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 $3,315 per month in Saint Helier vs $1,297 in Playa del Carmen, rent included.

A couple spends around $5,404 per month in Saint Helier vs $2,181 in Playa del Carmen, rent included.

A family of three spends $7,493 per month in Saint Helier vs $3,065 in Playa del Carmen, rent included.

Saint Helier costs about 156% more than Playa del Carmen, driven mainly by Eating Out.

Saint Helier sits 147% above the global median, while Playa del Carmen is 3% below – they fall on opposite sides of the world average.

Meal at Budget Restaurant

$37.77 JEP 28.06

$11.73 MX$203

221.99%

Three-Course Dinner for Two, Mid-Range

$138 JEP 103

$41.62 MX$720

232.68%

Fast Food Meal (McDonalds, etc)

$11.01 JEP 8.18

$10.64 MX$184

3.48%

Cappuccino

$5.11 JEP 3.80

$3.52 MX$60.9

45.17%

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

$3.15 JEP 2.34

$1.51 MX$26.12

108.61%

Water (0.33 liter bottle)

$2.57 JEP 1.91

$0.97 MX$16.84

164.95%

Local Beer (0.5 liter draught)

$8.24 JEP 6.12

$2.95 MX$51.0

179.32%

Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$8.37 JEP 6.22

$4.45 MX$77.0

88.09%

Milk (1 liter)

$2.24 JEP 1.67

$1.38 MX$23.93

62.32%

White Bread (500g)

$2.31 JEP 1.72

$1.89 MX$32.72

22.22%

Rice (white) (1kg)

$3.44 JEP 2.56

$1.64 MX$28.32

109.76%

Eggs

$5.98 JEP 4.44

$2.51 MX$43.34

138.25%

Local Cheese (1kg)

$9.25 JEP 6.87

$8.34 MX$144

10.91%

Chicken Fillets (1kg)

$11.69 JEP 8.69

$8.34 MX$144

40.17%

Beef Round Steak (1kg)

$19.10 JEP 14.19

$10.73 MX$186

78.01%

Apples (1kg)

$4.35 JEP 3.24

$2.60 MX$45.04

67.31%

Banana (1kg)

$3.16 JEP 2.35

$1.46 MX$25.20

116.44%

Oranges (1kg)

$4.31 JEP 3.20

$1.90 MX$32.87

126.84%

Tomato (1kg)

$4.15 JEP 3.08

$2.08 MX$35.91

99.52%

Potato (1kg)

$4.05 JEP 3.01

$1.78 MX$30.71

127.53%

Onion (1kg)

$3.92 JEP 2.91

$2.19 MX$37.80

79.00%

Lettuce (1 head)

$2.04 JEP 1.52

$1.04 MX$17.99

96.15%

Water (1.5 liter bottle)

$2.45 JEP 1.82

$1.08 MX$18.62

126.85%

Cigarettes 20 Pack (Marlboro, Camel)

$15.74 JEP 11.70

$4.08 MX$70.6

285.78%

Wine (Bottle)

$10.62 JEP 7.89

$10.32 MX$178

2.91%

Local Beer (0.5 liter bottle)

$4.51 JEP 3.35

$1.71 MX$29.61

163.74%

Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$7.35 JEP 5.46

$2.58 MX$44.54

184.88%

One-way Ticket (Public Transport)

$3.05 JEP 2.27

$0.51 MX$8.81

498.04%

Public Transport Monthly Pass (Regular Price)

$69.2 JEP 51.4

$26.46 MX$458

161.49%

Taxi Start (Normal Tariff)

$6.26 JEP 4.65

$3.26 MX$56.4

92.02%

Taxi (Normal Tariff) (1km)

$3.92 JEP 2.91

$2.49 MX$43.09

57.43%

Taxi 1hour Waiting (Normal Tariff)

$33.52 JEP 24.90

$3.25 MX$56.2

931.38%

Gasoline (1 liter)

$2.17 JEP 1.61

$1.31 MX$22.61

65.65%

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

$22.6K JEP 16.8K

$30.3K MX$523.7K

-25.50%

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

$33.3K JEP 24.7K

$23.4K MX$405.3K

42.14%

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

$242 JEP 180

$82.9 MX$1,433

192.05%

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

$24.99 JEP 18.57

$22.22 MX$384

12.47%

Internet (50+ Mbps, Unlimited Data)

$75.0 JEP 55.7

$29.34 MX$507

155.66%

Gym Membership (Monthly)

$69.0 JEP 51.3

$51.6 MX$893

33.62%

Tennis Court (1 Hour on Weekend)

$25.09 JEP 18.64

$18.32 MX$317

36.95%

Cinema Ticket

$21.07 JEP 15.66

$5.07 MX$87.6

315.58%

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

$2,217 JEP 1,647

$201 MX$3,473

1003.85%

International Primary School, 1 Child (Yearly)

$17.3K JEP 12.9K

$5,212 MX$90.1K

232.54%

Jeans (Levis 501 Or Similar)

$109 JEP 80.8

$36.92 MX$639

194.37%

Summer Dress (H&M, Zara, etc)

$71.7 JEP 53.3

$39.79 MX$688

80.17%

Sport Shoes (Adidas, Nike)

$129 JEP 95.8

$78.5 MX$1,357

64.32%

Men's Leather Business Shoes

$215 JEP 160

$87.1 MX$1,506

147.09%

1-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)

$2,030 JEP 1,508

$973 MX$16.8K

108.75%

1-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)

$1,650 JEP 1,226

$468 MX$8,090

252.71%

3-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)

$3,871 JEP 2,876

$1,641 MX$28.4K

135.86%

3-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)

$3,538 JEP 2,629

$1,221 MX$21.1K

189.84%

Buy Apartment in City Center (m2)

$11.9K JEP 8,831

$3,946 MX$68.3K

201.21%

Buy Apartment Outside City Center (m2)

$10.4K JEP 7,759

$6,498 MX$112.4K

60.72%

Average Monthly Net Salary (After Tax)

$4,831 JEP 3,590

$664 MX$11.5K

627.68%

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: May 30, 2026

Last update for Playa del Carmen: June 2, 2026

Cost Breakdown

A central one-bedroom costs $2,030 in Saint Helier 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 628% 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 $138 in Saint Helier versus $42.00 in Playa del Carmen. Monthly groceries follow the same trend: $421 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 156%, 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 $4,972 per month in Saint Helier 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 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 $3,315 in Saint Helier 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 161% 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 $1,297, than in Saint Helier at $3,315. 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.