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 $783 per month in Saint-Louis vs $1,256 in Playa del Carmen, rent included.

A couple spends around $1,274 per month in Saint-Louis vs $2,137 in Playa del Carmen, rent included.

A family of three spends $1,765 per month in Saint-Louis vs $3,017 in Playa del Carmen, rent included.

Saint-Louis is about 38% 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 41% lower, Playa del Carmen 6% lower.

Meal at Budget Restaurant

$3.48 F CFA 1,996

$11.99 MX$210

-70.98%

Three-Course Dinner for Two, Mid-Range

$53.0 F CFA 30.4K

$41.78 MX$733

26.74%

Fast Food Meal (McDonalds, etc)

$10.20 F CFA 5,848

$10.75 MX$189

-5.12%

Cappuccino

$4.59 F CFA 2,633

$3.50 MX$61.3

31.14%

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

$0.92 F CFA 529

$1.45 MX$25.41

-36.55%

Water (0.33 liter bottle)

$1.06 F CFA 606

$0.88 MX$15.52

20.45%

Local Beer (0.5 liter draught)

$1.81 F CFA 1,037

$2.95 MX$51.7

-38.64%

Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$4.47 F CFA 2,565

$4.51 MX$79.1

-0.89%

Milk (1 liter)

$2.64 F CFA 1,513

$1.43 MX$25.12

84.62%

White Bread (500g)

$0.27 F CFA 156

$1.84 MX$32.23

-85.33%

Rice (white) (1kg)

$1.60 F CFA 917

$1.57 MX$27.51

1.91%

Eggs

$2.71 F CFA 1,554

$2.51 MX$44.06

7.97%

Local Cheese (1kg)

$12.92 F CFA 7,409

$8.28 MX$145

56.04%

Chicken Fillets (1kg)

$9.08 F CFA 5,209

$8.43 MX$148

7.71%

Beef Round Steak (1kg)

$10.94 F CFA 6,272

$10.68 MX$187

2.43%

Apples (1kg)

$2.74 F CFA 1,571

$2.61 MX$45.76

4.98%

Banana (1kg)

$1.90 F CFA 1,090

$1.44 MX$25.22

31.94%

Oranges (1kg)

$2.60 F CFA 1,492

$1.96 MX$34.41

32.65%

Tomato (1kg)

$2.08 F CFA 1,193

$2.09 MX$36.74

-0.48%

Potato (1kg)

$1.49 F CFA 857

$1.85 MX$32.47

-19.46%

Onion (1kg)

$1.35 F CFA 773

$2.17 MX$38.02

-37.79%

Lettuce (1 head)

$1.02 F CFA 587

$1.03 MX$18.09

-0.97%

Water (1.5 liter bottle)

$0.68 F CFA 390

$1.07 MX$18.84

-36.45%

Cigarettes 20 Pack (Marlboro, Camel)

$1.55 F CFA 887

$4.10 MX$72.0

-62.20%

Wine (Bottle)

$17.11 F CFA 9,816

$10.17 MX$178

68.24%

Local Beer (0.5 liter bottle)

$1.19 F CFA 684

$1.68 MX$29.38

-29.17%

Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$2.33 F CFA 1,337

$2.53 MX$44.31

-7.91%

One-way Ticket (Public Transport)

$0.51 MX$8.93

Public Transport Monthly Pass (Regular Price)

$26.04 MX$457

Taxi Start (Normal Tariff)

$0.92 F CFA 527

$3.23 MX$56.7

-71.52%

Taxi (Normal Tariff) (1km)

$2.85 F CFA 1,633

$2.41 MX$42.19

18.26%

Taxi 1hour Waiting (Normal Tariff)

$17.70 F CFA 10.2K

$3.23 MX$56.6

447.99%

Gasoline (1 liter)

$1.80 F CFA 1,030

$1.32 MX$23.17

36.36%

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

$36.0K F CFA 20.6M

$29.7K MX$520.9K

21.24%

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

$50.3K F CFA 28.8M

$23.7K MX$415.0K

112.46%

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

$140 F CFA 80.0K

$82.0 MX$1,439

70.17%

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

$9.72 F CFA 5,576

$22.95 MX$403

-57.65%

Internet (50+ Mbps, Unlimited Data)

$50.1 F CFA 28.7K

$30.11 MX$528

66.26%

Gym Membership (Monthly)

$52.0 MX$912

Tennis Court (1 Hour on Weekend)

$18.53 MX$325

Cinema Ticket

$9.06 F CFA 5,194

$4.98 MX$87.3

81.93%

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

$267 F CFA 152.9K

$197 MX$3,463

35.04%

International Primary School, 1 Child (Yearly)

$7,248 F CFA 4.2M

$5,336 MX$93.6K

35.83%

Jeans (Levis 501 Or Similar)

$67.6 F CFA 38.8K

$35.60 MX$624

89.92%

Summer Dress (H&M, Zara, etc)

$43.90 F CFA 25.2K

$40.33 MX$707

8.85%

Sport Shoes (Adidas, Nike)

$103 F CFA 59.0K

$78.8 MX$1,381

30.65%

Men's Leather Business Shoes

$128 F CFA 73.6K

$88.9 MX$1,560

44.25%

1-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)

$443 F CFA 254.0K

$947 MX$16.6K

-53.24%

1-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)

$474 MX$8,314

3-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)

$1,644 MX$28.8K

3-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)

$1,211 MX$21.2K

Buy Apartment in City Center (m2)

$4,056 MX$71.1K

Buy Apartment Outside City Center (m2)

$6,470 MX$113.5K

Average Monthly Net Salary (After Tax)

$654 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: July 11, 2026

Last update for Playa del Carmen: July 13, 2026

Cost Breakdown

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

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: $273 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 61%, 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 $1,174 per month in Saint-Louis 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 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 $783 in Saint-Louis and $1,256 in Playa del Carmen. The difference isn't just one category – it shows up across housing, food, transport, and services.

Kindergarten costs $267 per month in Saint-Louis and $197 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 $783, than in Playa del Carmen at $1,256. 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.