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

Monthly Cost of Living

A single person spends $1,297 per month in Playa del Carmen vs $431 in San Lorenzo, rent included.

A couple spends around $2,181 per month in Playa del Carmen vs $722 in San Lorenzo, rent included.

A family of three spends $3,065 per month in Playa del Carmen vs $1,013 in San Lorenzo, rent included.

Playa del Carmen costs about 201% more than San Lorenzo, driven mainly by Groceries & Markets.

Both Playa del Carmen and San Lorenzo are more affordable than the global median – Playa del Carmen 3% lower, San Lorenzo 68% lower.

Meal at Budget Restaurant

$11.73 MX$203

$4.46 ₲27.2K

163.00%

Three-Course Dinner for Two, Mid-Range

$41.62 MX$720

$26.34 ₲160.5K

58.01%

Fast Food Meal (McDonalds, etc)

$10.64 MX$184

$4.51 ₲27.5K

135.92%

Cappuccino

$3.52 MX$60.9

$1.89 ₲11.5K

86.24%

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

$1.51 MX$26.12

$0.84 ₲5,143

79.76%

Water (0.33 liter bottle)

$0.97 MX$16.84

$0.47 ₲2,854

106.38%

Local Beer (0.5 liter draught)

$2.95 MX$51.0

$1.43 ₲8,723

106.29%

Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$4.45 MX$77.0

$1.91 ₲11.6K

132.98%

Milk (1 liter)

$1.38 MX$23.93

$0.86 ₲5,243

60.47%

White Bread (500g)

$1.89 MX$32.72

$0.57 ₲3,452

231.58%

Rice (white) (1kg)

$1.64 MX$28.32

$0.78 ₲4,776

110.26%

Eggs

$2.51 MX$43.34

$1.66 ₲10.1K

51.20%

Local Cheese (1kg)

$8.34 MX$144

$5.97 ₲36.4K

39.70%

Chicken Fillets (1kg)

$8.34 MX$144

$2.94 ₲17.9K

183.67%

Beef Round Steak (1kg)

$10.73 MX$186

$6.09 ₲37.1K

76.19%

Apples (1kg)

$2.60 MX$45.04

$1.68 ₲10.2K

54.76%

Banana (1kg)

$1.46 MX$25.20

$0.78 ₲4,753

87.18%

Oranges (1kg)

$1.90 MX$32.87

$0.76 ₲4,631

150.00%

Tomato (1kg)

$2.08 MX$35.91

$1.10 ₲6,732

89.09%

Potato (1kg)

$1.78 MX$30.71

$0.71 ₲4,325

150.70%

Onion (1kg)

$2.19 MX$37.80

$0.77 ₲4,676

184.42%

Lettuce (1 head)

$1.04 MX$17.99

$0.38 ₲2,325

173.68%

Water (1.5 liter bottle)

$1.08 MX$18.62

$0.36 ₲2,222

200.00%

Cigarettes 20 Pack (Marlboro, Camel)

$4.08 MX$70.6

$1.39 ₲8,490

193.53%

Wine (Bottle)

$10.32 MX$178

$3.61 ₲22.0K

185.87%

Local Beer (0.5 liter bottle)

$1.71 MX$29.61

$0.62 ₲3,768

175.81%

Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$2.58 MX$44.54

$0.74 ₲4,535

248.65%

One-way Ticket (Public Transport)

$0.51 MX$8.81

$0.45 ₲2,738

13.33%

Public Transport Monthly Pass (Regular Price)

$26.46 MX$458

$35.50 ₲216.3K

-25.46%

Taxi Start (Normal Tariff)

$3.26 MX$56.4

$0.65 ₲3,946

401.54%

Taxi (Normal Tariff) (1km)

$2.49 MX$43.09

$0.79 ₲4,806

215.19%

Taxi 1hour Waiting (Normal Tariff)

$3.25 MX$56.2

$4.04 ₲24.6K

-19.55%

Gasoline (1 liter)

$1.31 MX$22.61

$0.84 ₲5,107

55.95%

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

$30.3K MX$523.7K

$14.6K ₲88.7M

108.01%

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

$23.4K MX$405.3K

$24.4K ₲148.9M

-4.14%

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

$82.9 MX$1,433

$42.73 ₲260.4K

93.94%

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

$22.22 MX$384

$13.79 ₲84.0K

61.13%

Internet (50+ Mbps, Unlimited Data)

$29.34 MX$507

$15.37 ₲93.7K

90.89%

Gym Membership (Monthly)

$51.6 MX$893

$15.21 ₲92.7K

239.45%

Tennis Court (1 Hour on Weekend)

$18.32 MX$317

$8.59 ₲52.3K

113.27%

Cinema Ticket

$5.07 MX$87.6

$4.30 ₲26.2K

17.91%

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

$201 MX$3,473

$167 ₲1.0M

20.51%

International Primary School, 1 Child (Yearly)

$5,212 MX$90.1K

$3,223 ₲19.6M

61.73%

Jeans (Levis 501 Or Similar)

$36.92 MX$639

$48.77 ₲297.2K

-24.30%

Summer Dress (H&M, Zara, etc)

$39.79 MX$688

$30.01 ₲182.9K

32.59%

Sport Shoes (Adidas, Nike)

$78.5 MX$1,357

$71.0 ₲432.6K

10.51%

Men's Leather Business Shoes

$87.1 MX$1,506

$47.95 ₲292.2K

81.63%

1-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)

$973 MX$16.8K

1-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)

$468 MX$8,090

3-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)

$1,641 MX$28.4K

3-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)

$1,221 MX$21.1K

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

20-Year Fixed Mortgage Interest Rate (Annual %)

11.42

10.17

12.29%

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 Lorenzo: May 31, 2026

Cost Breakdown

A mid-range dinner for two costs $42.00 in Playa del Carmen versus $26.00 in San Lorenzo. Monthly groceries follow the same trend: $249 vs $118 – making San Lorenzo 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 Lorenzo: Cost of Living - Frequently Asked Questions

Yes – Playa del Carmen is pricier by about 201%, and the gap shows up most in Groceries & Markets. 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 $647 in San Lorenzo. That covers rent, food, utilities, transport, and enough left over to feel settled – not just surviving.

Monthly expenses with rent come to $1,297 in Playa del Carmen and $431 in San Lorenzo. The difference isn't just one category – it shows up across housing, food, transport, and services.

Public transport costs about 34% less in San Lorenzo. For daily commuters, that gap adds up to noticeable savings over a year.

A $1,000 monthly budget goes further in San Lorenzo, where all-in costs run around $431, than in Playa del Carmen at $1,297. In San Lorenzo 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 Lorenzo – 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 Lorenzo. 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.