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 $1,266 per month in Playa del Carmen vs $1,053 in San Juan del Sur, rent included.

A couple spends around $2,279 per month in Playa del Carmen vs $1,662 in San Juan del Sur, rent included.

A family of three spends $3,292 per month in Playa del Carmen vs $2,271 in San Juan del Sur, rent included.

Playa del Carmen costs about 20% 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 7% lower, San Juan del Sur 23% lower.

Meal at Budget Restaurant

$11.60 MX$200

$4.24 NIO 155

173.58%

Three-Course Dinner for Two, Mid-Range

$47.11 MX$812

$33.90 NIO 1,242

38.97%

Fast Food Meal (McDonalds, etc)

$11.88 MX$205

$5.62 NIO 206

111.39%

Cappuccino

$3.98 MX$68.6

$2.56 NIO 93.8

55.47%

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

$1.43 MX$24.60

$0.90 NIO 32.79

58.89%

Water (0.33 liter bottle)

$0.82 MX$14.22

$0.73 NIO 26.56

12.33%

Local Beer (0.5 liter draught)

$3.19 MX$55.0

$1.46 NIO 53.5

118.49%

Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$6.79 MX$117

$1.97 NIO 72.0

244.67%

Milk (1 liter)

$1.68 MX$28.89

$1.24 NIO 45.33

35.48%

White Bread (500g)

$2.20 MX$37.88

$1.49 NIO 54.6

47.65%

Rice (white) (1kg)

$1.71 MX$29.45

$1.22 NIO 44.54

40.16%

Eggs

$2.74 MX$47.26

$2.29 NIO 83.7

19.65%

Local Cheese (1kg)

$9.58 MX$165

$7.77 NIO 285

23.29%

Chicken Fillets (1kg)

$9.01 MX$155

$6.45 NIO 236

39.69%

Beef Round Steak (1kg)

$12.81 MX$221

$7.21 NIO 264

77.67%

Apples (1kg)

$2.89 MX$49.81

$3.62 NIO 133

-20.17%

Banana (1kg)

$1.50 MX$25.81

$0.57 NIO 21.05

163.16%

Oranges (1kg)

$2.15 MX$37.03

$1.85 NIO 67.9

16.22%

Tomato (1kg)

$2.26 MX$38.96

$2.19 NIO 80.3

3.20%

Potato (1kg)

$1.98 MX$34.15

$3.14 NIO 115

-36.94%

Onion (1kg)

$1.99 MX$34.30

$2.20 NIO 80.5

-9.55%

Lettuce (1 head)

$1.23 MX$21.28

$1.00 NIO 36.60

23.00%

Water (1.5 liter bottle)

$1.20 MX$20.63

$1.02 NIO 37.51

17.65%

Cigarettes 20 Pack (Marlboro, Camel)

$4.55 MX$78.5

$2.59 NIO 94.7

75.68%

Wine (Bottle)

$10.37 MX$179

$9.74 NIO 357

6.47%

Local Beer (0.5 liter bottle)

$1.62 MX$27.91

$1.41 NIO 51.6

14.89%

Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$2.88 MX$49.67

$2.33 NIO 85.2

23.61%

One-way Ticket (Public Transport)

$0.60 MX$10.35

Public Transport Monthly Pass (Regular Price)

$28.80 MX$497

Taxi Start (Normal Tariff)

$5.39 MX$92.9

$1.68 NIO 61.5

220.83%

Taxi (Normal Tariff) (1km)

$3.73 MX$64.3

$1.60 NIO 58.6

133.12%

Taxi 1hour Waiting (Normal Tariff)

$5.77 MX$99.5

$6.68 NIO 245

-13.62%

Gasoline (1 liter)

$1.54 MX$26.48

$1.35 NIO 49.27

14.07%

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

$22.5K MX$388.8K

$23.3K NIO 853.2K

-3.20%

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

$26.1K MX$449.3K

$26.3K NIO 962.9K

-0.89%

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

$91.4 MX$1,576

$60.4 NIO 2,212

51.32%

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

$25.20 MX$435

$10.53 NIO 386

139.32%

Internet (50+ Mbps, Unlimited Data)

$31.24 MX$539

$36.64 NIO 1,342

-14.74%

Gym Membership (Monthly)

$67.2 MX$1,159

$29.97 NIO 1,098

124.22%

Tennis Court (1 Hour on Weekend)

$29.11 MX$502

Cinema Ticket

$4.86 MX$83.8

$8.38 NIO 307

-42.00%

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

$224 MX$3,856

$240 NIO 8,802

-6.94%

International Primary School, 1 Child (Yearly)

$4,229 MX$72.9K

$5,957 NIO 218.2K

-29.00%

Jeans (Levis 501 Or Similar)

$47.10 MX$812

$70.3 NIO 2,574

-32.99%

Summer Dress (H&M, Zara, etc)

$44.29 MX$764

$71.9 NIO 2,633

-38.39%

Sport Shoes (Adidas, Nike)

$80.1 MX$1,381

$131 NIO 4,810

-39.01%

Men's Leather Business Shoes

$92.7 MX$1,598

$109 NIO 3,975

-14.63%

1-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)

$1,063 MX$18.3K

$424 NIO 15.5K

150.51%

1-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)

$390 MX$6,728

$383 NIO 14.0K

1.81%

3-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)

$2,149 MX$37.1K

$919 NIO 33.7K

133.84%

3-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)

$1,272 MX$21.9K

$771 NIO 28.2K

65.03%

Buy Apartment in City Center (m2)

$4,001 MX$69.0K

Buy Apartment Outside City Center (m2)

$6,502 MX$112.1K

Average Monthly Net Salary (After Tax)

$758 MX$13.1K

$343 NIO 12.6K

120.85%

20-Year Fixed Mortgage Interest Rate (Annual %)

11.45

10.25

11.71%

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 Juan del Sur: September 12, 2026

Cost Breakdown

A central one-bedroom costs $1,063 in Playa del Carmen versus $424 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 121% 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 $47.00 in Playa del Carmen versus $34.00 in San Juan del Sur. Monthly groceries follow the same trend: $276 vs $220 – 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 20%, 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 $1,580 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 $1,266 in Playa del Carmen and $1,053 in San Juan del Sur. The difference isn't just one category – it shows up across housing, food, transport, and services.

Kindergarten costs $224 per month in Playa del Carmen and $240 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 $1,053, than in Playa del Carmen at $1,266. 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.