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

Monthly Cost of Living

A single person spends $1,256 per month in Playa del Carmen vs $418 in San Antonio, rent included.

A couple spends around $2,137 per month in Playa del Carmen vs $694 in San Antonio, rent included.

A family of three spends $3,017 per month in Playa del Carmen vs $970 in San Antonio, rent included.

Playa del Carmen costs about 200% more than San Antonio, driven mainly by Eating Out.

Both Playa del Carmen and San Antonio are more affordable than the global median – Playa del Carmen 6% lower, San Antonio 69% lower.

Meal at Budget Restaurant

$11.99 MX$209

$4.51 ₲27.2K

165.85%

Three-Course Dinner for Two, Mid-Range

$41.78 MX$728

$26.15 ₲157.7K

59.77%

Fast Food Meal (McDonalds, etc)

$10.75 MX$187

$4.55 ₲27.4K

136.26%

Cappuccino

$3.50 MX$60.9

$1.96 ₲11.8K

78.57%

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

$1.45 MX$25.22

$0.89 ₲5,393

62.92%

Water (0.33 liter bottle)

$0.88 MX$15.41

$0.47 ₲2,834

87.23%

Local Beer (0.5 liter draught)

$2.95 MX$51.3

$1.48 ₲8,898

99.32%

Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$4.51 MX$78.6

$1.85 ₲11.2K

143.78%

Milk (1 liter)

$1.43 MX$24.94

$0.91 ₲5,494

57.14%

White Bread (500g)

$1.84 MX$31.99

$0.99 ₲5,999

85.86%

Rice (white) (1kg)

$1.57 MX$27.31

$0.98 ₲5,924

60.20%

Eggs

$2.51 MX$43.74

$1.60 ₲9,646

56.87%

Local Cheese (1kg)

$8.28 MX$144

$6.82 ₲41.2K

21.41%

Chicken Fillets (1kg)

$8.43 MX$147

$3.23 ₲19.5K

160.99%

Beef Round Steak (1kg)

$10.68 MX$186

$6.47 ₲39.0K

65.07%

Apples (1kg)

$2.61 MX$45.43

$2.03 ₲12.3K

28.57%

Banana (1kg)

$1.44 MX$25.04

$0.77 ₲4,668

87.01%

Oranges (1kg)

$1.96 MX$34.16

$0.94 ₲5,682

108.51%

Tomato (1kg)

$2.09 MX$36.47

$1.65 ₲9,960

26.67%

Potato (1kg)

$1.85 MX$32.24

$1.11 ₲6,674

66.67%

Onion (1kg)

$2.17 MX$37.74

$1.14 ₲6,862

90.35%

Lettuce (1 head)

$1.03 MX$17.96

$0.60 ₲3,602

71.67%

Water (1.5 liter bottle)

$1.07 MX$18.70

$0.53 ₲3,168

101.89%

Cigarettes 20 Pack (Marlboro, Camel)

$4.10 MX$71.4

$1.36 ₲8,177

201.47%

Wine (Bottle)

$10.17 MX$177

$8.41 ₲50.7K

20.93%

Local Beer (0.5 liter bottle)

$1.68 MX$29.17

$0.72 ₲4,314

133.33%

Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$2.53 MX$43.98

$1.38 ₲8,301

83.33%

One-way Ticket (Public Transport)

$0.51 MX$8.87

Public Transport Monthly Pass (Regular Price)

$26.04 MX$453

Taxi Start (Normal Tariff)

$3.23 MX$56.3

$0.60 ₲3,614

438.33%

Taxi (Normal Tariff) (1km)

$2.41 MX$41.88

$0.73 ₲4,384

230.14%

Taxi 1hour Waiting (Normal Tariff)

$3.23 MX$56.2

$8.99 ₲54.2K

-64.07%

Gasoline (1 liter)

$1.32 MX$23.00

$0.89 ₲5,359

48.31%

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

$29.7K MX$517.1K

$14.4K ₲87.1M

105.51%

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

$23.7K MX$412.0K

$23.9K ₲144.4M

-1.14%

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

$82.0 MX$1,428

$41.59 ₲250.8K

97.19%

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

$22.95 MX$400

$13.57 ₲81.8K

69.12%

Internet (50+ Mbps, Unlimited Data)

$30.11 MX$524

$15.15 ₲91.4K

98.75%

Gym Membership (Monthly)

$52.0 MX$905

Tennis Court (1 Hour on Weekend)

$18.53 MX$323

Cinema Ticket

$4.98 MX$86.6

$5.18 ₲31.2K

-3.86%

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

$197 MX$3,438

$165 ₲995.2K

19.65%

International Primary School, 1 Child (Yearly)

$5,336 MX$92.9K

$3,267 ₲19.7M

63.36%

Jeans (Levis 501 Or Similar)

$35.60 MX$620

$48.43 ₲292.1K

-26.49%

Summer Dress (H&M, Zara, etc)

$40.33 MX$702

$30.90 ₲186.3K

30.52%

Sport Shoes (Adidas, Nike)

$78.8 MX$1,371

$71.1 ₲428.8K

10.76%

Men's Leather Business Shoes

$88.9 MX$1,549

$51.9 ₲312.7K

71.48%

1-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)

$947 MX$16.5K

1-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)

$474 MX$8,254

3-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)

$1,644 MX$28.6K

3-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)

$1,211 MX$21.1K

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

20-Year Fixed Mortgage Interest Rate (Annual %)

11.42

10.17

12.29%

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: July 12, 2026

Cost Breakdown

A mid-range dinner for two costs $42.00 in Playa del Carmen versus $26.00 in San Antonio. Monthly groceries follow the same trend: $249 vs $150 – making San Antonio 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

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

Yes – Playa del Carmen is pricier by about 200%, 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 $627 in San Antonio. That covers rent, food, utilities, transport, and enough left over to feel settled – not just surviving.

Monthly expenses with rent come to $1,256 in Playa del Carmen and $418 in San Antonio. 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 $165 in San Antonio. 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, where all-in costs run around $418, than in Playa del Carmen at $1,256. In San Antonio 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 – 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. 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.