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 $1,271 per month in Playa del Carmen vs $1,131 in San Bernardo, rent included.

A couple spends around $2,126 per month in Playa del Carmen vs $1,755 in San Bernardo, rent included.

A family of three spends $2,980 per month in Playa del Carmen vs $2,379 in San Bernardo, rent included.

Playa del Carmen costs about 12% 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 16% lower.

Meal at Budget Restaurant

$11.87 MX$204

$10.83 CLP 9,733

9.60%

Three-Course Dinner for Two, Mid-Range

$42.90 MX$736

$53.5 CLP 48.1K

-19.81%

Fast Food Meal (McDonalds, etc)

$10.65 MX$183

$8.17 CLP 7,346

30.35%

Cappuccino

$3.45 MX$59.2

$3.24 CLP 2,916

6.48%

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

$1.50 MX$25.81

$0.94 CLP 846

59.57%

Water (0.33 liter bottle)

$0.95 MX$16.28

$1.31 CLP 1,174

-27.48%

Local Beer (0.5 liter draught)

$3.03 MX$51.9

$3.27 CLP 2,936

-7.34%

Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$4.61 MX$79.1

$4.20 CLP 3,775

9.76%

Milk (1 liter)

$1.38 MX$23.61

$1.12 CLP 1,006

23.21%

White Bread (500g)

$1.85 MX$31.70

$1.57 CLP 1,415

17.83%

Rice (white) (1kg)

$1.61 MX$27.65

$2.18 CLP 1,957

-26.15%

Eggs

$2.59 MX$44.51

$4.01 CLP 3,601

-35.41%

Local Cheese (1kg)

$8.26 MX$142

$10.54 CLP 9,469

-21.63%

Chicken Fillets (1kg)

$8.37 MX$144

$6.64 CLP 5,970

26.05%

Beef Round Steak (1kg)

$10.66 MX$183

$10.94 CLP 9,829

-2.56%

Apples (1kg)

$2.63 MX$45.12

$2.07 CLP 1,863

27.05%

Banana (1kg)

$1.49 MX$25.53

$1.55 CLP 1,391

-3.87%

Oranges (1kg)

$1.92 MX$32.94

$2.10 CLP 1,889

-8.57%

Tomato (1kg)

$2.09 MX$35.81

$1.94 CLP 1,747

7.73%

Potato (1kg)

$1.86 MX$31.88

$1.96 CLP 1,762

-5.10%

Onion (1kg)

$2.26 MX$38.81

$1.61 CLP 1,451

40.37%

Lettuce (1 head)

$1.06 MX$18.23

$1.29 CLP 1,161

-17.83%

Water (1.5 liter bottle)

$1.09 MX$18.67

$1.18 CLP 1,058

-7.63%

Cigarettes 20 Pack (Marlboro, Camel)

$4.15 MX$71.2

$3.51 CLP 3,155

18.23%

Wine (Bottle)

$10.39 MX$178

$6.58 CLP 5,917

57.90%

Local Beer (0.5 liter bottle)

$1.72 MX$29.59

$1.56 CLP 1,404

10.26%

Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$2.61 MX$44.85

$2.49 CLP 2,235

4.82%

One-way Ticket (Public Transport)

$0.54 MX$9.30

$0.62 CLP 560

-12.90%

Public Transport Monthly Pass (Regular Price)

$26.94 MX$462

Taxi Start (Normal Tariff)

$3.13 MX$53.7

$0.50 CLP 450

526.00%

Taxi (Normal Tariff) (1km)

$2.51 MX$43.09

$1.48 CLP 1,330

69.59%

Taxi 1hour Waiting (Normal Tariff)

$3.15 MX$54.1

$11.54 CLP 10.4K

-72.70%

Gasoline (1 liter)

$1.27 MX$21.88

$1.43 CLP 1,286

-11.19%

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

$30.4K MX$521.3K

$19.9K CLP 17.9M

52.83%

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

$23.6K MX$404.5K

$22.8K CLP 20.5M

3.32%

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

$83.0 MX$1,425

$132 CLP 118.7K

-37.15%

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

$22.71 MX$390

$13.72 CLP 12.3K

65.52%

Internet (50+ Mbps, Unlimited Data)

$29.46 MX$506

$22.30 CLP 20.0K

32.11%

Gym Membership (Monthly)

$51.0 MX$875

$38.30 CLP 34.4K

33.16%

Tennis Court (1 Hour on Weekend)

$18.33 MX$315

$21.44 CLP 19.3K

-14.51%

Cinema Ticket

$4.93 MX$84.5

$6.56 CLP 5,891

-24.85%

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

$197 MX$3,386

$434 CLP 390.0K

-54.54%

International Primary School, 1 Child (Yearly)

$5,280 MX$90.6K

$8,501 CLP 7.6M

-37.89%

Jeans (Levis 501 Or Similar)

$36.90 MX$633

$54.7 CLP 49.1K

-32.50%

Summer Dress (H&M, Zara, etc)

$39.89 MX$685

$33.30 CLP 29.9K

19.79%

Sport Shoes (Adidas, Nike)

$80.0 MX$1,373

$75.9 CLP 68.2K

5.44%

Men's Leather Business Shoes

$89.5 MX$1,536

$83.5 CLP 75.0K

7.19%

1-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)

$956 MX$16.4K

$475 CLP 427.0K

101.27%

1-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)

$477 MX$8,189

$378 CLP 339.6K

26.26%

3-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)

$1,646 MX$28.3K

$890 CLP 799.8K

84.95%

3-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)

$1,225 MX$21.0K

$592 CLP 531.6K

107.05%

Buy Apartment in City Center (m2)

$3,918 MX$67.2K

$1,952 CLP 1.8M

100.68%

Buy Apartment Outside City Center (m2)

$6,459 MX$110.9K

$1,428 CLP 1.3M

352.40%

Average Monthly Net Salary (After Tax)

$667 MX$11.4K

$1,367 CLP 1.2M

-51.21%

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 7, 2026

Last update for San Bernardo: June 6, 2026

Cost Breakdown

A central one-bedroom costs $956 in Playa del Carmen versus $475 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 $43.00 in Playa del Carmen versus $53.0 in San Bernardo. Groceries tell a different story – $250 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 12%, 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 $1,906 per month in Playa del Carmen and $1,697 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 $1,271 in Playa del Carmen and $1,131 in San Bernardo. 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 $434 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 $1,131, than in Playa del Carmen at $1,271. 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.