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 $1,297 per month in Playa del Carmen vs $1,110 in San Antonio de Petrel, rent included.

A couple spends around $2,181 per month in Playa del Carmen vs $1,694 in San Antonio de Petrel, rent included.

A family of three spends $3,065 per month in Playa del Carmen vs $2,278 in San Antonio de Petrel, rent included.

Playa del Carmen costs about 17% 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 3% lower, San Antonio de Petrel 17% lower.

Meal at Budget Restaurant

$11.73 MX$203

$8.73 CLP 7,752

34.36%

Three-Course Dinner for Two, Mid-Range

$41.62 MX$720

$44.22 CLP 39.2K

-5.88%

Fast Food Meal (McDonalds, etc)

$10.64 MX$184

$7.93 CLP 7,038

34.17%

Cappuccino

$3.52 MX$60.9

$2.86 CLP 2,538

23.08%

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

$1.51 MX$26.12

$1.32 CLP 1,170

14.39%

Water (0.33 liter bottle)

$0.97 MX$16.84

$1.02 CLP 906

-4.90%

Local Beer (0.5 liter draught)

$2.95 MX$51.0

$3.15 CLP 2,797

-6.35%

Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$4.45 MX$77.0

$4.25 CLP 3,775

4.71%

Milk (1 liter)

$1.38 MX$23.93

$1.24 CLP 1,099

11.29%

White Bread (500g)

$1.89 MX$32.72

$1.56 CLP 1,385

21.15%

Rice (white) (1kg)

$1.64 MX$28.32

$1.94 CLP 1,722

-15.46%

Eggs

$2.51 MX$43.34

$3.51 CLP 3,116

-28.49%

Local Cheese (1kg)

$8.34 MX$144

$10.68 CLP 9,477

-21.91%

Chicken Fillets (1kg)

$8.34 MX$144

$6.83 CLP 6,059

22.11%

Beef Round Steak (1kg)

$10.73 MX$186

$10.88 CLP 9,655

-1.38%

Apples (1kg)

$2.60 MX$45.04

$1.89 CLP 1,678

37.57%

Banana (1kg)

$1.46 MX$25.20

$1.56 CLP 1,387

-6.41%

Oranges (1kg)

$1.90 MX$32.87

$1.60 CLP 1,423

18.75%

Tomato (1kg)

$2.08 MX$35.91

$1.50 CLP 1,330

38.67%

Potato (1kg)

$1.78 MX$30.71

$1.29 CLP 1,148

37.98%

Onion (1kg)

$2.19 MX$37.80

$1.35 CLP 1,198

62.22%

Lettuce (1 head)

$1.04 MX$17.99

$1.22 CLP 1,085

-14.75%

Water (1.5 liter bottle)

$1.08 MX$18.62

$1.18 CLP 1,043

-8.47%

Cigarettes 20 Pack (Marlboro, Camel)

$4.08 MX$70.6

$5.53 CLP 4,904

-26.22%

Wine (Bottle)

$10.32 MX$178

$6.55 CLP 5,817

57.56%

Local Beer (0.5 liter bottle)

$1.71 MX$29.61

$1.60 CLP 1,424

6.87%

Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$2.58 MX$44.54

$2.33 CLP 2,069

10.73%

One-way Ticket (Public Transport)

$0.51 MX$8.81

$0.59 CLP 521

-13.56%

Public Transport Monthly Pass (Regular Price)

$26.46 MX$458

Taxi Start (Normal Tariff)

$3.26 MX$56.4

$0.51 CLP 451

539.22%

Taxi (Normal Tariff) (1km)

$2.49 MX$43.09

$3.08 CLP 2,732

-19.16%

Taxi 1hour Waiting (Normal Tariff)

$3.25 MX$56.2

Gasoline (1 liter)

$1.31 MX$22.61

$1.42 CLP 1,261

-7.75%

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

$30.3K MX$523.7K

$19.6K CLP 17.4M

54.60%

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

$23.4K MX$405.3K

$21.6K CLP 19.2M

8.22%

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

$82.9 MX$1,433

$132 CLP 117.0K

-37.16%

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

$22.22 MX$384

$13.78 CLP 12.2K

61.25%

Internet (50+ Mbps, Unlimited Data)

$29.34 MX$507

$22.20 CLP 19.7K

32.16%

Gym Membership (Monthly)

$51.6 MX$893

$39.18 CLP 34.8K

31.78%

Tennis Court (1 Hour on Weekend)

$18.32 MX$317

$21.01 CLP 18.6K

-12.80%

Cinema Ticket

$5.07 MX$87.6

$5.73 CLP 5,089

-11.52%

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

$201 MX$3,473

$434 CLP 385.3K

-53.75%

International Primary School, 1 Child (Yearly)

$5,212 MX$90.1K

$1,228 CLP 1.1M

324.53%

Jeans (Levis 501 Or Similar)

$36.92 MX$639

$49.76 CLP 44.2K

-25.80%

Summer Dress (H&M, Zara, etc)

$39.79 MX$688

$29.82 CLP 26.5K

33.43%

Sport Shoes (Adidas, Nike)

$78.5 MX$1,357

$61.8 CLP 54.8K

27.04%

Men's Leather Business Shoes

$87.1 MX$1,506

$81.8 CLP 72.6K

6.49%

1-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)

$973 MX$16.8K

$488 CLP 433.3K

99.21%

1-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)

$468 MX$8,090

$380 CLP 337.5K

23.00%

3-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)

$1,641 MX$28.4K

$890 CLP 789.7K

84.46%

3-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)

$1,221 MX$21.1K

$587 CLP 520.7K

108.06%

Buy Apartment in City Center (m2)

$3,946 MX$68.3K

Buy Apartment Outside City Center (m2)

$6,498 MX$112.4K

Average Monthly Net Salary (After Tax)

$664 MX$11.5K

$453 CLP 401.7K

46.69%

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: June 2, 2026

Last update for San Antonio de Petrel: May 31, 2026

Cost Breakdown

A central one-bedroom costs $973 in Playa del Carmen versus $488 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 47% 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 $44.00 in San Antonio de Petrel. Groceries tell a different story – $249 in Playa del Carmen vs $233 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 17%, 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 $1,945 per month in Playa del Carmen and $1,665 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 $1,297 in Playa del Carmen and $1,110 in San Antonio de Petrel. The difference isn't just one category – it shows up across housing, food, transport, and services.

Kindergarten costs $201 per month in Playa del Carmen and $434 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 $1,110, than in Playa del Carmen at $1,297. 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.