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 $1,217 in San Fernando, rent included.

A couple spends around $2,125 per month in Playa del Carmen vs $2,005 in San Fernando, rent included.

A family of three spends $2,990 per month in Playa del Carmen vs $2,794 in San Fernando, rent included.

Playa del Carmen costs about 4% 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 9% lower.

Meal at Budget Restaurant

$11.72 MX$204

$10.40 TTD 70.1

12.69%

Three-Course Dinner for Two, Mid-Range

$41.89 MX$731

$59.1 TTD 399

-29.14%

Fast Food Meal (McDonalds, etc)

$10.51 MX$183

$7.54 TTD 50.9

39.39%

Cappuccino

$3.59 MX$62.5

$3.68 TTD 24.82

-2.45%

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

$1.51 MX$26.31

$1.09 TTD 7.34

38.53%

Water (0.33 liter bottle)

$0.92 MX$15.96

$0.77 TTD 5.18

19.48%

Local Beer (0.5 liter draught)

$2.96 MX$51.6

$1.82 TTD 12.30

62.64%

Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$4.41 MX$76.9

$2.48 TTD 16.73

77.82%

Milk (1 liter)

$1.40 MX$24.35

$2.03 TTD 13.72

-31.03%

White Bread (500g)

$1.88 MX$32.87

$2.34 TTD 15.80

-19.66%

Rice (white) (1kg)

$1.56 MX$27.19

$2.63 TTD 17.71

-40.68%

Eggs

$2.61 MX$45.50

$3.83 TTD 25.83

-31.85%

Local Cheese (1kg)

$8.32 MX$145

$8.09 TTD 54.6

2.84%

Chicken Fillets (1kg)

$8.35 MX$146

$10.45 TTD 70.5

-20.10%

Beef Round Steak (1kg)

$10.86 MX$189

$8.70 TTD 58.7

24.83%

Apples (1kg)

$2.71 MX$47.31

$5.92 TTD 39.97

-54.22%

Banana (1kg)

$1.51 MX$26.25

$2.48 TTD 16.75

-39.11%

Oranges (1kg)

$1.87 MX$32.67

$4.36 TTD 29.41

-57.11%

Tomato (1kg)

$2.19 MX$38.19

$4.67 TTD 31.51

-53.10%

Potato (1kg)

$1.86 MX$32.40

$1.24 TTD 8.35

50.00%

Onion (1kg)

$2.23 MX$38.90

$0.76 TTD 5.13

193.42%

Lettuce (1 head)

$1.07 MX$18.63

$1.49 TTD 10.06

-28.19%

Water (1.5 liter bottle)

$1.09 MX$18.94

$1.16 TTD 7.85

-6.03%

Cigarettes 20 Pack (Marlboro, Camel)

$4.19 MX$73.0

$5.69 TTD 38.36

-26.36%

Wine (Bottle)

$10.43 MX$182

$17.35 TTD 117

-39.88%

Local Beer (0.5 liter bottle)

$1.66 MX$28.91

$1.52 TTD 10.24

9.21%

Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$2.61 MX$45.56

$2.71 TTD 18.27

-3.69%

One-way Ticket (Public Transport)

$0.54 MX$9.45

$0.46 TTD 3.09

17.39%

Public Transport Monthly Pass (Regular Price)

$26.16 MX$456

$44.31 TTD 299

-40.96%

Taxi Start (Normal Tariff)

$3.08 MX$53.7

$0.85 TTD 5.76

262.35%

Taxi (Normal Tariff) (1km)

$2.40 MX$41.94

$0.86 TTD 5.77

179.07%

Taxi 1hour Waiting (Normal Tariff)

$3.13 MX$54.5

$14.56 TTD 98.2

-78.50%

Gasoline (1 liter)

$1.31 MX$22.87

$0.99 TTD 6.68

32.32%

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

$29.8K MX$519.9K

$34.4K TTD 232.1K

-13.37%

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

$23.3K MX$406.8K

$38.2K TTD 257.8K

-38.98%

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

$81.3 MX$1,418

$44.86 TTD 303

81.19%

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

$22.56 MX$393

$42.88 TTD 289

-47.39%

Internet (50+ Mbps, Unlimited Data)

$30.05 MX$524

$45.00 TTD 304

-33.22%

Gym Membership (Monthly)

$52.9 MX$923

$46.91 TTD 316

12.79%

Tennis Court (1 Hour on Weekend)

$18.39 MX$321

$8.62 TTD 58.2

113.34%

Cinema Ticket

$4.92 MX$85.8

$8.80 TTD 59.4

-44.09%

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

$201 MX$3,502

$325 TTD 2,195

-38.30%

International Primary School, 1 Child (Yearly)

$5,175 MX$90.2K

$2,224 TTD 15.0K

132.71%

Jeans (Levis 501 Or Similar)

$35.92 MX$627

$43.93 TTD 296

-18.23%

Summer Dress (H&M, Zara, etc)

$40.13 MX$700

$36.61 TTD 247

9.61%

Sport Shoes (Adidas, Nike)

$79.7 MX$1,390

$89.7 TTD 605

-11.17%

Men's Leather Business Shoes

$86.5 MX$1,508

$90.4 TTD 610

-4.33%

1-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)

$978 MX$17.1K

$533 TTD 3,596

83.46%

1-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)

$470 MX$8,206

$349 TTD 2,355

34.78%

3-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)

$1,651 MX$28.8K

$976 TTD 6,583

69.22%

3-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)

$1,203 MX$21.0K

$695 TTD 4,688

73.16%

Buy Apartment in City Center (m2)

$3,953 MX$69.0K

$1,976 TTD 13.3K

100.05%

Buy Apartment Outside City Center (m2)

$6,607 MX$115.2K

$1,484 TTD 10.0K

345.18%

Average Monthly Net Salary (After Tax)

$677 MX$11.8K

$1,030 TTD 6,947

-34.30%

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: July 27, 2026

Last update for San Fernando: July 27, 2026

Cost Breakdown

A central one-bedroom costs $978 in Playa del Carmen versus $533 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 52% 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 $42.00 in Playa del Carmen versus $59.0 in San Fernando. Monthly groceries follow the same trend: $252 vs $330 – 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 Groceries & Markets. 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 $1,826 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 $1,217 in San Fernando. The difference isn't just one category – it shows up across housing, food, transport, and services.

Public transport costs about 69% 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 $1,217, 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.