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 $1,266 per month in Playa del Carmen vs $925 in San Bernardo, rent included.

A couple spends around $2,279 per month in Playa del Carmen vs $1,448 in San Bernardo, rent included.

A family of three spends $3,292 per month in Playa del Carmen vs $1,972 in San Bernardo, rent included.

Playa del Carmen costs about 37% more than San Bernardo, driven mainly by Eating Out.

Both Playa del Carmen and San Bernardo are more affordable than the global median – Playa del Carmen 7% lower, San Bernardo 32% lower.

Meal at Budget Restaurant

$11.60 MX$200

$8.01 CLP 7,647

44.82%

Three-Course Dinner for Two, Mid-Range

$47.11 MX$812

$26.45 CLP 25.2K

78.11%

Fast Food Meal (McDonalds, etc)

$11.88 MX$205

$6.98 CLP 6,657

70.20%

Cappuccino

$3.98 MX$68.6

$2.65 CLP 2,533

50.19%

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

$1.43 MX$24.60

$0.99 CLP 949

44.44%

Water (0.33 liter bottle)

$0.82 MX$14.22

$1.07 CLP 1,020

-23.36%

Local Beer (0.5 liter draught)

$3.19 MX$55.0

$4.20 CLP 4,010

-24.05%

Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$6.79 MX$117

$4.72 CLP 4,504

43.86%

Milk (1 liter)

$1.68 MX$28.89

$1.14 CLP 1,086

47.37%

White Bread (500g)

$2.20 MX$37.88

$1.28 CLP 1,219

71.88%

Rice (white) (1kg)

$1.71 MX$29.45

$1.63 CLP 1,560

4.91%

Eggs

$2.74 MX$47.26

$4.08 CLP 3,895

-32.84%

Local Cheese (1kg)

$9.58 MX$165

$11.42 CLP 10.9K

-16.11%

Chicken Fillets (1kg)

$9.01 MX$155

$4.51 CLP 4,308

99.78%

Beef Round Steak (1kg)

$12.81 MX$221

$10.98 CLP 10.5K

16.67%

Apples (1kg)

$2.89 MX$49.81

$1.90 CLP 1,809

52.11%

Banana (1kg)

$1.50 MX$25.81

$1.59 CLP 1,516

-5.66%

Oranges (1kg)

$2.15 MX$37.03

$1.47 CLP 1,407

46.26%

Tomato (1kg)

$2.26 MX$38.96

$1.77 CLP 1,688

27.68%

Potato (1kg)

$1.98 MX$34.15

$0.88 CLP 840

125.00%

Onion (1kg)

$1.99 MX$34.30

$0.80 CLP 764

148.75%

Lettuce (1 head)

$1.23 MX$21.28

$1.25 CLP 1,188

-1.60%

Water (1.5 liter bottle)

$1.20 MX$20.63

$1.13 CLP 1,081

6.19%

Cigarettes 20 Pack (Marlboro, Camel)

$4.55 MX$78.5

$3.32 CLP 3,164

37.05%

Wine (Bottle)

$10.37 MX$179

$6.09 CLP 5,810

70.28%

Local Beer (0.5 liter bottle)

$1.62 MX$27.91

$1.61 CLP 1,540

0.62%

Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$2.88 MX$49.67

$2.52 CLP 2,405

14.29%

One-way Ticket (Public Transport)

$0.60 MX$10.35

$0.81 CLP 776

-25.93%

Public Transport Monthly Pass (Regular Price)

$28.80 MX$497

Taxi Start (Normal Tariff)

$5.39 MX$92.9

$0.41 CLP 389

1214.63%

Taxi (Normal Tariff) (1km)

$3.73 MX$64.3

$0.93 CLP 886

301.08%

Taxi 1hour Waiting (Normal Tariff)

$5.77 MX$99.5

$11.80 CLP 11.3K

-51.10%

Gasoline (1 liter)

$1.54 MX$26.48

$1.36 CLP 1,301

13.24%

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

$22.5K MX$388.8K

$18.4K CLP 17.5M

22.78%

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

$26.1K MX$449.3K

$21.7K CLP 20.7M

20.21%

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

$91.4 MX$1,576

$125 CLP 118.9K

-26.67%

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

$25.20 MX$435

$12.48 CLP 11.9K

101.92%

Internet (50+ Mbps, Unlimited Data)

$31.24 MX$539

$16.51 CLP 15.8K

89.22%

Gym Membership (Monthly)

$67.2 MX$1,159

$20.41 CLP 19.5K

229.25%

Tennis Court (1 Hour on Weekend)

$29.11 MX$502

Cinema Ticket

$4.86 MX$83.8

$7.67 CLP 7,320

-36.64%

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

$224 MX$3,856

$447 CLP 426.9K

-50.02%

International Primary School, 1 Child (Yearly)

$4,229 MX$72.9K

$11.1K CLP 10.6M

-61.86%

Jeans (Levis 501 Or Similar)

$47.10 MX$812

$37.13 CLP 35.4K

26.85%

Summer Dress (H&M, Zara, etc)

$44.29 MX$764

$27.27 CLP 26.0K

62.41%

Sport Shoes (Adidas, Nike)

$80.1 MX$1,381

$68.2 CLP 65.1K

17.48%

Men's Leather Business Shoes

$92.7 MX$1,598

$82.1 CLP 78.4K

12.81%

1-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)

$1,063 MX$18.3K

$279 CLP 265.8K

281.40%

1-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)

$390 MX$6,728

$256 CLP 244.0K

52.59%

3-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)

$2,149 MX$37.1K

$716 CLP 683.3K

200.12%

3-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)

$1,272 MX$21.9K

$552 CLP 526.7K

130.47%

Buy Apartment in City Center (m2)

$4,001 MX$69.0K

$1,925 CLP 1.8M

107.90%

Buy Apartment Outside City Center (m2)

$6,502 MX$112.1K

$1,417 CLP 1.4M

358.69%

Average Monthly Net Salary (After Tax)

$758 MX$13.1K

$1,347 CLP 1.3M

-43.71%

20-Year Fixed Mortgage Interest Rate (Annual %)

11.45

5.39

112.43%

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 Bernardo: September 12, 2026

Cost Breakdown

A central one-bedroom costs $1,063 in Playa del Carmen versus $279 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 78% 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 $47.00 in Playa del Carmen versus $26.00 in San Bernardo. Monthly groceries follow the same trend: $276 vs $219 – making San Bernardo 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 Bernardo: Cost of Living - Frequently Asked Questions

Yes – Playa del Carmen is pricier by about 37%, 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 $1,387 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 $1,266 in Playa del Carmen and $925 in San Bernardo. 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 $447 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 $925, than in Playa del Carmen at $1,266. 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.