Cost of Living Comparison Between Playa del Carmen and San Fernando, La Union Cost of Living Comparison Between Playa del Carmen and San Fernando, La Union

Monthly Cost of Living

A single person spends $1,266 per month in Playa del Carmen vs $726 in San Fernando, La Union, rent included.

A couple spends around $2,279 per month in Playa del Carmen vs $1,095 in San Fernando, La Union, rent included.

A family of three spends $3,292 per month in Playa del Carmen vs $1,464 in San Fernando, La Union, rent included.

Playa del Carmen costs about 74% more than San Fernando, La Union, driven mainly by Eating Out.

Both Playa del Carmen and San Fernando, La Union are more affordable than the global median – Playa del Carmen 7% lower, San Fernando, La Union 47% lower.

Meal at Budget Restaurant

$11.60 MX$200

$3.76 ₱236

208.51%

Three-Course Dinner for Two, Mid-Range

$47.11 MX$811

$14.97 ₱941

214.70%

Fast Food Meal (McDonalds, etc)

$11.88 MX$205

$3.09 ₱194

284.47%

Cappuccino

$3.98 MX$68.5

$2.50 ₱157

59.20%

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

$1.43 MX$24.57

$0.55 ₱34.56

160.00%

Water (0.33 liter bottle)

$0.82 MX$14.20

$0.30 ₱18.83

173.33%

Local Beer (0.5 liter draught)

$3.19 MX$54.9

$1.03 ₱64.9

209.71%

Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$6.79 MX$117

$1.77 ₱111

283.62%

Milk (1 liter)

$1.68 MX$28.85

$1.67 ₱105

0.60%

White Bread (500g)

$2.20 MX$37.83

$1.29 ₱81.2

70.54%

Rice (white) (1kg)

$1.71 MX$29.41

$0.95 ₱60.0

80.00%

Eggs

$2.74 MX$47.20

$2.15 ₱135

27.44%

Local Cheese (1kg)

$9.58 MX$165

$5.47 ₱343

75.14%

Chicken Fillets (1kg)

$9.01 MX$155

$4.69 ₱294

92.11%

Beef Round Steak (1kg)

$12.81 MX$221

$7.02 ₱441

82.48%

Apples (1kg)

$2.89 MX$49.74

$2.64 ₱166

9.47%

Banana (1kg)

$1.50 MX$25.78

$1.49 ₱93.3

0.67%

Oranges (1kg)

$2.15 MX$36.98

$2.45 ₱154

-12.24%

Tomato (1kg)

$2.26 MX$38.91

$1.26 ₱79.0

79.37%

Potato (1kg)

$1.98 MX$34.10

$2.04 ₱128

-2.94%

Onion (1kg)

$1.99 MX$34.26

$2.23 ₱140

-10.76%

Lettuce (1 head)

$1.23 MX$21.25

$0.89 ₱56.1

38.20%

Water (1.5 liter bottle)

$1.20 MX$20.60

$0.52 ₱32.74

130.77%

Cigarettes 20 Pack (Marlboro, Camel)

$4.55 MX$78.3

$2.44 ₱154

86.48%

Wine (Bottle)

$10.37 MX$179

$7.31 ₱459

41.86%

Local Beer (0.5 liter bottle)

$1.62 MX$27.88

$0.82 ₱51.3

97.56%

Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$2.88 MX$49.60

$2.14 ₱134

34.58%

One-way Ticket (Public Transport)

$0.60 MX$10.34

$0.27 ₱16.83

122.22%

Public Transport Monthly Pass (Regular Price)

$28.80 MX$496

$10.01 ₱629

187.71%

Taxi Start (Normal Tariff)

$5.39 MX$92.8

$0.68 ₱42.56

692.65%

Taxi (Normal Tariff) (1km)

$3.73 MX$64.2

$0.24 ₱14.77

1454.17%

Taxi 1hour Waiting (Normal Tariff)

$5.77 MX$99.3

$2.16 ₱136

167.13%

Gasoline (1 liter)

$1.54 MX$26.45

$1.01 ₱63.3

52.48%

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

$22.5K MX$388.3K

$20.2K ₱1.3M

11.81%

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

$26.1K MX$448.7K

$19.4K ₱1.2M

34.59%

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

$91.4 MX$1,573

$138 ₱8,647

-33.61%

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

$25.20 MX$434

$13.86 ₱871

81.82%

Internet (50+ Mbps, Unlimited Data)

$31.24 MX$538

$22.57 ₱1,418

38.41%

Gym Membership (Monthly)

$67.2 MX$1,157

$31.83 ₱2,000

111.12%

Tennis Court (1 Hour on Weekend)

$29.11 MX$501

$5.34 ₱335

445.13%

Cinema Ticket

$4.86 MX$83.7

$4.57 ₱287

6.35%

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

$224 MX$3,851

$129 ₱8,087

73.72%

International Primary School, 1 Child (Yearly)

$4,229 MX$72.8K

$8,412 ₱528.5K

-49.73%

Jeans (Levis 501 Or Similar)

$47.10 MX$811

$30.11 ₱1,892

56.43%

Summer Dress (H&M, Zara, etc)

$44.29 MX$763

$20.03 ₱1,258

121.12%

Sport Shoes (Adidas, Nike)

$80.1 MX$1,379

$71.8 ₱4,510

11.60%

Men's Leather Business Shoes

$92.7 MX$1,596

$56.4 ₱3,541

64.41%

1-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)

$1,063 MX$18.3K

$267 ₱16.7K

298.63%

1-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)

$390 MX$6,719

$172 ₱10.8K

127.07%

3-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)

$2,149 MX$37.0K

$488 ₱30.7K

340.33%

3-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)

$1,272 MX$21.9K

$350 ₱22.0K

263.65%

Buy Apartment in City Center (m2)

$4,001 MX$68.9K

$2,732 ₱171.6K

46.49%

Buy Apartment Outside City Center (m2)

$6,502 MX$112.0K

$1,146 ₱72.0K

467.25%

Average Monthly Net Salary (After Tax)

$758 MX$13.1K

20-Year Fixed Mortgage Interest Rate (Annual %)

11.45

6.75

69.63%

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 Fernando, La Union: September 14, 2026

Cost Breakdown

A central one-bedroom costs $1,063 in Playa del Carmen versus $267 in San Fernando, La Union. Rent is usually the largest line item in a monthly budget, so the gap here sets the tone for the overall comparison.

A mid-range dinner for two costs $47.00 in Playa del Carmen versus $15.00 in San Fernando, La Union. Monthly groceries follow the same trend: $276 vs $185 – making San Fernando, La Union 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 Fernando, La Union: Cost of Living - Frequently Asked Questions

Yes – Playa del Carmen is pricier by about 74%, 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 $1,089 in San Fernando, La Union. That covers rent, food, utilities, transport, and enough left over to feel settled – not just surviving.

Rent is clearly cheaper in San Fernando, La Union, 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 $726 in San Fernando, La Union. The difference isn't just one category – it shows up across housing, food, transport, and services.

Public transport costs about 188% less in San Fernando, La Union. For daily commuters, that gap adds up to noticeable savings over a year.

A $1,500 monthly budget goes further in San Fernando, La Union, where all-in costs run around $726, than in Playa del Carmen at $1,266. In San Fernando, La Union 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 Fernando, La Union – 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 Fernando, La Union. 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.