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 $1,362 per month in Saint Ann's Bay vs $1,271 in Playa del Carmen, rent included.

A couple spends around $2,027 per month in Saint Ann's Bay vs $2,126 in Playa del Carmen, rent included.

A family of three spends $2,692 per month in Saint Ann's Bay vs $2,980 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

$7.38 JMD 1,161

$11.87 MX$207

-37.83%

Three-Course Dinner for Two, Mid-Range

$50.3 JMD 7,909

$42.90 MX$747

17.23%

Fast Food Meal (McDonalds, etc)

$8.91 JMD 1,401

$10.65 MX$186

-16.34%

Cappuccino

$4.38 JMD 690

$3.45 MX$60.1

26.96%

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

$1.36 JMD 214

$1.50 MX$26.19

-9.33%

Water (0.33 liter bottle)

$0.71 JMD 111

$0.95 MX$16.52

-25.26%

Local Beer (0.5 liter draught)

$2.46 JMD 386

$3.03 MX$52.7

-18.81%

Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$3.10 JMD 488

$4.61 MX$80.3

-32.75%

Milk (1 liter)

$4.34 JMD 682

$1.38 MX$23.96

214.49%

White Bread (500g)

$2.75 JMD 433

$1.85 MX$32.18

48.65%

Rice (white) (1kg)

$1.55 JMD 245

$1.61 MX$28.06

-3.73%

Eggs

$3.48 JMD 548

$2.59 MX$45.18

34.36%

Local Cheese (1kg)

$11.20 JMD 1,762

$8.26 MX$144

35.59%

Chicken Fillets (1kg)

$6.22 JMD 978

$8.37 MX$146

-25.69%

Beef Round Steak (1kg)

$7.47 JMD 1,175

$10.66 MX$186

-29.92%

Apples (1kg)

$6.15 JMD 968

$2.63 MX$45.80

133.84%

Banana (1kg)

$3.04 JMD 479

$1.49 MX$25.92

104.03%

Oranges (1kg)

$4.24 JMD 667

$1.92 MX$33.44

120.83%

Tomato (1kg)

$3.03 JMD 477

$2.09 MX$36.34

44.98%

Potato (1kg)

$2.09 JMD 328

$1.86 MX$32.35

12.37%

Onion (1kg)

$1.98 JMD 312

$2.26 MX$39.39

-12.39%

Lettuce (1 head)

$2.99 JMD 470

$1.06 MX$18.51

182.08%

Water (1.5 liter bottle)

$1.15 JMD 182

$1.09 MX$18.95

5.50%

Cigarettes 20 Pack (Marlboro, Camel)

$8.83 JMD 1,388

$4.15 MX$72.3

112.77%

Wine (Bottle)

$11.49 JMD 1,807

$10.39 MX$181

10.59%

Local Beer (0.5 liter bottle)

$2.75 JMD 432

$1.72 MX$30.03

59.88%

Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$3.17 JMD 498

$2.61 MX$45.52

21.46%

One-way Ticket (Public Transport)

$0.54 MX$9.44

Public Transport Monthly Pass (Regular Price)

$26.94 MX$469

Taxi Start (Normal Tariff)

$0.97 JMD 153

$3.13 MX$54.5

-69.01%

Taxi (Normal Tariff) (1km)

$3.12 JMD 491

$2.51 MX$43.73

24.30%

Taxi 1hour Waiting (Normal Tariff)

$6.38 JMD 1,004

$3.15 MX$54.9

102.54%

Gasoline (1 liter)

$1.28 JMD 201

$1.27 MX$22.21

0.79%

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

$23.9K JMD 3.8M

$30.4K MX$529.1K

-21.33%

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

$17.4K JMD 2.7M

$23.6K MX$410.5K

-26.04%

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

$165 JMD 25.9K

$83.0 MX$1,446

98.57%

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

$22.42 JMD 3,527

$22.71 MX$396

-1.28%

Internet (50+ Mbps, Unlimited Data)

$50.1 JMD 7,878

$29.46 MX$513

69.99%

Gym Membership (Monthly)

$51.0 MX$888

Tennis Court (1 Hour on Weekend)

$18.33 MX$319

Cinema Ticket

$13.37 JMD 2,103

$4.93 MX$85.8

171.20%

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

$228 JMD 35.8K

$197 MX$3,437

15.45%

International Primary School, 1 Child (Yearly)

$2,501 JMD 393.4K

$5,280 MX$92.0K

-52.63%

Jeans (Levis 501 Or Similar)

$25.88 JMD 4,071

$36.90 MX$643

-29.86%

Summer Dress (H&M, Zara, etc)

$25.88 JMD 4,071

$39.89 MX$695

-35.12%

Sport Shoes (Adidas, Nike)

$69.8 JMD 11.0K

$80.0 MX$1,394

-12.72%

Men's Leather Business Shoes

$75.8 JMD 11.9K

$89.5 MX$1,559

-15.26%

1-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)

$499 JMD 78.5K

$956 MX$16.7K

-47.80%

1-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)

$474 JMD 74.6K

$477 MX$8,311

-0.54%

3-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)

$991 JMD 155.8K

$1,646 MX$28.7K

-39.81%

3-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)

$829 JMD 130.5K

$1,225 MX$21.3K

-32.27%

Buy Apartment in City Center (m2)

$3,918 MX$68.3K

Buy Apartment Outside City Center (m2)

$6,459 MX$112.5K

Average Monthly Net Salary (After Tax)

$667 MX$11.6K

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: June 9, 2026

Last update for Playa del Carmen: June 7, 2026

Cost Breakdown

A central one-bedroom costs $499 in Saint Ann's Bay 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.

A mid-range dinner for two costs $50.0 in Saint Ann's Bay versus $43.00 in Playa del Carmen. Monthly groceries follow the same trend: $338 vs $250 – 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 $2,043 per month in Saint Ann's Bay 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 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 $1,362 in Saint Ann's Bay 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 $228 per month in Saint Ann's Bay 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 $1,500 monthly budget goes further in Playa del Carmen, where all-in costs run around $1,271, than in Saint Ann's Bay at $1,362. 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.