Cost of Living Comparison Between St Anne and Playa del Carmen Cost of Living Comparison Between St Anne and Playa del Carmen

Monthly Cost of Living

A single person spends $784 per month in St Anne vs $1,287 in Playa del Carmen, rent included.

A couple spends around $1,865 per month in St Anne vs $2,184 in Playa del Carmen, rent included.

A family of three spends $2,947 per month in St Anne vs $3,082 in Playa del Carmen, rent included.

St Anne is about 39% cheaper than Playa del Carmen, driven mainly by Eating Out.

Both St Anne and Playa del Carmen are more affordable than the global median – St Anne 41% lower, Playa del Carmen 4% lower.

Meal at Budget Restaurant

$34.26 GGP 25.36

$11.94 MX$208

186.93%

Three-Course Dinner for Two, Mid-Range

$99.5 GGP 73.7

$42.75 MX$744

132.82%

Fast Food Meal (McDonalds, etc)

$11.03 GGP 8.17

$10.59 MX$184

4.15%

Cappuccino

$4.16 GGP 3.08

$3.62 MX$63.0

14.92%

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

$2.36 GGP 1.75

$1.47 MX$25.54

60.54%

Water (0.33 liter bottle)

$1.37 GGP 1.02

$0.94 MX$16.41

45.74%

Local Beer (0.5 liter draught)

$4.98 GGP 3.68

$3.09 MX$53.8

61.17%

Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$6.28 GGP 4.65

$4.46 MX$77.6

40.81%

Milk (1 liter)

$2.06 GGP 1.52

$1.43 MX$24.80

44.06%

White Bread (500g)

$2.66 GGP 1.97

$1.88 MX$32.79

41.49%

Rice (white) (1kg)

$1.63 MX$28.34

Eggs

$2.64 MX$45.99

Local Cheese (1kg)

$8.21 MX$143

Chicken Fillets (1kg)

$8.29 MX$144

Beef Round Steak (1kg)

$11.10 MX$193

Apples (1kg)

$2.65 MX$46.14

Banana (1kg)

$1.50 MX$26.11

Oranges (1kg)

$1.99 MX$34.59

Tomato (1kg)

$2.08 MX$36.13

Potato (1kg)

$1.79 MX$31.11

Onion (1kg)

$2.18 MX$37.87

Lettuce (1 head)

$1.08 MX$18.73

Water (1.5 liter bottle)

$1.04 MX$18.04

Cigarettes 20 Pack (Marlboro, Camel)

$3.97 MX$69.1

Wine (Bottle)

$16.19 GGP 11.98

$10.20 MX$178

58.73%

Local Beer (0.5 liter bottle)

$1.73 MX$30.04

Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$2.50 MX$43.46

One-way Ticket (Public Transport)

$0.52 MX$9.02

Public Transport Monthly Pass (Regular Price)

$26.97 MX$469

Taxi Start (Normal Tariff)

$8.37 GGP 6.20

$3.14 MX$54.7

166.56%

Taxi (Normal Tariff) (1km)

$2.40 MX$41.80

Taxi 1hour Waiting (Normal Tariff)

$3.09 MX$53.7

Gasoline (1 liter)

$2.77 GGP 2.05

$1.27 MX$22.16

118.11%

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

$30.9K MX$537.3K

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

$23.3K MX$405.7K

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

$200 GGP 148

$82.0 MX$1,427

144.09%

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

$22.45 MX$391

Internet (50+ Mbps, Unlimited Data)

$55.3 GGP 40.90

$29.66 MX$516

86.35%

Gym Membership (Monthly)

$13.75 GGP 10.18

$51.9 MX$903

-73.49%

Tennis Court (1 Hour on Weekend)

$13.58 GGP 10.05

$18.67 MX$325

-27.26%

Cinema Ticket

$13.69 GGP 10.13

$4.97 MX$86.5

175.45%

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

$198 MX$3,442

International Primary School, 1 Child (Yearly)

$5,273 MX$91.7K

Jeans (Levis 501 Or Similar)

$36.34 MX$632

Summer Dress (H&M, Zara, etc)

$40.05 MX$697

Sport Shoes (Adidas, Nike)

$79.9 MX$1,390

Men's Leather Business Shoes

$88.9 MX$1,547

1-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)

$963 MX$16.8K

1-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)

$465 MX$8,086

3-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)

$1,596 MX$27.8K

3-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)

$1,069 GGP 791

$1,209 MX$21.0K

-11.60%

Buy Apartment in City Center (m2)

$2,455 GGP 1,816

$3,942 MX$68.6K

-37.73%

Buy Apartment Outside City Center (m2)

$2,443 GGP 1,808

$6,448 MX$112.2K

-62.12%

Average Monthly Net Salary (After Tax)

$2,029 GGP 1,502

$720 MX$12.5K

181.67%

20-Year Fixed Mortgage Interest Rate (Annual %)

11.42

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

Last update for St Anne: April 26, 2026

Last update for Playa del Carmen: April 25, 2026

Cost Breakdown

A central one-bedroom costs $0 in St Anne versus $963 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.

Salaries run about 182% higher in St Anne, which reinforces the cost advantage – you earn more and spend less. Purchasing power leans clearly in its favor.

A mid-range dinner for two costs $100 in St Anne versus $43 in Playa del Carmen. Groceries tell a different story – $80 in St Anne vs $251 in Playa del Carmen – so St Anne 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

St Anne vs Playa del Carmen: Cost of Living - Frequently Asked Questions

Yes – Playa del Carmen is pricier by about 64%, 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 $1,175 per month in St Anne and $1,930 in Playa del Carmen. That covers rent, food, utilities, transport, and enough left over to feel settled – not just surviving.

Groceries cost about 215% more in Playa del Carmen, though it depends on what you buy. Local produce may be comparable; imported and premium items show the biggest price gap.

A mid-range dinner for two costs $100 in St Anne and $43.00 in Playa del Carmen. That's a good indicator of the overall restaurant and café pricing gap between the two cities.

A $1,000 monthly budget goes further in St Anne, where all-in costs run around $784, than in Playa del Carmen at $1,287. In St Anne it covers expenses comfortably, while in Playa del Carmen it requires careful planning or may not stretch far enough.

Families tend to lean toward St Anne – lower housing and cheaper childcare make a real difference, especially on a single income or when paying for private education.

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.

If budget matters most, go with St Anne. 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.