Cost of Living Comparison Between Saint Andrew Parish and Playa del Carmen Cost of Living Comparison Between Saint Andrew Parish and Playa del Carmen

Monthly Cost of Living

A single person spends $1,151 per month in Saint Andrew Parish vs $1,271 in Playa del Carmen, rent included.

A couple spends around $1,900 per month in Saint Andrew Parish vs $2,126 in Playa del Carmen, rent included.

A family of three spends $2,650 per month in Saint Andrew Parish vs $2,980 in Playa del Carmen, rent included.

Saint Andrew Parish is about 9% cheaper than Playa del Carmen, driven mainly by Eating Out.

Both Saint Andrew Parish and Playa del Carmen are more affordable than the global median – Saint Andrew Parish 14% lower, Playa del Carmen 5% lower.

Meal at Budget Restaurant

$7.61 JMD 1,197

$11.87 MX$204

-35.89%

Three-Course Dinner for Two, Mid-Range

$34.16 JMD 5,373

$42.90 MX$736

-20.37%

Fast Food Meal (McDonalds, etc)

$6.24 JMD 981

$10.65 MX$183

-41.41%

Cappuccino

$1.90 JMD 299

$3.45 MX$59.2

-44.93%

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

$0.96 JMD 152

$1.50 MX$25.81

-36.00%

Water (0.33 liter bottle)

$0.75 JMD 117

$0.95 MX$16.28

-21.05%

Local Beer (0.5 liter draught)

$2.43 JMD 383

$3.03 MX$51.9

-19.80%

Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$3.16 JMD 497

$4.61 MX$79.1

-31.45%

Milk (1 liter)

$4.26 JMD 670

$1.38 MX$23.61

208.70%

White Bread (500g)

$1.03 JMD 162

$1.85 MX$31.70

-44.32%

Rice (white) (1kg)

$1.29 JMD 202

$1.61 MX$27.65

-19.88%

Eggs

$3.46 JMD 544

$2.59 MX$44.51

33.59%

Local Cheese (1kg)

$10.96 JMD 1,723

$8.26 MX$142

32.69%

Chicken Fillets (1kg)

$6.29 JMD 989

$8.37 MX$144

-24.85%

Beef Round Steak (1kg)

$7.57 JMD 1,191

$10.66 MX$183

-28.99%

Apples (1kg)

$5.99 JMD 942

$2.63 MX$45.12

127.76%

Banana (1kg)

$3.09 JMD 487

$1.49 MX$25.53

107.38%

Oranges (1kg)

$4.15 JMD 652

$1.92 MX$32.94

116.15%

Tomato (1kg)

$2.90 JMD 456

$2.09 MX$35.81

38.76%

Potato (1kg)

$2.01 JMD 316

$1.86 MX$31.88

8.06%

Onion (1kg)

$2.02 JMD 318

$2.26 MX$38.81

-10.62%

Lettuce (1 head)

$3.08 JMD 484

$1.06 MX$18.23

190.57%

Water (1.5 liter bottle)

$1.50 JMD 236

$1.09 MX$18.67

37.61%

Cigarettes 20 Pack (Marlboro, Camel)

$8.85 JMD 1,392

$4.15 MX$71.2

113.25%

Wine (Bottle)

$11.46 JMD 1,802

$10.39 MX$178

10.30%

Local Beer (0.5 liter bottle)

$2.77 JMD 436

$1.72 MX$29.59

61.05%

Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$3.19 JMD 502

$2.61 MX$44.85

22.22%

One-way Ticket (Public Transport)

$0.54 MX$9.30

Public Transport Monthly Pass (Regular Price)

$26.94 MX$462

Taxi Start (Normal Tariff)

$1.11 JMD 175

$3.13 MX$53.7

-64.54%

Taxi (Normal Tariff) (1km)

$3.15 JMD 496

$2.51 MX$43.09

25.50%

Taxi 1hour Waiting (Normal Tariff)

$6.22 JMD 977

$3.15 MX$54.1

97.46%

Gasoline (1 liter)

