Cost of Living Comparison Between Saint Pierre and Playa del Carmen Cost of Living Comparison Between Saint Pierre and Playa del Carmen

Monthly Cost of Living

A single person spends $1,042 per month in Saint Pierre vs $1,260 in Playa del Carmen, rent included.

A couple spends around $1,722 per month in Saint Pierre vs $2,125 in Playa del Carmen, rent included.

A family of three spends $2,401 per month in Saint Pierre vs $2,990 in Playa del Carmen, rent included.

Saint Pierre is about 17% cheaper than Playa del Carmen, driven mainly by Eating Out.

Both Saint Pierre and Playa del Carmen are more affordable than the global median – Saint Pierre 22% lower, Playa del Carmen 5% lower.

Currency
🍽 Eating Out
Saint Pierre
Playa del Carmen
Difference
Meal at Budget Restaurant
$6.57 MUR 310
$11.72 MX$204
-43.94%
Three-Course Dinner for Two, Mid-Range
$44.01 MUR 2,078
$41.89 MX$731
5.06%
Fast Food Meal (McDonalds, etc)
$7.03 MUR 332
$10.51 MX$183
-33.11%
Cappuccino
$2.65 MUR 125
$3.59 MX$62.5
-26.18%
Coke/Pepsi/Fanta/Sprite (0.33 liter bottle)
$0.97 MUR 45.75
$1.51 MX$26.31
-35.76%
Water (0.33 liter bottle)
$0.60 MUR 28.26
$0.92 MX$15.96
-34.78%
Local Beer (0.5 liter draught)
$2.24 MUR 106
$2.96 MX$51.6
-24.32%
Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)
$3.24 MUR 153
$4.41 MX$76.9
-26.53%
🛒 Groceries & Markets
Saint Pierre
Playa del Carmen
Difference
Milk (1 liter)
$1.69 MUR 79.6
$1.40 MX$24.35
20.71%
White Bread (500g)
$0.70 MUR 33.27
$1.88 MX$32.87
-62.77%
Rice (white) (1kg)
$1.34 MUR 63.1
$1.56 MX$27.19
-14.10%
Eggs
$2.23 MUR 105
$2.61 MX$45.50
-14.56%
Local Cheese (1kg)
$12.08 MUR 570
$8.32 MX$145
45.19%
Chicken Fillets (1kg)
$6.05 MUR 286
$8.35 MX$146
-27.54%
Beef Round Steak (1kg)
$12.67 MUR 598
$10.86 MX$189
16.67%
Apples (1kg)
$1.97 MUR 93.1
$2.71 MX$47.31
-27.31%
Banana (1kg)
$2.02 MUR 95.2
$1.51 MX$26.25
33.77%
Oranges (1kg)
$1.43 MUR 67.4
$1.87 MX$32.67
-23.53%
Tomato (1kg)
$2.71 MUR 128
$2.19 MX$38.19
23.74%
Potato (1kg)
$1.00 MUR 47.08
$1.86 MX$32.40
-46.24%
Onion (1kg)
$0.93 MUR 44.00
$2.23 MX$38.90
-58.30%
Lettuce (1 head)
$0.84 MUR 39.62
$1.07 MX$18.63
-21.50%
Water (1.5 liter bottle)
$0.76 MUR 35.81
$1.09 MX$18.94
-30.28%
Cigarettes 20 Pack (Marlboro, Camel)
$6.79 MUR 320
$4.19 MX$73.0
62.05%
Wine (Bottle)
$8.55 MUR 404
$10.43 MX$182
-18.02%
Local Beer (0.5 liter bottle)
$1.72 MUR 81.3
$1.66 MX$28.91
3.61%
Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)
$2.24 MUR 106
$2.61 MX$45.56
-14.18%
🚌 Getting Around
Saint Pierre
Playa del Carmen
Difference
One-way Ticket (Public Transport)
$1.03 MUR 48.84
$0.54 MX$9.45
90.74%
Public Transport Monthly Pass (Regular Price)
-
$26.16 MX$456
-
Taxi Start (Normal Tariff)
$4.37 MUR 206
$3.08 MX$53.7
41.88%
Taxi (Normal Tariff) (1km)
$2.59 MUR 122
$2.40 MX$41.94
7.92%
Taxi 1hour Waiting (Normal Tariff)
$19.61 MUR 926
$3.13 MX$54.5
526.52%
Gasoline (1 liter)
$1.44 MUR 68.1
$1.31 MX$22.87
9.92%
Midsize Hatchback 1.4l (Volkswagen Golf, Toyota Prius, Honda Civic, etc)
$35.2K MUR 1.7M
$29.8K MX$519.9K
17.96%
Compact Sedan 1.6l (Toyota Corolla, Mazda3, Kia K4, Hyundai Elantra, etc)
$28.7K MUR 1.4M
$23.3K MX$406.8K
22.92%
🧾 Monthly Utilities & Internet
Saint Pierre
Playa del Carmen
Difference
Utilities for 2 People in 2-bedroom Apartment (Heating, Electricity, Gas, Water, Garbage) (85m2)
$50.2 MUR 2,370
$81.3 MX$1,418
-38.25%
SIM Card Monthly Plan (Calls and 10GB+ Data)
$18.05 MUR 852
$22.56 MX$393
-19.99%
Internet (50+ Mbps, Unlimited Data)
$33.51 MUR 1,582
$30.05 MX$524
11.51%
🎉 Sport & Entertainment
Saint Pierre
Playa del Carmen
Difference
Gym Membership (Monthly)
$38.24 MUR 1,806
$52.9 MX$923
-27.73%
Tennis Court (1 Hour on Weekend)
-
$18.39 MX$321
-
Cinema Ticket
$6.11 MUR 288
$4.92 MX$85.8
24.19%
🧸 Childcare & Education
Saint Pierre
Playa del Carmen
Difference
Preschool or Kindergarten, Full Day, Private, 1 Child (Monthly)
$154 MUR 7,275
$201 MX$3,502
-23.28%
International Primary School, 1 Child (Yearly)
$4,000 MUR 188.9K
$5,175 MX$90.2K
-22.69%
👕👟 Clothing & Footwear
Saint Pierre
Playa del Carmen
Difference
Jeans (Levis 501 Or Similar)
$86.0 MUR 4,061
$35.92 MX$627
139.42%
Summer Dress (H&M, Zara, etc)
$79.9 MUR 3,773
$40.13 MX$700
99.13%
Sport Shoes (Adidas, Nike)
$134 MUR 6,304
$79.7 MX$1,390
67.50%
Men's Leather Business Shoes
$96.2 MUR 4,541
$86.5 MX$1,508
11.23%
🏠 Accommodation & Living
Saint Pierre
Playa del Carmen
Difference
1-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)
$516 MUR 24.3K
$978 MX$17.1K
-47.29%
1-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)
$350 MUR 16.5K
$470 MX$8,206
-25.66%
3-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)
$942 MUR 44.5K
$1,651 MX$28.8K
-42.97%
3-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)
$711 MUR 33.6K
$1,203 MX$21.0K
-40.93%
Buy Apartment in City Center (m2)
-
$3,953 MX$69.0K
-
Buy Apartment Outside City Center (m2)
-
$6,607 MX$115.2K
-
💵 Salaries & Financials
Saint Pierre
Playa del Carmen
Difference
Average Monthly Net Salary (After Tax)
-
$677 MX$11.8K
-
20-Year Fixed Mortgage Interest Rate (Annual %)
6.67
11.42
-41.59%

