😐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 Carmen5% lower, Saint Pierre24% lower.
Currency
🍽 Eating Out
Playa del Carmen
Saint Pierre
Difference
Meal at Budget Restaurant
$11.96MX$203
$5.97MUR 279
100.34%
Three-Course Dinner for Two, Mid-Range
$47.38MX$804
$37.75MUR 1,767
25.51%
Fast Food Meal(McDonalds, etc)
$11.75MX$199
$7.64MUR 358
53.80%
Cappuccino
$4.12MX$70.0
$2.72MUR 127
51.47%
Coke/Pepsi/Fanta/Sprite(0.33 liter bottle)
$1.40MX$23.74
$1.18MUR 55.3
18.64%
Water(0.33 liter bottle)
$0.91MX$15.48
$0.62MUR 29.02
46.77%
Local Beer(0.5 liter draught)
$3.21MX$54.4
$2.60MUR 122
23.46%
Imported Beer(0.33 liter bottle)
$7.07MX$120
$4.68MUR 219
51.07%
🛒 Groceries & Markets
Playa del Carmen
Saint Pierre
Difference
Milk(1 liter)
$1.68MX$28.44
$1.59MUR 74.5
5.66%
White Bread(500g)
$2.15MX$36.48
$0.79MUR 36.82
172.15%
Rice(white)(1kg)
$1.77MX$30.10
$1.16MUR 54.2
52.59%
Eggs
$2.82MX$47.76
$2.60MUR 122
8.46%
Local Cheese(1kg)
$9.20MX$156
$5.46MUR 255
68.50%
Chicken Fillets(1kg)
$9.23MX$157
$6.27MUR 293
47.21%
Beef Round Steak(1kg)
$12.64MX$214
$11.16MUR 522
13.26%
Apples(1kg)
$2.95MX$50.1
$2.84MUR 133
3.87%
Banana(1kg)
$1.58MX$26.79
$2.67MUR 125
-40.82%
Oranges(1kg)
$2.22MX$37.70
$1.38MUR 64.5
60.87%
Tomato(1kg)
$2.36MX$40.09
$2.99MUR 140
-21.07%
Potato(1kg)
$1.99MX$33.81
$0.99MUR 46.34
101.01%
Onion(1kg)
$1.98MX$33.58
$0.94MUR 43.86
110.64%
Lettuce(1 head)
$1.24MX$21.04
$0.75MUR 35.19
65.33%
Water(1.5 liter bottle)
$1.21MX$20.55
$0.86MUR 40.13
40.70%
Cigarettes 20 Pack(Marlboro, Camel)
$4.60MX$78.1
$6.34MUR 297
-27.44%
Wine(Bottle)
$10.52MX$178
$8.52MUR 399
23.47%
Local Beer(0.5 liter bottle)
$1.69MX$28.70
$1.65MUR 77.1
2.42%
Imported Beer(0.33 liter bottle)
$2.77MX$47.06
$2.39MUR 112
15.90%
🚌 Getting Around
Playa del Carmen
Saint Pierre
Difference
One-way Ticket(Public Transport)
$0.60MX$10.22
-
-
Public Transport Monthly Pass(Regular Price)
$29.70MX$504
-
-
Taxi Start(Normal Tariff)
$5.24MX$88.8
$4.27MUR 200
22.72%
Taxi(Normal Tariff)(1km)
$3.65MX$61.9
$3.10MUR 145
17.74%
Taxi 1hour Waiting(Normal Tariff)
$5.78MX$98.1
$21.26MUR 995
-72.81%
Gasoline(1 liter)
$1.54MX$26.09
$1.40MUR 65.3
10.00%
Midsize Hatchback 1.4l(Volkswagen Golf, Toyota Prius, Honda Civic, etc)
$22.8KMX$386.8K
$36.9KMUR 1.7M
-38.15%
Compact Sedan 1.6l(Toyota Corolla, Mazda3, Kia K4, Hyundai Elantra, etc)
$25.8KMX$437.9K
$30.8KMUR 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)
$90.7MX$1,538
$44.57MUR 2,086
103.43%
SIM Card Monthly Plan(Calls and 10GB+ Data)
$25.19MX$427
$10.45MUR 489
141.05%
Internet(50+ Mbps, Unlimited Data)
$31.75MX$539
$29.44MUR 1,378
7.85%
🎉 Sport & Entertainment
Playa del Carmen
Saint Pierre
Difference
Gym Membership(Monthly)
$68.8MX$1,167
$34.95MUR 1,636
96.82%
Tennis Court(1 Hour on Weekend)
$29.37MX$498
-
-
Cinema Ticket
$4.86MX$82.5
$6.52MUR 305
-25.46%
🧸 Childcare & Education
Playa del Carmen
Saint Pierre
Difference
Preschool or Kindergarten, Full Day, Private, 1 Child(Monthly)
$226MX$3,828
$125MUR 5,845
80.70%
International Primary School, 1 Child(Yearly)
$4,194MX$71.1K
$7,568MUR 354.2K
-44.59%
👕👟 Clothing & Footwear
Playa del Carmen
Saint Pierre
Difference
Jeans(Levis 501 Or Similar)
$47.38MX$804
$78.2MUR 3,661
-39.43%
Summer Dress(H&M, Zara, etc)
$43.45MX$737
$75.0MUR 3,511
-42.08%
Sport Shoes(Adidas, Nike)
$80.2MX$1,361
$121MUR 5,673
-33.82%
Men's Leather Business Shoes
$91.4MX$1,550
$77.9MUR 3,646
17.30%
🏠 Accommodation & Living
Playa del Carmen
Saint Pierre
Difference
1-bedroom Apartment, City Center(Monthly)
$1,086MX$18.4K
$588MUR 27.5K
84.73%
1-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center(Monthly)
$409MX$6,933
$404MUR 18.9K
1.18%
3-bedroom Apartment, City Center(Monthly)
$1,972MX$33.5K
$1,107MUR 51.8K
78.08%
3-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center(Monthly)
$1,281MX$21.7K
$837MUR 39.2K
53.09%
Buy Apartment in City Center(m2)
$4,046MX$68.6K
-
-
Buy Apartment Outside City Center(m2)
$6,704MX$113.7K
-
-
💵 Salaries & Financials
Playa del Carmen
Saint Pierre
Difference
Average Monthly Net Salary(After Tax)
$773MX$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.
Playa del Carmen vs other spots: cost of living compared