Cost of Living Comparison Between Playa del Carmen and San Antonio de Petrel Cost of Living Comparison Between Playa del Carmen and San Antonio de Petrel

Monthly Cost of Living

A single person spends $1,256 per month in Playa del Carmen vs $1,085 in San Antonio de Petrel, rent included.

A couple spends around $2,137 per month in Playa del Carmen vs $1,662 in San Antonio de Petrel, rent included.

A family of three spends $3,017 per month in Playa del Carmen vs $2,239 in San Antonio de Petrel, rent included.

Playa del Carmen costs about 16% more than San Antonio de Petrel, driven mainly by Eating Out.

Both Playa del Carmen and San Antonio de Petrel are more affordable than the global median – Playa del Carmen 6% lower, San Antonio de Petrel 19% lower.

Meal at Budget Restaurant

$11.99 MX$209

$8.68 CLP 8,104

38.13%

Three-Course Dinner for Two, Mid-Range

$41.78 MX$728

$45.25 CLP 42.3K

-7.67%

Fast Food Meal (McDonalds, etc)

$10.75 MX$187

$8.03 CLP 7,492

33.87%

Cappuccino

$3.50 MX$60.9

$2.75 CLP 2,565

27.27%

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

$1.45 MX$25.22

$1.37 CLP 1,275

5.84%

Water (0.33 liter bottle)

$0.88 MX$15.41

$1.06 CLP 985

-16.98%

Local Beer (0.5 liter draught)

$2.95 MX$51.3

$3.29 CLP 3,073

-10.33%

Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$4.51 MX$78.6

$4.08 CLP 3,813

10.54%

Milk (1 liter)

$1.43 MX$24.94

$1.23 CLP 1,145

16.26%

White Bread (500g)

$1.84 MX$31.99

$1.51 CLP 1,412

21.85%

Rice (white) (1kg)

$1.57 MX$27.31

$1.94 CLP 1,810

-19.07%

Eggs

$2.51 MX$43.74

$3.43 CLP 3,204

-26.82%

Local Cheese (1kg)

$8.28 MX$144

$10.30 CLP 9,613

-19.61%

Chicken Fillets (1kg)

$8.43 MX$147

$6.60 CLP 6,160

27.73%

Beef Round Steak (1kg)

$10.68 MX$186

$11.05 CLP 10.3K

-3.35%

Apples (1kg)

$2.61 MX$45.43

$1.86 CLP 1,737

40.32%

Banana (1kg)

$1.44 MX$25.04

$1.57 CLP 1,464

-8.28%

Oranges (1kg)

$1.96 MX$34.16

$1.60 CLP 1,494

22.50%

Tomato (1kg)

$2.09 MX$36.47

$1.45 CLP 1,354

44.14%

Potato (1kg)

$1.85 MX$32.24

$1.24 CLP 1,154

49.19%

Onion (1kg)

$2.17 MX$37.74

$1.36 CLP 1,266

59.56%

Lettuce (1 head)

$1.03 MX$17.96

$1.27 CLP 1,189

-18.90%

Water (1.5 liter bottle)

$1.07 MX$18.70

$1.23 CLP 1,146

-13.01%

Cigarettes 20 Pack (Marlboro, Camel)

$4.10 MX$71.4

$5.26 CLP 4,913

-22.05%

Wine (Bottle)

$10.17 MX$177

$6.37 CLP 5,944

59.65%

Local Beer (0.5 liter bottle)

$1.68 MX$29.17

$1.62 CLP 1,510

3.70%

Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$2.53 MX$43.98

$2.22 CLP 2,072

13.96%

One-way Ticket (Public Transport)

$0.51 MX$8.87

$0.62 CLP 578

-17.74%

Public Transport Monthly Pass (Regular Price)

$26.04 MX$453

Taxi Start (Normal Tariff)

$3.23 MX$56.3

$0.50 CLP 471

546.00%

Taxi (Normal Tariff) (1km)

