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 $2,305 per month in Saint-Jérôme vs $1,297 in Playa del Carmen, rent included.

A couple spends around $3,365 per month in Saint-Jérôme vs $2,181 in Playa del Carmen, rent included.

A family of three spends $4,424 per month in Saint-Jérôme vs $3,065 in Playa del Carmen, rent included.

Saint-Jérôme costs about 78% more than Playa del Carmen, driven mainly by Groceries & Markets.

Saint-Jérôme sits 72% above the global median, while Playa del Carmen is 3% below – they fall on opposite sides of the world average.

Meal at Budget Restaurant

$17.08 CA$23.75

$11.73 MX$203

45.61%

Three-Course Dinner for Two, Mid-Range

$69.6 CA$96.8

$41.62 MX$719

67.30%

Fast Food Meal (McDonalds, etc)

$11.00 CA$15.30

$10.64 MX$184

3.38%

Cappuccino

$3.74 CA$5.20

$3.52 MX$60.8

6.25%

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

$1.99 CA$2.76

$1.51 MX$26.09

31.79%

Water (0.33 liter bottle)

$1.64 CA$2.28

$0.97 MX$16.82

69.07%

Local Beer (0.5 liter draught)

$5.58 CA$7.77

$2.95 MX$51.0

89.15%

Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$6.06 CA$8.43

$4.45 MX$77.0

36.18%

Milk (1 liter)

$2.13 CA$2.96

$1.38 MX$23.90

54.35%

White Bread (500g)

$2.70 CA$3.76

$1.89 MX$32.69

42.86%

Rice (white) (1kg)

$3.63 CA$5.06

$1.64 MX$28.29

121.34%

Eggs

$3.53 CA$4.91

$2.51 MX$43.30

40.64%

Local Cheese (1kg)

$11.27 CA$15.68

$8.34 MX$144

35.13%

Chicken Fillets (1kg)

$11.94 CA$16.60

$8.34 MX$144

43.17%

Beef Round Steak (1kg)

$14.51 CA$20.17

$10.73 MX$185

35.23%

Apples (1kg)

$4.01 CA$5.58

$2.60 MX$45.00

54.23%

Banana (1kg)

$1.43 CA$1.98

$1.46 MX$25.18

-2.05%

Oranges (1kg)

$3.70 CA$5.15

$1.90 MX$32.84

94.74%

Tomato (1kg)

$3.70 CA$5.15

$2.08 MX$35.88

77.88%

Potato (1kg)

$2.48 CA$3.45

$1.78 MX$30.68

39.33%

Onion (1kg)

$2.48 CA$3.45

$2.19 MX$37.76

13.24%

Lettuce (1 head)

$2.53 CA$3.52

$1.04 MX$17.97

143.27%

Water (1.5 liter bottle)

$1.72 CA$2.39

$1.08 MX$18.60

59.26%

Cigarettes 20 Pack (Marlboro, Camel)

$14.06 CA$19.56

$4.08 MX$70.5

244.61%

Wine (Bottle)

$14.43 CA$20.07

$10.32 MX$178

39.83%

Local Beer (0.5 liter bottle)

$2.86 CA$3.97

$1.71 MX$29.59

67.25%

Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$3.00 CA$4.17

$2.58 MX$44.50

16.28%

One-way Ticket (Public Transport)

$2.40 CA$3.34

$0.51 MX$8.81

370.59%

Public Transport Monthly Pass (Regular Price)

$63.9 CA$88.9

$26.46 MX$457

141.57%

Taxi Start (Normal Tariff)

$3.11 CA$4.33

$3.26 MX$56.4

-4.60%

Taxi (Normal Tariff) (1km)

$1.49 CA$2.08

$2.49 MX$43.05

-40.16%

Taxi 1hour Waiting (Normal Tariff)

$25.53 CA$35.51

$3.25 MX$56.1

685.54%

Gasoline (1 liter)

$1.09 CA$1.51

$1.31 MX$22.59

-16.79%

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

$25.4K CA$35.3K

$30.3K MX$523.2K

-16.09%

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

$20.3K CA$28.2K

$23.4K MX$404.9K

-13.39%

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

$143 CA$199

$82.9 MX$1,432

72.63%

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

$44.41 CA$61.8

$22.22 MX$384

99.86%

Internet (50+ Mbps, Unlimited Data)

$63.2 CA$87.9

$29.34 MX$507

115.37%

Gym Membership (Monthly)

$42.36 CA$58.9

$51.6 MX$892

-17.95%

Tennis Court (1 Hour on Weekend)

$18.32 MX$317

Cinema Ticket

$11.60 CA$16.13

$5.07 MX$87.5

128.80%

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

$730 CA$1,016

$201 MX$3,470

263.65%

International Primary School, 1 Child (Yearly)

$11.6K CA$16.1K

$5,212 MX$90.1K

122.33%

Jeans (Levis 501 Or Similar)

$53.7 CA$74.6

$36.92 MX$638

45.37%

Summer Dress (H&M, Zara, etc)

$40.33 CA$56.1

$39.79 MX$688

1.36%

Sport Shoes (Adidas, Nike)

$87.7 CA$122

$78.5 MX$1,356

11.73%

Men's Leather Business Shoes

$108 CA$151

$87.1 MX$1,505

24.33%

1-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)

$1,314 CA$1,828

$973 MX$16.8K

35.14%

1-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)

$1,168 CA$1,624

$468 MX$8,082

149.64%

3-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)

$2,003 CA$2,785

$1,641 MX$28.4K

22.02%

3-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)

$1,818 CA$2,528

$1,221 MX$21.1K

48.92%

Buy Apartment in City Center (m2)

$3,946 MX$68.2K

Buy Apartment Outside City Center (m2)

$6,498 MX$112.3K

Average Monthly Net Salary (After Tax)

$2,775 CA$3,859

$664 MX$11.5K

317.97%

20-Year Fixed Mortgage Interest Rate (Annual %)

6.46

11.42

-43.43%

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

Last update for Saint-Jérôme: June 2, 2026

Last update for Playa del Carmen: June 2, 2026

Cost Breakdown

A central one-bedroom costs $1,314 in Saint-Jérôme 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 318% 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 $70.0 in Saint-Jérôme versus $42.00 in Playa del Carmen. Monthly groceries follow the same trend: $368 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-Jérôme vs Playa del Carmen: Cost of Living - Frequently Asked Questions

Yes – Saint-Jérôme is pricier by about 78%, 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 $3,458 per month in Saint-Jérôme 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 $2,305 in Saint-Jérôme 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 142% 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-Jérôme at $2,305. 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.