Cost of Living Comparison Between Playa del Carmen and San Jose del Monte Cost of Living Comparison Between Playa del Carmen and San Jose del Monte

Monthly Cost of Living

A single person spends $1,266 per month in Playa del Carmen vs $701 in San Jose del Monte, rent included.

A couple spends around $2,279 per month in Playa del Carmen vs $1,073 in San Jose del Monte, rent included.

A family of three spends $3,292 per month in Playa del Carmen vs $1,445 in San Jose del Monte, rent included.

Playa del Carmen costs about 81% more than San Jose del Monte, driven mainly by Eating Out.

Both Playa del Carmen and San Jose del Monte are more affordable than the global median – Playa del Carmen 7% lower, San Jose del Monte 49% lower.

Meal at Budget Restaurant

$11.60 MX$200

$4.08 ₱257

184.31%

Three-Course Dinner for Two, Mid-Range

$47.11 MX$811

$16.49 ₱1,036

185.69%

Fast Food Meal (McDonalds, etc)

$11.88 MX$205

$2.79 ₱175

325.81%

Cappuccino

$3.98 MX$68.5

$1.83 ₱115

117.49%

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

$1.43 MX$24.57

$0.55 ₱34.87

160.00%

Water (0.33 liter bottle)

$0.82 MX$14.20

$0.33 ₱20.97

148.48%

Local Beer (0.5 liter draught)

$3.19 MX$54.9

$0.97 ₱60.9

228.87%

Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$6.79 MX$117

$1.60 ₱101

324.37%

Milk (1 liter)

$1.68 MX$28.85

$1.66 ₱105

1.20%

White Bread (500g)

$2.20 MX$37.83

$1.15 ₱72.4

91.30%

Rice (white) (1kg)

$1.71 MX$29.41

$0.98 ₱61.4

74.49%

Eggs

$2.74 MX$47.20

$2.03 ₱127

34.98%

Local Cheese (1kg)

$9.58 MX$165

$5.19 ₱326

84.59%

Chicken Fillets (1kg)

$9.01 MX$155

$3.33 ₱209

170.57%

Beef Round Steak (1kg)

$12.81 MX$221

$6.73 ₱423

90.34%

Apples (1kg)

$2.89 MX$49.74

$2.30 ₱144

25.65%

Banana (1kg)

$1.50 MX$25.78

$1.53 ₱96.4

-1.96%

Oranges (1kg)

$2.15 MX$36.98

$2.41 ₱152

-10.79%

Tomato (1kg)

$2.26 MX$38.91

$1.02 ₱64.2

121.57%

Potato (1kg)

$1.98 MX$34.10

$1.66 ₱104

19.28%

Onion (1kg)

$1.99 MX$34.26

$1.73 ₱109

15.03%

Lettuce (1 head)

$1.23 MX$21.25

$0.62 ₱39.05

98.39%

Water (1.5 liter bottle)

$1.20 MX$20.60

$0.49 ₱31.08

144.90%

Cigarettes 20 Pack (Marlboro, Camel)

$4.55 MX$78.3

$2.87 ₱180

58.54%

Wine (Bottle)

$10.37 MX$179

$8.99 ₱565

15.35%

Local Beer (0.5 liter bottle)

$1.62 MX$27.88

$0.98 ₱61.4

65.31%

Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$2.88 MX$49.60

$2.06 ₱129

39.81%

One-way Ticket (Public Transport)

$0.60 MX$10.34

$0.23 ₱14.38

160.87%

Public Transport Monthly Pass (Regular Price)

$28.80 MX$496

$11.83 ₱744

143.45%

Taxi Start (Normal Tariff)

$5.39 MX$92.8

$0.75 ₱47.25

618.67%

Taxi (Normal Tariff) (1km)

$3.73 MX$64.2

$0.23 ₱14.51

1521.74%

Taxi 1hour Waiting (Normal Tariff)

$5.77 MX$99.3

$1.89 ₱118

205.29%

Gasoline (1 liter)

$1.54 MX$26.45

$1.14 ₱71.9

35.09%

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

$22.5K MX$388.3K

$21.4K ₱1.3M

5.15%

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

$26.1K MX$448.7K

$19.2K ₱1.2M

35.60%

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

$91.4 MX$1,573

$125 ₱7,843

-26.80%

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

$25.20 MX$434

$14.97 ₱941

68.34%

Internet (50+ Mbps, Unlimited Data)

$31.24 MX$538

$23.09 ₱1,451

35.30%

Gym Membership (Monthly)

$67.2 MX$1,157

$33.76 ₱2,121

99.05%

Tennis Court (1 Hour on Weekend)

$29.11 MX$501

$4.19 ₱263

594.75%

Cinema Ticket

$4.86 MX$83.7

$5.25 ₱330

-7.43%

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

$224 MX$3,851

$130 ₱8,174

71.88%

International Primary School, 1 Child (Yearly)

$4,229 MX$72.8K

$9,048 ₱568.4K

-53.26%

Jeans (Levis 501 Or Similar)

$47.10 MX$811

$28.30 ₱1,778

66.43%

Summer Dress (H&M, Zara, etc)

$44.29 MX$763

$19.09 ₱1,199

132.01%

Sport Shoes (Adidas, Nike)

$80.1 MX$1,379

$71.8 ₱4,513

11.53%

Men's Leather Business Shoes

$92.7 MX$1,596

$56.2 ₱3,529

64.96%

1-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)

$1,063 MX$18.3K

$297 ₱18.7K

257.57%

1-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)

$390 MX$6,719

$191 ₱12.0K

103.84%

3-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)

$2,149 MX$37.0K

$538 ₱33.8K

299.72%

3-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)

$1,272 MX$21.9K

$383 ₱24.1K

231.74%

Buy Apartment in City Center (m2)

$4,001 MX$68.9K

$2,309 ₱145.0K

73.32%

Buy Apartment Outside City Center (m2)

$6,502 MX$112.0K

$1,185 ₱74.5K

448.48%

Average Monthly Net Salary (After Tax)

$758 MX$13.1K

20-Year Fixed Mortgage Interest Rate (Annual %)

11.45

6.75

69.63%

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 Jose del Monte: September 13, 2026

Cost Breakdown

A central one-bedroom costs $1,063 in Playa del Carmen versus $297 in San Jose del Monte. 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 $47.00 in Playa del Carmen versus $16.00 in San Jose del Monte. Monthly groceries follow the same trend: $276 vs $172 – making San Jose del Monte 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 Jose del Monte: Cost of Living - Frequently Asked Questions

Yes – Playa del Carmen is pricier by about 81%, 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 $1,899 per month in Playa del Carmen and $1,051 in San Jose del Monte. That covers rent, food, utilities, transport, and enough left over to feel settled – not just surviving.

Rent is clearly cheaper in San Jose del Monte, 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 $1,266 in Playa del Carmen and $701 in San Jose del Monte. The difference isn't just one category – it shows up across housing, food, transport, and services.

Public transport costs about 143% less in San Jose del Monte. For daily commuters, that gap adds up to noticeable savings over a year.

A $1,000 monthly budget goes further in San Jose del Monte, where all-in costs run around $701, than in Playa del Carmen at $1,266. In San Jose del Monte 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 Jose del Monte – 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 Jose del Monte. 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.