Cost of Living Comparison Between Saint Helier and Playa del Carmen Cost of Living Comparison Between Saint Helier and Playa del Carmen

Monthly Cost of Living

A single person spends $3,457 per month in Saint Helier vs $1,293 in Playa del Carmen, rent included.

A couple spends around $5,153 per month in Saint Helier vs $2,334 in Playa del Carmen, rent included.

A family of three spends $6,849 per month in Saint Helier vs $3,374 in Playa del Carmen, rent included.

Saint Helier costs about 167% more than Playa del Carmen, driven mainly by Eating Out.

Saint Helier sits 152% above the global median, while Playa del Carmen is 6% below – they fall on opposite sides of the world average.

Meal at Budget Restaurant

$40.89 JEP 30.22

$11.71 MX$199

249.19%

Three-Course Dinner for Two, Mid-Range

$123 JEP 90.8

$46.59 MX$791

163.81%

Fast Food Meal (McDonalds, etc)

$10.65 JEP 7.87

$11.65 MX$198

-8.58%

Cappuccino

$4.85 JEP 3.58

$4.09 MX$69.5

18.58%

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

$3.29 JEP 2.43

$1.37 MX$23.34

140.15%

Water (0.33 liter bottle)

$2.56 JEP 1.89

$0.83 MX$14.16

208.43%

Local Beer (0.5 liter draught)

$7.94 JEP 5.86

$3.35 MX$56.9

137.01%

Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$6.56 JEP 4.85

$6.91 MX$117

-5.07%

Milk (1 liter)

$2.22 JEP 1.64

$1.73 MX$29.33

28.32%

White Bread (500g)

$2.87 JEP 2.12

$2.26 MX$38.39

26.99%

Rice (white) (1kg)

$3.84 JEP 2.84

$1.77 MX$30.05

116.95%

Eggs

$6.30 JEP 4.66

$2.73 MX$46.41

130.77%

Local Cheese (1kg)

$7.26 JEP 5.37

$9.18 MX$156

-20.92%

Chicken Fillets (1kg)

$12.09 JEP 8.93

$8.92 MX$151

35.54%

Beef Round Steak (1kg)

$19.02 JEP 14.06

$12.60 MX$214

50.95%

Apples (1kg)

$4.21 JEP 3.11

$3.02 MX$51.3

39.40%

Banana (1kg)

$3.57 JEP 2.64

$1.57 MX$26.68

127.39%

Oranges (1kg)

$4.26 JEP 3.15

$2.13 MX$36.10

100.00%

Tomato (1kg)

$4.46 JEP 3.30

$2.26 MX$38.46

97.35%

Potato (1kg)

$3.22 JEP 2.38

$2.00 MX$34.04

61.00%

Onion (1kg)

$3.11 JEP 2.30

$2.06 MX$35.06

50.97%

Lettuce (1 head)

$1.85 JEP 1.37

$1.18 MX$20.04

56.78%

Water (1.5 liter bottle)

$2.61 JEP 1.93

$1.20 MX$20.45

117.50%

Cigarettes 20 Pack (Marlboro, Camel)

$20.18 JEP 14.91

$4.63 MX$78.7

335.85%

Wine (Bottle)

$10.66 JEP 7.88

$10.69 MX$182

-0.28%

Local Beer (0.5 liter bottle)

$4.70 JEP 3.47

$1.62 MX$27.50

190.12%

Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$7.84 JEP 5.79

$2.88 MX$48.93

172.22%

One-way Ticket (Public Transport)

$3.45 JEP 2.55

$0.57 MX$9.74

505.26%

Public Transport Monthly Pass (Regular Price)

$69.3 JEP 51.2

$29.83 MX$507

132.15%

Taxi Start (Normal Tariff)

$5.46 JEP 4.03

$5.45 MX$92.5

0.18%

Taxi (Normal Tariff) (1km)

$2.50 JEP 1.85

$3.70 MX$62.9

-32.43%

Taxi 1hour Waiting (Normal Tariff)

$54.9 JEP 40.58

$5.98 MX$102

818.23%

Gasoline (1 liter)

$2.06 JEP 1.52

$1.55 MX$26.38

32.90%

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

$27.0K JEP 20.0K

$22.3K MX$379.2K

20.93%

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

$37.4K JEP 27.6K

$25.9K MX$440.7K

43.98%

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

$322 JEP 238

$89.1 MX$1,514

260.83%

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

$46.56 JEP 34.41

$25.04 MX$425

85.94%

Internet (50+ Mbps, Unlimited Data)

$75.0 JEP 55.4

$31.50 MX$535

138.10%

Gym Membership (Monthly)

$77.2 JEP 57.1

$67.8 MX$1,151

13.91%

Tennis Court (1 Hour on Weekend)

$28.70 JEP 21.21

$28.92 MX$491

-0.76%

Cinema Ticket

$20.60 JEP 15.22

$5.05 MX$85.8

307.92%

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

$2,295 JEP 1,696

$225 MX$3,820

920.16%

International Primary School, 1 Child (Yearly)

$12.4K JEP 9,155

$4,222 MX$71.7K

193.39%

Jeans (Levis 501 Or Similar)

$107 JEP 79.2

$47.44 MX$806

126.01%

Summer Dress (H&M, Zara, etc)

$73.5 JEP 54.3

$44.98 MX$764

63.34%

Sport Shoes (Adidas, Nike)

$121 JEP 89.5

$82.0 MX$1,392

47.64%

Men's Leather Business Shoes

$210 JEP 155

$92.1 MX$1,564

128.15%

1-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)

$1,913 JEP 1,413

$1,069 MX$18.2K

78.86%

1-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)

$1,629 JEP 1,204

$405 MX$6,884

301.84%

3-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)

$3,419 JEP 2,527

$1,935 MX$32.9K

76.68%

3-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)

$2,814 JEP 2,079

$1,301 MX$22.1K

116.22%

Buy Apartment in City Center (m2)

$11.8K JEP 8,749

$3,995 MX$67.9K

196.32%

Buy Apartment Outside City Center (m2)

$10.6K JEP 7,867

$6,626 MX$112.5K

60.65%

Average Monthly Net Salary (After Tax)

$4,680 JEP 3,458

$749 MX$12.7K

525.00%

20-Year Fixed Mortgage Interest Rate (Annual %)

4.08

11.45

-64.37%

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

Last update for Saint Helier: August 30, 2026

Last update for Playa del Carmen: August 29, 2026

Cost Breakdown

A central one-bedroom costs $1,913 in Saint Helier versus $1,069 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 525% higher in Saint Helier, 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 $123 in Saint Helier versus $47.00 in Playa del Carmen. Monthly groceries follow the same trend: $428 vs $277 – 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 Helier vs Playa del Carmen: Cost of Living - Frequently Asked Questions

Yes – Saint Helier is pricier by about 167%, 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 $5,186 per month in Saint Helier and $1,940 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 $3,457 in Saint Helier and $1,293 in Playa del Carmen. The difference isn't just one category – it shows up across housing, food, transport, and services.

Public transport costs about 132% 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 $1,293, than in Saint Helier at $3,457. In Playa del Carmen it covers expenses comfortably, while in Saint Helier 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 Helier makes more sense. Both are solid long-term options with distinct trade-offs.