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

Monthly Cost of Living

A single person spends $1,260 per month in Playa del Carmen vs $1,156 in San Bernardo, rent included.

A couple spends around $2,125 per month in Playa del Carmen vs $1,786 in San Bernardo, rent included.

A family of three spends $2,990 per month in Playa del Carmen vs $2,416 in San Bernardo, rent included.

Playa del Carmen costs about 9% more than San Bernardo, driven mainly by Getting Around.

Both Playa del Carmen and San Bernardo are more affordable than the global median – Playa del Carmen 5% lower, San Bernardo 13% lower.

Meal at Budget Restaurant

$11.72 MX$203

$10.84 CLP 10.1K

8.12%

Three-Course Dinner for Two, Mid-Range

$41.89 MX$725

$53.4 CLP 49.7K

-21.54%

Fast Food Meal (McDonalds, etc)

$10.51 MX$182

$8.40 CLP 7,813

25.12%

Cappuccino

$3.59 MX$62.0

$3.14 CLP 2,923

14.33%

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

$1.51 MX$26.10

$0.94 CLP 870

60.64%

Water (0.33 liter bottle)

$0.92 MX$15.83

$1.29 CLP 1,200

-28.68%

Local Beer (0.5 liter draught)

$2.96 MX$51.2

$3.19 CLP 2,972

-7.21%

Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$4.41 MX$76.3

$4.27 CLP 3,975

3.28%

Milk (1 liter)

$1.40 MX$24.16

$1.11 CLP 1,036

26.13%

White Bread (500g)

$1.88 MX$32.60

$1.52 CLP 1,418

23.68%

Rice (white) (1kg)

$1.56 MX$26.97

$2.12 CLP 1,969

-26.42%

Eggs

$2.61 MX$45.14

$4.12 CLP 3,834

-36.65%

Local Cheese (1kg)

$8.32 MX$144

$10.51 CLP 9,783

-20.84%

Chicken Fillets (1kg)

$8.35 MX$145

$6.72 CLP 6,248

24.26%

Beef Round Steak (1kg)

$10.86 MX$188

$10.83 CLP 10.1K

0.28%

Apples (1kg)

$2.71 MX$46.93

$2.07 CLP 1,930

30.92%

Banana (1kg)

$1.51 MX$26.04

$1.63 CLP 1,513

-7.36%

Oranges (1kg)

$1.87 MX$32.41

$2.11 CLP 1,962

-11.37%

Tomato (1kg)

$2.19 MX$37.89

$1.93 CLP 1,791

13.47%

Potato (1kg)

$1.86 MX$32.14

$1.93 CLP 1,796

-3.63%

Onion (1kg)

$2.23 MX$38.59

$1.61 CLP 1,498

38.51%

Lettuce (1 head)

$1.07 MX$18.48

$1.29 CLP 1,199

-17.05%

Water (1.5 liter bottle)

$1.09 MX$18.79

$1.22 CLP 1,137

-10.66%

Cigarettes 20 Pack (Marlboro, Camel)

$4.19 MX$72.4

$3.48 CLP 3,242

20.40%

Wine (Bottle)

$10.43 MX$180

$6.24 CLP 5,807

67.15%

Local Beer (0.5 liter bottle)

$1.66 MX$28.68

$1.54 CLP 1,431

7.79%

Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$2.61 MX$45.19

$2.47 CLP 2,301

5.67%

One-way Ticket (Public Transport)

$0.54 MX$9.37

$0.58 CLP 539

-6.90%

Public Transport Monthly Pass (Regular Price)

$26.16 MX$453

Taxi Start (Normal Tariff)

$3.08 MX$53.3

$0.51 CLP 471

503.92%

Taxi (Normal Tariff) (1km)

$2.40 MX$41.61

$1.46 CLP 1,354

64.38%

Taxi 1hour Waiting (Normal Tariff)

$3.13 MX$54.1

$11.69 CLP 10.9K

-73.22%

Gasoline (1 liter)

$1.31 MX$22.69

$1.42 CLP 1,320

-7.75%

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

$29.8K MX$515.7K

$19.4K CLP 18.0M

53.77%

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

$23.3K MX$403.5K

$23.1K CLP 21.5M

1.15%

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

$81.3 MX$1,406

$130 CLP 121.0K

-37.48%

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

$22.56 MX$390

$13.61 CLP 12.7K

65.76%

Internet (50+ Mbps, Unlimited Data)

$30.05 MX$520

$22.23 CLP 20.7K

35.18%

Gym Membership (Monthly)

$52.9 MX$915

$38.49 CLP 35.8K

37.46%

Tennis Court (1 Hour on Weekend)

$18.39 MX$318

$20.84 CLP 19.4K

-11.76%

Cinema Ticket

$4.92 MX$85.1

$6.52 CLP 6,066

-24.54%

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

$201 MX$3,474

$444 CLP 413.0K

-54.76%

International Primary School, 1 Child (Yearly)

$5,175 MX$89.5K

$8,593 CLP 8.0M

-39.78%

Jeans (Levis 501 Or Similar)

$35.92 MX$622

$54.4 CLP 50.7K

-34.02%

Summer Dress (H&M, Zara, etc)

$40.13 MX$694

$32.35 CLP 30.1K

24.05%

Sport Shoes (Adidas, Nike)

$79.7 MX$1,379

$78.0 CLP 72.5K

2.22%

Men's Leather Business Shoes

$86.5 MX$1,496

$83.8 CLP 78.0K

3.17%

1-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)

$978 MX$16.9K

$485 CLP 451.1K

101.75%

1-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)

$470 MX$8,140

$380 CLP 353.7K

23.78%

3-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)

$1,651 MX$28.6K

$889 CLP 827.4K

85.69%

3-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)

$1,203 MX$20.8K

$592 CLP 551.0K

103.24%

Buy Apartment in City Center (m2)

$3,953 MX$68.4K

$1,945 CLP 1.8M

103.21%

Buy Apartment Outside City Center (m2)

$6,607 MX$114.3K

$1,395 CLP 1.3M

373.79%

Average Monthly Net Salary (After Tax)

$677 MX$11.7K

$1,390 CLP 1.3M

-51.31%

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 27, 2026

Last update for San Bernardo: July 26, 2026

Cost Breakdown

A central one-bedroom costs $978 in Playa del Carmen versus $485 in San Bernardo. 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 105% higher in San Bernardo, which reinforces the cost advantage – you earn more and spend less. Purchasing power leans clearly in its favor.

A mid-range dinner for two costs $42.00 in Playa del Carmen versus $53.0 in San Bernardo. Groceries tell a different story – $252 in Playa del Carmen vs $241 in San Bernardo – so San Bernardo 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 Bernardo: Cost of Living - Frequently Asked Questions

Yes – Playa del Carmen is pricier by about 9%, and the gap shows up most in Getting Around. It's not just housing either; the difference applies across most spending categories.

For a comfortable life, plan on about $1,890 per month in Playa del Carmen and $1,733 in San Bernardo. That covers rent, food, utilities, transport, and enough left over to feel settled – not just surviving.

Rent is clearly cheaper in San Bernardo, 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 $1,260 in Playa del Carmen and $1,156 in San Bernardo. 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 $444 in San Bernardo. For families with young kids, this one expense can tip the scales when choosing between the two cities.

A $1,000 monthly budget goes further in San Bernardo, where all-in costs run around $1,156, than in Playa del Carmen at $1,260. In San Bernardo 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 Bernardo – 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 Bernardo. 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.