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 $1,266 per month in Playa del Carmen vs $595 in San Antonio, rent included.

A couple spends around $2,279 per month in Playa del Carmen vs $991 in San Antonio, rent included.

A family of three spends $3,292 per month in Playa del Carmen vs $1,387 in San Antonio, rent included.

Playa del Carmen costs about 113% 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 7% lower, San Antonio 56% lower.

Meal at Budget Restaurant

$11.60 MX$199

$7.05 ₲41.9K

64.54%

Three-Course Dinner for Two, Mid-Range

$47.11 MX$808

$42.34 ₲251.9K

11.27%

Fast Food Meal (McDonalds, etc)

$11.88 MX$204

$6.72 ₲40.0K

76.79%

Cappuccino

$3.98 MX$68.2

$3.26 ₲19.4K

22.09%

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

$1.43 MX$24.46

$1.04 ₲6,214

37.50%

Water (0.33 liter bottle)

$0.82 MX$14.14

$0.62 ₲3,694

32.26%

Local Beer (0.5 liter draught)

$3.19 MX$54.7

$1.92 ₲11.4K

66.15%

Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$6.79 MX$116

$1.87 ₲11.1K

263.10%

Milk (1 liter)

$1.68 MX$28.72

$1.26 ₲7,493

33.33%

White Bread (500g)

$2.20 MX$37.67

$1.46 ₲8,708

50.68%

Rice (white) (1kg)

$1.71 MX$29.29

$1.34 ₲7,961

27.61%

Eggs

$2.74 MX$46.99

$2.37 ₲14.1K

15.61%

Local Cheese (1kg)

$9.58 MX$164

$9.50 ₲56.5K

0.84%

Chicken Fillets (1kg)

$9.01 MX$154

$4.94 ₲29.4K

82.39%

Beef Round Steak (1kg)

$12.81 MX$220

$9.90 ₲58.9K

29.39%

Apples (1kg)

$2.89 MX$49.52

$2.91 ₲17.3K

-0.69%

Banana (1kg)

$1.50 MX$25.67

$1.24 ₲7,397

20.97%

Oranges (1kg)

$2.15 MX$36.83

$1.16 ₲6,874

85.34%

Tomato (1kg)

$2.26 MX$38.74

$2.27 ₲13.5K

-0.44%

Potato (1kg)

$1.98 MX$33.96

$1.29 ₲7,696

53.49%

Onion (1kg)

$1.99 MX$34.11

$1.26 ₲7,497

57.94%

Lettuce (1 head)

$1.23 MX$21.16

$0.84 ₲4,986

46.43%

Water (1.5 liter bottle)

$1.20 MX$20.52

$0.68 ₲4,028

76.47%

Cigarettes 20 Pack (Marlboro, Camel)

$4.55 MX$78.0

$2.23 ₲13.3K

104.04%

Wine (Bottle)

$10.37 MX$178

$8.67 ₲51.6K

19.61%

Local Beer (0.5 liter bottle)

$1.62 MX$27.76

$1.34 ₲7,983

20.90%

Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$2.88 MX$49.39

$1.66 ₲9,860

73.49%

One-way Ticket (Public Transport)

$0.60 MX$10.29

Public Transport Monthly Pass (Regular Price)

$28.80 MX$494

Taxi Start (Normal Tariff)

$5.39 MX$92.4

$1.46 ₲8,706

269.18%

Taxi (Normal Tariff) (1km)

$3.73 MX$63.9

$1.46 ₲8,688

155.48%

Taxi 1hour Waiting (Normal Tariff)

$5.77 MX$98.9

$10.25 ₲61.0K

-43.71%

Gasoline (1 liter)

$1.54 MX$26.34

$1.20 ₲7,118

28.33%

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

$22.5K MX$386.6K

$16.8K ₲100.2M

33.87%

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

$26.1K MX$446.7K

$34.0K ₲202.0M

-23.25%

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

$91.4 MX$1,567

$48.70 ₲289.8K

87.64%

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

$25.20 MX$432

$16.61 ₲98.9K

51.72%

Internet (50+ Mbps, Unlimited Data)

$31.24 MX$536

$21.00 ₲125.0K

48.76%

Gym Membership (Monthly)

$67.2 MX$1,152

Tennis Court (1 Hour on Weekend)

$29.11 MX$499

Cinema Ticket

$4.86 MX$83.4

$8.45 ₲50.3K

-42.49%

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

$224 MX$3,834

$176 ₲1.0M

26.85%

International Primary School, 1 Child (Yearly)

$4,229 MX$72.5K

$5,741 ₲34.2M

-26.34%

Jeans (Levis 501 Or Similar)

$47.10 MX$808

$61.9 ₲368.4K

-23.93%

Summer Dress (H&M, Zara, etc)

$44.29 MX$759

$55.9 ₲332.3K

-20.70%

Sport Shoes (Adidas, Nike)

$80.1 MX$1,373

$103 ₲610.9K

-21.97%

Men's Leather Business Shoes

$92.7 MX$1,589

$68.7 ₲408.9K

34.84%

1-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)

$1,063 MX$18.2K

1-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)

$390 MX$6,690

3-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)

$2,149 MX$36.8K

3-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)

$1,272 MX$21.8K

Buy Apartment in City Center (m2)

$4,001 MX$68.6K

Buy Apartment Outside City Center (m2)

$6,502 MX$111.5K

Average Monthly Net Salary (After Tax)

$758 MX$13.0K

20-Year Fixed Mortgage Interest Rate (Annual %)

11.45

10.15

12.81%

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

Last update for Playa del Carmen: September 12, 2026

Last update for San Antonio: September 14, 2026

Cost Breakdown

A mid-range dinner for two costs $47.00 in Playa del Carmen versus $42.00 in San Antonio. Monthly groceries follow the same trend: $276 vs $208 – 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 113%, 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 $1,899 per month in Playa del Carmen and $893 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 $1,266 in Playa del Carmen and $595 in San Antonio. The difference isn't just one category – it shows up across housing, food, transport, and services.

Kindergarten costs $224 per month in Playa del Carmen and $176 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 $595, than in Playa del Carmen at $1,266. 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.