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 $1,287 per month in Playa del Carmen vs $1,197 in San Fernando, rent included.

A couple spends around $2,184 per month in Playa del Carmen vs $1,968 in San Fernando, rent included.

A family of three spends $3,082 per month in Playa del Carmen vs $2,740 in San Fernando, rent included.

Playa del Carmen costs about 8% 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 4% lower, San Fernando 11% lower.

Meal at Budget Restaurant

$11.94 MX$208

$10.30 TTD 70.0

15.92%

Three-Course Dinner for Two, Mid-Range

$42.75 MX$744

$59.2 TTD 402

-27.81%

Fast Food Meal (McDonalds, etc)

$10.59 MX$184

$7.54 TTD 51.2

40.45%

Cappuccino

$3.62 MX$63.0

$3.76 TTD 25.52

-3.72%

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

$1.47 MX$25.54

$1.09 TTD 7.37

34.86%

Water (0.33 liter bottle)

$0.94 MX$16.41

$0.80 TTD 5.45

17.50%

Local Beer (0.5 liter draught)

$3.09 MX$53.8

$1.90 TTD 12.89

62.63%

Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$4.46 MX$77.6

$2.47 TTD 16.76

80.57%

Milk (1 liter)

$1.43 MX$24.80

$2.00 TTD 13.56

-28.50%

White Bread (500g)

$1.88 MX$32.79

$2.32 TTD 15.74

-18.97%

Rice (white) (1kg)

$1.63 MX$28.34

$2.57 TTD 17.44

-36.58%

Eggs

$2.64 MX$45.99

$3.77 TTD 25.58

-29.97%

Local Cheese (1kg)

$8.21 MX$143

$8.07 TTD 54.8

1.73%

Chicken Fillets (1kg)

$8.29 MX$144

$10.36 TTD 70.3

-19.98%

Beef Round Steak (1kg)

$11.10 MX$193

$8.47 TTD 57.5

31.05%

Apples (1kg)

$2.65 MX$46.14

$5.81 TTD 39.45

-54.39%

Banana (1kg)

$1.50 MX$26.11

$2.55 TTD 17.30

-41.18%

Oranges (1kg)

$1.99 MX$34.59

$4.29 TTD 29.10

-53.61%

Tomato (1kg)

$2.08 MX$36.13

$4.63 TTD 31.46

-55.08%

Potato (1kg)

$1.79 MX$31.11

$1.23 TTD 8.33

45.53%

Onion (1kg)

$2.18 MX$37.87

$0.77 TTD 5.23

183.12%

Lettuce (1 head)

$1.08 MX$18.73

$1.46 TTD 9.90

-26.03%

Water (1.5 liter bottle)

$1.04 MX$18.04

$1.21 TTD 8.22

-14.05%

Cigarettes 20 Pack (Marlboro, Camel)

$3.97 MX$69.1

$5.52 TTD 37.49

-28.08%

Wine (Bottle)

$10.20 MX$178

$17.74 TTD 120

-42.50%

Local Beer (0.5 liter bottle)

$1.73 MX$30.04

$1.50 TTD 10.20

15.33%

Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$2.50 MX$43.46

$2.73 TTD 18.54

-8.42%

One-way Ticket (Public Transport)

$0.52 MX$9.02

$0.42 TTD 2.86

23.81%

Public Transport Monthly Pass (Regular Price)

$26.97 MX$469

$44.18 TTD 300

-38.95%

Taxi Start (Normal Tariff)

$3.14 MX$54.7

$0.92 TTD 6.23

241.30%

Taxi (Normal Tariff) (1km)

$2.40 MX$41.80

$0.92 TTD 6.24

160.87%

Taxi 1hour Waiting (Normal Tariff)

$3.09 MX$53.7

$14.79 TTD 100

-79.11%

Gasoline (1 liter)

$1.27 MX$22.16

$1.03 TTD 7.00

23.30%

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

$30.9K MX$537.3K

$34.2K TTD 232.4K

-9.76%

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

$23.3K MX$405.7K

$38.8K TTD 263.7K

-39.96%

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

$82.0 MX$1,427

$45.18 TTD 307

81.52%

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

$22.45 MX$391

$42.01 TTD 285

-46.56%

Internet (50+ Mbps, Unlimited Data)

$29.66 MX$516

$46.20 TTD 314

-35.80%

Gym Membership (Monthly)

$51.9 MX$903

$45.57 TTD 309

13.82%

Tennis Court (1 Hour on Weekend)

$18.67 MX$325

$8.82 TTD 59.9

111.68%

Cinema Ticket

$4.97 MX$86.5

$9.12 TTD 61.9

-45.50%

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

$198 MX$3,442

$326 TTD 2,212

-39.29%

International Primary School, 1 Child (Yearly)

$5,273 MX$91.7K

$2,226 TTD 15.1K

136.85%

Jeans (Levis 501 Or Similar)

$36.34 MX$632

$45.00 TTD 306

-19.24%

Summer Dress (H&M, Zara, etc)

$40.05 MX$697

$36.74 TTD 249

9.01%

Sport Shoes (Adidas, Nike)

$79.9 MX$1,390

$88.3 TTD 600

-9.53%

Men's Leather Business Shoes

$88.9 MX$1,547

$89.8 TTD 610

-1.07%

1-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)

$963 MX$16.8K

$532 TTD 3,610

81.20%

1-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)

$465 MX$8,086

$348 TTD 2,365

33.44%

3-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)

$1,596 MX$27.8K

$977 TTD 6,636

63.33%

3-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)

$1,209 MX$21.0K

$699 TTD 4,749

72.83%

Buy Apartment in City Center (m2)

$3,942 MX$68.6K

$2,016 TTD 13.7K

95.51%

Buy Apartment Outside City Center (m2)

$6,448 MX$112.2K

$1,497 TTD 10.2K

330.79%

Average Monthly Net Salary (After Tax)

$720 MX$12.5K

$1,009 TTD 6,850

-28.59%

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: April 25, 2026

Last update for San Fernando: April 26, 2026

Cost Breakdown

A central one-bedroom costs $963 in Playa del Carmen versus $532 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 40% 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: $251 vs $329 – 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 8%, 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 $1,930 per month in Playa del Carmen and $1,795 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 $1,287 in Playa del Carmen and $1,197 in San Fernando. The difference isn't just one category – it shows up across housing, food, transport, and services.

Public transport costs about 64% 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 $1,197, than in Playa del Carmen at $1,287. 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.