Last update: Oct 2026

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

For one person, living is cheaper in Playa del Carmen: $1,204 a month against $1,616 in Saint George's, rent and utilities included – about $4,900 less a year. Rent and utilities account for most of the difference.

78

Cost of Living Index in Saint George's
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Saint George's Living Index
59

Cost of Living Index in Playa del Carmen
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Playa del Carmen Living Index

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Saint George's

🇬🇩 Grenada

$1,616

/mo nomad

Playa del Carmen

🇲🇽 Mexico

$1,204

/mo nomad

Monthly Cost of Living

How much you'll spend in Saint George's and in Playa del Carmen

Real prices from locals and on-the-ground checks – rent, groceries, transit and the daily extras. Here's what a month in Saint George's and in Playa del Carmen actually costs, broken down by who's living it.

A single person spends $1,616 per month in Saint George's vs $1,204 in Playa del Carmen, rent included.

Saint George's $1,616
Playa del Carmen $1,204

A couple spends around $2,623 per month in Saint George's vs $2,102 in Playa del Carmen, rent included.

Saint George's $2,623
Playa del Carmen $2,102

A family of three spends $3,631 per month in Saint George's vs $3,000 in Playa del Carmen, rent included.

Saint George's $3,631
Playa del Carmen $3,000

Saint George's costs about 34% more than Playa del Carmen, and outside of rent the biggest gap is in groceries.

Saint George's sits 19% above the global median, while Playa del Carmen is 11% below – they fall on opposite sides of the world average.

Meal at Budget Restaurant

$7.38 EC$19.94

$10.86 MX$201

-32.04%

Three-Course Dinner for Two, Mid-Range

$137 EC$370

$44.21 MX$817

210.07%

Fast Food Meal (McDonalds, etc)

$8.46 EC$22.85

$11.76 MX$217

-28.06%

Cappuccino

$4.34 EC$11.73

$3.68 MX$68.0

17.93%

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

$1.98 EC$5.34

$1.34 MX$24.79

47.76%

Water (0.33 liter bottle)

$1.96 EC$5.28

$0.82 MX$15.24

139.02%

Local Beer (0.5 liter draught)

$2.83 EC$7.65

$3.06 MX$56.6

-7.52%

Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$3.65 EC$9.86

$4.94 MX$91.2

-26.11%

Milk (1 liter)

$3.98 EC$10.74

$1.47 MX$27.17

170.75%

White Bread (500g)

$2.34 EC$6.32

$2.22 MX$40.95

5.41%

Rice (white) (1kg)

$1.74 EC$4.69

$1.48 MX$27.32

17.57%

Eggs

$4.33 EC$11.70

$2.49 MX$45.99

73.90%

Local Cheese (1kg)

$13.85 EC$37.41

$7.52 MX$139

84.18%

Chicken Fillets (1kg)

$9.20 EC$24.83

$7.96 MX$147

15.58%

Beef Round Steak (1kg)

$13.72 EC$37.04

$12.57 MX$232

9.15%

Apples (1kg)

$13.35 EC$36.04

$2.78 MX$51.3

380.22%

Banana (1kg)

$2.40 EC$6.48

$1.43 MX$26.37

67.83%

Oranges (1kg)

$1.58 EC$4.27

$2.62 MX$48.37

-39.69%

Tomato (1kg)

$5.60 EC$15.11

$2.14 MX$39.49

161.68%

Potato (1kg)

$2.88 EC$7.78

$2.02 MX$37.38

42.57%

Onion (1kg)

$3.60 EC$9.73

$1.99 MX$36.74

80.90%

Lettuce (1 head)

$1.13 EC$3.05

$1.14 MX$21.01

-0.88%

Water (1.5 liter bottle)

$2.02 EC$5.45

$1.20 MX$22.18

68.33%

Cigarettes 20 Pack (Marlboro, Camel)

$4.26 MX$78.7

Wine (Bottle)

$15.97 EC$43.12

$10.02 MX$185

59.38%

Local Beer (0.5 liter bottle)

$2.16 EC$5.83

$1.54 MX$28.41

40.26%

Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$2.39 EC$6.44

$2.66 MX$49.17

-10.15%

One-way Ticket (Public Transport)

$0.90 EC$2.44

$0.53 MX$9.73

69.81%

Public Transport Monthly Pass (Regular Price)

$64.8 EC$175

$27.51 MX$508

135.70%

Taxi Start (Normal Tariff)

$29.68 EC$80.1

$4.90 MX$90.6

505.71%

Taxi (Normal Tariff) (1km)

$3.43 MX$63.5

Taxi 1hour Waiting (Normal Tariff)

$5.38 MX$99.4

Gasoline (1 liter)

$1.42 EC$3.83

$1.45 MX$26.76

-2.07%

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

$26.0K EC$70.3K

$21.2K MX$391.0K

22.98%

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

$31.0K EC$83.8K

$23.0K MX$425.3K

34.89%

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

$250 EC$676

$85.4 MX$1,577

193.35%

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

$20.68 EC$55.9

$23.46 MX$434

-11.85%

Internet (50+ Mbps, Unlimited Data)

$51.7 EC$140

$28.43 MX$525

81.99%

Gym Membership (Monthly)

