Last update: Oct 2026

Cost of Living Comparison Between Vieux Fort and Playa del Carmen

For one person, living is cheaper in Vieux Fort: $104 a month against $1,204 in Playa del Carmen, rent and utilities included – about $13,200 less a year. Other living expenses account for most of the difference.

59

Cost of Living Index in Playa del Carmen
Learn more

Playa del Carmen Living Index

Jump to prices

Vieux Fort

🇱🇨 Saint Lucia

$104

/mo nomad

Playa del Carmen

🇲🇽 Mexico

$1,204

/mo nomad

Monthly Cost of Living

How much you'll spend in Vieux Fort and in Playa del Carmen

Real prices from locals and on-the-ground checks – rent, groceries, transit and the daily extras. Here's what a month in Vieux Fort and in Playa del Carmen actually costs, broken down by who's living it.

A single person spends $104 per month in Vieux Fort vs $1,204 in Playa del Carmen, rent included.

Vieux Fort $104
Playa del Carmen $1,204

A couple spends around $160 per month in Vieux Fort vs $2,102 in Playa del Carmen, rent included.

Vieux Fort $160
Playa del Carmen $2,102

A family of three spends $216 per month in Vieux Fort vs $3,000 in Playa del Carmen, rent included.

Vieux Fort $216
Playa del Carmen $3,000

Vieux Fort is about 91% cheaper than Playa del Carmen, and outside of rent the biggest gap is in groceries.

Both Vieux Fort and Playa del Carmen are more affordable than the global median – Vieux Fort 92% lower, Playa del Carmen 11% lower.

Meal at Budget Restaurant

$8.24 EC$22.24

$10.86 MX$201

-24.13%

Three-Course Dinner for Two, Mid-Range

$44.21 MX$817

Fast Food Meal (McDonalds, etc)

$9.08 EC$24.52

$11.76 MX$217

-22.79%

Cappuccino

$3.68 MX$68.0

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

$1.34 MX$24.79

Water (0.33 liter bottle)

$1.18 EC$3.19

$0.82 MX$15.24

43.90%

Local Beer (0.5 liter draught)

$3.06 MX$56.6

Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$4.94 MX$91.2

Milk (1 liter)

$1.47 MX$27.17

White Bread (500g)

$2.22 MX$40.95

Rice (white) (1kg)

$1.48 MX$27.32

Eggs

$2.49 MX$45.99

Local Cheese (1kg)

$7.52 MX$139

Chicken Fillets (1kg)

$7.96 MX$147

Beef Round Steak (1kg)

$12.57 MX$232

Apples (1kg)

$2.78 MX$51.3

Banana (1kg)

$1.43 MX$26.37

Oranges (1kg)

$2.62 MX$48.37

Tomato (1kg)

$2.14 MX$39.49

Potato (1kg)

$2.02 MX$37.38

Onion (1kg)

$1.99 MX$36.74

Lettuce (1 head)

$1.14 MX$21.01

Water (1.5 liter bottle)

$1.20 MX$22.18

Cigarettes 20 Pack (Marlboro, Camel)

$4.26 MX$78.7

Wine (Bottle)

$10.02 MX$185

Local Beer (0.5 liter bottle)

$1.54 MX$28.41

Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$2.66 MX$49.17

One-way Ticket (Public Transport)

$1.50 EC$4.06

$0.53 MX$9.73

183.02%

Public Transport Monthly Pass (Regular Price)

$27.51 MX$508

Taxi Start (Normal Tariff)

$4.90 MX$90.6

Taxi (Normal Tariff) (1km)

$3.43 MX$63.5

Taxi 1hour Waiting (Normal Tariff)

$5.38 MX$99.4

Gasoline (1 liter)

$1.45 MX$26.76

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

$21.2K MX$391.0K

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

$23.0K MX$425.3K

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

$85.4 MX$1,577

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

$23.46 MX$434

Internet (50+ Mbps, Unlimited Data)

$28.43 MX$525

Gym Membership (Monthly)

