Cost of Living Comparison Between Saint Andrews and Playa del Carmen Cost of Living Comparison Between Saint Andrews and Playa del Carmen

Monthly Cost of Living

A single person spends $2,363 per month in Saint Andrews vs $1,259 in Playa del Carmen, rent included.

A couple spends around $3,396 per month in Saint Andrews vs $2,177 in Playa del Carmen, rent included.

A family of three spends $4,429 per month in Saint Andrews vs $3,095 in Playa del Carmen, rent included.

Saint Andrews costs about 88% more than Playa del Carmen, driven mainly by Groceries & Markets.

Saint Andrews sits 77% above the global median, while Playa del Carmen is 6% below – they fall on opposite sides of the world average.

Meal at Budget Restaurant

$17.07 CA$24.07

$11.95 MX$208

42.85%

Three-Course Dinner for Two, Mid-Range

$69.4 CA$97.8

$41.94 MX$730

65.38%

Fast Food Meal (McDonalds, etc)

$11.25 CA$15.87

$10.42 MX$181

7.97%

Cappuccino

$3.85 CA$5.43

$3.51 MX$61.2

9.69%

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

$2.06 CA$2.91

$1.52 MX$26.39

35.53%

Water (0.33 liter bottle)

$1.66 CA$2.35

$0.91 MX$15.85

82.42%

Local Beer (0.5 liter draught)

$5.41 CA$7.63

$3.04 MX$52.9

77.96%

Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$5.75 CA$8.11

$4.37 MX$76.1

31.58%

Milk (1 liter)

$2.11 CA$2.98

$1.42 MX$24.73

48.59%

White Bread (500g)

$2.73 CA$3.85

$1.83 MX$31.87

49.18%

Rice (white) (1kg)

$3.49 CA$4.92

$1.63 MX$28.45

114.11%

Eggs

$3.52 CA$4.96

$2.54 MX$44.20

38.58%

Local Cheese (1kg)

$11.24 CA$15.85

$8.57 MX$149

31.16%

Chicken Fillets (1kg)

$11.52 CA$16.25

$8.49 MX$148

35.69%

Beef Round Steak (1kg)

$14.42 CA$20.34

$10.80 MX$188

33.52%

Apples (1kg)

$4.17 CA$5.88

$2.75 MX$47.95

51.64%

Banana (1kg)

$1.41 CA$1.99

$1.44 MX$25.00

-2.08%

Oranges (1kg)

$3.60 CA$5.08

$1.89 MX$32.84

90.48%

Tomato (1kg)

$3.68 CA$5.19

$2.17 MX$37.77

69.59%

Potato (1kg)

$2.42 CA$3.42

$1.78 MX$30.97

35.96%

Onion (1kg)

$2.46 CA$3.47

$2.22 MX$38.71

10.81%

Lettuce (1 head)

$2.62 CA$3.69

$1.07 MX$18.60

144.86%

Water (1.5 liter bottle)

$1.73 CA$2.44

$1.08 MX$18.79

60.19%

Cigarettes 20 Pack (Marlboro, Camel)

$14.05 CA$19.82

$4.15 MX$72.2

238.55%

Wine (Bottle)

$11.94 CA$16.84

$10.45 MX$182

14.26%

Local Beer (0.5 liter bottle)

$2.80 CA$3.95

$1.74 MX$30.34

60.92%

Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$3.18 CA$4.48

$2.58 MX$44.93

23.26%

One-way Ticket (Public Transport)

$2.34 CA$3.31

$0.51 MX$8.94

358.82%

Public Transport Monthly Pass (Regular Price)

$61.8 CA$87.2

$25.94 MX$452

138.24%

Taxi Start (Normal Tariff)

$3.19 CA$4.50

$3.21 MX$55.9

-0.62%

Taxi (Normal Tariff) (1km)

$1.50 CA$2.11

$2.50 MX$43.55

-40.00%

Taxi 1hour Waiting (Normal Tariff)

