Cost of Living Comparison Between Playa del Carmen and San Juan del Sur Cost of Living Comparison Between Playa del Carmen and San Juan del Sur

Monthly Cost of Living

A single person spends $1,256 per month in Playa del Carmen vs $1,061 in San Juan del Sur, rent included.

A couple spends around $2,137 per month in Playa del Carmen vs $1,748 in San Juan del Sur, rent included.

A family of three spends $3,017 per month in Playa del Carmen vs $2,434 in San Juan del Sur, rent included.

Playa del Carmen costs about 18% more than San Juan del Sur, driven mainly by Eating Out.

Both Playa del Carmen and San Juan del Sur are more affordable than the global median – Playa del Carmen 6% lower, San Juan del Sur 21% lower.

Meal at Budget Restaurant

$11.99 MX$210

$4.25 NIO 156

182.12%

Three-Course Dinner for Two, Mid-Range

$41.78 MX$733

$33.73 NIO 1,235

23.87%

Fast Food Meal (McDonalds, etc)

$10.75 MX$189

$5.54 NIO 203

94.04%

Cappuccino

$3.50 MX$61.3

$2.43 NIO 88.8

44.03%

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

$1.45 MX$25.41

$0.79 NIO 28.88

83.54%

Water (0.33 liter bottle)

$0.88 MX$15.52

$0.67 NIO 24.45

31.34%

Local Beer (0.5 liter draught)

$2.95 MX$51.7

$1.33 NIO 48.78

121.80%

Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$4.51 MX$79.1

$2.03 NIO 74.5

122.17%

Milk (1 liter)

$1.43 MX$25.12

$1.26 NIO 46.32

13.49%

White Bread (500g)

$1.84 MX$32.23

$1.53 NIO 56.0

20.26%

Rice (white) (1kg)

$1.57 MX$27.51

$1.17 NIO 42.74

34.19%

Eggs

$2.51 MX$44.06

$1.87 NIO 68.3

34.22%

Local Cheese (1kg)

$8.28 MX$145

$7.78 NIO 285

6.43%

Chicken Fillets (1kg)

$8.43 MX$148

$6.48 NIO 237

30.09%

Beef Round Steak (1kg)

$10.68 MX$187

$8.15 NIO 298

31.04%

Apples (1kg)

$2.61 MX$45.76

$4.00 NIO 146

-34.75%

Banana (1kg)

$1.44 MX$25.22

$0.83 NIO 30.35

73.49%

Oranges (1kg)

$1.96 MX$34.41

$1.83 NIO 67.2

7.10%

Tomato (1kg)

$2.09 MX$36.74

$2.17 NIO 79.4

-3.69%

Potato (1kg)

$1.85 MX$32.47

$3.22 NIO 118

-42.55%

Onion (1kg)

$2.17 MX$38.02

$2.16 NIO 79.2

0.46%

Lettuce (1 head)

$1.03 MX$18.09

$1.07 NIO 39.10

-3.74%

Water (1.5 liter bottle)

$1.07 MX$18.84

$1.06 NIO 38.70

0.94%

Cigarettes 20 Pack (Marlboro, Camel)

$4.10 MX$72.0

$2.71 NIO 99.4

51.29%

Wine (Bottle)

$10.17 MX$178

$9.99 NIO 366

1.80%

Local Beer (0.5 liter bottle)

$1.68 MX$29.38

$1.42 NIO 51.9

18.31%

Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$2.53 MX$44.31

$2.21 NIO 80.8

14.48%

One-way Ticket (Public Transport)

$0.51 MX$8.93

Public Transport Monthly Pass (Regular Price)

$26.04 MX$457

Taxi Start (Normal Tariff)

$3.23 MX$56.7

$1.47 NIO 53.8

119.73%

Taxi (Normal Tariff) (1km)

$2.41 MX$42.19

Taxi 1hour Waiting (Normal Tariff)

$3.23 MX$56.6

$6.85 NIO 251

-52.85%

Gasoline (1 liter)

$1.32 MX$23.17

$1.24 NIO 45.37

6.45%

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

$29.7K MX$520.9K

$22.5K NIO 825.0K

31.84%

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

$23.7K MX$415.0K

$26.2K NIO 958.4K

-9.57%

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

$82.0 MX$1,439

$42.79 NIO 1,567

91.66%

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

$22.95 MX$403

$10.45 NIO 383

119.62%

Internet (50+ Mbps, Unlimited Data)

$30.11 MX$528

$36.21 NIO 1,326

-16.85%

Gym Membership (Monthly)

$52.0 MX$912

$30.32 NIO 1,111

71.41%

Tennis Court (1 Hour on Weekend)

$18.53 MX$325

Cinema Ticket

$4.98 MX$87.3

$8.10 NIO 297

-38.52%

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

$197 MX$3,463

$123 NIO 4,499

60.74%

International Primary School, 1 Child (Yearly)

$5,336 MX$93.6K

$6,022 NIO 220.5K

-11.39%

Jeans (Levis 501 Or Similar)

$35.60 MX$624

$75.9 NIO 2,780

-53.10%

Summer Dress (H&M, Zara, etc)

$40.33 MX$707

$72.9 NIO 2,668

-44.64%

Sport Shoes (Adidas, Nike)

$78.8 MX$1,381

$134 NIO 4,914

-41.31%

Men's Leather Business Shoes

$88.9 MX$1,560

$108 NIO 3,951

-17.57%

1-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)

$947 MX$16.6K

$464 NIO 17.0K

103.89%

1-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)

$474 MX$8,314

$402 NIO 14.7K

17.83%

3-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)

$1,644 MX$28.8K

$962 NIO 35.2K

70.94%

3-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)

$1,211 MX$21.2K

$961 NIO 35.2K

26.02%

Buy Apartment in City Center (m2)

$4,056 MX$71.1K

Buy Apartment Outside City Center (m2)

$6,470 MX$113.5K

Average Monthly Net Salary (After Tax)

$654 MX$11.5K

$354 NIO 13.0K

84.89%

20-Year Fixed Mortgage Interest Rate (Annual %)

11.42

10.25

11.41%

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

Last update for Playa del Carmen: July 13, 2026

Last update for San Juan del Sur: July 13, 2026

Cost Breakdown

A central one-bedroom costs $947 in Playa del Carmen versus $464 in San Juan del Sur. Rent is usually the largest line item in a monthly budget, so the gap here sets the tone for the overall comparison.

Salaries run about 85% higher in Playa del Carmen, which partly offsets the higher cost of living there. Purchasing power depends on which expenses matter most to you.

A mid-range dinner for two costs $42.00 in Playa del Carmen versus $34.00 in San Juan del Sur. Monthly groceries follow the same trend: $249 vs $226 – making San Juan del Sur 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 Juan del Sur: Cost of Living - Frequently Asked Questions

Yes – Playa del Carmen is pricier by about 18%, 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 $1,884 per month in Playa del Carmen and $1,592 in San Juan del Sur. That covers rent, food, utilities, transport, and enough left over to feel settled – not just surviving.

Rent is clearly cheaper in San Juan del Sur, 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 $1,256 in Playa del Carmen and $1,061 in San Juan del Sur. 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 $123 in San Juan del Sur. For families with young kids, this one expense can tip the scales when choosing between the two cities.

A $2,000 monthly budget goes further in San Juan del Sur, where all-in costs run around $1,061, than in Playa del Carmen at $1,256. In San Juan del Sur 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 Juan del Sur – 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 Juan del Sur. 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.