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

Monthly Cost of Living

A single person spends $1,189 per month in Saint George's vs $1,256 in Playa del Carmen, rent included.

A couple spends around $2,002 per month in Saint George's vs $2,137 in Playa del Carmen, rent included.

A family of three spends $2,815 per month in Saint George's vs $3,017 in Playa del Carmen, rent included.

Saint George's is about 5% cheaper than Playa del Carmen, driven mainly by Eating Out.

Both Saint George's and Playa del Carmen are more affordable than the global median – Saint George's 11% lower, Playa del Carmen 6% lower.

Meal at Budget Restaurant

$7.60 EC$20.51

$11.99 MX$210

-36.61%

Three-Course Dinner for Two, Mid-Range

$111 EC$300

$41.78 MX$733

165.51%

Fast Food Meal (McDonalds, etc)

$8.36 EC$22.58

$10.75 MX$189

-22.23%

Cappuccino

$4.40 EC$11.89

$3.50 MX$61.3

25.71%

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

$1.87 EC$5.05

$1.45 MX$25.41

28.97%

Water (0.33 liter bottle)

$1.55 EC$4.19

$0.88 MX$15.52

76.14%

Local Beer (0.5 liter draught)

$2.00 EC$5.40

$2.95 MX$51.7

-32.20%

Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$3.66 EC$9.89

$4.51 MX$79.1

-18.85%

Milk (1 liter)

$3.97 EC$10.71

$1.43 MX$25.12

177.62%

White Bread (500g)

$1.71 EC$4.61

$1.84 MX$32.23

-7.07%

Rice (white) (1kg)

$1.99 EC$5.38

$1.57 MX$27.51

26.75%

Eggs

$3.97 EC$10.71

$2.51 MX$44.06

58.17%

Local Cheese (1kg)

$10.10 EC$27.27

$8.28 MX$145

21.98%

Chicken Fillets (1kg)

$5.70 EC$15.40

$8.43 MX$148

-32.38%

Beef Round Steak (1kg)

$10.39 EC$28.05

$10.68 MX$187

-2.72%

Apples (1kg)

$2.71 EC$7.32

$2.61 MX$45.76

3.83%

Banana (1kg)

$1.90 EC$5.14

$1.44 MX$25.22

31.94%

Oranges (1kg)

$1.72 EC$4.63

$1.96 MX$34.41

-12.24%

Tomato (1kg)

$2.99 EC$8.07

$2.09 MX$36.74

43.06%

Potato (1kg)

$1.60 EC$4.33

$1.85 MX$32.47

-13.51%

Onion (1kg)

$1.60 EC$4.33

$2.17 MX$38.02

-26.27%

Lettuce (1 head)

$1.34 EC$3.60

$1.03 MX$18.09

30.10%

Water (1.5 liter bottle)

$1.40 EC$3.77

$1.07 MX$18.84

30.84%

Cigarettes 20 Pack (Marlboro, Camel)

$1.86 EC$5.03

$4.10 MX$72.0

-54.63%

Wine (Bottle)

$6.65 EC$17.95

$10.17 MX$178

-34.61%

Local Beer (0.5 liter bottle)

$1.88 EC$5.07

$1.68 MX$29.38

11.90%

Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$1.82 EC$4.92

$2.53 MX$44.31

-28.06%

One-way Ticket (Public Transport)

$1.09 EC$2.94

$0.51 MX$8.93

113.73%

Public Transport Monthly Pass (Regular Price)

$37.23 EC$101

$26.04 MX$457

42.97%

Taxi Start (Normal Tariff)

$22.51 EC$60.8

$3.23 MX$56.7

596.90%

Taxi (Normal Tariff) (1km)

$2.41 MX$42.19

Taxi 1hour Waiting (Normal Tariff)

$3.23 MX$56.6

Gasoline (1 liter)

$1.38 EC$3.71

$1.32 MX$23.17

4.55%

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

$25.2K EC$68.1K

$29.7K MX$520.9K

-15.02%

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

$30.7K EC$83.0K

$23.7K MX$415.0K

29.91%

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

$209 EC$564

$82.0 MX$1,439

154.82%

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

$18.45 EC$49.81

$22.95 MX$403

-19.61%

Internet (50+ Mbps, Unlimited Data)

$46.52 EC$126

$30.11 MX$528

54.50%

Gym Membership (Monthly)

$36.88 EC$99.6

$52.0 MX$912

-29.04%

Tennis Court (1 Hour on Weekend)

$18.86 EC$50.9

$18.53 MX$325

1.78%

Cinema Ticket

$11.00 EC$29.70

$4.98 MX$87.3

120.88%

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

$55.5 EC$150

$197 MX$3,463

-71.91%

International Primary School, 1 Child (Yearly)

$2,324 EC$6,275

$5,336 MX$93.6K

-56.45%

Jeans (Levis 501 Or Similar)

$26.33 EC$71.1

$35.60 MX$624

-26.04%

Summer Dress (H&M, Zara, etc)

$43.84 EC$118

$40.33 MX$707

8.70%

Sport Shoes (Adidas, Nike)

$43.35 EC$117

$78.8 MX$1,381

-44.95%

Men's Leather Business Shoes

$74.9 EC$202

$88.9 MX$1,560

-15.82%

1-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)

$591 EC$1,596

$947 MX$16.6K

-37.60%

1-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)

$290 EC$782

$474 MX$8,314

-38.88%

3-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)

$1,101 EC$2,972

$1,644 MX$28.8K

-33.05%

3-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)

$511 EC$1,380

$1,211 MX$21.2K

-57.78%

Buy Apartment in City Center (m2)

$399 EC$1,076

$4,056 MX$71.1K

-90.17%

Buy Apartment Outside City Center (m2)

$112.9K EC$304.9K

$6,470 MX$113.5K

1645.49%

Average Monthly Net Salary (After Tax)

$921 EC$2,487

$654 MX$11.5K

40.88%

20-Year Fixed Mortgage Interest Rate (Annual %)

6.33

11.42

-44.57%

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

Last update for Saint George's: July 11, 2026

Last update for Playa del Carmen: July 13, 2026

Cost Breakdown

A central one-bedroom costs $591 in Saint George's versus $947 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.

Salaries run about 41% higher in Saint George's, which reinforces the cost advantage – you earn more and spend less. Purchasing power leans clearly in its favor.

A mid-range dinner for two costs $111 in Saint George's versus $42.00 in Playa del Carmen. Monthly groceries follow the same trend: $274 vs $249 – 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 George's vs Playa del Carmen: Cost of Living - Frequently Asked Questions

Yes – Playa del Carmen is pricier by about 6%, and the gap shows up most in Eating Out. It's not just housing either; the difference applies across most spending categories.

For a comfortable life, plan on about $1,784 per month in Saint George's and $1,884 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 Saint George's, 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 $1,189 in Saint George's and $1,256 in Playa del Carmen. The difference isn't just one category – it shows up across housing, food, transport, and services.

Public transport costs about 43% less in Saint George's. For daily commuters, that gap adds up to noticeable savings over a year.

A $1,500 monthly budget goes further in Saint George's, where all-in costs run around $1,189, than in Playa del Carmen at $1,256. In Saint George's 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 George's – lower housing and cheaper childcare make a real difference, especially on a single income or when paying for private education.

Both have safer and rougher neighborhoods, but overall safety is comparable to other large cities. Neighborhood choice matters more than the city-level comparison – central, well-trafficked areas feel secure in both.

If budget matters most, go with Saint George's. 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.