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 $1,271 per month in Playa del Carmen vs $678 in San Fernando, La Union, rent included.

A couple spends around $2,126 per month in Playa del Carmen vs $1,028 in San Fernando, La Union, rent included.

A family of three spends $2,980 per month in Playa del Carmen vs $1,379 in San Fernando, La Union, rent included.

Playa del Carmen costs about 87% 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 5% lower, San Fernando, La Union 50% lower.

Meal at Budget Restaurant

$11.87 MX$204

$3.59 ₱218

230.64%

Three-Course Dinner for Two, Mid-Range

$42.90 MX$736

$17.79 ₱1,081

141.15%

Fast Food Meal (McDonalds, etc)

$10.65 MX$183

$3.23 ₱196

229.72%

Cappuccino

$3.45 MX$59.2

$2.35 ₱143

46.81%

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

$1.50 MX$25.81

$0.78 ₱47.55

92.31%

Water (0.33 liter bottle)

$0.95 MX$16.28

$0.40 ₱24.17

137.50%

Local Beer (0.5 liter draught)

$3.03 MX$51.9

$1.35 ₱81.8

124.44%

Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$4.61 MX$79.1

$2.15 ₱131

114.42%

Milk (1 liter)

$1.38 MX$23.61

$3.04 ₱184

-54.61%

White Bread (500g)

$1.85 MX$31.70

$1.23 ₱74.6

50.41%

Rice (white) (1kg)

$1.61 MX$27.65

$0.96 ₱58.0

67.71%

Eggs

$2.59 MX$44.51

$2.02 ₱123

28.22%

Local Cheese (1kg)

$8.26 MX$142

$7.98 ₱485

3.51%

Chicken Fillets (1kg)

$8.37 MX$144

$4.38 ₱266

91.10%

Beef Round Steak (1kg)

$10.66 MX$183

$7.78 ₱473

37.02%

Apples (1kg)

$2.63 MX$45.12

$2.84 ₱172

-7.39%

Banana (1kg)

$1.49 MX$25.53

$1.58 ₱95.9

-5.70%

Oranges (1kg)

$1.92 MX$32.94

$2.70 ₱164

-28.89%

Tomato (1kg)

$2.09 MX$35.81

$1.62 ₱98.5

29.01%

Potato (1kg)

$1.86 MX$31.88

$2.23 ₱135

-16.59%

Onion (1kg)

$2.26 MX$38.81

$2.60 ₱158

-13.08%

Lettuce (1 head)

$1.06 MX$18.23

$1.07 ₱65.1

-0.93%

Water (1.5 liter bottle)

$1.09 MX$18.67

$0.76 ₱46.18

43.42%

Cigarettes 20 Pack (Marlboro, Camel)

$4.15 MX$71.2

$2.76 ₱168

50.36%

Wine (Bottle)

$10.39 MX$178

$8.95 ₱544

16.09%

Local Beer (0.5 liter bottle)

$1.72 MX$29.59

$1.17 ₱70.9

47.01%

Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$2.61 MX$44.85

$2.03 ₱123

28.57%

One-way Ticket (Public Transport)

$0.54 MX$9.30

$0.26 ₱15.60

107.69%

Public Transport Monthly Pass (Regular Price)

$26.94 MX$462

Taxi Start (Normal Tariff)

$3.13 MX$53.7

$0.82 ₱49.59

281.71%

Taxi (Normal Tariff) (1km)

$2.51 MX$43.09

$0.22 ₱13.28

1040.91%

Taxi 1hour Waiting (Normal Tariff)

$3.15 MX$54.1

$2.19 ₱133

43.84%

Gasoline (1 liter)

$1.27 MX$21.88

$1.19 ₱72.1

6.72%

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

$30.4K MX$521.3K

$27.1K ₱1.6M

12.25%

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

$23.6K MX$404.5K

$20.1K ₱1.2M

17.43%

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

$83.0 MX$1,425

$111 ₱6,726

-25.07%

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

$22.71 MX$390

$32.33 ₱1,963

-29.76%

Internet (50+ Mbps, Unlimited Data)

$29.46 MX$506

$27.70 ₱1,682

6.35%

Gym Membership (Monthly)

$51.0 MX$875

$13.55 ₱823

276.38%

Tennis Court (1 Hour on Weekend)

$18.33 MX$315

$4.49 ₱272

308.24%

Cinema Ticket

$4.93 MX$84.5

$5.96 ₱362

-17.28%

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

$197 MX$3,386

$153 ₱9,309

28.69%

International Primary School, 1 Child (Yearly)

$5,280 MX$90.6K

$5,749 ₱349.1K

-8.17%

Jeans (Levis 501 Or Similar)

$36.90 MX$633

$45.68 ₱2,773

-19.22%

Summer Dress (H&M, Zara, etc)

$39.89 MX$685

$26.28 ₱1,596

51.79%

Sport Shoes (Adidas, Nike)

$80.0 MX$1,373

$35.87 ₱2,178

123.06%

Men's Leather Business Shoes

$89.5 MX$1,536

$40.08 ₱2,434

123.23%

1-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)

$956 MX$16.4K

$134 ₱8,137

613.59%

1-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)

$477 MX$8,189

$124 ₱7,522

285.08%

3-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)

$1,646 MX$28.3K

$246 ₱14.9K

569.84%

3-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)

$1,225 MX$21.0K

$214 ₱13.0K

472.20%

Buy Apartment in City Center (m2)

$3,918 MX$67.2K

$2,759 ₱167.5K

42.02%

Buy Apartment Outside City Center (m2)

$6,459 MX$110.9K

$1,034 ₱62.8K

524.97%

Average Monthly Net Salary (After Tax)

$667 MX$11.4K

20-Year Fixed Mortgage Interest Rate (Annual %)

11.42

6.67

71.21%

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 Fernando, La Union: June 6, 2026

Cost Breakdown

A central one-bedroom costs $956 in Playa del Carmen versus $134 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 $43.00 in Playa del Carmen versus $18.00 in San Fernando, La Union. Monthly groceries follow the same trend: $250 vs $219 – 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 87%, 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 $1,906 per month in Playa del Carmen and $1,017 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 $1,271 in Playa del Carmen and $678 in San Fernando, La Union. 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 $153 in San Fernando, La Union. For families with young kids, this one expense can tip the scales when choosing between the two cities.

A $1,500 monthly budget goes further in San Fernando, La Union, where all-in costs run around $678, than in Playa del Carmen at $1,271. 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.