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 $1,287 per month in Playa del Carmen vs $1,133 in San Bernardo, rent included.

A couple spends around $2,184 per month in Playa del Carmen vs $1,747 in San Bernardo, rent included.

A family of three spends $3,082 per month in Playa del Carmen vs $2,360 in San Bernardo, rent included.

Playa del Carmen costs about 14% 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 4% lower, San Bernardo 15% lower.

Meal at Budget Restaurant

$11.94 MX$209

$10.65 CLP 9,469

12.11%

Three-Course Dinner for Two, Mid-Range

$42.75 MX$748

$53.6 CLP 47.7K

-20.23%

Fast Food Meal (McDonalds, etc)

$10.59 MX$185

$8.39 CLP 7,460

26.22%

Cappuccino

$3.62 MX$63.4

$3.29 CLP 2,926

10.03%

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

$1.47 MX$25.69

$0.87 CLP 778

68.97%

Water (0.33 liter bottle)

$0.94 MX$16.51

$1.31 CLP 1,163

-28.24%

Local Beer (0.5 liter draught)

$3.09 MX$54.1

$3.32 CLP 2,953

-6.93%

Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$4.46 MX$78.0

$4.40 CLP 3,911

1.36%

Milk (1 liter)

$1.43 MX$24.94

$1.16 CLP 1,030

23.28%

White Bread (500g)

$1.88 MX$32.97

$1.51 CLP 1,345

24.50%

Rice (white) (1kg)

$1.63 MX$28.50

$2.08 CLP 1,852

-21.63%

Eggs

$2.64 MX$46.26

$4.10 CLP 3,649

-35.61%

Local Cheese (1kg)

$8.21 MX$144

$10.53 CLP 9,367

-22.03%

Chicken Fillets (1kg)

$8.29 MX$145

$6.78 CLP 6,024

22.27%

Beef Round Steak (1kg)

$11.10 MX$194

$11.02 CLP 9,801

0.73%

Apples (1kg)

$2.65 MX$46.40

$2.00 CLP 1,779

32.50%

Banana (1kg)

$1.50 MX$26.26

$1.56 CLP 1,390

-3.85%

Oranges (1kg)

$1.99 MX$34.79

$2.11 CLP 1,873

-5.69%

Tomato (1kg)

$2.08 MX$36.33

$1.93 CLP 1,714

7.77%

Potato (1kg)

$1.79 MX$31.29

$1.86 CLP 1,657

-3.76%

Onion (1kg)

$2.18 MX$38.09

$1.69 CLP 1,507

28.99%

Lettuce (1 head)

$1.08 MX$18.84

$1.35 CLP 1,199

-20.00%

Water (1.5 liter bottle)

$1.04 MX$18.15

$1.22 CLP 1,088

-14.75%

Cigarettes 20 Pack (Marlboro, Camel)

$3.97 MX$69.5

$3.36 CLP 2,984

18.15%

Wine (Bottle)

$10.20 MX$179

$6.80 CLP 6,048

50.00%

Local Beer (0.5 liter bottle)

$1.73 MX$30.22

$1.54 CLP 1,365

12.34%

Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$2.50 MX$43.71

$2.60 CLP 2,309

-3.85%

One-way Ticket (Public Transport)

$0.52 MX$9.07

$0.63 CLP 560

-17.46%

Public Transport Monthly Pass (Regular Price)

$26.97 MX$472

Taxi Start (Normal Tariff)

$3.14 MX$55.0

$0.51 CLP 451

515.69%

Taxi (Normal Tariff) (1km)

$2.40 MX$42.04

$1.40 CLP 1,245

71.43%

Taxi 1hour Waiting (Normal Tariff)

$3.09 MX$54.0

$11.40 CLP 10.1K

-72.89%

Gasoline (1 liter)

$1.27 MX$22.28

$1.42 CLP 1,267

-10.56%

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

$30.9K MX$540.4K

$19.3K CLP 17.2M

59.91%

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

$23.3K MX$408.0K

$22.3K CLP 19.8M

4.57%

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

$82.0 MX$1,435

$130 CLP 115.4K

-36.82%

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

$22.45 MX$393

$13.51 CLP 12.0K

66.17%

Internet (50+ Mbps, Unlimited Data)

$29.66 MX$519

$22.15 CLP 19.7K

33.91%

Gym Membership (Monthly)

$51.9 MX$908

$38.06 CLP 33.8K

36.28%

Tennis Court (1 Hour on Weekend)

$18.67 MX$327

$21.01 CLP 18.7K

-11.14%

Cinema Ticket

$4.97 MX$87.0

$6.29 CLP 5,593

-20.99%

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

$198 MX$3,462

$440 CLP 390.8K

-54.99%

International Primary School, 1 Child (Yearly)

$5,273 MX$92.3K

$8,722 CLP 7.8M

-39.55%

Jeans (Levis 501 Or Similar)

$36.34 MX$636

$54.9 CLP 48.8K

-33.79%

Summer Dress (H&M, Zara, etc)

$40.05 MX$701

$32.33 CLP 28.8K

23.88%

Sport Shoes (Adidas, Nike)

$79.9 MX$1,398

$77.2 CLP 68.6K

3.50%

Men's Leather Business Shoes

$88.9 MX$1,555

$83.2 CLP 74.0K

6.78%

1-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)

$963 MX$16.9K

$472 CLP 419.9K

104.01%

1-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)

$465 MX$8,133

$373 CLP 331.8K

24.54%

3-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)

$1,596 MX$27.9K

$888 CLP 789.3K

79.84%

3-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)

$1,209 MX$21.2K

$594 CLP 528.5K

103.40%

Buy Apartment in City Center (m2)

$3,942 MX$69.0K

$2,050 CLP 1.8M

92.25%

Buy Apartment Outside City Center (m2)

$6,448 MX$112.8K

$1,513 CLP 1.3M

326.12%

Average Monthly Net Salary (After Tax)

$720 MX$12.6K

$1,382 CLP 1.2M

-47.87%

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: April 25, 2026

Last update for San Bernardo: April 26, 2026

Cost Breakdown

A central one-bedroom costs $963 in Playa del Carmen versus $472 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 92% 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 $54.0 in San Bernardo. Groceries tell a different story – $251 in Playa del Carmen vs $243 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 14%, 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 $1,930 per month in Playa del Carmen and $1,700 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 $1,287 in Playa del Carmen and $1,133 in San Bernardo. The difference isn't just one category – it shows up across housing, food, transport, and services.

Kindergarten costs $198 per month in Playa del Carmen and $440 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 $1,133, than in Playa del Carmen at $1,287. 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.