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 $1,256 per month in Playa del Carmen vs $678 in San Pedro de Macoris, rent included.

A couple spends around $2,137 per month in Playa del Carmen vs $1,127 in San Pedro de Macoris, rent included.

A family of three spends $3,017 per month in Playa del Carmen vs $1,577 in San Pedro de Macoris, rent included.

Playa del Carmen costs about 85% 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 6% lower, San Pedro de Macoris 49% lower.

Meal at Budget Restaurant

$11.99 MX$210

$3.22 DOP 188

272.36%

Three-Course Dinner for Two, Mid-Range

$41.78 MX$733

$51.0 DOP 2,971

-18.01%

Fast Food Meal (McDonalds, etc)

$10.75 MX$189

$6.75 DOP 394

59.26%

Cappuccino

$3.50 MX$61.3

$1.00 DOP 58.1

250.00%

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

$1.45 MX$25.41

$1.00 DOP 58.2

45.00%

Water (0.33 liter bottle)

$0.88 MX$15.52

$0.84 DOP 49.26

4.76%

Local Beer (0.5 liter draught)

$2.95 MX$51.7

$2.59 DOP 151

13.90%

Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$4.51 MX$79.1

$2.83 DOP 165

59.36%

Milk (1 liter)

$1.43 MX$25.12

$1.40 DOP 81.6

2.14%

White Bread (500g)

$1.84 MX$32.23

$1.72 DOP 100

6.98%

Rice (white) (1kg)

$1.57 MX$27.51

$1.50 DOP 87.7

4.67%

Eggs

$2.51 MX$44.06

$2.30 DOP 134

9.13%

Local Cheese (1kg)

$8.28 MX$145

$7.26 DOP 423

14.05%

Chicken Fillets (1kg)

$8.43 MX$148

$6.19 DOP 361

36.19%

Beef Round Steak (1kg)

$10.68 MX$187

$11.11 DOP 648

-3.87%

Apples (1kg)

$2.61 MX$45.76

$3.31 DOP 193

-21.15%

Banana (1kg)

$1.44 MX$25.22

$0.86 DOP 50.3

67.44%

Oranges (1kg)

$1.96 MX$34.41

$2.97 DOP 173

-34.01%

Tomato (1kg)

$2.09 MX$36.74

$1.94 DOP 113

7.73%

Potato (1kg)

$1.85 MX$32.47

$2.54 DOP 148

-27.17%

Onion (1kg)

$2.17 MX$38.02

$2.32 DOP 135

-6.47%

Lettuce (1 head)

$1.03 MX$18.09

$1.13 DOP 65.8

-8.85%

Water (1.5 liter bottle)

$1.07 MX$18.84

$0.91 DOP 53.2

17.58%

Cigarettes 20 Pack (Marlboro, Camel)

$4.10 MX$72.0

$5.75 DOP 335

-28.70%

Wine (Bottle)

$10.17 MX$178

$17.31 DOP 1,010

-41.25%

Local Beer (0.5 liter bottle)

$1.68 MX$29.38

$2.70 DOP 158

-37.78%

Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$2.53 MX$44.31

$3.14 DOP 183

-19.43%

One-way Ticket (Public Transport)

$0.51 MX$8.93

Public Transport Monthly Pass (Regular Price)

$26.04 MX$457

Taxi Start (Normal Tariff)

$3.23 MX$56.7

$3.42 DOP 200

-5.56%

Taxi (Normal Tariff) (1km)

$2.41 MX$42.19

$2.18 DOP 127

10.55%

Taxi 1hour Waiting (Normal Tariff)

$3.23 MX$56.6

$5.99 DOP 350

-46.08%

Gasoline (1 liter)

$1.32 MX$23.17

$1.29 DOP 75.1

2.33%

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

$29.7K MX$520.9K

$26.4K DOP 1.5M

12.66%

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

$23.7K MX$415.0K

$32.0K DOP 1.9M

-26.00%

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

$82.0 MX$1,439

$77.2 DOP 4,500

6.26%

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

$22.95 MX$403

$22.50 DOP 1,312

2.00%

Internet (50+ Mbps, Unlimited Data)

$30.11 MX$528

$35.66 DOP 2,079

-15.56%

Gym Membership (Monthly)

$52.0 MX$912

$25.84 DOP 1,507

101.12%

Tennis Court (1 Hour on Weekend)

$18.53 MX$325

Cinema Ticket

$4.98 MX$87.3

$6.96 DOP 406

-28.45%

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

$197 MX$3,463

$272 DOP 15.9K

-27.45%

International Primary School, 1 Child (Yearly)

$5,336 MX$93.6K

$7,958 DOP 464.0K

-32.94%

Jeans (Levis 501 Or Similar)

$35.60 MX$624

$59.4 DOP 3,466

-40.11%

Summer Dress (H&M, Zara, etc)

$40.33 MX$707

$52.7 DOP 3,072

-23.46%

Sport Shoes (Adidas, Nike)

$78.8 MX$1,381

$94.6 DOP 5,517

-16.76%

Men's Leather Business Shoes

$88.9 MX$1,560

$115 DOP 6,722

-22.86%

1-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)

$947 MX$16.6K

1-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)

$474 MX$8,314

3-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)

$1,644 MX$28.8K

3-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)

$1,211 MX$21.2K

Buy Apartment in City Center (m2)

$4,056 MX$71.1K

Buy Apartment Outside City Center (m2)

$6,470 MX$113.5K

Average Monthly Net Salary (After Tax)

$654 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: July 13, 2026

Last update for San Pedro de Macoris: July 13, 2026

Cost Breakdown

A mid-range dinner for two costs $42.00 in Playa del Carmen versus $51.0 in San Pedro de Macoris. Monthly groceries follow the same trend: $249 vs $258 – making Playa del Carmen 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 85%, 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 $1,884 per month in Playa del Carmen and $1,016 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 $1,256 in Playa del Carmen and $678 in San Pedro de Macoris. The difference isn't just one category – it shows up across housing, food, transport, and services.

Kindergarten costs $197 per month in Playa del Carmen and $272 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 $678, than in Playa del Carmen at $1,256. 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.