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 $1,226 per month in Saint George's vs $1,297 in Playa del Carmen, rent included.

A couple spends around $2,017 per month in Saint George's vs $2,181 in Playa del Carmen, rent included.

A family of three spends $2,807 per month in Saint George's vs $3,065 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 8% lower, Playa del Carmen 3% lower.

Meal at Budget Restaurant

$7.52 EC$20.31

$11.73 MX$203

-35.89%

Three-Course Dinner for Two, Mid-Range

$112 EC$303

$41.62 MX$720

169.39%

Fast Food Meal (McDonalds, etc)

$8.46 EC$22.83

$10.64 MX$184

-20.49%

Cappuccino

$4.55 EC$12.29

$3.52 MX$60.9

29.26%

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

$1.89 EC$5.11

$1.51 MX$26.12

25.17%

Water (0.33 liter bottle)

$1.55 EC$4.20

$0.97 MX$16.84

59.79%

Local Beer (0.5 liter draught)

$1.99 EC$5.36

$2.95 MX$51.0

-32.54%

Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$3.67 EC$9.92

$4.45 MX$77.0

-17.53%

Milk (1 liter)

$3.88 EC$10.47

$1.38 MX$23.93

181.16%

White Bread (500g)

$1.66 EC$4.49

$1.89 MX$32.72

-12.17%

Rice (white) (1kg)

$1.91 EC$5.17

$1.64 MX$28.32

16.46%

Eggs

$4.12 EC$11.13

$2.51 MX$43.34

64.14%

Local Cheese (1kg)

$10.13 EC$27.35

$8.34 MX$144

21.46%

Chicken Fillets (1kg)

$5.91 EC$15.96

$8.34 MX$144

-29.14%

Beef Round Steak (1kg)

$10.39 EC$28.06

$10.73 MX$186

-3.17%

Apples (1kg)

$2.70 EC$7.30

$2.60 MX$45.04

3.85%

Banana (1kg)

$1.82 EC$4.90

$1.46 MX$25.20

24.66%

Oranges (1kg)

$1.70 EC$4.59

$1.90 MX$32.87

-10.53%

Tomato (1kg)

$2.87 EC$7.75

$2.08 MX$35.91

37.98%

Potato (1kg)

$1.58 EC$4.28

$1.78 MX$30.71

-11.24%

Onion (1kg)

$1.52 EC$4.10

$2.19 MX$37.80

-30.59%

Lettuce (1 head)

$1.27 EC$3.44

$1.04 MX$17.99

22.12%

Water (1.5 liter bottle)

$1.32 EC$3.56

$1.08 MX$18.62

22.22%

Cigarettes 20 Pack (Marlboro, Camel)

$1.86 EC$5.03

$4.08 MX$70.6

-54.41%

Wine (Bottle)

$6.67 EC$18.00

$10.32 MX$178

-35.37%

Local Beer (0.5 liter bottle)

$1.87 EC$5.04

$1.71 MX$29.61

9.36%

Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$1.80 EC$4.85

$2.58 MX$44.54

-30.23%

One-way Ticket (Public Transport)

$1.08 EC$2.91

$0.51 MX$8.81

111.76%

Public Transport Monthly Pass (Regular Price)

$37.31 EC$101

$26.46 MX$458

41.01%

Taxi Start (Normal Tariff)

$21.85 EC$59.0

$3.26 MX$56.4

570.25%

Taxi (Normal Tariff) (1km)

$2.49 MX$43.09

Taxi 1hour Waiting (Normal Tariff)

$3.25 MX$56.2

Gasoline (1 liter)

$1.33 EC$3.59

$1.31 MX$22.61

1.53%

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

$24.7K EC$66.6K

$30.3K MX$523.7K

-18.49%

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

$29.7K EC$80.2K

$23.4K MX$405.3K

26.73%

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

$209 EC$564

$82.9 MX$1,433

151.88%

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

$18.59 EC$50.2

$22.22 MX$384

-16.34%

Internet (50+ Mbps, Unlimited Data)

$47.62 EC$129

$29.34 MX$507

62.30%

Gym Membership (Monthly)

$36.68 EC$99.0

$51.6 MX$893

-28.96%

Tennis Court (1 Hour on Weekend)

$18.44 EC$49.80

$18.32 MX$317

0.66%

Cinema Ticket

$11.13 EC$30.06

$5.07 MX$87.6

119.53%

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

$55.5 EC$150

$201 MX$3,473

-72.34%

International Primary School, 1 Child (Yearly)

$2,294 EC$6,194

$5,212 MX$90.1K

-55.98%

Jeans (Levis 501 Or Similar)

$25.43 EC$68.7

$36.92 MX$639

-31.12%

Summer Dress (H&M, Zara, etc)

$43.63 EC$118

$39.79 MX$688

9.65%

Sport Shoes (Adidas, Nike)

$42.82 EC$116

$78.5 MX$1,357

-45.42%

Men's Leather Business Shoes

$77.2 EC$209

$87.1 MX$1,506

-11.31%

1-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)

$577 EC$1,559

$973 MX$16.8K

-40.64%

1-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)

$290 EC$784

$468 MX$8,090

-37.93%

3-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)

$1,097 EC$2,961

$1,641 MX$28.4K

-33.19%

3-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)

$513 EC$1,386

$1,221 MX$21.1K

-57.96%

Buy Apartment in City Center (m2)

$406 EC$1,096

$3,946 MX$68.3K

-89.72%

Buy Apartment Outside City Center (m2)

$109.6K EC$295.8K

$6,498 MX$112.4K

1586.13%

Average Monthly Net Salary (After Tax)

$924 EC$2,495

$664 MX$11.5K

39.16%

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: May 31, 2026

Last update for Playa del Carmen: June 2, 2026

Cost Breakdown

A central one-bedroom costs $577 in Saint George's versus $973 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 39% 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 $112 in Saint George's versus $42.00 in Playa del Carmen. Monthly groceries follow the same trend: $271 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 $1,840 per month in Saint George's and $1,945 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 $1,226 in Saint George's and $1,297 in Playa del Carmen. The difference isn't just one category – it shows up across housing, food, transport, and services.

Public transport costs about 41% 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 $1,226, than in Playa del Carmen at $1,297. 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.