Cost of Living Comparison Between Playa del Carmen and San Francisco de Macoris Cost of Living Comparison Between Playa del Carmen and San Francisco de Macoris

Monthly Cost of Living

A single person spends $1,266 per month in Playa del Carmen vs $726 in San Francisco de Macoris, rent included.

A couple spends around $2,279 per month in Playa del Carmen vs $1,193 in San Francisco de Macoris, rent included.

A family of three spends $3,292 per month in Playa del Carmen vs $1,660 in San Francisco de Macoris, rent included.

Playa del Carmen costs about 74% more than San Francisco de Macoris, driven mainly by Sport & Entertainment.

Both Playa del Carmen and San Francisco de Macoris are more affordable than the global median – Playa del Carmen 7% lower, San Francisco de Macoris 47% lower.

Meal at Budget Restaurant

$11.60 MX$200

$10.20 DOP 599

13.73%

Three-Course Dinner for Two, Mid-Range

$47.11 MX$812

$51.1 DOP 3,004

-7.84%

Fast Food Meal (McDonalds, etc)

$11.88 MX$205

$7.80 DOP 459

52.31%

Cappuccino

$3.98 MX$68.6

$2.40 DOP 141

65.83%

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

$1.43 MX$24.60

$1.09 DOP 63.9

31.19%

Water (0.33 liter bottle)

$0.82 MX$14.22

$0.68 DOP 39.74

20.59%

Local Beer (0.5 liter draught)

$3.19 MX$55.0

$2.49 DOP 147

28.11%

Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$6.79 MX$117

$3.66 DOP 215

85.52%

Milk (1 liter)

$1.68 MX$28.89

$1.47 DOP 86.3

14.29%

White Bread (500g)

$2.20 MX$37.88

$1.59 DOP 93.5

38.36%

Rice (white) (1kg)

$1.71 MX$29.45

$1.61 DOP 94.7

6.21%

Eggs

$2.74 MX$47.26

$2.44 DOP 144

12.30%

Local Cheese (1kg)

$9.58 MX$165

$7.46 DOP 439

28.42%

Chicken Fillets (1kg)

$9.01 MX$155

$5.52 DOP 325

63.22%

Beef Round Steak (1kg)

$12.81 MX$221

$6.68 DOP 392

91.77%

Apples (1kg)

$2.89 MX$49.81

$3.16 DOP 186

-8.54%

Banana (1kg)

$1.50 MX$25.81

$0.81 DOP 47.78

85.19%

Oranges (1kg)

$2.15 MX$37.03

$2.77 DOP 162

-22.38%

Tomato (1kg)

$2.26 MX$38.96

$1.90 DOP 111

18.95%

Potato (1kg)

$1.98 MX$34.15

$2.04 DOP 120

-2.94%

Onion (1kg)

$1.99 MX$34.30

$2.23 DOP 131

-10.76%

Lettuce (1 head)

$1.23 MX$21.28

$1.06 DOP 62.4

16.04%

Water (1.5 liter bottle)

$1.20 MX$20.63

$0.97 DOP 57.2

23.71%

Cigarettes 20 Pack (Marlboro, Camel)

$4.55 MX$78.5

$5.43 DOP 319

-16.21%

Wine (Bottle)

$10.37 MX$179

$10.45 DOP 614

-0.77%

Local Beer (0.5 liter bottle)

$1.62 MX$27.91

$2.69 DOP 158

-39.78%

Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$2.88 MX$49.67

$3.05 DOP 179

-5.57%

One-way Ticket (Public Transport)

$0.60 MX$10.35

Public Transport Monthly Pass (Regular Price)

$28.80 MX$497

Taxi Start (Normal Tariff)

$5.39 MX$92.9

$3.30 DOP 194

63.33%

Taxi (Normal Tariff) (1km)

$3.73 MX$64.3

$2.24 DOP 132

66.52%

Taxi 1hour Waiting (Normal Tariff)

$5.77 MX$99.5

$6.05 DOP 356

-4.63%

Gasoline (1 liter)

$1.54 MX$26.48

$1.36 DOP 80.2

13.24%

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

$22.5K MX$388.8K

$23.3K DOP 1.4M

-3.32%

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

$26.1K MX$449.3K

$33.4K DOP 2.0M

-21.95%

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

$91.4 MX$1,576

$95.0 DOP 5,582

-3.80%

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

$25.20 MX$435

$32.66 DOP 1,919

-22.84%

Internet (50+ Mbps, Unlimited Data)

$31.24 MX$539

$36.47 DOP 2,143

-14.34%

Gym Membership (Monthly)

$67.2 MX$1,159

Tennis Court (1 Hour on Weekend)

$29.11 MX$502

Cinema Ticket

$4.86 MX$83.8

$7.73 DOP 454

-37.13%

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

$224 MX$3,856

$258 DOP 15.2K

-13.42%

International Primary School, 1 Child (Yearly)

$4,229 MX$72.9K

$7,675 DOP 451.0K

-44.90%

Jeans (Levis 501 Or Similar)

$47.10 MX$812

$45.98 DOP 2,702

2.44%

Summer Dress (H&M, Zara, etc)

$44.29 MX$764

$48.59 DOP 2,855

-8.85%

Sport Shoes (Adidas, Nike)

$80.1 MX$1,381

$90.4 DOP 5,310

-11.36%

Men's Leather Business Shoes

$92.7 MX$1,598

$129 DOP 7,565

-28.03%

1-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)

$1,063 MX$18.3K

1-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)

$390 MX$6,728

3-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)

$2,149 MX$37.1K

3-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)

$1,272 MX$21.9K

Buy Apartment in City Center (m2)

$4,001 MX$69.0K

Buy Apartment Outside City Center (m2)

$6,502 MX$112.1K

Average Monthly Net Salary (After Tax)

$758 MX$13.1K

20-Year Fixed Mortgage Interest Rate (Annual %)

11.45

13.56

-15.56%

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

Last update for Playa del Carmen: September 12, 2026

Last update for San Francisco de Macoris: September 13, 2026

Cost Breakdown

A mid-range dinner for two costs $47.00 in Playa del Carmen versus $51.0 in San Francisco de Macoris. Groceries tell a different story – $276 in Playa del Carmen vs $225 in San Francisco de Macoris – so San Francisco de Macoris wins on supermarket bills even if dining out costs more.

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 Francisco de Macoris: Cost of Living - Frequently Asked Questions

Yes – Playa del Carmen is pricier by about 74%, and the gap shows up most in Sport & Entertainment. It's not just housing either; the difference applies across most spending categories.

For a comfortable life, plan on about $1,899 per month in Playa del Carmen and $1,089 in San Francisco de Macoris. That covers rent, food, utilities, transport, and enough left over to feel settled – not just surviving.

Monthly expenses with rent come to $1,266 in Playa del Carmen and $726 in San Francisco de Macoris. The difference isn't just one category – it shows up across housing, food, transport, and services.

Kindergarten costs $224 per month in Playa del Carmen and $258 in San Francisco de Macoris. For families with young kids, this one expense can tip the scales when choosing between the two cities.

A $1,000 monthly budget goes further in San Francisco de Macoris, where all-in costs run around $726, than in Playa del Carmen at $1,266. In San Francisco de Macoris 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 Francisco de Macoris – 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 Francisco de Macoris. 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.