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 $1,330 per month in Playa del Carmen vs $757 in San Juan, rent included.

A couple spends around $2,336 per month in Playa del Carmen vs $1,317 in San Juan, rent included.

A family of three spends $3,341 per month in Playa del Carmen vs $1,878 in San Juan, rent included.

Playa del Carmen costs about 76% more than San Juan, driven mainly by Sport & Entertainment.

Both Playa del Carmen and San Juan are more affordable than the global median – Playa del Carmen 3% lower, San Juan 45% lower.

Meal at Budget Restaurant

$13.02 MX$221

$10.40 TTD 69.8

25.19%

Three-Course Dinner for Two, Mid-Range

$46.25 MX$784

$59.4 TTD 399

-22.09%

Fast Food Meal (McDonalds, etc)

$12.59 MX$213

$7.88 TTD 52.9

59.77%

Cappuccino

$4.00 MX$67.9

$3.82 TTD 25.63

4.71%

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

$1.42 MX$24.08

$1.21 TTD 8.15

17.36%

Water (0.33 liter bottle)

$0.81 MX$13.73

$0.78 TTD 5.21

3.85%

Local Beer (0.5 liter draught)

$3.05 MX$51.7

$2.27 TTD 15.27

34.36%

Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$6.82 MX$116

$2.91 TTD 19.52

134.36%

Milk (1 liter)

$1.71 MX$29.04

$1.99 TTD 13.34

-14.07%

White Bread (500g)

$2.22 MX$37.62

$2.29 TTD 15.38

-3.06%

Rice (white) (1kg)

$1.72 MX$29.13

$2.89 TTD 19.39

-40.48%

Eggs

$2.71 MX$45.99

$3.91 TTD 26.28

-30.69%

Local Cheese (1kg)

$9.37 MX$159

$6.77 TTD 45.46

38.40%

Chicken Fillets (1kg)

$8.86 MX$150

$10.05 TTD 67.5

-11.84%

Beef Round Steak (1kg)

$12.78 MX$217

$8.69 TTD 58.4

47.07%

Apples (1kg)

$3.13 MX$53.0

$5.36 TTD 35.96

-41.60%

Banana (1kg)

$1.55 MX$26.24

$2.58 TTD 17.29

-39.92%

Oranges (1kg)

$2.15 MX$36.51

$3.63 TTD 24.36

-40.77%

Tomato (1kg)

$2.35 MX$39.89

$4.40 TTD 29.55

-46.59%

Potato (1kg)

$2.02 MX$34.23

$0.71 TTD 4.77

184.51%

Onion (1kg)

$1.99 MX$33.67

$0.72 TTD 4.81

176.39%

Lettuce (1 head)

$1.24 MX$21.09

$1.44 TTD 9.68

-13.89%

Water (1.5 liter bottle)

$1.19 MX$20.21

$1.16 TTD 7.81

2.59%

Cigarettes 20 Pack (Marlboro, Camel)

$4.65 MX$78.8

$5.62 TTD 37.74

-17.26%

Wine (Bottle)

$10.47 MX$177

$17.67 TTD 119

-40.75%

Local Beer (0.5 liter bottle)

$1.58 MX$26.82

$1.56 TTD 10.47

1.28%

Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$2.92 MX$49.48

$2.95 TTD 19.80

-1.02%

One-way Ticket (Public Transport)

$0.56 MX$9.53

Public Transport Monthly Pass (Regular Price)

$29.76 MX$504

Taxi Start (Normal Tariff)

$5.32 MX$90.2

$0.92 TTD 6.19

478.26%

Taxi (Normal Tariff) (1km)

$3.72 MX$63.0

$0.85 TTD 5.71

337.65%

Taxi 1hour Waiting (Normal Tariff)

$5.78 MX$97.9

$14.95 TTD 100

-61.34%

Gasoline (1 liter)

$1.55 MX$26.27

$1.16 TTD 7.81

33.62%

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

$22.4K MX$379.1K

$36.4K TTD 244.6K

-38.59%

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

$25.6K MX$433.3K

$41.9K TTD 281.4K

-38.99%

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

$89.3 MX$1,513

$44.12 TTD 296

102.36%

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

$23.30 MX$395

$42.10 TTD 283

-44.66%

Internet (50+ Mbps, Unlimited Data)

$31.72 MX$538

$46.00 TTD 309

-31.04%

Gym Membership (Monthly)

$68.8 MX$1,165

Tennis Court (1 Hour on Weekend)

$29.40 MX$498

Cinema Ticket

$5.06 MX$85.7

$8.76 TTD 58.8

-42.24%

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

$222 MX$3,765

$393 TTD 2,637

-43.43%

International Primary School, 1 Child (Yearly)

$4,293 MX$72.7K

$10.4K TTD 69.8K

-58.69%

Jeans (Levis 501 Or Similar)

$46.21 MX$783

$54.7 TTD 367

-15.51%

Summer Dress (H&M, Zara, etc)

$44.43 MX$753

$37.55 TTD 252

18.32%

Sport Shoes (Adidas, Nike)

$95.5 MX$1,618

$87.5 TTD 587

9.16%

Men's Leather Business Shoes

$92.5 MX$1,568

$87.9 TTD 590

5.27%

1-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)

$1,069 MX$18.1K

1-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)

$393 MX$6,663

3-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)

$1,988 MX$33.7K

3-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)

$1,304 MX$22.1K

Buy Apartment in City Center (m2)

$4,037 MX$68.4K

Buy Apartment Outside City Center (m2)

$6,627 MX$112.3K

Average Monthly Net Salary (After Tax)

$747 MX$12.7K

20-Year Fixed Mortgage Interest Rate (Annual %)

11.6

5.75

101.74%

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

Last update for Playa del Carmen: August 18, 2026

Last update for San Juan: August 17, 2026

Cost Breakdown

A mid-range dinner for two costs $46.00 in Playa del Carmen versus $59.0 in San Juan. Monthly groceries follow the same trend: $277 vs $318 – making Playa del Carmen 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 76%, and the gap shows up most in Sport & Entertainment. It's not just housing either; the difference applies across most spending categories.

For a comfortable life, plan on about $1,995 per month in Playa del Carmen and $1,135 in San Juan. That covers rent, food, utilities, transport, and enough left over to feel settled – not just surviving.

Monthly expenses with rent come to $1,330 in Playa del Carmen and $757 in San Juan. The difference isn't just one category – it shows up across housing, food, transport, and services.

Kindergarten costs $222 per month in Playa del Carmen and $393 in San Juan. 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 Juan, where all-in costs run around $757, than in Playa del Carmen at $1,330. 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.