Cost of Living Comparison Between Playa del Carmen and San Cristobal de las Casas Cost of Living Comparison Between Playa del Carmen and San Cristobal de las Casas

Monthly Cost of Living

A single person spends $1,297 per month in Playa del Carmen vs $894 in San Cristobal de las Casas, rent included.

A couple spends around $2,181 per month in Playa del Carmen vs $1,365 in San Cristobal de las Casas, rent included.

A family of three spends $3,065 per month in Playa del Carmen vs $1,835 in San Cristobal de las Casas, rent included.

Playa del Carmen costs about 45% more than San Cristobal de las Casas, driven mainly by Eating Out.

Both Playa del Carmen and San Cristobal de las Casas are more affordable than the global median – Playa del Carmen 3% lower, San Cristobal de las Casas 33% lower.

Meal at Budget Restaurant

$11.73 MX$203

$5.23 MX$90.4

124.28%

Three-Course Dinner for Two, Mid-Range

$41.62 MX$720

$26.82 MX$464

55.18%

Fast Food Meal (McDonalds, etc)

$10.64 MX$184

$5.66 MX$97.8

87.99%

Cappuccino

$3.52 MX$60.9

$2.38 MX$41.09

47.90%

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

$1.51 MX$26.12

$1.61 MX$27.88

-6.21%

Water (0.33 liter bottle)

$0.97 MX$16.84

$0.99 MX$17.20

-2.02%

Local Beer (0.5 liter draught)

$2.95 MX$51.0

$2.33 MX$40.23

26.61%

Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$4.45 MX$77.0

$4.72 MX$81.6

-5.72%

Milk (1 liter)

$1.38 MX$23.93

$1.45 MX$25.11

-4.83%

White Bread (500g)

$1.89 MX$32.72

$3.05 MX$52.7

-38.03%

Rice (white) (1kg)

$1.64 MX$28.32

$1.48 MX$25.56

10.81%

Eggs

$2.51 MX$43.34

$3.58 MX$62.0

-29.89%

Local Cheese (1kg)

$8.34 MX$144

$7.05 MX$122

18.30%

Chicken Fillets (1kg)

$8.34 MX$144

$4.04 MX$69.8

106.44%

Beef Round Steak (1kg)

$10.73 MX$186

$7.23 MX$125

48.41%

Apples (1kg)

$2.60 MX$45.04

$3.18 MX$55.0

-18.24%

Banana (1kg)

$1.46 MX$25.20

$1.93 MX$33.32

-24.35%

Oranges (1kg)

$1.90 MX$32.87

$1.68 MX$29.05

13.10%

Tomato (1kg)

$2.08 MX$35.91

$1.44 MX$24.97

44.44%

Potato (1kg)

$1.78 MX$30.71

$1.70 MX$29.46

4.71%

Onion (1kg)

$2.19 MX$37.80

$1.39 MX$24.06

57.55%

Lettuce (1 head)

$1.04 MX$17.99

$1.44 MX$24.91

-27.78%

Water (1.5 liter bottle)

$1.08 MX$18.62

$1.31 MX$22.71

-17.56%

Cigarettes 20 Pack (Marlboro, Camel)

$4.08 MX$70.6

$1.81 MX$31.34

125.41%

Wine (Bottle)

$10.32 MX$178

$10.76 MX$186

-4.09%

Local Beer (0.5 liter bottle)

$1.71 MX$29.61

$1.94 MX$33.54

-11.86%

Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$2.58 MX$44.54

$2.36 MX$40.75

9.32%

One-way Ticket (Public Transport)

$0.51 MX$8.81

$0.55 MX$9.60

-7.27%

Public Transport Monthly Pass (Regular Price)

$26.46 MX$458

$26.61 MX$460

-0.56%

Taxi Start (Normal Tariff)

$3.26 MX$56.4

$2.63 MX$45.41

23.95%

Taxi (Normal Tariff) (1km)

$2.49 MX$43.09

$2.40 MX$41.59

3.75%

Taxi 1hour Waiting (Normal Tariff)

