Cost of Living Comparison Between Playa del Carmen and San Pedro de Macoris Cost of Living Comparison Between Playa del Carmen and San Pedro de Macoris

Monthly Cost of Living

A single person spends $1,266 per month in Playa del Carmen vs $648 in San Pedro de Macoris, rent included.

A couple spends around $2,279 per month in Playa del Carmen vs $1,037 in San Pedro de Macoris, rent included.

A family of three spends $3,292 per month in Playa del Carmen vs $1,427 in San Pedro de Macoris, rent included.

Playa del Carmen costs about 95% more than San Pedro de Macoris, driven mainly by Eating Out.

Both Playa del Carmen and San Pedro de Macoris are more affordable than the global median – Playa del Carmen 7% lower, San Pedro de Macoris 53% lower.

Meal at Budget Restaurant

$11.60 MX$199

$6.01 DOP 354

93.01%

Three-Course Dinner for Two, Mid-Range

$47.11 MX$809

$42.44 DOP 2,501

11.00%

Fast Food Meal (McDonalds, etc)

$11.88 MX$204

$7.10 DOP 418

67.32%

Cappuccino

$3.98 MX$68.2

$1.82 DOP 108

118.68%

Coke/Pepsi/Fanta/Sprite (0.33 liter bottle)

$1.43 MX$24.49

$0.69 DOP 40.67

107.25%

Water (0.33 liter bottle)

$0.82 MX$14.16

$0.38 DOP 22.65

115.79%

Local Beer (0.5 liter draught)

$3.19 MX$54.7

$2.60 DOP 153

22.69%

Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$6.79 MX$117

$4.08 DOP 241

66.42%

Milk (1 liter)

$1.68 MX$28.76

$1.20 DOP 70.6

40.00%

White Bread (500g)

$2.20 MX$37.71

$1.86 DOP 110

18.28%

Rice (white) (1kg)

$1.71 MX$29.32

$1.59 DOP 94.0

7.55%

Eggs

$2.74 MX$47.05

$1.52 DOP 89.6

80.26%

Local Cheese (1kg)

$9.58 MX$164

$6.47 DOP 382

48.07%

Chicken Fillets (1kg)

$9.01 MX$155

$3.56 DOP 210

153.09%

Beef Round Steak (1kg)

$12.81 MX$220

$4.89 DOP 288

161.96%

Apples (1kg)

$2.89 MX$49.58

$3.69 DOP 218

-21.68%

Banana (1kg)

$1.50 MX$25.70

$1.49 DOP 87.8

0.67%

Oranges (1kg)

$2.15 MX$36.87

$3.27 DOP 193

-34.25%

Tomato (1kg)

$2.26 MX$38.79

$2.28 DOP 134

-0.88%

Potato (1kg)

$1.98 MX$34.00

$3.55 DOP 209

-44.23%

Onion (1kg)

$1.99 MX$34.15

$2.91 DOP 172

-31.62%

Lettuce (1 head)

$1.23 MX$21.18

$0.94 DOP 55.5

30.85%

Water (1.5 liter bottle)

$1.20 MX$20.54

$1.64 DOP 96.7

-26.83%

Cigarettes 20 Pack (Marlboro, Camel)

$4.55 MX$78.1

$4.80 DOP 283

-5.21%

Wine (Bottle)

$10.37 MX$178

$16.62 DOP 980

-37.61%

Local Beer (0.5 liter bottle)

$1.62 MX$27.79

$2.91 DOP 171

-44.33%

Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$2.88 MX$49.44

$3.29 DOP 194

-12.46%

One-way Ticket (Public Transport)

$0.60 MX$10.30

Public Transport Monthly Pass (Regular Price)

$28.80 MX$494

Taxi Start (Normal Tariff)

$5.39 MX$92.5

$2.50 DOP 147

115.60%

Taxi (Normal Tariff) (1km)

$3.73 MX$64.0

$3.29 DOP 194

13.37%

Taxi 1hour Waiting (Normal Tariff)

$5.77 MX$99.0

Gasoline (1 liter)

