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 $678 per month in San Pedro de Macoris vs $1,256 in Playa del Carmen, rent included.

A couple spends around $1,127 per month in San Pedro de Macoris vs $2,137 in Playa del Carmen, rent included.

A family of three spends $1,577 per month in San Pedro de Macoris vs $3,017 in Playa del Carmen, rent included.

San Pedro de Macoris is about 46% 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 49% lower, Playa del Carmen 6% lower.

Meal at Budget Restaurant

$3.22 DOP 188

$11.99 MX$210

-73.14%

Three-Course Dinner for Two, Mid-Range

$51.0 DOP 2,971

$41.78 MX$733

21.97%

Fast Food Meal (McDonalds, etc)

$6.75 DOP 394

$10.75 MX$189

-37.21%

Cappuccino

$1.00 DOP 58.1

$3.50 MX$61.3

-71.43%

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

$1.00 DOP 58.2

$1.45 MX$25.41

-31.03%

Water (0.33 liter bottle)

$0.84 DOP 49.26

$0.88 MX$15.52

-4.55%

Local Beer (0.5 liter draught)

$2.59 DOP 151

$2.95 MX$51.7

-12.20%

Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$2.83 DOP 165

$4.51 MX$79.1

-37.25%

Milk (1 liter)

$1.40 DOP 81.6

$1.43 MX$25.12

-2.10%

White Bread (500g)

$1.72 DOP 100

$1.84 MX$32.23

-6.52%

Rice (white) (1kg)

$1.50 DOP 87.7

$1.57 MX$27.51

-4.46%

Eggs

$2.30 DOP 134

$2.51 MX$44.06

-8.37%

Local Cheese (1kg)

$7.26 DOP 423

$8.28 MX$145

-12.32%

Chicken Fillets (1kg)

$6.19 DOP 361

$8.43 MX$148

-26.57%

Beef Round Steak (1kg)

$11.11 DOP 648

$10.68 MX$187

4.03%

Apples (1kg)

$3.31 DOP 193

$2.61 MX$45.76

26.82%

Banana (1kg)

$0.86 DOP 50.3

$1.44 MX$25.22

-40.28%

Oranges (1kg)

$2.97 DOP 173

$1.96 MX$34.41

51.53%

Tomato (1kg)

$1.94 DOP 113

$2.09 MX$36.74

-7.18%

Potato (1kg)

$2.54 DOP 148

$1.85 MX$32.47

37.30%

Onion (1kg)

$2.32 DOP 135

$2.17 MX$38.02

6.91%

Lettuce (1 head)

$1.13 DOP 65.8

$1.03 MX$18.09

9.71%

Water (1.5 liter bottle)

$0.91 DOP 53.2

$1.07 MX$18.84

-14.95%

Cigarettes 20 Pack (Marlboro, Camel)

$5.75 DOP 335

$4.10 MX$72.0

40.24%

Wine (Bottle)

$17.31 DOP 1,010

$10.17 MX$178

70.21%

Local Beer (0.5 liter bottle)

$2.70 DOP 158

$1.68 MX$29.38

60.71%

Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$3.14 DOP 183

$2.53 MX$44.31

24.11%

One-way Ticket (Public Transport)

$0.51 MX$8.93

Public Transport Monthly Pass (Regular Price)

$26.04 MX$457

Taxi Start (Normal Tariff)

$3.42 DOP 200

$3.23 MX$56.7

5.88%

Taxi (Normal Tariff) (1km)

$2.18 DOP 127

$2.41 MX$42.19

-9.54%

Taxi 1hour Waiting (Normal Tariff)

$5.99 DOP 350

$3.23 MX$56.6

85.45%

Gasoline (1 liter)

$1.29 DOP 75.1

$1.32 MX$23.17

-2.27%

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

$26.4K DOP 1.5M

$29.7K MX$520.9K

-11.24%

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

$32.0K DOP 1.9M

$23.7K MX$415.0K

35.14%

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

$77.2 DOP 4,500

$82.0 MX$1,439

-5.89%

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

$22.50 DOP 1,312

$22.95 MX$403

-1.96%

Internet (50+ Mbps, Unlimited Data)

$35.66 DOP 2,079

$30.11 MX$528

18.43%

Gym Membership (Monthly)

$25.84 DOP 1,507

$52.0 MX$912

-50.28%

Tennis Court (1 Hour on Weekend)

$18.53 MX$325

Cinema Ticket

$6.96 DOP 406

$4.98 MX$87.3

39.76%

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

$272 DOP 15.9K

$197 MX$3,463

37.84%

International Primary School, 1 Child (Yearly)

$7,958 DOP 464.0K

$5,336 MX$93.6K

49.13%

Jeans (Levis 501 Or Similar)

$59.4 DOP 3,466

$35.60 MX$624

66.97%

Summer Dress (H&M, Zara, etc)

$52.7 DOP 3,072

$40.33 MX$707

30.65%

Sport Shoes (Adidas, Nike)

$94.6 DOP 5,517

$78.8 MX$1,381

20.14%

Men's Leather Business Shoes

$115 DOP 6,722

$88.9 MX$1,560

29.63%

1-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)

$947 MX$16.6K

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 %)

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: July 13, 2026

Last update for Playa del Carmen: July 13, 2026

Cost Breakdown

A mid-range dinner for two costs $51.0 in San Pedro de Macoris versus $42.00 in Playa del Carmen. Monthly groceries follow the same trend: $258 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

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

Yes – Playa del Carmen is pricier by about 85%, 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 $1,016 per month in San Pedro de Macoris and $1,884 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 $678 in San Pedro de Macoris 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 $272 per month in San Pedro de Macoris 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 $2,000 monthly budget goes further in San Pedro de Macoris, where all-in costs run around $678, than in Playa del Carmen at $1,256. 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.