Cost of Living Comparison Between Saint-Jérôme and Playa del Carmen Cost of Living Comparison Between Saint-Jérôme and Playa del Carmen

Monthly Cost of Living

A single person spends $1,949 per month in Saint-Jérôme vs $1,266 in Playa del Carmen, rent included.

A couple spends around $2,957 per month in Saint-Jérôme vs $2,279 in Playa del Carmen, rent included.

A family of three spends $3,964 per month in Saint-Jérôme vs $3,292 in Playa del Carmen, rent included.

Saint-Jérôme costs about 54% more than Playa del Carmen, driven mainly by Groceries & Markets.

Saint-Jérôme sits 42% above the global median, while Playa del Carmen is 7% below – they fall on opposite sides of the world average.

Meal at Budget Restaurant

$13.07 CA$18.28

$11.60 MX$200

12.67%

Three-Course Dinner for Two, Mid-Range

$54.7 CA$76.5

$47.11 MX$812

16.07%

Fast Food Meal (McDonalds, etc)

$10.39 CA$14.54

$11.88 MX$205

-12.54%

Cappuccino

$3.23 CA$4.51

$3.98 MX$68.6

-18.84%

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

$2.29 CA$3.20

$1.43 MX$24.60

60.14%

Water (0.33 liter bottle)

$1.93 CA$2.69

$0.82 MX$14.22

135.37%

Local Beer (0.5 liter draught)

$5.67 CA$7.94

$3.19 MX$55.0

77.74%

Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$7.25 CA$10.14

$6.79 MX$117

6.77%

Milk (1 liter)

$3.41 CA$4.77

$1.68 MX$28.89

102.98%

White Bread (500g)

$2.16 CA$3.02

$2.20 MX$37.88

-1.82%

Rice (white) (1kg)

$3.95 CA$5.53

$1.71 MX$29.45

130.99%

Eggs

$3.14 CA$4.40

$2.74 MX$47.26

14.60%

Local Cheese (1kg)

$4.89 CA$6.84

$9.58 MX$165

-48.96%

Chicken Fillets (1kg)

$16.08 CA$22.49

$9.01 MX$155

78.47%

Beef Round Steak (1kg)

$17.67 CA$24.71

$12.81 MX$221

37.94%

Apples (1kg)

$3.74 CA$5.24

$2.89 MX$49.81

29.41%

Banana (1kg)

$2.03 CA$2.84

$1.50 MX$25.81

35.33%

Oranges (1kg)

$5.00 CA$7.00

$2.15 MX$37.03

132.56%

Tomato (1kg)

$4.40 CA$6.15

$2.26 MX$38.96

94.69%

Potato (1kg)

$2.84 CA$3.97

$1.98 MX$34.15

43.43%

Onion (1kg)

$2.92 CA$4.08

$1.99 MX$34.30

46.73%

Lettuce (1 head)

$2.83 CA$3.95

$1.23 MX$21.28

130.08%

Water (1.5 liter bottle)

$4.41 CA$6.17

$1.20 MX$20.63

267.50%

Cigarettes 20 Pack (Marlboro, Camel)

$12.47 CA$17.45

$4.55 MX$78.5

174.07%

Wine (Bottle)

$12.55 CA$17.56

$10.37 MX$179

21.02%

Local Beer (0.5 liter bottle)

$1.23 CA$1.72

$1.62 MX$27.91

-24.07%

Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$2.88 MX$49.67

One-way Ticket (Public Transport)

$2.66 CA$3.72

$0.60 MX$10.35

343.33%

Public Transport Monthly Pass (Regular Price)

$76.5 CA$107

$28.80 MX$497

165.56%

Taxi Start (Normal Tariff)

$5.39 MX$92.9

Taxi (Normal Tariff) (1km)

$3.73 MX$64.3

Taxi 1hour Waiting (Normal Tariff)

$5.77 MX$99.5

Gasoline (1 liter)

$1.14 CA$1.59

$1.54 MX$26.48

-25.97%

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

$22.5K MX$388.8K

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

$26.1K MX$449.3K

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

$58.0 CA$81.2

$91.4 MX$1,576

-36.51%

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

$35.25 CA$49.31

$25.20 MX$435

39.88%

Internet (50+ Mbps, Unlimited Data)

$43.92 CA$61.5

$31.24 MX$539

40.59%

Gym Membership (Monthly)

$14.35 CA$20.08

$67.2 MX$1,159

-78.65%

Tennis Court (1 Hour on Weekend)

$29.11 MX$502

Cinema Ticket

$8.60 CA$12.04

$4.86 MX$83.8

76.95%

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

$224 MX$3,856

International Primary School, 1 Child (Yearly)

$4,229 MX$72.9K

Jeans (Levis 501 Or Similar)

$35.44 CA$49.58

$47.10 MX$812

-24.76%

Summer Dress (H&M, Zara, etc)

$24.82 CA$34.72

$44.29 MX$764

-43.96%

Sport Shoes (Adidas, Nike)

$107 CA$149

$80.1 MX$1,381

33.15%

Men's Leather Business Shoes

$88.5 CA$124

$92.7 MX$1,598

-4.49%

1-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)

$885 CA$1,238

$1,063 MX$18.3K

-16.73%

1-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)

$887 CA$1,241

$390 MX$6,728

127.29%

3-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)

$1,799 CA$2,516

$2,149 MX$37.1K

-16.30%

3-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)

$1,571 CA$2,198

$1,272 MX$21.9K

23.52%

Buy Apartment in City Center (m2)

$4,001 MX$69.0K

Buy Apartment Outside City Center (m2)

$6,502 MX$112.1K

Average Monthly Net Salary (After Tax)

$2,779 CA$3,888

$758 MX$13.1K

266.58%

20-Year Fixed Mortgage Interest Rate (Annual %)

11.45

-56.33%

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

Last update for Saint-Jérôme: September 13, 2026

Last update for Playa del Carmen: September 12, 2026

Cost Breakdown

A central one-bedroom costs $885 in Saint-Jérôme versus $1,063 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 267% higher in Saint-Jérôme, 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 $55.0 in Saint-Jérôme versus $47.00 in Playa del Carmen. Monthly groceries follow the same trend: $415 vs $276 – 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-Jérôme vs Playa del Carmen: Cost of Living - Frequently Asked Questions

Yes – Saint-Jérôme is pricier by about 54%, and the gap shows up most in Groceries & Markets. It's not just housing either; the difference applies across most spending categories.

For a comfortable life, plan on about $2,924 per month in Saint-Jérôme and $1,899 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 $1,949 in Saint-Jérôme and $1,266 in Playa del Carmen. The difference isn't just one category – it shows up across housing, food, transport, and services.

A mid-range dinner for two costs $55.0 in Saint-Jérôme and $47.00 in Playa del Carmen. That's a good indicator of the overall restaurant and café pricing gap between the two cities.

A $1,500 monthly budget goes further in Playa del Carmen, where all-in costs run around $1,266, than in Saint-Jérôme at $1,949. In Playa del Carmen it covers expenses comfortably, while in Saint-Jérôme 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.

If budget matters most, go with Playa del Carmen. If higher salaries, better infrastructure, or specific career opportunities are the priority, Saint-Jérôme makes more sense. Both are solid long-term options with distinct trade-offs.