$1.54 MX$26.37

$1.27 DOP 74.6

21.26%

Midsize Hatchback 1.4l (Volkswagen Golf, Toyota Prius, Honda Civic, etc)

$22.5K MX$387.0K

$15.0K DOP 881.6K

50.72%

Compact Sedan 1.6l (Toyota Corolla, Mazda3, Kia K4, Hyundai Elantra, etc)

$26.1K MX$447.3K

$26.1K DOP 1.5M

-0.12%

Utilities for 2 People in 2-bedroom Apartment (Heating, Electricity, Gas, Water, Garbage) (85m2)

$91.4 MX$1,569

$96.4 DOP 5,683

-5.25%

SIM Card Monthly Plan (Calls and 10GB+ Data)

$25.20 MX$433

$27.94 DOP 1,646

-9.81%

Internet (50+ Mbps, Unlimited Data)

$31.24 MX$536

$31.01 DOP 1,827

0.74%

Gym Membership (Monthly)

$67.2 MX$1,154

Tennis Court (1 Hour on Weekend)

$29.11 MX$500

Cinema Ticket

$4.86 MX$83.5

$5.22 DOP 307

-6.90%

Preschool or Kindergarten, Full Day, Private, 1 Child (Monthly)

$224 MX$3,839

$154 DOP 9,085

45.06%

International Primary School, 1 Child (Yearly)

$4,229 MX$72.6K

$5,596 DOP 329.8K

-24.43%

Jeans (Levis 501 Or Similar)

$47.10 MX$808

$26.66 DOP 1,571

76.67%

Summer Dress (H&M, Zara, etc)

$44.29 MX$760

$47.06 DOP 2,773

-5.89%

Sport Shoes (Adidas, Nike)

$80.1 MX$1,375

$62.9 DOP 3,704

27.44%

Men's Leather Business Shoes

$92.7 MX$1,591

$68.0 DOP 4,008

36.24%

1-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)

$1,063 MX$18.2K

1-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)

$390 MX$6,698

3-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)

$2,149 MX$36.9K

$430 DOP 25.3K

399.73%

3-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)

$1,272 MX$21.8K

Buy Apartment in City Center (m2)

$4,001 MX$68.7K

Buy Apartment Outside City Center (m2)

$6,502 MX$111.6K

Average Monthly Net Salary (After Tax)

$758 MX$13.0K

20-Year Fixed Mortgage Interest Rate (Annual %)

11.45

4.09%

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

Last update for Playa del Carmen: September 12, 2026

Last update for San Pedro de Macoris: September 12, 2026

Cost Breakdown

A mid-range dinner for two costs $47.00 in Playa del Carmen versus $42.00 in San Pedro de Macoris. Monthly groceries follow the same trend: $276 vs $241 – making San Pedro de Macoris 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 San Pedro de Macoris: Cost of Living - Frequently Asked Questions

Yes – Playa del Carmen is pricier by about 95%, and the gap shows up most in Eating Out. It's not just housing either; the difference applies across most spending categories.

For a comfortable life, plan on about $1,899 per month in Playa del Carmen and $971 in San Pedro de Macoris. That covers rent, food, utilities, transport, and enough left over to feel settled – not just surviving.

Monthly expenses with rent come to $1,266 in Playa del Carmen and $648 in San Pedro de Macoris. The difference isn't just one category – it shows up across housing, food, transport, and services.

Kindergarten costs $224 per month in Playa del Carmen and $154 in San Pedro de Macoris. For families with young kids, this one expense can tip the scales when choosing between the two cities.

A $2,000 monthly budget goes further in San Pedro de Macoris, where all-in costs run around $648, than in Playa del Carmen at $1,266. In San Pedro de Macoris it covers expenses comfortably, while in Playa del Carmen it requires careful planning or may not stretch far enough.

Families tend to lean toward San Pedro de Macoris – lower housing and cheaper childcare make a real difference, especially on a single income or when paying for private education.

If budget matters most, go with San Pedro de Macoris. 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.