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 $1,297 per month in Playa del Carmen vs $1,022 in San Juan del Sur, rent included.

A couple spends around $2,181 per month in Playa del Carmen vs $1,719 in San Juan del Sur, rent included.

A family of three spends $3,065 per month in Playa del Carmen vs $2,417 in San Juan del Sur, rent included.

Playa del Carmen costs about 27% 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 3% lower, San Juan del Sur 24% lower.

Meal at Budget Restaurant

$11.73 MX$203

$4.25 NIO 156

176.00%

Three-Course Dinner for Two, Mid-Range

$41.62 MX$720

$33.80 NIO 1,238

23.14%

Fast Food Meal (McDonalds, etc)

$10.64 MX$184

$5.52 NIO 202

92.75%

Cappuccino

$3.52 MX$60.9

$2.35 NIO 86.0

49.79%

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

$1.51 MX$26.12

$0.85 NIO 31.14

77.65%

Water (0.33 liter bottle)

$0.97 MX$16.84

$0.68 NIO 25.06

42.65%

Local Beer (0.5 liter draught)

$2.95 MX$51.0

$1.30 NIO 47.48

126.92%

Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$4.45 MX$77.0

$2.02 NIO 73.9

120.30%

Milk (1 liter)

$1.38 MX$23.93

$1.26 NIO 46.20

9.52%

White Bread (500g)

$1.89 MX$32.72

$1.48 NIO 54.1

27.70%

Rice (white) (1kg)

$1.64 MX$28.32

$1.17 NIO 42.88

40.17%

Eggs

$2.51 MX$43.34

$1.96 NIO 71.7

28.06%

Local Cheese (1kg)

$8.34 MX$144

$7.79 NIO 285

7.06%

Chicken Fillets (1kg)

$8.34 MX$144

$6.39 NIO 234

30.52%

Beef Round Steak (1kg)

$10.73 MX$186

$7.97 NIO 292

34.63%

Apples (1kg)

$2.60 MX$45.04

$3.85 NIO 141

-32.47%

Banana (1kg)

$1.46 MX$25.20

$0.84 NIO 30.90

73.81%

Oranges (1kg)

$1.90 MX$32.87

$1.78 NIO 65.1

6.74%

Tomato (1kg)

$2.08 MX$35.91

$2.26 NIO 82.8

-7.96%

Potato (1kg)

$1.78 MX$30.71

$3.14 NIO 115

-43.31%

Onion (1kg)

$2.19 MX$37.80

$2.17 NIO 79.5

0.92%

Lettuce (1 head)

$1.04 MX$17.99

$1.01 NIO 36.99

2.97%

Water (1.5 liter bottle)

$1.08 MX$18.62

$1.01 NIO 36.93

6.93%

Cigarettes 20 Pack (Marlboro, Camel)

$4.08 MX$70.6

$2.61 NIO 95.4

56.32%

Wine (Bottle)

$10.32 MX$178

$9.65 NIO 354

6.94%

Local Beer (0.5 liter bottle)

$1.71 MX$29.61

$1.46 NIO 53.5

17.12%

Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$2.58 MX$44.54

$2.23 NIO 81.9

15.70%

One-way Ticket (Public Transport)

$0.51 MX$8.81

Public Transport Monthly Pass (Regular Price)

$26.46 MX$458

Taxi Start (Normal Tariff)

$3.26 MX$56.4

$1.47 NIO 53.9

121.77%

Taxi (Normal Tariff) (1km)

$2.49 MX$43.09

Taxi 1hour Waiting (Normal Tariff)

$3.25 MX$56.2

$6.83 NIO 250

-52.42%

Gasoline (1 liter)

$1.31 MX$22.61

$1.25 NIO 45.66

4.80%

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

$30.3K MX$523.7K

$22.9K NIO 838.0K

32.34%

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

$23.4K MX$405.3K

$25.9K NIO 948.6K

-9.54%

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

$82.9 MX$1,433

$41.71 NIO 1,528

98.68%

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

$22.22 MX$384

$10.58 NIO 388

110.02%

Internet (50+ Mbps, Unlimited Data)

$29.34 MX$507

$36.56 NIO 1,339

-19.75%

Gym Membership (Monthly)

$51.6 MX$893

$29.69 NIO 1,087

73.90%

Tennis Court (1 Hour on Weekend)

$18.32 MX$317

Cinema Ticket

$5.07 MX$87.6

$7.80 NIO 286

-35.00%

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

$201 MX$3,473

$123 NIO 4,505

63.26%

International Primary School, 1 Child (Yearly)

$5,212 MX$90.1K

$5,973 NIO 218.8K

-12.74%

Jeans (Levis 501 Or Similar)

$36.92 MX$639

$78.8 NIO 2,884

-53.12%

Summer Dress (H&M, Zara, etc)

$39.79 MX$688

$73.8 NIO 2,702

-46.06%

Sport Shoes (Adidas, Nike)

$78.5 MX$1,357

$130 NIO 4,761

-39.66%

Men's Leather Business Shoes

$87.1 MX$1,506

$110 NIO 4,025

-20.76%

1-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)

$973 MX$16.8K

$461 NIO 16.9K

110.81%

1-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)

$468 MX$8,090

$409 NIO 15.0K

14.33%

3-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)

$1,641 MX$28.4K

$955 NIO 35.0K

71.89%

3-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)

$1,221 MX$21.1K

$958 NIO 35.1K

27.40%

Buy Apartment in City Center (m2)

$3,946 MX$68.3K

Buy Apartment Outside City Center (m2)

$6,498 MX$112.4K

Average Monthly Net Salary (After Tax)

$664 MX$11.5K

$280 NIO 10.2K

137.50%

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: June 2, 2026

Last update for San Juan del Sur: May 31, 2026

Cost Breakdown

A central one-bedroom costs $973 in Playa del Carmen versus $461 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 138% 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 $223 – 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 27%, 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 $1,945 per month in Playa del Carmen and $1,532 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 $1,297 in Playa del Carmen and $1,022 in San Juan del Sur. The difference isn't just one category – it shows up across housing, food, transport, and services.

Kindergarten costs $201 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 $1,022, than in Playa del Carmen at $1,297. 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.