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 $1,287 per month in Playa del Carmen vs $614 in San Francisco de Macoris, rent included.

A couple spends around $2,184 per month in Playa del Carmen vs $962 in San Francisco de Macoris, rent included.

A family of three spends $3,082 per month in Playa del Carmen vs $1,310 in San Francisco de Macoris, rent included.

Playa del Carmen costs about 110% more than San Francisco de Macoris, driven mainly by Eating Out.

Both Playa del Carmen and San Francisco de Macoris are more affordable than the global median – Playa del Carmen 4% lower, San Francisco de Macoris 54% lower.

Meal at Budget Restaurant

$11.94 MX$208

$3.72 DOP 221

220.97%

Three-Course Dinner for Two, Mid-Range

$42.75 MX$744

$13.37 DOP 796

219.75%

Fast Food Meal (McDonalds, etc)

$10.59 MX$184

$6.91 DOP 411

53.26%

Cappuccino

$3.62 MX$63.0

$2.48 DOP 148

45.97%

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

$1.47 MX$25.54

$0.62 DOP 36.78

137.10%

Water (0.33 liter bottle)

$0.94 MX$16.41

$0.49 DOP 29.15

91.84%

Local Beer (0.5 liter draught)

$3.09 MX$53.8

$2.11 DOP 125

46.45%

Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$4.46 MX$77.6

$2.50 DOP 149

78.40%

Milk (1 liter)

$1.43 MX$24.80

$1.20 DOP 71.3

19.17%

White Bread (500g)

$1.88 MX$32.79

$1.75 DOP 104

7.43%

Rice (white) (1kg)

$1.63 MX$28.34

$1.13 DOP 67.3

44.25%

Eggs

$2.64 MX$45.99

$1.45 DOP 86.1

82.07%

Local Cheese (1kg)

$8.21 MX$143

$3.97 DOP 236

106.80%

Chicken Fillets (1kg)

$8.29 MX$144

$3.39 DOP 202

144.54%

Beef Round Steak (1kg)

$11.10 MX$193

$6.75 DOP 402

64.44%

Apples (1kg)

$2.65 MX$46.14

$2.63 DOP 156

0.76%

Banana (1kg)

$1.50 MX$26.11

$0.80 DOP 47.33

87.50%

Oranges (1kg)

$1.99 MX$34.59

$1.24 DOP 73.9

60.48%

Tomato (1kg)

$2.08 MX$36.13

$0.82 DOP 48.80

153.66%

Potato (1kg)

$1.79 MX$31.11

$1.21 DOP 71.8

47.93%

Onion (1kg)

$2.18 MX$37.87

$1.24 DOP 73.8

75.81%

Lettuce (1 head)

$1.08 MX$18.73

$0.60 DOP 35.83

80.00%

Water (1.5 liter bottle)

$1.04 MX$18.04

$0.88 DOP 52.7

18.18%

Cigarettes 20 Pack (Marlboro, Camel)

$3.97 MX$69.1

$3.38 DOP 201

17.46%

Wine (Bottle)

$10.20 MX$178

$11.55 DOP 688

-11.69%

Local Beer (0.5 liter bottle)

$1.73 MX$30.04

$2.66 DOP 158

-34.96%

Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$2.50 MX$43.46

$3.12 DOP 185

-19.87%

One-way Ticket (Public Transport)

$0.52 MX$9.02

$0.57 DOP 33.87

-8.77%

Public Transport Monthly Pass (Regular Price)

$26.97 MX$469

Taxi Start (Normal Tariff)

$3.14 MX$54.7

$3.32 DOP 198

-5.42%

Taxi (Normal Tariff) (1km)

$2.40 MX$41.80

$2.01 DOP 120

19.40%

Taxi 1hour Waiting (Normal Tariff)

$3.09 MX$53.7

$5.79 DOP 344

-46.63%

Gasoline (1 liter)

$1.27 MX$22.16

$1.16 DOP 68.9

9.48%

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

$30.9K MX$537.3K

$26.3K DOP 1.6M

17.27%

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

$23.3K MX$405.7K

$31.6K DOP 1.9M

-26.13%

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

$82.0 MX$1,427

$38.98 DOP 2,320

110.39%

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

$22.45 MX$391

$8.47 DOP 504

165.05%

Internet (50+ Mbps, Unlimited Data)

$29.66 MX$516

$36.30 DOP 2,160

-18.29%

Gym Membership (Monthly)

$51.9 MX$903

$17.21 DOP 1,025

201.39%

Tennis Court (1 Hour on Weekend)

$18.67 MX$325

$8.66 DOP 515

115.59%

Cinema Ticket

$4.97 MX$86.5

$4.18 DOP 249

18.90%

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

$198 MX$3,442

$172 DOP 10.3K

14.76%

International Primary School, 1 Child (Yearly)

$5,273 MX$91.7K

$2,016 DOP 120.0K

161.60%

Jeans (Levis 501 Or Similar)

$36.34 MX$632

$25.03 DOP 1,490

45.19%

Summer Dress (H&M, Zara, etc)

$40.05 MX$697

$51.8 DOP 3,084

-22.71%

Sport Shoes (Adidas, Nike)

$79.9 MX$1,390

$66.8 DOP 3,976

19.56%

Men's Leather Business Shoes

$88.9 MX$1,547

$68.4 DOP 4,072

29.92%

1-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)

$963 MX$16.8K

$159 DOP 9,488

504.30%

1-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)

$465 MX$8,086

$106 DOP 6,292

339.60%

3-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)

$1,596 MX$27.8K

$333 DOP 19.8K

379.26%

3-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)

$1,209 MX$21.0K

$269 DOP 16.0K

349.81%

Buy Apartment in City Center (m2)

$3,942 MX$68.6K

Buy Apartment Outside City Center (m2)

$6,448 MX$112.2K

Average Monthly Net Salary (After Tax)

$720 MX$12.5K

20-Year Fixed Mortgage Interest Rate (Annual %)

11.42

12.9

-11.47%

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 Francisco de Macoris: April 26, 2026

Cost Breakdown

A central one-bedroom costs $963 in Playa del Carmen versus $159 in San Francisco de Macoris. Rent is usually the largest line item in a monthly budget, so the gap here sets the tone for the overall comparison.

A mid-range dinner for two costs $43.00 in Playa del Carmen versus $13.00 in San Francisco de Macoris. Monthly groceries follow the same trend: $251 vs $178 – making San Francisco de Macoris 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 Francisco de Macoris: Cost of Living - Frequently Asked Questions

Yes – Playa del Carmen is pricier by about 110%, 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 $1,930 per month in Playa del Carmen and $921 in San Francisco de Macoris. That covers rent, food, utilities, transport, and enough left over to feel settled – not just surviving.

Rent is clearly cheaper in San Francisco de Macoris, 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 $614 in San Francisco de Macoris. The difference isn't just one category – it shows up across housing, food, transport, and services.

Kindergarten costs $198 per month in Playa del Carmen and $172 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 $614, than in Playa del Carmen at $1,287. 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.