$37.48 EC$101

$62.2 MX$1,149

-39.73%

Tennis Court (1 Hour on Weekend)

$18.75 EC$50.6

$28.68 MX$530

-34.62%

Cinema Ticket

$11.02 EC$29.74

$5.10 MX$94.3

116.08%

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

$54.7 EC$148

$201 MX$3,715

-72.79%

International Primary School, 1 Child (Yearly)

$3,346 EC$9,033

$3,947 MX$72.9K

-15.23%

Jeans (Levis 501 Or Similar)

$35.20 EC$95.1

$44.39 MX$820

-20.70%

Summer Dress (H&M, Zara, etc)

$44.11 EC$119

$41.35 MX$764

6.67%

Sport Shoes (Adidas, Nike)

$50.5 EC$136

$72.7 MX$1,344

-30.57%

Men's Leather Business Shoes

$87.0 EC$235

$89.6 MX$1,656

-2.96%

1-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)

$1,138 EC$3,074

$979 MX$18.1K

16.24%

1-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)

$440 EC$1,189

$373 MX$6,887

18.11%

3-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)

$2,021 EC$5,457

$1,681 MX$31.1K

20.24%

3-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)

$713 EC$1,926

$1,095 MX$20.2K

-34.85%

Buy Apartment in City Center (m2)

$4,206 EC$11.4K

$3,949 MX$73.0K

6.51%

Buy Apartment Outside City Center (m2)

$109.1K EC$294.7K

$6,137 MX$113.4K

1678.55%

Average Monthly Net Salary (After Tax)

$922 EC$2,490

$738 MX$13.6K

25.05%

20-Year Fixed Mortgage Interest Rate (Annual %)

11.45

-38.86%

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

Last update for Saint George's: October 17, 2026

Last update for Playa del Carmen: October 17, 2026

Monthly budget structure

Share of the monthly basket for one person, rent included.

Accommodation & Living

Saint George's

$440 27.3%

Playa del Carmen

$373 31% 15.3% $67

Groceries & Markets

Saint George's

$424 26.2%

Playa del Carmen

$258 21.5% 39% $165

Monthly Utilities & Internet

Saint George's

$323 20%

Playa del Carmen

$137 11.4% 57.5% $186

Eating Out

Saint George's

$174 10.8%

Playa del Carmen

$200 16.6% 15.2% $26

Getting Around

Saint George's

$98 * 6.1%

Playa del Carmen

$52 4.3% 47.3% $46

Clothing & Footwear

Saint George's

$98 6%

Playa del Carmen

$112 9.3% 14.4% $14

Sport & Entertainment

Saint George's

$60 3.7%

Playa del Carmen

$72 6% 21.6% $13

Categories marked with * are only partly priced – their share counts the items that do have prices.

Cost Breakdown

A central one-bedroom costs $1,138 in Saint George's versus $979 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 25% higher in Saint George's, which partly offsets the higher cost of living there. Purchasing power depends on which expenses matter most to you.

A mid-range dinner for two costs $137 in Saint George's versus $44.00 in Playa del Carmen. Monthly groceries follow the same trend: $424 vs $258 – making Playa del Carmen the more affordable choice for daily food spending.

Good to know

🇬🇩 Saint George's

🇲🇽 Playa del Carmen

🕒 Local time

19:29 7:29 PM

18:29 6:29 PM

1 h behind Saint George's

🌤 Weather

👥 Population

7,500 Capital

149,923

💱 Currency

East Caribbean Dollar XCD $

Mexican Peso MXN $

📈 Exchange rate

1 XCD = 0.37 USD

1 XCD = 0.329 EUR

100 MXN = 5.41 USD

100 MXN = 4.81 EUR

Exchange rates and currency converter

MXN, USD, EUR to XCD – East Caribbean Dollar Converter

🇺🇸 United States Dollar ($)

🌐 East Caribbean Dollar ($)

East Caribbean Dollar exchange rates as of October 20, 2026: 1 USD = 2.7 XCD (1 XCD = 0.37 USD). 1 EUR = 3.04 XCD (1 XCD = 0.329 EUR).

Mexican Peso exchange rates as of October 20, 2026: 1 USD = 18.48 MXN (100 MXN = 5.41 USD). 1 EUR = 20.77 MXN (100 MXN = 4.81 EUR).

USD to XCD in detail →

On the map

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Between locations

Saint George's Playa del Carmen 2,860 km ≈ 4 h nonstop flight

From you

Saint George's
Playa del Carmen

Distances are measured in a straight line. Your location is detected approximately.

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 – Saint George's is pricier by about 34%, and outside of rent the gap shows up most in groceries.

For a comfortable life, plan on about $2,424 per month in Saint George's and $1,806 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 $1,616 in Saint George's and $1,204 in Playa del Carmen. That's a gap of about 34%.

Public transport costs about 136% less in Playa del Carmen. For daily commuters, that gap adds up to noticeable savings over a year.

A $1,500 monthly budget goes further in Playa del Carmen, where all-in costs run around $1,204, than in Saint George's at $1,616. In Playa del Carmen it covers expenses comfortably, while in Saint George's 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.

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 Playa del Carmen. If higher salaries, better infrastructure, or specific career opportunities are the priority, Saint George's makes more sense. Both are solid long-term options with distinct trade-offs.