$62.2 MX$1,149

Tennis Court (1 Hour on Weekend)

$28.68 MX$530

Cinema Ticket

$5.10 MX$94.3

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

$201 MX$3,715

International Primary School, 1 Child (Yearly)

$3,947 MX$72.9K

Jeans (Levis 501 Or Similar)

$44.39 MX$820

Summer Dress (H&M, Zara, etc)

$41.35 MX$764

Sport Shoes (Adidas, Nike)

$72.7 MX$1,344

Men's Leather Business Shoes

$89.6 MX$1,656

1-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)

$979 MX$18.1K

1-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)

$373 MX$6,887

3-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)

$1,681 MX$31.1K

3-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)

$1,095 MX$20.2K

Buy Apartment in City Center (m2)

$3,949 MX$73.0K

Buy Apartment Outside City Center (m2)

$6,137 MX$113.4K

Average Monthly Net Salary (After Tax)

$738 MX$13.6K

20-Year Fixed Mortgage Interest Rate (Annual %)

11.45

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

Last update for Vieux Fort: October 18, 2026

Last update for Playa del Carmen: October 17, 2026

Monthly budget structure

Share of the monthly basket for one person, rent included.

Accommodation & Living

Vieux Fort

–

Playa del Carmen

$373 31%

Groceries & Markets

Vieux Fort

–

Playa del Carmen

$258 21.5%

Eating Out

Vieux Fort

–

Playa del Carmen

$200 16.6%

Monthly Utilities & Internet

Vieux Fort

–

Playa del Carmen

$137 11.4%

Clothing & Footwear

Vieux Fort

–

Playa del Carmen

$112 9.3%

Sport & Entertainment

Vieux Fort

–

Playa del Carmen

$72 6%

Getting Around

Vieux Fort

–

Playa del Carmen

$52 4.3%

Good to know

🇱🇨 Vieux Fort

🇲🇽 Playa del Carmen

🕒 Local time

02:08 2:08 AM

01:08 1:08 AM

1 h behind Vieux Fort

🌤 Weather

👥 Population

16,000

149,923

💱 Currency

East Caribbean Dollar XCD $

Mexican Peso MXN $

📈 Exchange rate

1 XCD = 0.37 USD

1 XCD = 0.329 EUR

100 MXN = 5.41 USD

100 MXN = 4.81 EUR

Exchange rates and currency converter

MXN, USD, EUR to XCD – East Caribbean Dollar Converter

🇺🇸 United States Dollar ($)

🌐 East Caribbean Dollar ($)

East Caribbean Dollar exchange rates as of October 23, 2026: 1 USD = 2.7 XCD (1 XCD = 0.37 USD). 1 EUR = 3.04 XCD (1 XCD = 0.329 EUR).

Mexican Peso exchange rates as of October 23, 2026: 1 USD = 18.48 MXN (100 MXN = 5.41 USD). 1 EUR = 20.77 MXN (100 MXN = 4.81 EUR).

USD to XCD in detail →

On the map

Lowest

Highest

Between locations

Vieux Fort Playa del Carmen 2,880 km ≈ 4 h nonstop flight

From you

Vieux Fort
Playa del Carmen

Distances are measured in a straight line. Your location is detected approximately.

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

Vieux Fort vs Playa del Carmen: Cost of Living - Frequently Asked Questions

Yes – Playa del Carmen is pricier by about 1060%, and outside of rent the gap shows up most in groceries.

For a comfortable life, plan on about $156 per month in Vieux Fort and $1,806 in Playa del Carmen. That covers rent, food, utilities, transport, and enough left over to feel settled – not just surviving.

A $1,500 monthly budget goes further in Vieux Fort, where all-in costs run around $104, than in Playa del Carmen at $1,204. In Vieux Fort it covers expenses comfortably, while in Playa del Carmen it requires careful planning or may not stretch far enough.

Families tend to lean toward Vieux Fort – 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 Vieux Fort. 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.