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 $1,348 per month in Saint Ann's Bay vs $1,260 in Playa del Carmen, rent included.

A couple spends around $2,019 per month in Saint Ann's Bay vs $2,125 in Playa del Carmen, rent included.

A family of three spends $2,690 per month in Saint Ann's Bay vs $2,990 in Playa del Carmen, rent included.

Saint Ann's Bay costs about 7% 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 5% below – they fall on opposite sides of the world average.

Meal at Budget Restaurant

$7.54 JMD 1,186

$11.72 MX$204

-35.67%

Three-Course Dinner for Two, Mid-Range

$49.85 JMD 7,840

$41.89 MX$731

19.00%

Fast Food Meal (McDonalds, etc)

$8.82 JMD 1,387

$10.51 MX$183

-16.08%

Cappuccino

$4.41 JMD 694

$3.59 MX$62.5

22.84%

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

$1.35 JMD 213

$1.51 MX$26.31

-10.60%

Water (0.33 liter bottle)

$0.75 JMD 118

$0.92 MX$15.96

-18.48%

Local Beer (0.5 liter draught)

$2.45 JMD 385

$2.96 MX$51.6

-17.23%

Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$3.08 JMD 484

$4.41 MX$76.9

-30.16%

Milk (1 liter)

$4.30 JMD 676

$1.40 MX$24.35

207.14%

White Bread (500g)

$2.75 JMD 433

$1.88 MX$32.87

46.28%

Rice (white) (1kg)

$1.55 JMD 244

$1.56 MX$27.19

-0.64%

Eggs

$3.61 JMD 568

$2.61 MX$45.50

38.31%

Local Cheese (1kg)

$11.08 JMD 1,743

$8.32 MX$145

33.17%

Chicken Fillets (1kg)

$6.30 JMD 990

$8.35 MX$146

-24.55%

Beef Round Steak (1kg)

$7.51 JMD 1,181

$10.86 MX$189

-30.85%

Apples (1kg)

$6.15 JMD 967

$2.71 MX$47.31

126.94%

Banana (1kg)

$3.09 JMD 485

$1.51 MX$26.25

104.64%

Oranges (1kg)

$4.20 JMD 660

$1.87 MX$32.67

124.60%

Tomato (1kg)

$3.00 JMD 471

$2.19 MX$38.19

36.99%

Potato (1kg)

$2.05 JMD 322

$1.86 MX$32.40

10.22%

Onion (1kg)

$2.00 JMD 314

$2.23 MX$38.90

-10.31%

Lettuce (1 head)

$3.11 JMD 489

$1.07 MX$18.63

190.65%

Water (1.5 liter bottle)

$1.11 JMD 174

$1.09 MX$18.94

1.83%

Cigarettes 20 Pack (Marlboro, Camel)

$8.98 JMD 1,413

$4.19 MX$73.0

114.32%

Wine (Bottle)

$11.45 JMD 1,801

$10.43 MX$182

9.78%

Local Beer (0.5 liter bottle)

$2.88 JMD 454

$1.66 MX$28.91

73.49%

Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$3.10 JMD 488

$2.61 MX$45.56

18.77%

One-way Ticket (Public Transport)

$0.54 MX$9.45

Public Transport Monthly Pass (Regular Price)

$26.16 MX$456

Taxi Start (Normal Tariff)

$0.92 JMD 145

$3.08 MX$53.7

-70.13%

Taxi (Normal Tariff) (1km)

$3.13 JMD 493

$2.40 MX$41.94

30.42%

Taxi 1hour Waiting (Normal Tariff)

$6.22 JMD 979

$3.13 MX$54.5

98.72%

Gasoline (1 liter)

$1.28 JMD 202

$1.31 MX$22.87

-2.29%

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

$23.8K JMD 3.7M

$29.8K MX$519.9K

-20.23%

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

$17.4K JMD 2.7M

$23.3K MX$406.8K

-25.44%

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

$164 JMD 25.8K

$81.3 MX$1,418

102.09%

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

$21.88 JMD 3,441

$22.56 MX$393

-3.01%

Internet (50+ Mbps, Unlimited Data)

$51.1 JMD 8,033

$30.05 MX$524

69.95%

Gym Membership (Monthly)

$52.9 MX$923

Tennis Court (1 Hour on Weekend)

$18.39 MX$321

Cinema Ticket

$13.38 JMD 2,104

$4.92 MX$85.8

171.95%

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

$223 JMD 35.1K

$201 MX$3,502

10.99%

International Primary School, 1 Child (Yearly)

$2,512 JMD 395.1K

$5,175 MX$90.2K

-51.46%

Jeans (Levis 501 Or Similar)

$26.02 JMD 4,092

$35.92 MX$627

-27.56%

Summer Dress (H&M, Zara, etc)

$25.86 JMD 4,068

$40.13 MX$700

-35.56%

Sport Shoes (Adidas, Nike)

$68.0 JMD 10.7K

$79.7 MX$1,390

-14.63%

Men's Leather Business Shoes

$76.4 JMD 12.0K

$86.5 MX$1,508

-11.59%

1-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)

$511 JMD 80.3K

$978 MX$17.1K

-47.78%

1-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)

$476 JMD 74.9K

$470 MX$8,206

1.27%

3-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)

$991 JMD 155.9K

$1,651 MX$28.8K

-39.98%

3-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)

$815 JMD 128.2K

$1,203 MX$21.0K

-32.29%

Buy Apartment in City Center (m2)

$3,953 MX$69.0K

Buy Apartment Outside City Center (m2)

$6,607 MX$115.2K

Average Monthly Net Salary (After Tax)

$677 MX$11.8K

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: July 26, 2026

Last update for Playa del Carmen: July 27, 2026

Cost Breakdown

A central one-bedroom costs $511 in Saint Ann's Bay 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.

A mid-range dinner for two costs $50.0 in Saint Ann's Bay versus $42.00 in Playa del Carmen. Monthly groceries follow the same trend: $339 vs $252 – 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 7%, 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 $2,022 per month in Saint Ann's Bay 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 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 $1,348 in Saint Ann's Bay 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 Ann's Bay 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 $1,500 monthly budget goes further in Playa del Carmen, where all-in costs run around $1,260, than in Saint Ann's Bay at $1,348. 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.