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 $1,260 per month in Playa del Carmen vs $700 in San Fernando, La Union, rent included.

A couple spends around $2,125 per month in Playa del Carmen vs $1,050 in San Fernando, La Union, rent included.

A family of three spends $2,990 per month in Playa del Carmen vs $1,399 in San Fernando, La Union, rent included.

Playa del Carmen costs about 80% 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 47% lower.

Meal at Budget Restaurant

$11.72 MX$203

$3.47 ₱213

237.75%

Three-Course Dinner for Two, Mid-Range

$41.89 MX$725

$18.03 ₱1,104

132.33%

Fast Food Meal (McDonalds, etc)

$10.51 MX$182

$3.34 ₱204

214.67%

Cappuccino

$3.59 MX$62.0

$2.44 ₱149

47.13%

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

$1.51 MX$26.10

$0.82 ₱50.1

84.15%

Water (0.33 liter bottle)

$0.92 MX$15.83

$0.40 ₱24.34

130.00%

Local Beer (0.5 liter draught)

$2.96 MX$51.2

$1.34 ₱82.2

120.90%

Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$4.41 MX$76.3

$2.10 ₱129

110.00%

Milk (1 liter)

$1.40 MX$24.16

$3.04 ₱186

-53.95%

White Bread (500g)

$1.88 MX$32.60

$1.28 ₱78.1

46.87%

Rice (white) (1kg)

$1.56 MX$26.97

$0.99 ₱60.7

57.58%

Eggs

$2.61 MX$45.14

$2.05 ₱126

27.32%

Local Cheese (1kg)

$8.32 MX$144

$8.22 ₱503

1.22%

Chicken Fillets (1kg)

$8.35 MX$145

$4.15 ₱254

101.20%

Beef Round Steak (1kg)

$10.86 MX$188

$7.76 ₱475

39.95%

Apples (1kg)

$2.71 MX$46.93

$3.01 ₱184

-9.97%

Banana (1kg)

$1.51 MX$26.04

$1.59 ₱97.2

-5.03%

Oranges (1kg)

$1.87 MX$32.41

$2.57 ₱157

-27.24%

Tomato (1kg)

$2.19 MX$37.89

$1.62 ₱99.1

35.19%

Potato (1kg)

$1.86 MX$32.14

$2.30 ₱141

-19.13%

Onion (1kg)

$2.23 MX$38.59

$2.58 ₱158

-13.57%

Lettuce (1 head)

$1.07 MX$18.48

$1.10 ₱67.6

-2.73%

Water (1.5 liter bottle)

$1.09 MX$18.79

$0.77 ₱47.02

41.56%

Cigarettes 20 Pack (Marlboro, Camel)

$4.19 MX$72.4

$2.85 ₱175

47.02%

Wine (Bottle)

$10.43 MX$180

$7.80 ₱477

33.72%

Local Beer (0.5 liter bottle)

$1.66 MX$28.68

$1.21 ₱73.8

37.19%

Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$2.61 MX$45.19

$2.03 ₱124

28.57%

One-way Ticket (Public Transport)

$0.54 MX$9.37

$0.26 ₱15.79

107.69%

Public Transport Monthly Pass (Regular Price)

$26.16 MX$453

Taxi Start (Normal Tariff)

$3.08 MX$53.3

$0.83 ₱51.1

271.08%

Taxi (Normal Tariff) (1km)

$2.40 MX$41.61

$0.22 ₱13.45

990.91%

Taxi 1hour Waiting (Normal Tariff)

$3.13 MX$54.1

$2.15 ₱131

45.58%

Gasoline (1 liter)

$1.31 MX$22.69

$1.18 ₱72.3

11.02%

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

$29.8K MX$515.7K

$26.1K ₱1.6M

14.23%

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

$23.3K MX$403.5K

$20.4K ₱1.2M

14.34%

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

$81.3 MX$1,406

$111 ₱6,815

-26.99%

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

$22.56 MX$390

$32.50 ₱1,990

-30.58%

Internet (50+ Mbps, Unlimited Data)

$30.05 MX$520

$27.66 ₱1,693

8.64%

Gym Membership (Monthly)

$52.9 MX$915

$13.11 ₱802

303.59%

Tennis Court (1 Hour on Weekend)

$18.39 MX$318

$4.53 ₱277

305.96%

Cinema Ticket

$4.92 MX$85.1

$6.01 ₱368

-18.14%

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

$201 MX$3,474

$154 ₱9,448

30.10%

International Primary School, 1 Child (Yearly)

$5,175 MX$89.5K

$5,782 ₱354.0K

-10.51%

Jeans (Levis 501 Or Similar)

$35.92 MX$622

$46.25 ₱2,831

-22.34%

Summer Dress (H&M, Zara, etc)

$40.13 MX$694

$26.57 ₱1,627

51.04%

Sport Shoes (Adidas, Nike)

$79.7 MX$1,379

$35.50 ₱2,173

124.51%

Men's Leather Business Shoes

$86.5 MX$1,496

$39.49 ₱2,417

118.94%

1-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)

$978 MX$16.9K

$133 ₱8,136

635.88%

1-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)

$470 MX$8,140

$123 ₱7,556

281.18%

3-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)

$1,651 MX$28.6K

$245 ₱15.0K

573.86%

3-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)

$1,203 MX$20.8K

$216 ₱13.2K

456.07%

Buy Apartment in City Center (m2)

$3,953 MX$68.4K

$2,544 ₱155.7K

55.41%

Buy Apartment Outside City Center (m2)

$6,607 MX$114.3K

$901 ₱55.2K

633.00%

Average Monthly Net Salary (After Tax)

$677 MX$11.7K

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: July 27, 2026

Last update for San Fernando, La Union: July 27, 2026

Cost Breakdown

A central one-bedroom costs $978 in Playa del Carmen versus $133 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 $42.00 in Playa del Carmen versus $18.00 in San Fernando, La Union. Monthly groceries follow the same trend: $252 vs $218 – 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 80%, 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 $1,890 per month in Playa del Carmen and $1,051 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 $1,260 in Playa del Carmen and $700 in San Fernando, La Union. The difference isn't just one category – it shows up across housing, food, transport, and services.

Kindergarten costs $201 per month in Playa del Carmen and $154 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 $700, than in Playa del Carmen at $1,260. 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.