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 $3,333 per month in Saint Helier vs $1,256 in Playa del Carmen, rent included.

A couple spends around $5,458 per month in Saint Helier vs $2,137 in Playa del Carmen, rent included.

A family of three spends $7,584 per month in Saint Helier vs $3,017 in Playa del Carmen, rent included.

Saint Helier costs about 165% more than Playa del Carmen, driven mainly by Eating Out.

Saint Helier sits 149% above the global median, while Playa del Carmen is 6% below – they fall on opposite sides of the world average.

Meal at Budget Restaurant

$36.81 JEP 27.39

$11.99 MX$210

207.01%

Three-Course Dinner for Two, Mid-Range

$135 JEP 100

$41.78 MX$733

223.19%

Fast Food Meal (McDonalds, etc)

$10.82 JEP 8.05

$10.75 MX$189

0.65%

Cappuccino

$5.04 JEP 3.75

$3.50 MX$61.3

44.00%

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

$3.25 JEP 2.42

$1.45 MX$25.41

124.14%

Water (0.33 liter bottle)

$2.55 JEP 1.90

$0.88 MX$15.52

189.77%

Local Beer (0.5 liter draught)

$8.05 JEP 5.99

$2.95 MX$51.7

172.88%

Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$8.16 JEP 6.07

$4.51 MX$79.1

80.93%

Milk (1 liter)

$2.26 JEP 1.68

$1.43 MX$25.12

58.04%

White Bread (500g)

$2.39 JEP 1.78

$1.84 MX$32.23

29.89%

Rice (white) (1kg)

$3.56 JEP 2.65

$1.57 MX$27.51

126.75%

Eggs

$5.87 JEP 4.37

$2.51 MX$44.06

133.86%

Local Cheese (1kg)

$9.28 JEP 6.90

$8.28 MX$145

12.08%

Chicken Fillets (1kg)

$11.59 JEP 8.62

$8.43 MX$148

37.49%

Beef Round Steak (1kg)

$19.44 JEP 14.46

$10.68 MX$187

82.02%

Apples (1kg)

$4.46 JEP 3.32

$2.61 MX$45.76

70.88%

Banana (1kg)

$3.25 JEP 2.42

$1.44 MX$25.22

125.69%

Oranges (1kg)

$4.32 JEP 3.21

$1.96 MX$34.41

120.41%

Tomato (1kg)

$4.30 JEP 3.20

$2.09 MX$36.74

105.74%

Potato (1kg)

$3.86 JEP 2.87

$1.85 MX$32.47

108.65%

Onion (1kg)

$3.94 JEP 2.93

$2.17 MX$38.02

81.57%

Lettuce (1 head)

$2.02 JEP 1.50

$1.03 MX$18.09

96.12%

Water (1.5 liter bottle)

$2.45 JEP 1.82

$1.07 MX$18.84

128.97%

Cigarettes 20 Pack (Marlboro, Camel)

$15.40 JEP 11.45

$4.10 MX$72.0

275.61%

Wine (Bottle)

$10.55 JEP 7.85

$10.17 MX$178

3.74%

Local Beer (0.5 liter bottle)

$4.58 JEP 3.40

$1.68 MX$29.38

172.62%

Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$7.60 JEP 5.65

$2.53 MX$44.31

200.40%

One-way Ticket (Public Transport)

$3.11 JEP 2.31

$0.51 MX$8.93

509.80%

Public Transport Monthly Pass (Regular Price)

$68.3 JEP 50.8

$26.04 MX$457

162.25%

Taxi Start (Normal Tariff)

$6.02 JEP 4.48

$3.23 MX$56.7

86.38%

Taxi (Normal Tariff) (1km)

$3.80 JEP 2.82

$2.41 MX$42.19

57.68%

Taxi 1hour Waiting (Normal Tariff)

$33.75 JEP 25.11

$3.23 MX$56.6

944.89%

Gasoline (1 liter)

$2.21 JEP 1.65

$1.32 MX$23.17

67.42%

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

$22.4K JEP 16.7K

$29.7K MX$520.9K

-24.62%

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

$33.8K JEP 25.1K

$23.7K MX$415.0K

42.80%

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

$247 JEP 184

$82.0 MX$1,439

200.79%

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

$25.30 JEP 18.82

$22.95 MX$403

10.24%

Internet (50+ Mbps, Unlimited Data)

$76.4 JEP 56.8

$30.11 MX$528

153.57%

Gym Membership (Monthly)

$69.7 JEP 51.9

$52.0 MX$912

34.17%

Tennis Court (1 Hour on Weekend)

$24.72 JEP 18.39

$18.53 MX$325

33.41%

Cinema Ticket

$21.47 JEP 15.97

$4.98 MX$87.3

331.12%

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

$2,208 JEP 1,643

$197 MX$3,463

1018.42%

International Primary School, 1 Child (Yearly)

$17.4K JEP 13.0K

$5,336 MX$93.6K

226.34%

Jeans (Levis 501 Or Similar)

$108 JEP 80.3

$35.60 MX$624

203.17%

Summer Dress (H&M, Zara, etc)

$73.6 JEP 54.7

$40.33 MX$707

82.42%

Sport Shoes (Adidas, Nike)

$129 JEP 96.1

$78.8 MX$1,381

64.09%

Men's Leather Business Shoes

$213 JEP 158

$88.9 MX$1,560

139.54%

1-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)

$1,999 JEP 1,487

$947 MX$16.6K

111.07%

1-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)

$1,647 JEP 1,225

$474 MX$8,314

247.47%

3-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)

$3,867 JEP 2,877

$1,644 MX$28.8K

135.27%

3-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)

$3,473 JEP 2,584

$1,211 MX$21.2K

186.89%

Buy Apartment in City Center (m2)

$11.6K JEP 8,599

$4,056 MX$71.1K

184.95%

Buy Apartment Outside City Center (m2)

$10.3K JEP 7,643

$6,470 MX$113.5K

58.79%

Average Monthly Net Salary (After Tax)

$4,665 JEP 3,471

$654 MX$11.5K

613.47%

20-Year Fixed Mortgage Interest Rate (Annual %)

3.85

11.42

-66.29%

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

Last update for Saint Helier: July 13, 2026

Last update for Playa del Carmen: July 13, 2026

Cost Breakdown

A central one-bedroom costs $1,999 in Saint Helier 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 613% 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 $135 in Saint Helier versus $42.00 in Playa del Carmen. Monthly groceries follow the same trend: $425 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 Helier vs Playa del Carmen: Cost of Living - Frequently Asked Questions

Yes – Saint Helier is pricier by about 165%, 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 $5,000 per month in Saint Helier 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 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 $3,333 in Saint Helier 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 162% 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 $1,256, than in Saint Helier at $3,333. 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.