Cost of Living Comparison Between Playa del Carmen and San Fernando Cost of Living Comparison Between Playa del Carmen and San Fernando

Monthly Cost of Living

A single person spends $1,260 per month in Playa del Carmen vs $777 in San Fernando, rent included.

A couple spends around $2,125 per month in Playa del Carmen vs $1,188 in San Fernando, rent included.

A family of three spends $2,990 per month in Playa del Carmen vs $1,600 in San Fernando, rent included.

Playa del Carmen costs about 62% more than San Fernando, driven mainly by Eating Out.

Both Playa del Carmen and San Fernando are more affordable than the global median – Playa del Carmen 5% lower, San Fernando 42% lower.

Meal at Budget Restaurant

$11.72 MX$203

$3.49 ₱214

235.82%

Three-Course Dinner for Two, Mid-Range

$41.89 MX$725

$13.46 ₱824

211.22%

Fast Food Meal (McDonalds, etc)

$10.51 MX$182

$2.72 ₱166

286.40%

Cappuccino

$3.59 MX$62.0

$1.05 ₱64.3

241.90%

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

$1.51 MX$26.10

$0.42 ₱25.89

259.52%

Water (0.33 liter bottle)

$0.92 MX$15.83

$0.36 ₱22.12

155.56%

Local Beer (0.5 liter draught)

$2.96 MX$51.2

$1.31 ₱80.3

125.95%

Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$4.41 MX$76.3

$1.45 ₱88.7

204.14%

Milk (1 liter)

$1.40 MX$24.16

$1.90 ₱116

-26.32%

White Bread (500g)

$1.88 MX$32.60

$1.20 ₱73.6

56.67%

Rice (white) (1kg)

$1.56 MX$26.97

$0.90 ₱55.1

73.33%

Eggs

$2.61 MX$45.14

$2.28 ₱140

14.47%

Local Cheese (1kg)

$8.32 MX$144

$9.11 ₱558

-8.67%

Chicken Fillets (1kg)

$8.35 MX$145

$3.87 ₱237

115.76%

Beef Round Steak (1kg)

$10.86 MX$188

$7.98 ₱489

36.09%

Apples (1kg)

$2.71 MX$46.93

$2.76 ₱169

-1.81%

Banana (1kg)

$1.51 MX$26.04

$1.78 ₱109

-15.17%

Oranges (1kg)

$1.87 MX$32.41

$2.35 ₱144

-20.43%

Tomato (1kg)

$2.19 MX$37.89

$1.16 ₱70.8

88.79%

Potato (1kg)

$1.86 MX$32.14

$1.90 ₱116

-2.11%

Onion (1kg)

$2.23 MX$38.59

$2.09 ₱128

6.70%

Lettuce (1 head)

$1.07 MX$18.48

$0.67 ₱41.28

59.70%

Water (1.5 liter bottle)

$1.09 MX$18.79

$0.64 ₱39.30

70.31%

Cigarettes 20 Pack (Marlboro, Camel)

$4.19 MX$72.4

$3.30 ₱202

26.97%

Wine (Bottle)

$10.43 MX$180

$8.76 ₱537

19.06%

Local Beer (0.5 liter bottle)

$1.66 MX$28.68

$1.08 ₱66.0

53.70%

Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$2.61 MX$45.19

$1.50 ₱91.8

74.00%

One-way Ticket (Public Transport)

$0.54 MX$9.37

$0.26 ₱15.91

107.69%

Public Transport Monthly Pass (Regular Price)

$26.16 MX$453

$21.66 ₱1,326

20.78%

Taxi Start (Normal Tariff)

$3.08 MX$53.3

$0.72 ₱44.22

327.78%

Taxi (Normal Tariff) (1km)

$2.40 MX$41.61

$0.22 ₱13.41

990.91%

Taxi 1hour Waiting (Normal Tariff)

$3.13 MX$54.1

$1.04 ₱63.6

200.96%

Gasoline (1 liter)

$1.31 MX$22.69

$1.16 ₱71.0

12.93%

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

$29.8K MX$515.7K

$28.0K ₱1.7M

6.51%

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

$23.3K MX$403.5K

$23.6K ₱1.4M

-1.12%

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

$81.3 MX$1,406

$106 ₱6,478

-23.20%

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

$22.56 MX$390

$17.60 ₱1,077

28.18%

Internet (50+ Mbps, Unlimited Data)

$30.05 MX$520

$26.09 ₱1,597

15.18%

Gym Membership (Monthly)

$52.9 MX$915

$30.71 ₱1,880

72.29%

Tennis Court (1 Hour on Weekend)

$18.39 MX$318

$4.49 ₱275

309.58%

Cinema Ticket

$4.92 MX$85.1

$4.52 ₱277

8.85%

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

$201 MX$3,474

$61.2 ₱3,748

227.96%

International Primary School, 1 Child (Yearly)

$5,175 MX$89.5K

$1,951 ₱119.4K

165.27%

Jeans (Levis 501 Or Similar)

$35.92 MX$622

$34.76 ₱2,128

3.34%

Summer Dress (H&M, Zara, etc)

$40.13 MX$694

$16.18 ₱991

148.02%

Sport Shoes (Adidas, Nike)

$79.7 MX$1,379

$53.5 ₱3,274

49.00%

Men's Leather Business Shoes

$86.5 MX$1,496

$46.40 ₱2,840

86.34%

1-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)

$978 MX$16.9K

$357 ₱21.9K

173.59%

1-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)

$470 MX$8,140

$243 ₱14.9K

93.92%

3-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)

$1,651 MX$28.6K

$596 ₱36.5K

177.16%

3-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)

$1,203 MX$20.8K

$478 ₱29.3K

151.73%

Buy Apartment in City Center (m2)

$3,953 MX$68.4K

$2,206 ₱135.0K

79.23%

Buy Apartment Outside City Center (m2)

$6,607 MX$114.3K

$1,047 ₱64.1K

531.04%

Average Monthly Net Salary (After Tax)

$677 MX$11.7K

$345 ₱21.1K

96.19%

20-Year Fixed Mortgage Interest Rate (Annual %)

11.42

5.5

107.64%

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: July 25, 2026

Cost Breakdown

A central one-bedroom costs $978 in Playa del Carmen versus $357 in San Fernando. 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 96% 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 $13.00 in San Fernando. Monthly groceries follow the same trend: $252 vs $200 – making San Fernando 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: Cost of Living - Frequently Asked Questions

Yes – Playa del Carmen is pricier by about 62%, 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 $1,165 in San Fernando. That covers rent, food, utilities, transport, and enough left over to feel settled – not just surviving.

Rent is clearly cheaper in San Fernando, 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 $777 in San Fernando. The difference isn't just one category – it shows up across housing, food, transport, and services.

Public transport costs about 21% less in San Fernando. For daily commuters, that gap adds up to noticeable savings over a year.

A $2,000 monthly budget goes further in San Fernando, where all-in costs run around $777, than in Playa del Carmen at $1,260. In San Fernando 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 – 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 Fernando. 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.