$1.28 JMD 202

$1.27 MX$21.88

0.79%

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

$42.1K JMD 6.6M

$30.4K MX$521.3K

38.51%

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

$34.1K JMD 5.4M

$23.6K MX$404.5K

44.62%

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

$165 JMD 25.9K

$83.0 MX$1,425

98.37%

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

$21.80 JMD 3,429

$22.71 MX$390

-4.01%

Internet (50+ Mbps, Unlimited Data)

$51.1 JMD 8,029

$29.46 MX$506

73.29%

Gym Membership (Monthly)

$51.0 MX$875

Tennis Court (1 Hour on Weekend)

$18.33 MX$315

Cinema Ticket

$13.05 JMD 2,052

$4.93 MX$84.5

164.71%

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

$222 JMD 34.9K

$197 MX$3,386

12.44%

International Primary School, 1 Child (Yearly)

$2,473 JMD 389.0K

$5,280 MX$90.6K

-53.15%

Jeans (Levis 501 Or Similar)

$26.59 JMD 4,182

$36.90 MX$633

-27.94%

Summer Dress (H&M, Zara, etc)

$25.91 JMD 4,074

$39.89 MX$685

-35.05%

Sport Shoes (Adidas, Nike)

$71.1 JMD 11.2K

$80.0 MX$1,373

-11.12%

Men's Leather Business Shoes

$75.4 JMD 11.9K

$89.5 MX$1,536

-15.76%

1-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)

$747 JMD 117.4K

$956 MX$16.4K

-21.93%

1-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)

$309 JMD 48.6K

$477 MX$8,189

-35.28%

3-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)

$1,880 JMD 295.7K

$1,646 MX$28.3K

14.24%

3-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)

$884 JMD 139.0K

$1,225 MX$21.0K

-27.81%

Buy Apartment in City Center (m2)

$2,760 JMD 434.1K

$3,918 MX$67.2K

-29.55%

Buy Apartment Outside City Center (m2)

$6,459 MX$110.9K

Average Monthly Net Salary (After Tax)

$724 JMD 113.8K

$667 MX$11.4K

8.50%

20-Year Fixed Mortgage Interest Rate (Annual %)

9.15

11.42

-19.88%

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

Last update for Saint Andrew Parish: June 8, 2026

Last update for Playa del Carmen: June 7, 2026

Cost Breakdown

A central one-bedroom costs $747 in Saint Andrew Parish versus $956 in Playa del Carmen. Rent is usually the largest line item in a monthly budget, so the gap here sets the tone for the overall comparison.

Salaries run about 8% higher in Saint Andrew Parish, which reinforces the cost advantage – you earn more and spend less. Purchasing power leans clearly in its favor.

A mid-range dinner for two costs $34.00 in Saint Andrew Parish versus $43.00 in Playa del Carmen. Groceries tell a different story – $322 in Saint Andrew Parish vs $250 in Playa del Carmen – so Playa del Carmen 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

Saint Andrew Parish vs Playa del Carmen: Cost of Living - Frequently Asked Questions

Yes – Playa del Carmen is pricier by about 10%, 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 $1,726 per month in Saint Andrew Parish and $1,906 in Playa del Carmen. That covers rent, food, utilities, transport, and enough left over to feel settled – not just surviving.

Rent is clearly cheaper in Saint Andrew Parish, especially for central apartments. Housing is actually the single biggest factor behind the overall cost gap between these two cities.

Monthly expenses with rent come to $1,151 in Saint Andrew Parish and $1,271 in Playa del Carmen. The difference isn't just one category – it shows up across housing, food, transport, and services.

Kindergarten costs $222 per month in Saint Andrew Parish and $197 in Playa del Carmen. 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 Saint Andrew Parish, where all-in costs run around $1,151, than in Playa del Carmen at $1,271. In Saint Andrew Parish it covers expenses comfortably, while in Playa del Carmen it requires careful planning or may not stretch far enough.

Families tend to lean toward Saint Andrew Parish – 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 Saint Andrew Parish. 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.