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 $1,297 per month in Playa del Carmen vs $650 in San Pedro de Macoris, rent included.

A couple spends around $2,181 per month in Playa del Carmen vs $1,094 in San Pedro de Macoris, rent included.

A family of three spends $3,065 per month in Playa del Carmen vs $1,539 in San Pedro de Macoris, rent included.

Playa del Carmen costs about 99% 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 3% lower, San Pedro de Macoris 51% lower.

Meal at Budget Restaurant

$11.73 MX$203

$3.09 DOP 180

279.61%

Three-Course Dinner for Two, Mid-Range

$41.62 MX$720

$51.6 DOP 3,007

-19.26%

Fast Food Meal (McDonalds, etc)

$10.64 MX$184

$6.69 DOP 390

59.04%

Cappuccino

$3.52 MX$60.9

$1.05 DOP 61.0

235.24%

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

$1.51 MX$26.12

$0.99 DOP 57.5

52.53%

Water (0.33 liter bottle)

$0.97 MX$16.84

$0.79 DOP 46.24

22.78%

Local Beer (0.5 liter draught)

$2.95 MX$51.0

$2.62 DOP 153

12.60%

Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$4.45 MX$77.0

$2.92 DOP 170

52.40%

Milk (1 liter)

$1.38 MX$23.93

$1.38 DOP 80.6

White Bread (500g)

$1.89 MX$32.72

$1.71 DOP 99.9

10.53%

Rice (white) (1kg)

$1.64 MX$28.32

$1.49 DOP 86.7

10.07%

Eggs

$2.51 MX$43.34

$2.18 DOP 127

15.14%

Local Cheese (1kg)

$8.34 MX$144

$7.31 DOP 427

14.09%

Chicken Fillets (1kg)

$8.34 MX$144

$6.40 DOP 373

30.31%

Beef Round Steak (1kg)

$10.73 MX$186

$10.92 DOP 637

-1.74%

Apples (1kg)

$2.60 MX$45.04

$3.16 DOP 184

-17.72%

Banana (1kg)

$1.46 MX$25.20

$0.85 DOP 49.60

71.76%

Oranges (1kg)

$1.90 MX$32.87

$2.96 DOP 173

-35.81%

Tomato (1kg)

$2.08 MX$35.91

$2.03 DOP 118

2.46%

Potato (1kg)

$1.78 MX$30.71

$2.44 DOP 142

-27.05%

Onion (1kg)

$2.19 MX$37.80

$2.40 DOP 140

-8.75%

Lettuce (1 head)

$1.04 MX$17.99

$1.08 DOP 63.2

-3.70%

Water (1.5 liter bottle)

$1.08 MX$18.62

$0.89 DOP 52.0

21.35%

Cigarettes 20 Pack (Marlboro, Camel)

$4.08 MX$70.6

$5.93 DOP 346

-31.20%

Wine (Bottle)

$10.32 MX$178

$10.56 DOP 616

-2.27%

Local Beer (0.5 liter bottle)

$1.71 MX$29.61

$2.75 DOP 160

-37.82%

Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$2.58 MX$44.54

$3.20 DOP 187

-19.38%

One-way Ticket (Public Transport)

$0.51 MX$8.81

Public Transport Monthly Pass (Regular Price)

$26.46 MX$458

Taxi Start (Normal Tariff)

$3.26 MX$56.4

$3.45 DOP 201

-5.51%

Taxi (Normal Tariff) (1km)

$2.49 MX$43.09

$2.21 DOP 129

12.67%

Taxi 1hour Waiting (Normal Tariff)

$3.25 MX$56.2

$5.97 DOP 348

-45.56%

Gasoline (1 liter)

$1.31 MX$22.61

$1.32 DOP 76.8

-0.76%

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

$30.3K MX$523.7K

$26.8K DOP 1.6M

13.03%

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

$23.4K MX$405.3K

$32.0K DOP 1.9M

-26.85%

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

$82.9 MX$1,433

$75.1 DOP 4,381

10.35%

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

$22.22 MX$384

$22.83 DOP 1,332

-2.67%

Internet (50+ Mbps, Unlimited Data)

$29.34 MX$507

$35.47 DOP 2,069

-17.28%

Gym Membership (Monthly)

$51.6 MX$893

$25.92 DOP 1,512

99.19%

Tennis Court (1 Hour on Weekend)

$18.32 MX$317

Cinema Ticket

$5.07 MX$87.6

$6.97 DOP 406

-27.26%

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

$201 MX$3,473

$269 DOP 15.7K

-25.44%

International Primary School, 1 Child (Yearly)

$5,212 MX$90.1K

$7,967 DOP 464.7K

-34.58%

Jeans (Levis 501 Or Similar)

$36.92 MX$639

$60.7 DOP 3,543

-39.22%

Summer Dress (H&M, Zara, etc)

$39.79 MX$688

$51.6 DOP 3,009

-22.86%

Sport Shoes (Adidas, Nike)

$78.5 MX$1,357

$97.9 DOP 5,711

-19.88%

Men's Leather Business Shoes

$87.1 MX$1,506

$117 DOP 6,820

-25.51%

1-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)

$973 MX$16.8K

1-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)

$468 MX$8,090

3-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)

$1,641 MX$28.4K

3-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)

$1,221 MX$21.1K

Buy Apartment in City Center (m2)

$3,946 MX$68.3K

Buy Apartment Outside City Center (m2)

$6,498 MX$112.4K

Average Monthly Net Salary (After Tax)

$664 MX$11.5K

20-Year Fixed Mortgage Interest Rate (Annual %)

11.42

12.9

-11.47%

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

Last update for Playa del Carmen: June 2, 2026

Last update for San Pedro de Macoris: June 2, 2026

Cost Breakdown

A mid-range dinner for two costs $42.00 in Playa del Carmen versus $52.0 in San Pedro de Macoris. Groceries tell a different story – $249 in Playa del Carmen vs $244 in San Pedro de Macoris – so San Pedro de Macoris 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 San Pedro de Macoris: Cost of Living - Frequently Asked Questions

Yes – Playa del Carmen is pricier by about 99%, 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 $1,945 per month in Playa del Carmen and $975 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 $1,297 in Playa del Carmen and $650 in San Pedro de Macoris. The difference isn't just one category – it shows up across housing, food, transport, and services.

Kindergarten costs $201 per month in Playa del Carmen and $269 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 $650, than in Playa del Carmen at $1,297. 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.