Cost of Living Comparison Between San Pedro de Macoris and Playa del Carmen Cost of Living Comparison Between San Pedro de Macoris and Playa del Carmen

Monthly Cost of Living

A single person spends $650 per month in San Pedro de Macoris vs $1,297 in Playa del Carmen, rent included.

A couple spends around $1,094 per month in San Pedro de Macoris vs $2,181 in Playa del Carmen, rent included.

A family of three spends $1,539 per month in San Pedro de Macoris vs $3,065 in Playa del Carmen, rent included.

San Pedro de Macoris is about 50% cheaper than Playa del Carmen, driven mainly by Eating Out.

Both San Pedro de Macoris and Playa del Carmen are more affordable than the global median – San Pedro de Macoris 51% lower, Playa del Carmen 3% lower.

Meal at Budget Restaurant

$3.09 DOP 180

$11.73 MX$203

-73.66%

Three-Course Dinner for Two, Mid-Range

$51.6 DOP 3,007

$41.62 MX$720

23.86%

Fast Food Meal (McDonalds, etc)

$6.69 DOP 390

$10.64 MX$184

-37.12%

Cappuccino

$1.05 DOP 61.0

$3.52 MX$60.9

-70.17%

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

$0.99 DOP 57.5

$1.51 MX$26.12

-34.44%

Water (0.33 liter bottle)

$0.79 DOP 46.24

$0.97 MX$16.84

-18.56%

Local Beer (0.5 liter draught)

$2.62 DOP 153

$2.95 MX$51.0

-11.19%

Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$2.92 DOP 170

$4.45 MX$77.0

-34.38%

Milk (1 liter)

$1.38 DOP 80.6

$1.38 MX$23.93

White Bread (500g)

$1.71 DOP 99.9

$1.89 MX$32.72

-9.52%

Rice (white) (1kg)

$1.49 DOP 86.7

$1.64 MX$28.32

-9.15%

Eggs

$2.18 DOP 127

$2.51 MX$43.34

-13.15%

Local Cheese (1kg)

$7.31 DOP 427

$8.34 MX$144

-12.35%

Chicken Fillets (1kg)

$6.40 DOP 373

$8.34 MX$144

-23.26%

Beef Round Steak (1kg)

$10.92 DOP 637

$10.73 MX$186

1.77%

Apples (1kg)

$3.16 DOP 184

$2.60 MX$45.04

21.54%

Banana (1kg)

$0.85 DOP 49.60

$1.46 MX$25.20

-41.78%

Oranges (1kg)

$2.96 DOP 173

$1.90 MX$32.87

55.79%

Tomato (1kg)

$2.03 DOP 118

$2.08 MX$35.91

-2.40%

Potato (1kg)

$2.44 DOP 142

$1.78 MX$30.71

37.08%

Onion (1kg)

$2.40 DOP 140

$2.19 MX$37.80

9.59%

Lettuce (1 head)

$1.08 DOP 63.2

$1.04 MX$17.99

3.85%

Water (1.5 liter bottle)

$0.89 DOP 52.0

$1.08 MX$18.62

-17.59%

Cigarettes 20 Pack (Marlboro, Camel)

$5.93 DOP 346

$4.08 MX$70.6

45.34%

Wine (Bottle)

$10.56 DOP 616

$10.32 MX$178

2.33%

Local Beer (0.5 liter bottle)

$2.75 DOP 160

$1.71 MX$29.61

60.82%

Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$3.20 DOP 187

$2.58 MX$44.54

24.03%

One-way Ticket (Public Transport)

$0.51 MX$8.81

Public Transport Monthly Pass (Regular Price)

$26.46 MX$458

Taxi Start (Normal Tariff)

$3.45 DOP 201

$3.26 MX$56.4

5.83%

Taxi (Normal Tariff) (1km)

$2.21 DOP 129

$2.49 MX$43.09

-11.24%

Taxi 1hour Waiting (Normal Tariff)

$5.97 DOP 348

$3.25 MX$56.2

83.69%

Gasoline (1 liter)

$1.32 DOP 76.8

$1.31 MX$22.61

0.76%

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

$26.8K DOP 1.6M

$30.3K MX$523.7K

-11.53%

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

$32.0K DOP 1.9M

$23.4K MX$405.3K

36.70%

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

$75.1 DOP 4,381

$82.9 MX$1,433

-9.38%

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

$22.83 DOP 1,332

$22.22 MX$384

2.75%

Internet (50+ Mbps, Unlimited Data)

$35.47 DOP 2,069

$29.34 MX$507

20.89%

Gym Membership (Monthly)

$25.92 DOP 1,512

$51.6 MX$893

-49.80%

Tennis Court (1 Hour on Weekend)

$18.32 MX$317

Cinema Ticket

$6.97 DOP 406

$5.07 MX$87.6

37.48%

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

$269 DOP 15.7K

$201 MX$3,473

34.12%

International Primary School, 1 Child (Yearly)

$7,967 DOP 464.7K

$5,212 MX$90.1K

52.86%

Jeans (Levis 501 Or Similar)

$60.7 DOP 3,543

$36.92 MX$639

64.52%

Summer Dress (H&M, Zara, etc)

$51.6 DOP 3,009

$39.79 MX$688

29.63%

Sport Shoes (Adidas, Nike)

$97.9 DOP 5,711

$78.5 MX$1,357

24.81%

Men's Leather Business Shoes

$117 DOP 6,820

$87.1 MX$1,506

34.24%

1-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)

$973 MX$16.8K

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 %)

12.9

11.42

12.96%

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

Last update for San Pedro de Macoris: June 2, 2026

Last update for Playa del Carmen: June 2, 2026

Cost Breakdown

A mid-range dinner for two costs $52.0 in San Pedro de Macoris versus $42.00 in Playa del Carmen. Groceries tell a different story – $244 in San Pedro de Macoris vs $249 in Playa del Carmen – so San Pedro de Macoris 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

San Pedro de Macoris vs Playa del Carmen: Cost of Living - Frequently Asked Questions

Yes – Playa del Carmen is pricier by about 99%, 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 $975 per month in San Pedro de Macoris and $1,945 in Playa del Carmen. That covers rent, food, utilities, transport, and enough left over to feel settled – not just surviving.

Monthly expenses with rent come to $650 in San Pedro de Macoris 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 $269 per month in San Pedro de Macoris 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 $2,000 monthly budget goes further in San Pedro de Macoris, where all-in costs run around $650, than in Playa del Carmen at $1,297. In San Pedro de Macoris it covers expenses comfortably, while in Playa del Carmen it requires careful planning or may not stretch far enough.

Families tend to lean toward San Pedro de Macoris – 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 San Pedro de Macoris. 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.