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 $634 per month in San Pedro de Macoris vs $1,293 in Playa del Carmen, rent included.

A couple spends around $1,033 per month in San Pedro de Macoris vs $2,334 in Playa del Carmen, rent included.

A family of three spends $1,433 per month in San Pedro de Macoris vs $3,374 in Playa del Carmen, rent included.

San Pedro de Macoris is about 51% 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 54% lower, Playa del Carmen 6% lower.

Meal at Budget Restaurant

$5.99 DOP 351

$11.71 MX$199

-48.85%

Three-Course Dinner for Two, Mid-Range

$42.29 DOP 2,476

$46.59 MX$791

-9.23%

Fast Food Meal (McDonalds, etc)

$7.41 DOP 434

$11.65 MX$198

-36.39%

Cappuccino

$1.89 DOP 111

$4.09 MX$69.5

-53.79%

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

$0.72 DOP 42.37

$1.37 MX$23.34

-47.45%

Water (0.33 liter bottle)

$0.42 DOP 24.58

$0.83 MX$14.16

-49.40%

Local Beer (0.5 liter draught)

$2.48 DOP 145

$3.35 MX$56.9

-25.97%

Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$4.09 DOP 240

$6.91 MX$117

-40.81%

Milk (1 liter)

$1.21 DOP 70.6

$1.73 MX$29.33

-30.06%

White Bread (500g)

$1.85 DOP 108

$2.26 MX$38.39

-18.14%

Rice (white) (1kg)

$1.61 DOP 94.2

$1.77 MX$30.05

-9.04%

Eggs

$1.53 DOP 89.7

$2.73 MX$46.41

-43.96%

Local Cheese (1kg)

$6.54 DOP 383

$9.18 MX$156

-28.76%

Chicken Fillets (1kg)

$3.71 DOP 217

$8.92 MX$151

-58.41%

Beef Round Steak (1kg)

$4.99 DOP 292

$12.60 MX$214

-60.40%

Apples (1kg)

$3.76 DOP 220

$3.02 MX$51.3

24.50%

Banana (1kg)

$1.48 DOP 86.6

$1.57 MX$26.68

-5.73%

Oranges (1kg)

$3.45 DOP 202

$2.13 MX$36.10

61.97%

Tomato (1kg)

$2.26 DOP 133

$2.26 MX$38.46

Potato (1kg)

$3.64 DOP 213

$2.00 MX$34.04

82.00%

Onion (1kg)

$3.03 DOP 178

$2.06 MX$35.06

47.09%

Lettuce (1 head)

$0.96 DOP 56.3

$1.18 MX$20.04

-18.64%

Water (1.5 liter bottle)

$1.62 DOP 94.9

$1.20 MX$20.45

35.00%

Cigarettes 20 Pack (Marlboro, Camel)

$4.82 DOP 282

$4.63 MX$78.7

4.10%

Wine (Bottle)

$16.98 DOP 994

$10.69 MX$182

58.84%

Local Beer (0.5 liter bottle)

$2.95 DOP 173

$1.62 MX$27.50

82.10%

Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$3.40 DOP 199

$2.88 MX$48.93

18.06%

One-way Ticket (Public Transport)

$0.57 MX$9.74

Public Transport Monthly Pass (Regular Price)

$29.83 MX$507

Taxi Start (Normal Tariff)

$2.57 DOP 150

$5.45 MX$92.5

-52.84%

Taxi (Normal Tariff) (1km)

$3.36 DOP 197

$3.70 MX$62.9

-9.19%

Taxi 1hour Waiting (Normal Tariff)

$5.98 MX$102

Gasoline (1 liter)

$1.26 DOP 74.1

$1.55 MX$26.38

-18.71%

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

$15.1K DOP 885.9K

$22.3K MX$379.2K

-32.23%

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

$25.4K DOP 1.5M

$25.9K MX$440.7K

-2.27%

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

$96.7 DOP 5,664

$89.1 MX$1,514

8.54%

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

$27.09 DOP 1,586

$25.04 MX$425

8.19%

Internet (50+ Mbps, Unlimited Data)

$31.27 DOP 1,831

$31.50 MX$535

-0.73%

Gym Membership (Monthly)

$67.8 MX$1,151

Tennis Court (1 Hour on Weekend)

$28.92 MX$491

Cinema Ticket

$5.23 DOP 306

$5.05 MX$85.8

3.56%

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

$155 DOP 9,047

$225 MX$3,820

-31.31%

International Primary School, 1 Child (Yearly)

$5,533 DOP 324.0K

$4,222 MX$71.7K

31.04%

Jeans (Levis 501 Or Similar)

$26.63 DOP 1,559

$47.44 MX$806

-43.87%

Summer Dress (H&M, Zara, etc)

$46.21 DOP 2,705

$44.98 MX$764

2.73%

Sport Shoes (Adidas, Nike)

$64.2 DOP 3,759

$82.0 MX$1,392

-21.70%

Men's Leather Business Shoes

$67.6 DOP 3,958

$92.1 MX$1,564

-26.61%

1-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)

$1,069 MX$18.2K

1-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)

$405 MX$6,884

3-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)

$426 DOP 24.9K

$1,935 MX$32.9K

-77.99%

3-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)

$1,301 MX$22.1K

Buy Apartment in City Center (m2)

$3,995 MX$67.9K

Buy Apartment Outside City Center (m2)

$6,626 MX$112.5K

Average Monthly Net Salary (After Tax)

$749 MX$12.7K

20-Year Fixed Mortgage Interest Rate (Annual %)

11.45

-3.93%

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

Last update for San Pedro de Macoris: August 29, 2026

Last update for Playa del Carmen: August 29, 2026

Cost Breakdown

A mid-range dinner for two costs $42.00 in San Pedro de Macoris versus $47.00 in Playa del Carmen. Monthly groceries follow the same trend: $245 vs $277 – making San Pedro de Macoris 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

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

Yes – Playa del Carmen is pricier by about 104%, 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 $951 per month in San Pedro de Macoris and $1,940 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 $634 in San Pedro de Macoris and $1,293 in Playa del Carmen. The difference isn't just one category – it shows up across housing, food, transport, and services.

Kindergarten costs $155 per month in San Pedro de Macoris and $225 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 $634, than in Playa del Carmen at $1,293. 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.