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 $1,305 per month in Playa del Carmen vs $1,253 in San Fernando, rent included.

A couple spends around $2,334 per month in Playa del Carmen vs $2,001 in San Fernando, rent included.

A family of three spends $3,362 per month in Playa del Carmen vs $2,749 in San Fernando, rent included.

Playa del Carmen costs about 4% 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 9% lower.

Meal at Budget Restaurant

$11.96 MX$203

$10.29 TTD 69.4

16.23%

Three-Course Dinner for Two, Mid-Range

$47.38 MX$804

$59.1 TTD 399

-19.87%

Fast Food Meal (McDonalds, etc)

$11.75 MX$199

$8.15 TTD 54.9

44.17%

Cappuccino

$4.12 MX$70.0

$3.80 TTD 25.64

8.42%

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

$1.40 MX$23.74

$0.99 TTD 6.67

41.41%

Water (0.33 liter bottle)

$0.91 MX$15.48

$0.76 TTD 5.12

19.74%

Local Beer (0.5 liter draught)

$3.21 MX$54.4

$1.87 TTD 12.61

71.66%

Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$7.07 MX$120

$2.51 TTD 16.92

181.67%

Milk (1 liter)

$1.68 MX$28.44

$2.03 TTD 13.66

-17.24%

White Bread (500g)

$2.15 MX$36.48

$2.26 TTD 15.25

-4.87%

Rice (white) (1kg)

$1.77 MX$30.10

$2.81 TTD 18.92

-37.01%

Eggs

$2.82 MX$47.76

$3.93 TTD 26.50

-28.24%

Local Cheese (1kg)

$9.20 MX$156

$6.79 TTD 45.75

35.49%

Chicken Fillets (1kg)

$9.23 MX$157

$9.95 TTD 67.1

-7.24%

Beef Round Steak (1kg)

$12.64 MX$214

$8.72 TTD 58.8

44.95%

Apples (1kg)

$2.95 MX$50.1

$5.54 TTD 37.36

-46.75%

Banana (1kg)

$1.58 MX$26.79

$2.47 TTD 16.65

-36.03%

Oranges (1kg)

$2.22 MX$37.70

$3.59 TTD 24.23

-38.16%

Tomato (1kg)

$2.36 MX$40.09

$4.18 TTD 28.20

-43.54%

Potato (1kg)

$1.99 MX$33.81

$0.72 TTD 4.86

176.39%

Onion (1kg)

$1.98 MX$33.58

$0.77 TTD 5.19

157.14%

Lettuce (1 head)

$1.24 MX$21.04

$1.51 TTD 10.19

-17.88%

Water (1.5 liter bottle)

$1.21 MX$20.55

$1.16 TTD 7.82

4.31%

Cigarettes 20 Pack (Marlboro, Camel)

$4.60 MX$78.1

$5.76 TTD 38.84

-20.14%

Wine (Bottle)

$10.52 MX$178

$17.73 TTD 120

-40.67%

Local Beer (0.5 liter bottle)

$1.69 MX$28.70

$1.56 TTD 10.53

8.33%

Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$2.77 MX$47.06

$3.04 TTD 20.50

-8.88%

One-way Ticket (Public Transport)

$0.60 MX$10.22

$0.45 TTD 3.05

33.33%

Public Transport Monthly Pass (Regular Price)

$29.70 MX$504

$44.37 TTD 299

-33.06%

Taxi Start (Normal Tariff)

$5.24 MX$88.8

$0.87 TTD 5.86

502.30%

Taxi (Normal Tariff) (1km)

$3.65 MX$61.9

$0.90 TTD 6.09

305.56%

Taxi 1hour Waiting (Normal Tariff)

$5.78 MX$98.1

$14.99 TTD 101

-61.44%

Gasoline (1 liter)

$1.54 MX$26.09

$1.17 TTD 7.91

31.62%

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

$22.8K MX$386.8K

$36.2K TTD 244.4K

-37.09%

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

$25.8K MX$437.9K

$41.2K TTD 277.8K

-37.35%

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

$90.7 MX$1,538

$44.23 TTD 298

105.00%

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

$25.19 MX$427

$42.55 TTD 287

-40.80%

Internet (50+ Mbps, Unlimited Data)

$31.75 MX$539

$46.30 TTD 312

-31.43%

Gym Membership (Monthly)

$68.8 MX$1,167

$51.0 TTD 344

34.94%

Tennis Court (1 Hour on Weekend)

$29.37 MX$498

Cinema Ticket

$4.86 MX$82.5

$8.89 TTD 59.9

-45.33%

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

$226 MX$3,828

$396 TTD 2,670

-43.01%

International Primary School, 1 Child (Yearly)

$4,194 MX$71.1K

$11.0K TTD 74.2K

-61.87%

Jeans (Levis 501 Or Similar)

$47.38 MX$804

$55.2 TTD 372

-14.21%

Summer Dress (H&M, Zara, etc)

$43.45 MX$737

$37.31 TTD 252

16.46%

Sport Shoes (Adidas, Nike)

$80.2 MX$1,361

$89.7 TTD 605

-10.60%

Men's Leather Business Shoes

$91.4 MX$1,550

$87.5 TTD 590

4.49%

1-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)

$1,086 MX$18.4K

$509 TTD 3,429

113.47%

1-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)

$409 MX$6,933

$391 TTD 2,634

4.60%

3-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)

$1,972 MX$33.5K

$891 TTD 6,007

121.33%

3-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)

$1,281 MX$21.7K

$745 TTD 5,025

71.92%

Buy Apartment in City Center (m2)

$4,046 MX$68.6K

$1,997 TTD 13.5K

102.58%

Buy Apartment Outside City Center (m2)

$6,704 MX$113.7K

$1,513 TTD 10.2K

343.07%

Average Monthly Net Salary (After Tax)

$773 MX$13.1K

$1,028 TTD 6,928

-24.75%

20-Year Fixed Mortgage Interest Rate (Annual %)

11.45

5.75

99.13%

CityCost data is based on AI and user input – minor inaccuracies may occur.

Last update for Playa del Carmen: September 7, 2026

Last update for San Fernando: September 6, 2026

Cost Breakdown

A central one-bedroom costs $1,086 in Playa del Carmen versus $509 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 33% 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 $47.00 in Playa del Carmen versus $59.0 in San Fernando. Monthly groceries follow the same trend: $278 vs $317 – 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 4%, 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 $1,958 per month in Playa del Carmen and $1,879 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 $1,305 in Playa del Carmen and $1,253 in San Fernando. The difference isn't just one category – it shows up across housing, food, transport, and services.

Public transport costs about 49% 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 $1,253, than in Playa del Carmen at $1,305. 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.