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 $1,287 per month in Playa del Carmen vs $802 in San Jose del Monte, rent included.

A couple spends around $2,184 per month in Playa del Carmen vs $1,255 in San Jose del Monte, rent included.

A family of three spends $3,082 per month in Playa del Carmen vs $1,708 in San Jose del Monte, rent included.

Playa del Carmen costs about 61% 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 4% lower, San Jose del Monte 40% lower.

Meal at Budget Restaurant

$11.94 MX$208

$4.38 ₱268

172.60%

Three-Course Dinner for Two, Mid-Range

$42.75 MX$744

$27.09 ₱1,657

57.81%

Fast Food Meal (McDonalds, etc)

$10.59 MX$184

$3.48 ₱213

204.31%

Cappuccino

$3.62 MX$63.0

$2.73 ₱167

32.60%

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

$1.47 MX$25.54

$0.82 ₱49.95

79.27%

Water (0.33 liter bottle)

$0.94 MX$16.41

$0.48 ₱29.42

95.83%

Local Beer (0.5 liter draught)

$3.09 MX$53.8

$1.50 ₱91.7

106.00%

Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$4.46 MX$77.6

$2.59 ₱158

72.20%

Milk (1 liter)

$1.43 MX$24.80

$1.98 ₱121

-27.78%

White Bread (500g)

$1.88 MX$32.79

$1.39 ₱85.0

35.25%

Rice (white) (1kg)

$1.63 MX$28.34

$0.95 ₱58.0

71.58%

Eggs

$2.64 MX$45.99

$2.01 ₱123

31.34%

Local Cheese (1kg)

$8.21 MX$143

$9.20 ₱563

-10.76%

Chicken Fillets (1kg)

$8.29 MX$144

$5.24 ₱321

58.21%

Beef Round Steak (1kg)

$11.10 MX$193

$8.62 ₱527

28.77%

Apples (1kg)

$2.65 MX$46.14

$0.70 ₱42.74

278.57%

Banana (1kg)

$1.50 MX$26.11

$1.82 ₱112

-17.58%

Oranges (1kg)

$1.99 MX$34.59

$0.54 ₱33.17

268.52%

Tomato (1kg)

$2.08 MX$36.13

$1.44 ₱88.3

44.44%

Potato (1kg)

$1.79 MX$31.11

$2.19 ₱134

-18.26%

Onion (1kg)

$2.18 MX$37.87

$1.44 ₱88.1

51.39%

Lettuce (1 head)

$1.08 MX$18.73

$1.05 ₱63.9

2.86%

Water (1.5 liter bottle)

$1.04 MX$18.04

$0.68 ₱41.68

52.94%

Cigarettes 20 Pack (Marlboro, Camel)

$3.97 MX$69.1

$3.34 ₱204

18.86%

Wine (Bottle)

$10.20 MX$178

$9.23 ₱565

10.51%

Local Beer (0.5 liter bottle)

$1.73 MX$30.04

$1.39 ₱85.2

24.46%

Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$2.50 MX$43.46

$2.13 ₱131

17.37%

One-way Ticket (Public Transport)

$0.52 MX$9.02

$0.26 ₱15.74

100.00%

Public Transport Monthly Pass (Regular Price)

$26.97 MX$469

Taxi Start (Normal Tariff)

$3.14 MX$54.7

$0.81 ₱49.67

287.65%

Taxi (Normal Tariff) (1km)

$2.40 MX$41.80

$0.22 ₱13.41

990.91%

Taxi 1hour Waiting (Normal Tariff)

$3.09 MX$53.7

$2.11 ₱129

46.45%

Gasoline (1 liter)

$1.27 MX$22.16

$1.16 ₱71.1

9.48%

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

$30.9K MX$537.3K

$26.7K ₱1.6M

15.46%

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

$23.3K MX$405.7K

$17.9K ₱1.1M

30.46%

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

$82.0 MX$1,427

$127 ₱7,746

-35.23%

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

$22.45 MX$391

$21.76 ₱1,331

3.17%

Internet (50+ Mbps, Unlimited Data)

$29.66 MX$516

$26.22 ₱1,604

13.12%

Gym Membership (Monthly)

$51.9 MX$903

$34.55 ₱2,114

50.13%

Tennis Court (1 Hour on Weekend)

$18.67 MX$325

$4.35 ₱266

329.20%

Cinema Ticket

$4.97 MX$86.5

$6.79 ₱415

-26.80%

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

$198 MX$3,442

$150 ₱9,191

31.68%

International Primary School, 1 Child (Yearly)

$5,273 MX$91.7K

$4,228 ₱258.7K

24.72%

Jeans (Levis 501 Or Similar)

$36.34 MX$632

$46.38 ₱2,837

-21.65%

Summer Dress (H&M, Zara, etc)

$40.05 MX$697

$34.49 ₱2,110

16.12%

Sport Shoes (Adidas, Nike)

$79.9 MX$1,390

$67.7 ₱4,142

17.99%

Men's Leather Business Shoes

$88.9 MX$1,547

$46.56 ₱2,849

90.89%

1-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)

$963 MX$16.8K

$270 ₱16.5K

256.73%

1-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)

$465 MX$8,086

$178 ₱10.9K

161.57%

3-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)

$1,596 MX$27.8K

$592 ₱36.2K

169.55%

3-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)

$1,209 MX$21.0K

$389 ₱23.8K

210.95%

Buy Apartment in City Center (m2)

$3,942 MX$68.6K

$2,185 ₱133.7K

80.42%

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

6.17

85.09%

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 Jose del Monte: April 26, 2026

Cost Breakdown

A central one-bedroom costs $963 in Playa del Carmen versus $270 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 $43.00 in Playa del Carmen versus $27.00 in San Jose del Monte. Monthly groceries follow the same trend: $251 vs $201 – 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 61%, 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 $1,202 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 $1,287 in Playa del Carmen and $802 in San Jose del Monte. 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 $150 in San Jose del Monte. 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 Jose del Monte, where all-in costs run around $802, than in Playa del Carmen at $1,287. 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.