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 $1,029 per month in Saint Ann's Bay vs $1,305 in Playa del Carmen, rent included.

A couple spends around $1,626 per month in Saint Ann's Bay vs $2,334 in Playa del Carmen, rent included.

A family of three spends $2,223 per month in Saint Ann's Bay vs $3,362 in Playa del Carmen, rent included.

Saint Ann's Bay is about 21% cheaper than Playa del Carmen, driven mainly by Groceries & Markets.

Both Saint Ann's Bay and Playa del Carmen are more affordable than the global median – Saint Ann's Bay 25% lower, Playa del Carmen 5% lower.

Meal at Budget Restaurant

$15.54 JMD 2,441

$11.96 MX$203

29.93%

Three-Course Dinner for Two, Mid-Range

$49.54 JMD 7,781

$47.38 MX$804

4.56%

Fast Food Meal (McDonalds, etc)

$8.64 JMD 1,357

$11.75 MX$199

-26.47%

Cappuccino

$5.19 JMD 815

$4.12 MX$70.0

25.97%

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

$1.20 JMD 188

$1.40 MX$23.74

-14.29%

Water (0.33 liter bottle)

$0.73 JMD 114

$0.91 MX$15.48

-19.78%

Local Beer (0.5 liter draught)

$2.26 JMD 355

$3.21 MX$54.4

-29.60%

Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$3.10 JMD 487

$7.07 MX$120

-56.15%

Milk (1 liter)

$4.21 JMD 662

$1.68 MX$28.44

150.60%

White Bread (500g)

$3.84 JMD 604

$2.15 MX$36.48

78.60%

Rice (white) (1kg)

$1.62 JMD 254

$1.77 MX$30.10

-8.47%

Eggs

$3.52 JMD 553

$2.82 MX$47.76

24.82%

Local Cheese (1kg)

$11.31 JMD 1,776

$9.20 MX$156

22.93%

Chicken Fillets (1kg)

$6.39 JMD 1,003

$9.23 MX$157

-30.77%

Beef Round Steak (1kg)

$10.43 JMD 1,638

$12.64 MX$214

-17.48%

Apples (1kg)

$5.92 JMD 929

$2.95 MX$50.1

100.68%

Banana (1kg)

$3.78 JMD 594

$1.58 MX$26.79

139.24%

Oranges (1kg)

$7.59 JMD 1,193

$2.22 MX$37.70

241.89%

Tomato (1kg)

$3.13 JMD 491

$2.36 MX$40.09

32.63%

Potato (1kg)

$3.29 JMD 516

$1.99 MX$33.81

65.33%

Onion (1kg)

$2.63 JMD 413

$1.98 MX$33.58

32.83%

Lettuce (1 head)

$3.03 JMD 476

$1.24 MX$21.04

144.35%

Water (1.5 liter bottle)

$1.47 JMD 231

$1.21 MX$20.55

21.49%

Cigarettes 20 Pack (Marlboro, Camel)

$9.37 JMD 1,472

$4.60 MX$78.1

103.70%

Wine (Bottle)

$11.52 JMD 1,809

$10.52 MX$178

9.51%

Local Beer (0.5 liter bottle)

$2.92 JMD 459

$1.69 MX$28.70

72.78%

Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$3.91 JMD 614

$2.77 MX$47.06

41.16%

One-way Ticket (Public Transport)

$0.60 MX$10.22

Public Transport Monthly Pass (Regular Price)

$29.70 MX$504

Taxi Start (Normal Tariff)

$1.17 JMD 184

$5.24 MX$88.8

-77.67%

Taxi (Normal Tariff) (1km)

$3.12 JMD 491

$3.65 MX$61.9

-14.52%

Taxi 1hour Waiting (Normal Tariff)

$6.38 JMD 1,002

$5.78 MX$98.1

10.38%

Gasoline (1 liter)

$1.32 JMD 207

$1.54 MX$26.09

-14.29%

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

$44.9K JMD 7.1M

$22.8K MX$386.8K

96.88%

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

$32.5K JMD 5.1M

$25.8K MX$437.9K

25.97%

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

$178 JMD 28.0K

$90.7 MX$1,538

96.77%

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

$29.66 JMD 4,659

$25.19 MX$427

17.75%

Internet (50+ Mbps, Unlimited Data)

$53.6 JMD 8,426

$31.75 MX$539

68.94%

Gym Membership (Monthly)

$68.8 MX$1,167

Tennis Court (1 Hour on Weekend)

$29.37 MX$498

Cinema Ticket

$13.17 JMD 2,069

$4.86 MX$82.5

170.99%

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

$356 JMD 55.9K

$226 MX$3,828

57.73%

International Primary School, 1 Child (Yearly)

$8,294 JMD 1.3M

$4,194 MX$71.1K

97.76%

Jeans (Levis 501 Or Similar)

$24.11 JMD 3,787

$47.38 MX$804

-49.11%

Summer Dress (H&M, Zara, etc)

$32.22 JMD 5,061

$43.45 MX$737

-25.85%

Sport Shoes (Adidas, Nike)

$76.9 JMD 12.1K

$80.2 MX$1,361

-4.11%

Men's Leather Business Shoes

$101 JMD 15.9K

$91.4 MX$1,550

10.94%

1-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)

$1,086 MX$18.4K

1-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)

$409 MX$6,933

3-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)

$1,972 MX$33.5K

3-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)

$1,281 MX$21.7K

Buy Apartment in City Center (m2)

$4,046 MX$68.6K

Buy Apartment Outside City Center (m2)

$6,704 MX$113.7K

Average Monthly Net Salary (After Tax)

$773 MX$13.1K

20-Year Fixed Mortgage Interest Rate (Annual %)

9.45

11.45

-17.47%

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

Last update for Saint Ann's Bay: September 7, 2026

Last update for Playa del Carmen: September 7, 2026

Cost Breakdown

A mid-range dinner for two costs $50.0 in Saint Ann's Bay versus $47.00 in Playa del Carmen. Monthly groceries follow the same trend: $387 vs $278 – 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 – Playa del Carmen is pricier by about 27%, 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 $1,544 per month in Saint Ann's Bay and $1,958 in Playa del Carmen. That covers rent, food, utilities, transport, and enough left over to feel settled – not just surviving.

Monthly expenses with rent come to $1,029 in Saint Ann's Bay and $1,305 in Playa del Carmen. The difference isn't just one category – it shows up across housing, food, transport, and services.

Kindergarten costs $356 per month in Saint Ann's Bay and $226 in Playa del Carmen. For families with young kids, this one expense can tip the scales when choosing between the two cities.

A $1,000 monthly budget goes further in Saint Ann's Bay, where all-in costs run around $1,029, than in Playa del Carmen at $1,305. In Saint Ann's Bay 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 Ann's Bay – 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 Ann's Bay. 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.