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

Monthly Cost of Living

A single person spends $778 per month in Saint-Louis vs $1,297 in Playa del Carmen, rent included.

A couple spends around $1,264 per month in Saint-Louis vs $2,181 in Playa del Carmen, rent included.

A family of three spends $1,750 per month in Saint-Louis vs $3,065 in Playa del Carmen, rent included.

Saint-Louis is about 40% cheaper than Playa del Carmen, driven mainly by Eating Out.

Both Saint-Louis and Playa del Carmen are more affordable than the global median – Saint-Louis 42% lower, Playa del Carmen 3% lower.

Meal at Budget Restaurant

$3.45 F CFA 1,943

$11.73 MX$203

-70.59%

Three-Course Dinner for Two, Mid-Range

$53.5 F CFA 30.2K

$41.62 MX$720

28.52%

Fast Food Meal (McDonalds, etc)

$10.42 F CFA 5,877

$10.64 MX$184

-2.07%

Cappuccino

$4.51 F CFA 2,543

$3.52 MX$60.9

28.12%

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

$0.84 F CFA 475

$1.51 MX$26.12

-44.37%

Water (0.33 liter bottle)

$1.05 F CFA 594

$0.97 MX$16.84

8.25%

Local Beer (0.5 liter draught)

$1.80 F CFA 1,017

$2.95 MX$51.0

-38.98%

Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$4.28 F CFA 2,416

$4.45 MX$77.0

-3.82%

Milk (1 liter)

$2.57 F CFA 1,450

$1.38 MX$23.93

86.23%

White Bread (500g)

$0.27 F CFA 153

$1.89 MX$32.72

-85.71%

Rice (white) (1kg)

$1.62 F CFA 912

$1.64 MX$28.32

-1.22%

Eggs

$2.60 F CFA 1,464

$2.51 MX$43.34

3.59%

Local Cheese (1kg)

$12.60 F CFA 7,107

$8.34 MX$144

51.08%

Chicken Fillets (1kg)

$9.22 F CFA 5,198

$8.34 MX$144

10.55%

Beef Round Steak (1kg)

$10.95 F CFA 6,176

$10.73 MX$186

2.05%

Apples (1kg)

$2.82 F CFA 1,591

$2.60 MX$45.04

8.46%

Banana (1kg)

$2.00 F CFA 1,126

$1.46 MX$25.20

36.99%

Oranges (1kg)

$2.60 F CFA 1,469

$1.90 MX$32.87

36.84%

Tomato (1kg)

$2.06 F CFA 1,164

$2.08 MX$35.91

-0.96%

Potato (1kg)

$1.55 F CFA 874

$1.78 MX$30.71

-12.92%

Onion (1kg)

$1.34 F CFA 755

$2.19 MX$37.80

-38.81%

Lettuce (1 head)

$1.02 F CFA 573

$1.04 MX$17.99

-1.92%

Water (1.5 liter bottle)

$0.72 F CFA 408

$1.08 MX$18.62

-33.33%

Cigarettes 20 Pack (Marlboro, Camel)

$1.64 F CFA 922

$4.08 MX$70.6

-59.80%

Wine (Bottle)

$15.33 F CFA 8,643

$10.32 MX$178

48.55%

Local Beer (0.5 liter bottle)

$1.17 F CFA 660

$1.71 MX$29.61

-31.58%

Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$2.24 F CFA 1,266

$2.58 MX$44.54

-13.18%

One-way Ticket (Public Transport)

$0.51 MX$8.81

Public Transport Monthly Pass (Regular Price)

$26.46 MX$458

Taxi Start (Normal Tariff)

$0.91 F CFA 514

$3.26 MX$56.4

-72.09%

Taxi (Normal Tariff) (1km)

$2.78 F CFA 1,569

$2.49 MX$43.09

11.65%

Taxi 1hour Waiting (Normal Tariff)

$17.72 F CFA 9,996

$3.25 MX$56.2

445.23%

Gasoline (1 liter)

$1.73 F CFA 974

$1.31 MX$22.61

32.06%

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

$36.0K F CFA 20.3M

$30.3K MX$523.7K

18.87%

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

$49.7K F CFA 28.0M

$23.4K MX$405.3K

112.24%

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

$140 F CFA 79.1K

$82.9 MX$1,433

69.33%

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

$9.67 F CFA 5,453

$22.22 MX$384

-56.48%

Internet (50+ Mbps, Unlimited Data)

$50.6 F CFA 28.5K

$29.34 MX$507

72.39%

Gym Membership (Monthly)

$51.6 MX$893

Tennis Court (1 Hour on Weekend)

$18.32 MX$317

Cinema Ticket

$8.93 F CFA 5,038

$5.07 MX$87.6

76.13%

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

$265 F CFA 149.6K

$201 MX$3,473

32.11%

International Primary School, 1 Child (Yearly)

$7,357 F CFA 4.1M

$5,212 MX$90.1K

41.16%

Jeans (Levis 501 Or Similar)

$69.5 F CFA 39.2K

$36.92 MX$639

88.19%

Summer Dress (H&M, Zara, etc)

$44.04 F CFA 24.8K

$39.79 MX$688

10.68%

Sport Shoes (Adidas, Nike)

$103 F CFA 58.2K

$78.5 MX$1,357

31.49%

Men's Leather Business Shoes

$130 F CFA 73.1K

$87.1 MX$1,506

48.89%

1-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)

$443 F CFA 249.7K

$973 MX$16.8K

-54.47%

1-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)

$468 MX$8,090

3-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)

$1,641 MX$28.4K

3-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)

$1,221 MX$21.1K

Buy Apartment in City Center (m2)

$3,946 MX$68.3K

Buy Apartment Outside City Center (m2)

$6,498 MX$112.4K

Average Monthly Net Salary (After Tax)

$664 MX$11.5K

20-Year Fixed Mortgage Interest Rate (Annual %)

8.25

11.42

-27.76%

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

Last update for Saint-Louis: June 1, 2026

Last update for Playa del Carmen: June 2, 2026

Cost Breakdown

A central one-bedroom costs $443 in Saint-Louis 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.

A mid-range dinner for two costs $53.0 in Saint-Louis versus $42.00 in Playa del Carmen. Monthly groceries follow the same trend: $270 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-Louis vs Playa del Carmen: Cost of Living - Frequently Asked Questions

Yes – Playa del Carmen is pricier by about 67%, 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 $1,167 per month in Saint-Louis 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 Saint-Louis, 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 $778 in Saint-Louis and $1,297 in Playa del Carmen. The difference isn't just one category – it shows up across housing, food, transport, and services.

Kindergarten costs $265 per month in Saint-Louis and $201 in Playa del Carmen. For families with young kids, this one expense can tip the scales when choosing between the two cities.

A $1,000 monthly budget goes further in Saint-Louis, where all-in costs run around $778, than in Playa del Carmen at $1,297. In Saint-Louis it covers expenses comfortably, while in Playa del Carmen it requires careful planning or may not stretch far enough.

Families tend to lean toward Saint-Louis – 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 Saint-Louis. If higher salaries, better infrastructure, or specific career opportunities are the priority, Playa del Carmen makes more sense. Both are solid long-term options with distinct trade-offs.