Cost of Living Comparison Between Saint Ann's Bay and Playa del Carmen Cost of Living Comparison Between Saint Ann's Bay and Playa del Carmen

Monthly Cost of Living

A single person spends $1,360 per month in Saint Ann's Bay vs $1,262 in Playa del Carmen, rent included.

A couple spends around $2,028 per month in Saint Ann's Bay vs $2,158 in Playa del Carmen, rent included.

A family of three spends $2,695 per month in Saint Ann's Bay vs $3,054 in Playa del Carmen, rent included.

Saint Ann's Bay costs about 8% more than Playa del Carmen, driven mainly by Groceries & Markets.

Saint Ann's Bay sits 1% above the global median, while Playa del Carmen is 6% below – they fall on opposite sides of the world average.

Meal at Budget Restaurant

$7.52 JMD 1,190

$11.61 MX$201

-35.23%

Three-Course Dinner for Two, Mid-Range

$49.83 JMD 7,887

$42.75 MX$740

16.56%

Fast Food Meal (McDonalds, etc)

$8.91 JMD 1,410

$10.60 MX$184

-15.94%

Cappuccino

$4.41 JMD 698

$3.59 MX$62.2

22.84%

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

$1.36 JMD 215

$1.45 MX$25.15

-6.21%

Water (0.33 liter bottle)

$0.72 JMD 114

$0.90 MX$15.55

-20.00%

Local Beer (0.5 liter draught)

$2.46 JMD 389

$3.03 MX$52.5

-18.81%

Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$3.21 JMD 509

$4.56 MX$79.0

-29.61%

Milk (1 liter)

$4.43 JMD 701

$1.45 MX$25.14

205.52%

White Bread (500g)

$2.65 JMD 420

$1.83 MX$31.64

44.81%

Rice (white) (1kg)

$1.60 JMD 253

$1.61 MX$27.85

-0.62%

Eggs

$3.44 JMD 545

$2.54 MX$43.95

35.43%

Local Cheese (1kg)

$11.25 JMD 1,780

$8.54 MX$148

31.73%

Chicken Fillets (1kg)

$6.53 JMD 1,033

$8.47 MX$147

-22.90%

Beef Round Steak (1kg)

$7.55 JMD 1,195

$10.86 MX$188

-30.48%

Apples (1kg)

$6.05 JMD 957

$2.73 MX$47.26

121.61%

Banana (1kg)

$3.10 JMD 491

$1.49 MX$25.85

108.05%

Oranges (1kg)

$4.16 JMD 658

$1.94 MX$33.65

114.43%

Tomato (1kg)

$3.02 JMD 478

$2.16 MX$37.49

39.81%

Potato (1kg)

$2.10 JMD 332

$1.85 MX$31.97

13.51%

Onion (1kg)

$2.00 JMD 316

$2.19 MX$37.91

-8.68%

Lettuce (1 head)

$2.97 JMD 469

$1.07 MX$18.58

177.57%

Water (1.5 liter bottle)

$1.16 JMD 183

$1.08 MX$18.76

7.41%

Cigarettes 20 Pack (Marlboro, Camel)

$8.80 JMD 1,393

$4.06 MX$70.3

116.75%

Wine (Bottle)

$11.35 JMD 1,796

$10.46 MX$181

8.51%

Local Beer (0.5 liter bottle)

$2.81 JMD 445

$1.65 MX$28.64

70.30%

Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$3.15 JMD 499

$2.55 MX$44.13

23.53%

One-way Ticket (Public Transport)

$0.56 MX$9.63

Public Transport Monthly Pass (Regular Price)

$26.20 MX$454

Taxi Start (Normal Tariff)

$0.97 JMD 153

$3.14 MX$54.4

-69.11%

Taxi (Normal Tariff) (1km)

$3.27 JMD 517

$2.37 MX$41.08

37.97%

Taxi 1hour Waiting (Normal Tariff)

$6.31 JMD 999

$3.24 MX$56.1

94.75%

Gasoline (1 liter)

$1.24 JMD 195

$1.31 MX$22.76

-5.34%

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

$23.6K JMD 3.7M

$30.5K MX$528.9K

-22.56%

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

$17.2K JMD 2.7M

$23.8K MX$412.6K

-27.86%

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

$166 JMD 26.3K

$83.1 MX$1,440

99.92%

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

$22.26 JMD 3,523

$22.15 MX$384

0.50%

Internet (50+ Mbps, Unlimited Data)

$51.9 JMD 8,211

$29.37 MX$509

76.64%

Gym Membership (Monthly)

$51.2 MX$887

Tennis Court (1 Hour on Weekend)

$18.69 MX$324

Cinema Ticket

$12.92 JMD 2,045

$4.89 MX$84.7

164.21%

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

$230 JMD 36.4K

$199 MX$3,441

15.61%

International Primary School, 1 Child (Yearly)

$2,517 JMD 398.4K

$5,207 MX$90.2K

-51.66%

Jeans (Levis 501 Or Similar)

$26.36 JMD 4,172

$35.93 MX$622

-26.64%

Summer Dress (H&M, Zara, etc)

$26.02 JMD 4,118

$39.39 MX$682

-33.94%

Sport Shoes (Adidas, Nike)

$68.9 JMD 10.9K

$80.3 MX$1,391

-14.15%

Men's Leather Business Shoes

$76.6 JMD 12.1K

$87.6 MX$1,517

-12.56%

1-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)

$495 JMD 78.4K

$963 MX$16.7K

-48.59%

1-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)

$475 JMD 75.2K

$482 MX$8,350

-1.46%

3-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)

$1,000 JMD 158.2K

$1,645 MX$28.5K

-39.24%

3-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)

$829 JMD 131.3K

$1,192 MX$20.6K

-30.41%

Buy Apartment in City Center (m2)

$3,957 MX$68.5K

Buy Apartment Outside City Center (m2)

$6,513 MX$112.8K

Average Monthly Net Salary (After Tax)

$726 MX$12.6K

20-Year Fixed Mortgage Interest Rate (Annual %)

11.42

-64.97%

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

Last update for Saint Ann's Bay: April 13, 2026

Last update for Playa del Carmen: April 12, 2026

Cost Breakdown

A central one-bedroom costs $495 in Saint Ann's Bay versus $963 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 $50 in Saint Ann's Bay versus $43 in Playa del Carmen. Monthly groceries follow the same trend: $340 vs $253 – 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

Saint Ann's Bay vs Playa del Carmen: Cost of Living - Frequently Asked Questions

Yes – Saint Ann's Bay is pricier by about 8%, 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 $2,040 per month in Saint Ann's Bay and $1,894 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 $1,360 in Saint Ann's Bay and $1,262 in Playa del Carmen. The difference isn't just one category – it shows up across housing, food, transport, and services.

Kindergarten costs $230 per month in Saint Ann's Bay and $199 in Playa del Carmen. For families with young kids, this one expense can tip the scales when choosing between the two cities.

A $1,500 monthly budget goes further in Playa del Carmen, where all-in costs run around $1,262, than in Saint Ann's Bay at $1,360. In Playa del Carmen it covers expenses comfortably, while in Saint Ann's Bay 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 Ann's Bay makes more sense. Both are solid long-term options with distinct trade-offs.