$2.41 MX$41.88

$3.12 CLP 2,916

-22.76%

Taxi 1hour Waiting (Normal Tariff)

$3.23 MX$56.2

Gasoline (1 liter)

$1.32 MX$23.00

$1.37 CLP 1,284

-3.65%

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

$29.7K MX$517.1K

$19.5K CLP 18.2M

52.30%

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

$23.7K MX$412.0K

$21.4K CLP 20.0M

10.68%

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

$82.0 MX$1,428

$133 CLP 124.3K

-38.38%

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

$22.95 MX$400

$13.46 CLP 12.6K

70.51%

Internet (50+ Mbps, Unlimited Data)

$30.11 MX$524

$21.62 CLP 20.2K

39.27%

Gym Membership (Monthly)

$52.0 MX$905

$37.94 CLP 35.4K

36.98%

Tennis Court (1 Hour on Weekend)

$18.53 MX$323

$21.18 CLP 19.8K

-12.51%

Cinema Ticket

$4.98 MX$86.6

$5.62 CLP 5,246

-11.39%

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

$197 MX$3,438

$442 CLP 412.2K

-55.28%

International Primary School, 1 Child (Yearly)

$5,336 MX$92.9K

$1,249 CLP 1.2M

327.36%

Jeans (Levis 501 Or Similar)

$35.60 MX$620

$49.84 CLP 46.5K

-28.57%

Summer Dress (H&M, Zara, etc)

$40.33 MX$702

$30.37 CLP 28.4K

32.80%

Sport Shoes (Adidas, Nike)

$78.8 MX$1,371

$62.0 CLP 57.8K

27.10%

Men's Leather Business Shoes

$88.9 MX$1,549

$82.8 CLP 77.3K

7.42%

1-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)

$947 MX$16.5K

$479 CLP 447.5K

97.58%

1-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)

$474 MX$8,254

$373 CLP 348.2K

27.11%

3-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)

$1,644 MX$28.6K

$897 CLP 837.3K

83.29%

3-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)

$1,211 MX$21.1K

$596 CLP 556.4K

103.12%

Buy Apartment in City Center (m2)

$4,056 MX$70.6K

Buy Apartment Outside City Center (m2)

$6,470 MX$112.7K

Average Monthly Net Salary (After Tax)

$654 MX$11.4K

$434 CLP 404.9K

50.79%

20-Year Fixed Mortgage Interest Rate (Annual %)

11.42

5.18

120.46%

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

Last update for Playa del Carmen: July 13, 2026

Last update for San Antonio de Petrel: July 13, 2026

Cost Breakdown

A central one-bedroom costs $947 in Playa del Carmen versus $479 in San Antonio de Petrel. 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 51% higher in Playa del Carmen, which partly offsets the higher cost of living there. Purchasing power depends on which expenses matter most to you.

A mid-range dinner for two costs $42.00 in Playa del Carmen versus $45.00 in San Antonio de Petrel. Groceries tell a different story – $249 in Playa del Carmen vs $230 in San Antonio de Petrel – so San Antonio de Petrel 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

Playa del Carmen vs San Antonio de Petrel: Cost of Living - Frequently Asked Questions

Yes – Playa del Carmen is pricier by about 16%, 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 $1,884 per month in Playa del Carmen and $1,628 in San Antonio de Petrel. That covers rent, food, utilities, transport, and enough left over to feel settled – not just surviving.

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

Monthly expenses with rent come to $1,256 in Playa del Carmen and $1,085 in San Antonio de Petrel. The difference isn't just one category – it shows up across housing, food, transport, and services.

Kindergarten costs $197 per month in Playa del Carmen and $442 in San Antonio de Petrel. For families with young kids, this one expense can tip the scales when choosing between the two cities.

A $1,500 monthly budget goes further in San Antonio de Petrel, where all-in costs run around $1,085, than in Playa del Carmen at $1,256. In San Antonio de Petrel 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 Antonio de Petrel – 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 Antonio de Petrel. 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.