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

Last update for Saint Pierre: July 25, 2026

Last update for Playa del Carmen: July 27, 2026

Cost Breakdown

A central one-bedroom costs $516 in Saint Pierre versus $978 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 $44.00 in Saint Pierre versus $42.00 in Playa del Carmen. Groceries tell a different story – $231 in Saint Pierre vs $252 in Playa del Carmen – so Saint Pierre wins on supermarket bills even if dining out costs more.

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 Pierre vs Playa del Carmen: Cost of Living - Frequently Asked Questions
Is Playa del Carmen cheaper than Saint Pierre?
Yes – Playa del Carmen is pricier by about 21%, and the gap shows up most in Eating Out. It's not just housing either; the difference applies across most spending categories.
What income do you need for each city?
For a comfortable life, plan on about $1,563 per month in Saint Pierre and $1,890 in Playa del Carmen. That covers rent, food, utilities, transport, and enough left over to feel settled – not just surviving.
Which city has lower housing costs?
Rent is clearly cheaper in Saint Pierre, especially for central apartments. Housing is actually the single biggest factor behind the overall cost gap between these two cities.
What are total monthly expenses in Saint Pierre and in Playa del Carmen?
Monthly expenses with rent come to $1,042 in Saint Pierre and $1,260 in Playa del Carmen. The difference isn't just one category – it shows up across housing, food, transport, and services.
Which city has cheaper kindergarten?
Kindergarten costs $154 per month in Saint Pierre and $201 in Playa del Carmen. For families with young kids, this one expense can tip the scales when choosing between the two cities.
Is $1,500 a realistic budget for living in Saint Pierre or in Playa del Carmen?
A $1,500 monthly budget goes further in Saint Pierre, where all-in costs run around $1,042, than in Playa del Carmen at $1,260. In Saint Pierre it covers expenses comfortably, while in Playa del Carmen it requires careful planning or may not stretch far enough.
Is Saint Pierre or Playa del Carmen more family-friendly?
Families tend to lean toward Saint Pierre – lower housing and cheaper childcare make a real difference, especially on a single income or when paying for private education.
Which city is safer, Saint Pierre or Playa del Carmen?
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.
Which city is the better choice to relocate to?
If budget matters most, go with Saint Pierre. 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.

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