$3.25 MX$56.2

$8.26 MX$143

-60.65%

Gasoline (1 liter)

$1.31 MX$22.61

$1.34 MX$23.11

-2.24%

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

$30.3K MX$523.7K

$15.7K MX$272.0K

92.52%

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

$23.4K MX$405.3K

$22.8K MX$394.8K

2.64%

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

$82.9 MX$1,433

$32.62 MX$564

154.05%

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

$22.22 MX$384

$19.87 MX$344

11.83%

Internet (50+ Mbps, Unlimited Data)

$29.34 MX$507

$19.36 MX$335

51.55%

Gym Membership (Monthly)

$51.6 MX$893

$21.73 MX$376

137.60%

Tennis Court (1 Hour on Weekend)

$18.32 MX$317

$15.94 MX$276

14.93%

Cinema Ticket

$5.07 MX$87.6

$6.67 MX$115

-23.99%

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

$201 MX$3,473

$198 MX$3,417

1.64%

International Primary School, 1 Child (Yearly)

$5,212 MX$90.1K

$2,562 MX$44.3K

103.45%

Jeans (Levis 501 Or Similar)

$36.92 MX$639

$26.22 MX$454

40.81%

Summer Dress (H&M, Zara, etc)

$39.79 MX$688

$32.14 MX$556

23.80%

Sport Shoes (Adidas, Nike)

$78.5 MX$1,357

$83.1 MX$1,437

-5.55%

Men's Leather Business Shoes

$87.1 MX$1,506

$51.6 MX$892

68.84%

1-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)

$973 MX$16.8K

$415 MX$7,185

134.11%

1-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)

$468 MX$8,090

$306 MX$5,292

52.89%

3-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)

$1,641 MX$28.4K

$837 MX$14.5K

96.18%

3-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)

$1,221 MX$21.1K

$516 MX$8,918

136.79%

Buy Apartment in City Center (m2)

$3,946 MX$68.3K

$855 MX$14.8K

361.60%

Buy Apartment Outside City Center (m2)

$6,498 MX$112.4K

$688 MX$11.9K

844.50%

Average Monthly Net Salary (After Tax)

$664 MX$11.5K

$425 MX$7,344

56.37%

20-Year Fixed Mortgage Interest Rate (Annual %)

11.42

10.33

10.55%

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 Cristobal de las Casas: May 31, 2026

Cost Breakdown

A central one-bedroom costs $973 in Playa del Carmen versus $415 in San Cristobal de las Casas. 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 56% higher in Playa del Carmen, which partly offsets the higher cost of living there. Purchasing power depends on which expenses matter most to you.

A mid-range dinner for two costs $42.00 in Playa del Carmen versus $27.00 in San Cristobal de las Casas. Monthly groceries follow the same trend: $249 vs $235 – making San Cristobal de las Casas 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 Cristobal de las Casas: Cost of Living - Frequently Asked Questions

Yes – Playa del Carmen is pricier by about 45%, 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 $1,341 in San Cristobal de las Casas. That covers rent, food, utilities, transport, and enough left over to feel settled – not just surviving.

Rent is clearly cheaper in San Cristobal de las Casas, 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 $1,297 in Playa del Carmen and $894 in San Cristobal de las Casas. The difference isn't just one category – it shows up across housing, food, transport, and services.

Public transport costs about 1% less in San Cristobal de las Casas. For daily commuters, that gap adds up to noticeable savings over a year.

A $1,000 monthly budget goes further in San Cristobal de las Casas, where all-in costs run around $894, than in Playa del Carmen at $1,297. In San Cristobal de las Casas 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 Cristobal de las Casas – lower housing and cheaper childcare make a real difference, especially on a single income or when paying for private education.

Both have safer and rougher neighborhoods, but overall safety is comparable to other large cities. Neighborhood choice matters more than the city-level comparison – central, well-trafficked areas feel secure in both.

If budget matters most, go with San Cristobal de las Casas. 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.