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

Monthly Cost of Living

A single person spends $1,297 per month in Playa del Carmen vs $806 in San Juan, rent included.

A couple spends around $2,181 per month in Playa del Carmen vs $1,302 in San Juan, rent included.

A family of three spends $3,065 per month in Playa del Carmen vs $1,797 in San Juan, rent included.

Playa del Carmen costs about 61% more than San Juan, driven mainly by Eating Out.

Both Playa del Carmen and San Juan are more affordable than the global median – Playa del Carmen 3% lower, San Juan 40% lower.

Meal at Budget Restaurant

$11.73 MX$203

$2.84 ₱175

313.03%

Three-Course Dinner for Two, Mid-Range

$41.62 MX$721

$8.61 ₱531

383.39%

Fast Food Meal (McDonalds, etc)

$10.64 MX$184

$3.59 ₱222

196.38%

Cappuccino

$3.52 MX$61.0

$2.97 ₱183

18.52%

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

$1.51 MX$26.17

$0.83 ₱51.0

81.93%

Water (0.33 liter bottle)

$0.97 MX$16.87

$0.45 ₱27.51

115.56%

Local Beer (0.5 liter draught)

$2.95 MX$51.1

$1.47 ₱90.9

100.68%

Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$4.45 MX$77.2

$2.10 ₱130

111.90%

Milk (1 liter)

$1.38 MX$23.97

$1.73 ₱107

-20.23%

White Bread (500g)

$1.89 MX$32.78

$1.62 ₱100

16.67%

Rice (white) (1kg)

$1.64 MX$28.37

$0.94 ₱57.9

74.47%

Eggs

$2.51 MX$43.42

$2.01 ₱124

24.88%

Local Cheese (1kg)

$8.34 MX$145

$8.16 ₱503

2.21%

Chicken Fillets (1kg)

$8.34 MX$145

$5.25 ₱324

58.86%

Beef Round Steak (1kg)

$10.73 MX$186

$10.80 ₱666

-0.65%

Apples (1kg)

$2.60 MX$45.12

$2.31 ₱142

12.55%

Banana (1kg)

$1.46 MX$25.25

$1.53 ₱94.1

-4.58%

Oranges (1kg)

$1.90 MX$32.94

$3.17 ₱196

-40.06%

Tomato (1kg)

$2.08 MX$35.98

$1.15 ₱70.9

80.87%

Potato (1kg)

$1.78 MX$30.77

$1.75 ₱108

1.71%

Onion (1kg)

$2.19 MX$37.87

$3.44 ₱212

-36.34%

Lettuce (1 head)

$1.04 MX$18.02

$1.07 ₱66.2

-2.80%

Water (1.5 liter bottle)

$1.08 MX$18.66

$0.90 ₱55.4

20.00%

Cigarettes 20 Pack (Marlboro, Camel)

$4.08 MX$70.7

$2.87 ₱177

42.16%

Wine (Bottle)

$10.32 MX$179

$7.33 ₱452

40.79%

Local Beer (0.5 liter bottle)

$1.71 MX$29.67

$0.74 ₱45.69

131.08%

Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$2.58 MX$44.63

$1.61 ₱99.5

60.25%

One-way Ticket (Public Transport)

$0.51 MX$8.83

$0.16 ₱9.58

218.75%

Public Transport Monthly Pass (Regular Price)

$26.46 MX$459

Taxi Start (Normal Tariff)

$3.26 MX$56.5

$0.68 ₱41.72

379.41%

Taxi (Normal Tariff) (1km)

$2.49 MX$43.17

$0.24 ₱14.87

937.50%

Taxi 1hour Waiting (Normal Tariff)

$3.25 MX$56.3

$2.09 ₱129

55.50%

Gasoline (1 liter)

$1.31 MX$22.65

$1.11 ₱68.5

18.02%

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

$30.3K MX$524.7K

$28.1K ₱1.7M

7.72%

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

$23.4K MX$406.0K

$17.7K ₱1.1M

32.56%

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

$82.9 MX$1,436

$128 ₱7,921

-35.45%

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

$22.22 MX$385

$32.96 ₱2,034

-32.58%

Internet (50+ Mbps, Unlimited Data)

$29.34 MX$508

$26.09 ₱1,610

12.46%

Gym Membership (Monthly)

$51.6 MX$895

$72.0 ₱4,440

-28.25%

Tennis Court (1 Hour on Weekend)

$18.32 MX$317

$4.37 ₱270

319.22%

Cinema Ticket

$5.07 MX$87.8

$4.07 ₱251

24.57%

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

$201 MX$3,480

$145 ₱8,972

38.11%

International Primary School, 1 Child (Yearly)

$5,212 MX$90.3K

$4,240 ₱261.6K

22.91%

Jeans (Levis 501 Or Similar)

$36.92 MX$640

$45.32 ₱2,796

-18.53%

Summer Dress (H&M, Zara, etc)

$39.79 MX$689

$34.62 ₱2,136

14.93%

Sport Shoes (Adidas, Nike)

$78.5 MX$1,360

$69.1 ₱4,263

13.55%

Men's Leather Business Shoes

$87.1 MX$1,509

$117 ₱7,214

-25.51%

1-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)

$973 MX$16.9K

$269 ₱16.6K

261.76%

1-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)

$468 MX$8,105

$107 ₱6,626

335.58%

3-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)

$1,641 MX$28.4K

$1,273 ₱78.5K

28.96%

3-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)

$1,221 MX$21.2K

$391 ₱24.1K

211.96%

Buy Apartment in City Center (m2)

$3,946 MX$68.4K

$2,438 ₱150.5K

61.84%

Buy Apartment Outside City Center (m2)

$6,498 MX$112.6K

$1,112 ₱68.6K

484.46%

Average Monthly Net Salary (After Tax)

$664 MX$11.5K

$242 ₱14.9K

174.78%

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: June 2, 2026

Last update for San Juan: May 31, 2026

Cost Breakdown

A central one-bedroom costs $973 in Playa del Carmen versus $269 in San Juan. 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 175% 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 $9.00 in San Juan. Monthly groceries follow the same trend: $249 vs $216 – making San Juan 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: 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 $1,945 per month in Playa del Carmen and $1,210 in San Juan. That covers rent, food, utilities, transport, and enough left over to feel settled – not just surviving.

Rent is clearly cheaper in San Juan, 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 $806 in San Juan. 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 $145 in San Juan. 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, where all-in costs run around $806, than in Playa del Carmen at $1,297. In San Juan 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 – 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. 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.