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 $1,271 per month in Playa del Carmen vs $600 in San Francisco de Macoris, rent included.

A couple spends around $2,126 per month in Playa del Carmen vs $964 in San Francisco de Macoris, rent included.

A family of three spends $2,980 per month in Playa del Carmen vs $1,329 in San Francisco de Macoris, rent included.

Playa del Carmen costs about 112% 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 5% lower, San Francisco de Macoris 55% lower.

Meal at Budget Restaurant

$11.87 MX$204

$3.91 DOP 229

203.58%

Three-Course Dinner for Two, Mid-Range

$42.90 MX$736

$13.38 DOP 784

220.63%

Fast Food Meal (McDonalds, etc)

$10.65 MX$183

$6.77 DOP 397

57.31%

Cappuccino

$3.45 MX$59.2

$2.60 DOP 152

32.69%

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

$1.50 MX$25.81

$0.57 DOP 33.38

163.16%

Water (0.33 liter bottle)

$0.95 MX$16.28

$0.53 DOP 30.84

79.25%

Local Beer (0.5 liter draught)

$3.03 MX$51.9

$2.17 DOP 127

39.63%

Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$4.61 MX$79.1

$2.61 DOP 153

76.63%

Milk (1 liter)

$1.38 MX$23.61

$1.15 DOP 67.7

20.00%

White Bread (500g)

$1.85 MX$31.70

$1.81 DOP 106

2.21%

Rice (white) (1kg)

$1.61 MX$27.65

$1.09 DOP 64.1

47.71%

Eggs

$2.59 MX$44.51

$1.46 DOP 85.7

77.40%

Local Cheese (1kg)

$8.26 MX$142

$4.01 DOP 235

105.99%

Chicken Fillets (1kg)

$8.37 MX$144

$3.46 DOP 203

141.91%

Beef Round Steak (1kg)

$10.66 MX$183

$6.82 DOP 400

56.30%

Apples (1kg)

$2.63 MX$45.12

$2.70 DOP 158

-2.59%

Banana (1kg)

$1.49 MX$25.53

$0.72 DOP 42.35

106.94%

Oranges (1kg)

$1.92 MX$32.94

$1.30 DOP 76.2

47.69%

Tomato (1kg)

$2.09 MX$35.81

$0.86 DOP 50.4

143.02%

Potato (1kg)

$1.86 MX$31.88

$1.19 DOP 69.8

56.30%

Onion (1kg)

$2.26 MX$38.81

$1.25 DOP 73.5

80.80%

Lettuce (1 head)

$1.06 MX$18.23

$0.61 DOP 35.65

73.77%

Water (1.5 liter bottle)

$1.09 MX$18.67

$0.96 DOP 56.2

13.54%

Cigarettes 20 Pack (Marlboro, Camel)

$4.15 MX$71.2

$3.32 DOP 194

25.00%

Wine (Bottle)

$10.39 MX$178

$10.67 DOP 625

-2.62%

Local Beer (0.5 liter bottle)

$1.72 MX$29.59

$2.76 DOP 161

-37.68%

Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$2.61 MX$44.85

$3.20 DOP 187

-18.44%

One-way Ticket (Public Transport)

$0.54 MX$9.30

$0.57 DOP 33.10

-5.26%

Public Transport Monthly Pass (Regular Price)

$26.94 MX$462

Taxi Start (Normal Tariff)

$3.13 MX$53.7

$3.43 DOP 201

-8.75%

Taxi (Normal Tariff) (1km)

$2.51 MX$43.09

$1.94 DOP 114

29.38%

Taxi 1hour Waiting (Normal Tariff)

$3.15 MX$54.1

$5.81 DOP 340

-45.78%

Gasoline (1 liter)

$1.27 MX$21.88

$1.15 DOP 67.5

10.43%

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

$30.4K MX$521.3K

$26.4K DOP 1.5M

14.86%

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

$23.6K MX$404.5K

$32.2K DOP 1.9M

-26.89%

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

$83.0 MX$1,425

$39.30 DOP 2,302

111.20%

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

$22.71 MX$390

$8.73 DOP 511

160.14%

Internet (50+ Mbps, Unlimited Data)

$29.46 MX$506

$35.55 DOP 2,082

-17.13%

Gym Membership (Monthly)

$51.0 MX$875

$16.90 DOP 990

201.78%

Tennis Court (1 Hour on Weekend)

$18.33 MX$315

$8.32 DOP 487

120.31%

Cinema Ticket

$4.93 MX$84.5

$4.28 DOP 250

15.19%

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

$197 MX$3,386

$171 DOP 10.0K

15.58%

International Primary School, 1 Child (Yearly)

$5,280 MX$90.6K

$2,050 DOP 120.1K

157.59%

Jeans (Levis 501 Or Similar)

$36.90 MX$633

$25.79 DOP 1,511

43.08%

Summer Dress (H&M, Zara, etc)

$39.89 MX$685

$51.6 DOP 3,020

-22.62%

Sport Shoes (Adidas, Nike)

$80.0 MX$1,373

$66.8 DOP 3,914

19.76%

Men's Leather Business Shoes

$89.5 MX$1,536

$66.6 DOP 3,902

34.32%

1-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)

$956 MX$16.4K

$160 DOP 9,394

496.33%

1-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)

$477 MX$8,189

$109 DOP 6,383

337.85%

3-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)

$1,646 MX$28.3K

$343 DOP 20.1K

379.63%

3-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)

$1,225 MX$21.0K

$270 DOP 15.8K

353.50%

Buy Apartment in City Center (m2)

$3,918 MX$67.2K

Buy Apartment Outside City Center (m2)

$6,459 MX$110.9K

Average Monthly Net Salary (After Tax)

$667 MX$11.4K

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: June 7, 2026

Last update for San Francisco de Macoris: June 9, 2026

Cost Breakdown

A central one-bedroom costs $956 in Playa del Carmen versus $160 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: $250 vs $179 – 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 112%, 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 $1,906 per month in Playa del Carmen and $900 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 $1,271 in Playa del Carmen and $600 in San Francisco de Macoris. The difference isn't just one category – it shows up across housing, food, transport, and services.

Kindergarten costs $197 per month in Playa del Carmen and $171 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 $600, than in Playa del Carmen at $1,271. 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.