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 $1,271 per month in Playa del Carmen vs $1,198 in San Fernando, rent included.

A couple spends around $2,126 per month in Playa del Carmen vs $1,963 in San Fernando, rent included.

A family of three spends $2,980 per month in Playa del Carmen vs $2,727 in San Fernando, rent included.

Playa del Carmen costs about 6% more than San Fernando, driven mainly by Groceries & Markets.

Both Playa del Carmen and San Fernando are more affordable than the global median – Playa del Carmen 5% lower, San Fernando 11% lower.

Meal at Budget Restaurant

$11.87 MX$204

$10.19 TTD 68.9

16.49%

Three-Course Dinner for Two, Mid-Range

$42.90 MX$736

$59.3 TTD 401

-27.59%

Fast Food Meal (McDonalds, etc)

$10.65 MX$183

$7.36 TTD 49.77

44.70%

Cappuccino

$3.45 MX$59.2

$3.55 TTD 24.03

-2.82%

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

$1.50 MX$25.81

$1.06 TTD 7.15

41.51%

Water (0.33 liter bottle)

$0.95 MX$16.28

$0.75 TTD 5.06

26.67%

Local Beer (0.5 liter draught)

$3.03 MX$51.9

$1.89 TTD 12.77

60.32%

Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$4.61 MX$79.1

$2.46 TTD 16.63

87.40%

Milk (1 liter)

$1.38 MX$23.61

$2.07 TTD 14.01

-33.33%

White Bread (500g)

$1.85 MX$31.70

$2.34 TTD 15.81

-20.94%

Rice (white) (1kg)

$1.61 MX$27.65

$2.63 TTD 17.77

-38.78%

Eggs

$2.59 MX$44.51

$3.77 TTD 25.47

-31.30%

Local Cheese (1kg)

$8.26 MX$142

$7.96 TTD 53.8

3.77%

Chicken Fillets (1kg)

$8.37 MX$144

$10.53 TTD 71.2

-20.51%

Beef Round Steak (1kg)

$10.66 MX$183

$8.52 TTD 57.6

25.12%

Apples (1kg)

$2.63 MX$45.12

$5.96 TTD 40.27

-55.87%

Banana (1kg)

$1.49 MX$25.53

$2.58 TTD 17.48

-42.25%

Oranges (1kg)

$1.92 MX$32.94

$4.32 TTD 29.23

-55.56%

Tomato (1kg)

$2.09 MX$35.81

$4.74 TTD 32.05

-55.91%

Potato (1kg)

$1.86 MX$31.88

$1.23 TTD 8.30

51.22%

Onion (1kg)

$2.26 MX$38.81

$0.73 TTD 4.92

209.59%

Lettuce (1 head)

$1.06 MX$18.23

$1.46 TTD 9.84

-27.40%

Water (1.5 liter bottle)

$1.09 MX$18.67

$1.21 TTD 8.16

-9.92%

Cigarettes 20 Pack (Marlboro, Camel)

$4.15 MX$71.2

$5.69 TTD 38.45

-27.07%

Wine (Bottle)

$10.39 MX$178

$17.94 TTD 121

-42.08%

Local Beer (0.5 liter bottle)

$1.72 MX$29.59

$1.54 TTD 10.41

11.69%

Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$2.61 MX$44.85

$2.82 TTD 19.06

-7.45%

One-way Ticket (Public Transport)

$0.54 MX$9.30

$0.42 TTD 2.86

28.57%

Public Transport Monthly Pass (Regular Price)

$26.94 MX$462

$43.75 TTD 296

-38.42%

Taxi Start (Normal Tariff)

$3.13 MX$53.7

$0.86 TTD 5.79

263.95%

Taxi (Normal Tariff) (1km)

$2.51 MX$43.09

$0.91 TTD 6.16

175.82%

Taxi 1hour Waiting (Normal Tariff)

$3.15 MX$54.1

$14.70 TTD 99.4

-78.57%

Gasoline (1 liter)

$1.27 MX$21.88

$1.03 TTD 6.98

23.30%

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

$30.4K MX$521.3K

$33.8K TTD 228.2K

-10.02%

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

$23.6K MX$404.5K

$38.4K TTD 259.8K

-38.68%

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

$83.0 MX$1,425

$44.62 TTD 302

86.02%

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

$22.71 MX$390

$41.80 TTD 283

-45.67%

Internet (50+ Mbps, Unlimited Data)

$29.46 MX$506

$45.79 TTD 310

-35.66%

Gym Membership (Monthly)

$51.0 MX$875

$45.66 TTD 309

11.70%

Tennis Court (1 Hour on Weekend)

$18.33 MX$315

$8.95 TTD 60.5

104.80%

Cinema Ticket

$4.93 MX$84.5

$9.01 TTD 60.9

-45.28%

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

$197 MX$3,386

$324 TTD 2,190

-39.08%

International Primary School, 1 Child (Yearly)

$5,280 MX$90.6K

$2,257 TTD 15.3K

133.89%

Jeans (Levis 501 Or Similar)

$36.90 MX$633

$44.69 TTD 302

-17.43%

Summer Dress (H&M, Zara, etc)

$39.89 MX$685

$36.57 TTD 247

9.08%

Sport Shoes (Adidas, Nike)

$80.0 MX$1,373

$89.0 TTD 602

-10.09%

Men's Leather Business Shoes

$89.5 MX$1,536

$87.7 TTD 593

1.98%

1-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)

$956 MX$16.4K

$550 TTD 3,720

73.78%

1-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)

$477 MX$8,189

$341 TTD 2,302

40.10%

3-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)

$1,646 MX$28.3K

$952 TTD 6,436

72.91%

3-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)

$1,225 MX$21.0K

$697 TTD 4,714

75.63%

Buy Apartment in City Center (m2)

$3,918 MX$67.2K

$2,003 TTD 13.5K

95.61%

Buy Apartment Outside City Center (m2)

$6,459 MX$110.9K

$1,489 TTD 10.1K

333.80%

Average Monthly Net Salary (After Tax)

$667 MX$11.4K

$1,031 TTD 6,971

-35.31%

20-Year Fixed Mortgage Interest Rate (Annual %)

11.42

5.38

112.27%

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: June 9, 2026

Cost Breakdown

A central one-bedroom costs $956 in Playa del Carmen versus $550 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 55% higher in San Fernando, which reinforces the cost advantage – you earn more and spend less. Purchasing power leans clearly in its favor.

A mid-range dinner for two costs $43.00 in Playa del Carmen versus $59.0 in San Fernando. Monthly groceries follow the same trend: $250 vs $333 – making Playa del Carmen 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 6%, and the gap shows up most in Groceries & Markets. 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 $1,797 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 $1,271 in Playa del Carmen and $1,198 in San Fernando. The difference isn't just one category – it shows up across housing, food, transport, and services.

Public transport costs about 62% less in San Fernando. For daily commuters, that gap adds up to noticeable savings over a year.

A $1,500 monthly budget goes further in San Fernando, where all-in costs run around $1,198, than in Playa del Carmen at $1,271. 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.