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 $1,171 per month in St Anne vs $1,305 in Playa del Carmen, rent included.

A couple spends around $2,744 per month in St Anne vs $2,334 in Playa del Carmen, rent included.

A family of three spends $4,317 per month in St Anne vs $3,362 in Playa del Carmen, rent included.

St Anne is about 10% cheaper than Playa del Carmen, driven mainly by Groceries & Markets.

Both St Anne and Playa del Carmen are more affordable than the global median – St Anne 15% lower, Playa del Carmen 5% lower.

Meal at Budget Restaurant

$27.01 GGP 19.96

$11.96 MX$203

125.84%

Three-Course Dinner for Two, Mid-Range

$93.4 GGP 69.0

$47.38 MX$805

97.02%

Fast Food Meal (McDonalds, etc)

$11.75 MX$200

Cappuccino

$2.68 GGP 1.98

$4.12 MX$70.1

-34.95%

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

$2.73 GGP 2.02

$1.40 MX$23.78

95.00%

Water (0.33 liter bottle)

$1.34 GGP 0.99

$0.91 MX$15.50

47.25%

Local Beer (0.5 liter draught)

$6.61 GGP 4.89

$3.21 MX$54.5

105.92%

Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$6.80 GGP 5.02

$7.07 MX$120

-3.82%

Milk (1 liter)

$1.99 GGP 1.47

$1.68 MX$28.49

18.45%

White Bread (500g)

$2.12 GGP 1.57

$2.15 MX$36.53

-1.40%

Rice (white) (1kg)

$2.50 GGP 1.85

$1.77 MX$30.14

41.24%

Eggs

$4.45 GGP 3.29

$2.82 MX$47.83

57.80%

Local Cheese (1kg)

$11.03 GGP 8.15

$9.20 MX$156

19.89%

Chicken Fillets (1kg)

$24.64 GGP 18.21

$9.23 MX$157

166.96%

Beef Round Steak (1kg)

$34.27 GGP 25.33

$12.64 MX$215

171.12%

Apples (1kg)

$4.76 GGP 3.52

$2.95 MX$50.1

61.36%

Banana (1kg)

$3.61 GGP 2.67

$1.58 MX$26.83

128.48%

Oranges (1kg)

$5.45 GGP 4.03

$2.22 MX$37.76

145.50%

Tomato (1kg)

$3.22 GGP 2.38

$2.36 MX$40.15

36.44%

Potato (1kg)

$1.33 GGP 0.98

$1.99 MX$33.86

-33.17%

Onion (1kg)

$4.26 GGP 3.15

$1.98 MX$33.63

115.15%

Lettuce (1 head)

$2.78 GGP 2.06

$1.24 MX$21.07

124.19%

Water (1.5 liter bottle)

$1.52 GGP 1.12

$1.21 MX$20.58

25.62%

Cigarettes 20 Pack (Marlboro, Camel)

$4.60 MX$78.2

Wine (Bottle)

$15.96 GGP 11.80

$10.52 MX$179

51.71%

Local Beer (0.5 liter bottle)

$1.69 MX$28.74

Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$2.77 MX$47.13

One-way Ticket (Public Transport)

$0.60 MX$10.24

Public Transport Monthly Pass (Regular Price)

$29.70 MX$505

Taxi Start (Normal Tariff)

$5.24 MX$89.0

Taxi (Normal Tariff) (1km)

$3.65 MX$62.0

Taxi 1hour Waiting (Normal Tariff)

$5.78 MX$98.3

Gasoline (1 liter)

$3.35 GGP 2.48

$1.54 MX$26.13

117.53%

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

$22.8K MX$387.4K

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

$25.8K MX$438.5K

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

$265 GGP 196

$90.7 MX$1,540

192.64%

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

$26.68 GGP 19.72

$25.19 MX$428

5.92%

Internet (50+ Mbps, Unlimited Data)

$61.8 GGP 45.69

$31.75 MX$539

94.74%

Gym Membership (Monthly)

$13.36 GGP 9.87

$68.8 MX$1,169

-80.58%

Tennis Court (1 Hour on Weekend)

$6.79 GGP 5.02

$29.37 MX$499

-76.88%

Cinema Ticket

$12.40 GGP 9.17

$4.86 MX$82.6

155.14%

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

$226 MX$3,834

International Primary School, 1 Child (Yearly)

$4,194 MX$71.2K

Jeans (Levis 501 Or Similar)

$47.38 MX$805

Summer Dress (H&M, Zara, etc)

$43.45 MX$738

Sport Shoes (Adidas, Nike)

$80.2 MX$1,363

Men's Leather Business Shoes

$91.4 MX$1,552

1-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)

$1,063 GGP 786

$1,086 MX$18.4K

-2.08%

1-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)

$409 MX$6,943

3-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)

$1,655 GGP 1,223

$1,972 MX$33.5K

-16.08%

3-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)

$1,623 GGP 1,200

$1,281 MX$21.8K

26.68%

Buy Apartment in City Center (m2)

$2,445 GGP 1,807

$4,046 MX$68.7K

-39.56%

Buy Apartment Outside City Center (m2)

$2,446 GGP 1,808

$6,704 MX$113.9K

-63.51%

Average Monthly Net Salary (After Tax)

$2,068 GGP 1,528

$773 MX$13.1K

167.42%

20-Year Fixed Mortgage Interest Rate (Annual %)

5.8

11.45

-49.34%

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

Last update for St Anne: September 5, 2026

Last update for Playa del Carmen: September 7, 2026

Cost Breakdown

A central one-bedroom costs $1,063 in St Anne versus $1,086 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 167% 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 $93.0 in St Anne versus $47.00 in Playa del Carmen. Monthly groceries follow the same trend: $485 vs $278 – 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

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

Yes – Playa del Carmen is pricier by about 11%, and the gap shows up most in Groceries & Markets. It's not just housing either; the difference applies across most spending categories.

For a comfortable life, plan on about $1,756 per month in St Anne and $1,958 in Playa del Carmen. That covers rent, food, utilities, transport, and enough left over to feel settled – not just surviving.

Rent is clearly cheaper in St Anne, especially for central apartments. Housing is actually the single biggest factor behind the overall cost gap between these two cities.

Interestingly, groceries are about 75% cheaper in Playa del Carmen – one category where the pricier city actually offers better value, probably thanks to stronger retail competition or local farming.

A mid-range dinner for two costs $93.0 in St Anne and $47.00 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 $1,171, than in Playa del Carmen at $1,305. 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.