04%
Local Cheese(1kg)
$8.32MX$145
$12.08MUR 570
-31.13%
Chicken Fillets(1kg)
$8.35MX$146
$6.05MUR 286
38.02%
Beef Round Steak(1kg)
$10.86MX$189
$12.67MUR 598
-14.29%
Apples(1kg)
$2.71MX$47.31
$1.97MUR 93.1
37.56%
Banana(1kg)
$1.51MX$26.25
$2.02MUR 95.2
-25.25%
Oranges(1kg)
$1.87MX$32.67
$1.43MUR 67.4
30.77%
Tomato(1kg)
$2.19MX$38.19
$2.71MUR 128
-19.19%
Potato(1kg)
$1.86MX$32.40
$1.00MUR 47.08
86.00%
Onion(1kg)
$2.23MX$38.90
$0.93MUR 44.00
139.78%
Lettuce(1 head)
$1.07MX$18.63
$0.84MUR 39.62
27.38%
Water(1.5 liter bottle)
$1.09MX$18.94
$0.76MUR 35.81
43.42%
Cigarettes 20 Pack(Marlboro, Camel)
$4.19MX$73.0
$6.79MUR 320
-38.29%
Wine(Bottle)
$10.43MX$182
$8.55MUR 404
21.99%
Local Beer(0.5 liter bottle)
$1.66MX$28.91
$1.72MUR 81.3
-3.49%
Imported Beer(0.33 liter bottle)
$2.61MX$45.56
$2.24MUR 106
16.52%
🚌 Getting Around
Playa del Carmen
Saint Pierre
Difference
One-way Ticket(Public Transport)
$0.54MX$9.45
$1.03MUR 48.84
-47.57%
Public Transport Monthly Pass(Regular Price)
$26.16MX$456
-
-
Taxi Start(Normal Tariff)
$3.08MX$53.7
$4.37MUR 206
-29.52%
Taxi(Normal Tariff)(1km)
$2.40MX$41.94
$2.59MUR 122
-7.34%
Taxi 1hour Waiting(Normal Tariff)
$3.13MX$54.5
$19.61MUR 926
-84.04%
Gasoline(1 liter)
$1.31MX$22.87
$1.44MUR 68.1
-9.03%
Midsize Hatchback 1.4l(Volkswagen Golf, Toyota Prius, Honda Civic, etc)
$29.8KMX$519.9K
$35.2KMUR 1.7M
-15.23%
Compact Sedan 1.6l(Toyota Corolla, Mazda3, Kia K4, Hyundai Elantra, etc)
$23.3KMX$406.8K
$28.7KMUR 1.4M
-18.64%
🧾 Monthly Utilities & Internet
Playa del Carmen
Saint Pierre
Difference
Utilities for 2 People in 2-bedroom Apartment(Heating, Electricity, Gas, Water, Garbage)(85m2)
$81.3MX$1,418
$50.2MUR 2,370
61.94%
SIM Card Monthly Plan(Calls and 10GB+ Data)
$22.56MX$393
$18.05MUR 852
24.99%
Internet(50+ Mbps, Unlimited Data)
$30.05MX$524
$33.51MUR 1,582
-10.33%
🎉 Sport & Entertainment
Playa del Carmen
Saint Pierre
Difference
Gym Membership(Monthly)
$52.9MX$923
$38.24MUR 1,806
38.36%
Tennis Court(1 Hour on Weekend)
$18.39MX$321
-
-
Cinema Ticket
$4.92MX$85.8
$6.11MUR 288
-19.48%
🧸 Childcare & Education
Playa del Carmen
Saint Pierre
Difference
Preschool or Kindergarten, Full Day, Private, 1 Child(Monthly)
$201MX$3,502
$154MUR 7,275
30.35%
International Primary School, 1 Child(Yearly)
$5,175MX$90.2K
$4,000MUR 188.9K
29.35%
👕👟 Clothing & Footwear
Playa del Carmen
Saint Pierre
Difference
Jeans(Levis 501 Or Similar)
$35.92MX$627
$86.0MUR 4,061
-58.23%
Summer Dress(H&M, Zara, etc)
$40.13MX$700
$79.9MUR 3,773
-49.78%
Sport Shoes(Adidas, Nike)
$79.7MX$1,390
$134MUR 6,304
-40.30%
Men's Leather Business Shoes
$86.5MX$1,508
$96.2MUR 4,541
-10.10%
🏠 Accommodation & Living
Playa del Carmen
Saint Pierre
Difference
1-bedroom Apartment, City Center(Monthly)
$978MX$17.1K
$516MUR 24.3K
89.71%
1-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center(Monthly)
$470MX$8,206
$350MUR 16.5K
34.51%
3-bedroom Apartment, City Center(Monthly)
$1,651MX$28.8K
$942MUR 44.5K
75.33%
3-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center(Monthly)
$1,203MX$21.0K
$711MUR 33.6K
69.29%
Buy Apartment in City Center(m2)
$3,953MX$69.0K
-
-
Buy Apartment Outside City Center(m2)
$6,607MX$115.2K
-
-
💵 Salaries & Financials
Playa del Carmen
Saint Pierre
Difference
Average Monthly Net Salary(After Tax)
$677MX$11.8K
-
-
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: July 27, 2026
Last update for Saint Pierre: July 25, 2026
Cost Breakdown
🏠A central one-bedroom costs $978 in Playa del Carmen versus $516 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 $42.00 in Playa del Carmen versus $44.00 in Saint Pierre. Groceries tell a different story – $252 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 21%, 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 $1,890 per month in Playa del Carmen and $1,563 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 $1,260 in Playa del Carmen and $1,042 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 $201 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 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 $1,042, than in Playa del Carmen at $1,260. 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