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 $1,152 per month in Saint Andrew Parish vs $1,260 in Playa del Carmen, rent included.

A couple spends around $1,857 per month in Saint Andrew Parish vs $2,125 in Playa del Carmen, rent included.

A family of three spends $2,562 per month in Saint Andrew Parish vs $2,990 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 13% lower, Playa del Carmen 5% lower.

Meal at Budget Restaurant

$7.67 JMD 1,208

$11.72 MX$203

-34.56%

Three-Course Dinner for Two, Mid-Range

$34.87 JMD 5,492

$41.89 MX$725

-16.76%

Fast Food Meal (McDonalds, etc)

$6.20 JMD 977

$10.51 MX$182

-41.01%

Cappuccino

$1.92 JMD 303

$3.59 MX$62.0

-46.52%

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

$0.91 JMD 143

$1.51 MX$26.10

-39.74%

Water (0.33 liter bottle)

$0.74 JMD 117

$0.92 MX$15.83

-19.57%

Local Beer (0.5 liter draught)

$2.43 JMD 383

$2.96 MX$51.2

-17.91%

Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$3.11 JMD 491

$4.41 MX$76.3

-29.48%

Milk (1 liter)

$4.24 JMD 668

$1.40 MX$24.16

202.86%

White Bread (500g)

$1.05 JMD 166

$1.88 MX$32.60

-44.15%

Rice (white) (1kg)

$1.22 JMD 192

$1.56 MX$26.97

-21.79%

Eggs

$3.60 JMD 566

$2.61 MX$45.14

37.93%

Local Cheese (1kg)

$10.97 JMD 1,728

$8.32 MX$144

31.85%

Chicken Fillets (1kg)

$6.23 JMD 981

$8.35 MX$145

-25.39%

Beef Round Steak (1kg)

$7.60 JMD 1,198

$10.86 MX$188

-30.02%

Apples (1kg)

$6.11 JMD 963

$2.71 MX$46.93

125.46%

Banana (1kg)

$3.12 JMD 491

$1.51 MX$26.04

106.62%

Oranges (1kg)

$4.13 JMD 650

$1.87 MX$32.41

120.86%

Tomato (1kg)

$3.05 JMD 480

$2.19 MX$37.89

39.27%

Potato (1kg)

$2.09 JMD 330

$1.86 MX$32.14

12.37%

Onion (1kg)

$1.93 JMD 303

$2.23 MX$38.59

-13.45%

Lettuce (1 head)

$3.04 JMD 478

$1.07 MX$18.48

184.11%

Water (1.5 liter bottle)

$1.50 JMD 235

$1.09 MX$18.79

37.61%

Cigarettes 20 Pack (Marlboro, Camel)

$8.98 JMD 1,414

$4.19 MX$72.4

114.32%

Wine (Bottle)

$11.52 JMD 1,814

$10.43 MX$180

10.45%

Local Beer (0.5 liter bottle)

$2.80 JMD 440

$1.66 MX$28.68

68.67%

Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$3.22 JMD 507

$2.61 MX$45.19

23.37%

One-way Ticket (Public Transport)

$0.54 MX$9.37

Public Transport Monthly Pass (Regular Price)

$26.16 MX$453

Taxi Start (Normal Tariff)

$1.07 JMD 168

$3.08 MX$53.3

-65.26%

Taxi (Normal Tariff) (1km)

$3.14 JMD 495

$2.40 MX$41.61

30.83%

Taxi 1hour Waiting (Normal Tariff)

$6.28 JMD 989

$3.13 MX$54.1

100.64%

Gasoline (1 liter)

$1.27 JMD 201

$1.31 MX$22.69

-3.05%

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

$43.1K JMD 6.8M

$29.8K MX$515.7K

44.58%

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

$32.9K JMD 5.2M

$23.3K MX$403.5K

41.10%

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

$162 JMD 25.5K

$81.3 MX$1,406

99.26%

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

$22.24 JMD 3,502

$22.56 MX$390

-1.42%

Internet (50+ Mbps, Unlimited Data)

$52.0 JMD 8,190

$30.05 MX$520

73.04%

Gym Membership (Monthly)

$52.9 MX$915

Tennis Court (1 Hour on Weekend)

$18.39 MX$318

Cinema Ticket

$13.18 JMD 2,075

$4.92 MX$85.1

167.89%

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

$223 JMD 35.1K

$201 MX$3,474

11.01%

International Primary School, 1 Child (Yearly)

$2,442 JMD 384.5K

$5,175 MX$89.5K

-52.81%

Jeans (Levis 501 Or Similar)

$26.01 JMD 4,096

$35.92 MX$622

-27.59%

Summer Dress (H&M, Zara, etc)

$25.72 JMD 4,051

$40.13 MX$694

-35.91%

Sport Shoes (Adidas, Nike)

$71.0 JMD 11.2K

$79.7 MX$1,379

-10.88%

Men's Leather Business Shoes

$77.7 JMD 12.2K

$86.5 MX$1,496

-10.12%

1-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)

$755 JMD 118.9K

$978 MX$16.9K

-22.80%

1-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)

$311 JMD 48.9K

$470 MX$8,140

-33.95%

3-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)

$1,895 JMD 298.5K

$1,651 MX$28.6K

14.76%

3-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)

$889 JMD 139.9K

$1,203 MX$20.8K

-26.17%

Buy Apartment in City Center (m2)

$2,736 JMD 430.8K

$3,953 MX$68.4K

-30.81%

Buy Apartment Outside City Center (m2)

$6,607 MX$114.3K

Average Monthly Net Salary (After Tax)

$720 JMD 113.4K

$677 MX$11.7K

6.41%

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: July 26, 2026

Last update for Playa del Carmen: July 27, 2026

Cost Breakdown

A central one-bedroom costs $755 in Saint Andrew Parish versus $978 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 6% 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 $35.00 in Saint Andrew Parish versus $42.00 in Playa del Carmen. Groceries tell a different story – $324 in Saint Andrew Parish vs $252 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 9%, 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 $1,728 per month in Saint Andrew Parish and $1,890 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 $1,152 in Saint Andrew Parish and $1,260 in Playa del Carmen. The difference isn't just one category – it shows up across housing, food, transport, and services.

Kindergarten costs $223 per month in Saint Andrew Parish and $201 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 $1,152, than in Playa del Carmen at $1,260. 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.