$25.93 CA$36.58

$3.19 MX$55.4

712.85%

Gasoline (1 liter)

$1.11 CA$1.56

$1.26 MX$21.87

-11.90%

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

$25.3K CA$35.7K

$29.7K MX$516.7K

-14.64%

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

$20.5K CA$28.9K

$23.7K MX$412.2K

-13.63%

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

$141 CA$199

$82.0 MX$1,428

71.63%

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

$43.76 CA$61.7

$22.73 MX$396

92.52%

Internet (50+ Mbps, Unlimited Data)

$61.9 CA$87.3

$29.42 MX$512

110.33%

Gym Membership (Monthly)

$41.27 CA$58.2

$52.2 MX$908

-20.92%

Tennis Court (1 Hour on Weekend)

$18.45 MX$321

Cinema Ticket

$11.27 CA$15.90

$4.93 MX$85.9

128.60%

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

$737 CA$1,040

$202 MX$3,512

265.43%

International Primary School, 1 Child (Yearly)

$11.8K CA$16.6K

$5,217 MX$90.8K

125.47%

Jeans (Levis 501 Or Similar)

$54.3 CA$76.6

$35.93 MX$625

51.10%

Summer Dress (H&M, Zara, etc)

$38.97 CA$55.0

$40.33 MX$702

-3.37%

Sport Shoes (Adidas, Nike)

$87.9 CA$124

$79.9 MX$1,390

10.04%

Men's Leather Business Shoes

$109 CA$153

$89.3 MX$1,554

21.52%

1-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)

$1,339 CA$1,888

$948 MX$16.5K

41.12%

1-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)

$1,181 CA$1,665

$465 MX$8,098

153.72%

3-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)

$2,023 CA$2,854

$1,630 MX$28.4K

24.15%

3-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)

$1,787 CA$2,521

$1,193 MX$20.8K

49.81%

Buy Apartment in City Center (m2)

$4,448 CA$6,274

$3,933 MX$68.5K

13.08%

Buy Apartment Outside City Center (m2)

$3,453 CA$4,871

$6,428 MX$111.9K

-46.28%

Average Monthly Net Salary (After Tax)

$658 MX$11.5K

20-Year Fixed Mortgage Interest Rate (Annual %)

6.46

11.42

-43.43%

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

Last update for Saint Andrews: July 19, 2026

Last update for Playa del Carmen: July 20, 2026

Cost Breakdown

A central one-bedroom costs $1,339 in Saint Andrews versus $948 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.

A mid-range dinner for two costs $69.0 in Saint Andrews versus $42.00 in Playa del Carmen. Monthly groceries follow the same trend: $361 vs $252 – making Playa del Carmen the more affordable choice for daily food spending.

City Median Internet Speeds Comparison (Updated March 2026)

The chart highlights the Precision Threshold for mobile and fixed broadband internet speeds, updated quarterly.

Digital Nomad Cost of Living Index

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

Yes – Saint Andrews is pricier by about 88%, and the gap shows up most in Groceries & Markets. It's not just housing either; the difference applies across most spending categories.

For a comfortable life, plan on about $3,545 per month in Saint Andrews and $1,888 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 Playa del Carmen, 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 $2,363 in Saint Andrews and $1,259 in Playa del Carmen. The difference isn't just one category – it shows up across housing, food, transport, and services.

Public transport costs about 138% less in Playa del Carmen. For daily commuters, that gap adds up to noticeable savings over a year.

A $1,500 monthly budget goes further in Playa del Carmen, where all-in costs run around $1,259, than in Saint Andrews at $2,363. In Playa del Carmen it covers expenses comfortably, while in Saint Andrews it requires careful planning or may not stretch far enough.

Families tend to lean toward Playa del Carmen – 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 Playa del Carmen. If higher salaries, better infrastructure, or specific career opportunities are the priority, Saint Andrews makes more sense. Both are solid long-term options with distinct trade-offs.