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 $1,297 per month in Playa del Carmen vs $408 in San Antonio, rent included.

A couple spends around $2,181 per month in Playa del Carmen vs $695 in San Antonio, rent included.

A family of three spends $3,065 per month in Playa del Carmen vs $983 in San Antonio, rent included.

Playa del Carmen costs about 218% 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 3% lower, San Antonio 70% lower.

Meal at Budget Restaurant

$11.73 MX$203

$4.45 ₲27.1K

163.60%

Three-Course Dinner for Two, Mid-Range

$41.62 MX$721

$26.63 ₲162.3K

56.29%

Fast Food Meal (McDonalds, etc)

$10.64 MX$184

$4.69 ₲28.6K

126.87%

Cappuccino

$3.52 MX$61.0

$1.90 ₲11.6K

85.26%

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

$1.51 MX$26.17

$0.90 ₲5,482

67.78%

Water (0.33 liter bottle)

$0.97 MX$16.87

$0.50 ₲3,071

94.00%

Local Beer (0.5 liter draught)

$2.95 MX$51.1

$1.46 ₲8,902

102.05%

Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$4.45 MX$77.2

$1.89 ₲11.5K

135.45%

Milk (1 liter)

$1.38 MX$23.97

$0.84 ₲5,145

64.29%

White Bread (500g)

$1.89 MX$32.78

$1.00 ₲6,105

89.00%

Rice (white) (1kg)

$1.64 MX$28.37

$0.90 ₲5,504

82.22%

Eggs

$2.51 MX$43.42

$1.64 ₲9,996

53.05%

Local Cheese (1kg)

$8.34 MX$145

$6.69 ₲40.8K

24.66%

Chicken Fillets (1kg)

$8.34 MX$145

$3.24 ₲19.8K

157.41%

Beef Round Steak (1kg)

$10.73 MX$186

$6.55 ₲39.9K

63.82%

Apples (1kg)

$2.60 MX$45.12

$1.94 ₲11.8K

34.02%

Banana (1kg)

$1.46 MX$25.25

$0.72 ₲4,360

102.78%

Oranges (1kg)

$1.90 MX$32.94

$0.95 ₲5,790

100.00%

Tomato (1kg)

$2.08 MX$35.98

$1.63 ₲9,907

27.61%

Potato (1kg)

$1.78 MX$30.77

$1.07 ₲6,543

66.36%

Onion (1kg)

$2.19 MX$37.87

$1.09 ₲6,630

100.92%

Lettuce (1 head)

$1.04 MX$18.02

$0.55 ₲3,338

89.09%

Water (1.5 liter bottle)

$1.08 MX$18.66

$0.56 ₲3,429

92.86%

Cigarettes 20 Pack (Marlboro, Camel)

$4.08 MX$70.7

$1.34 ₲8,174

204.48%

Wine (Bottle)

$10.32 MX$179

$8.19 ₲49.9K

26.01%

Local Beer (0.5 liter bottle)

$1.71 MX$29.67

$0.76 ₲4,636

125.00%

Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$2.58 MX$44.63

$1.45 ₲8,809

77.93%

One-way Ticket (Public Transport)

$0.51 MX$8.83

Public Transport Monthly Pass (Regular Price)

$26.46 MX$459

Taxi Start (Normal Tariff)

$3.26 MX$56.5

$0.61 ₲3,702

434.43%

Taxi (Normal Tariff) (1km)

$2.49 MX$43.17

$0.74 ₲4,535

236.49%

Taxi 1hour Waiting (Normal Tariff)

$3.25 MX$56.3

$8.86 ₲54.0K

-63.32%

Gasoline (1 liter)

$1.31 MX$22.65

$0.88 ₲5,366

48.86%

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

$30.3K MX$524.7K

$14.5K ₲88.3M

108.92%

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

$23.4K MX$406.0K

$24.1K ₲146.6M

-2.61%

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

$82.9 MX$1,436

$42.90 ₲261.4K

93.17%

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

$22.22 MX$385

$13.74 ₲83.8K

61.72%

Internet (50+ Mbps, Unlimited Data)

$29.34 MX$508

$14.98 ₲91.3K

95.86%

Gym Membership (Monthly)

$51.6 MX$895

Tennis Court (1 Hour on Weekend)

$18.32 MX$317

Cinema Ticket

$5.07 MX$87.8

$4.97 ₲30.3K

2.01%

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

$201 MX$3,480

$161 ₲983.5K

24.43%

International Primary School, 1 Child (Yearly)

$5,212 MX$90.3K

$3,239 ₲19.7M

60.88%

Jeans (Levis 501 Or Similar)

$36.92 MX$640

$48.94 ₲298.3K

-24.56%

Summer Dress (H&M, Zara, etc)

$39.79 MX$689

$30.93 ₲188.5K

28.65%

Sport Shoes (Adidas, Nike)

$78.5 MX$1,360

$71.0 ₲432.8K

10.48%

Men's Leather Business Shoes

$87.1 MX$1,509

$52.7 ₲321.4K

65.16%

1-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)

$973 MX$16.9K

1-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)

$468 MX$8,105

3-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)

$1,641 MX$28.4K

3-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)

$1,221 MX$21.2K

Buy Apartment in City Center (m2)

$3,946 MX$68.4K

Buy Apartment Outside City Center (m2)

$6,498 MX$112.6K

Average Monthly Net Salary (After Tax)

$664 MX$11.5K

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: June 2, 2026

Last update for San Antonio: June 1, 2026

Cost Breakdown

A mid-range dinner for two costs $42.00 in Playa del Carmen versus $27.00 in San Antonio. Monthly groceries follow the same trend: $249 vs $148 – 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 218%, 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 $611 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 $1,297 in Playa del Carmen and $408 in San Antonio. 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 $161 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 $408, than in Playa del Carmen at $1,297. 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.