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

Monthly Cost of Living

A single person spends $1,287 per month in Playa del Carmen vs $866 in San Luis, rent included.

A couple spends around $2,184 per month in Playa del Carmen vs $1,402 in San Luis, rent included.

A family of three spends $3,082 per month in Playa del Carmen vs $1,939 in San Luis, rent included.

Playa del Carmen costs about 49% more than San Luis, driven mainly by Clothing & Footwear.

Both Playa del Carmen and San Luis are more affordable than the global median – Playa del Carmen 4% lower, San Luis 35% lower.

Meal at Budget Restaurant

$11.94 MX$209

$11.17 ARS 15.6K

6.89%

Three-Course Dinner for Two, Mid-Range

$42.75 MX$748

$40.52 ARS 56.5K

5.50%

Fast Food Meal (McDonalds, etc)

$10.59 MX$185

$9.58 ARS 13.4K

10.54%

Cappuccino

$3.62 MX$63.4

$3.67 ARS 5,122

-1.36%

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

$1.47 MX$25.69

$2.25 ARS 3,139

-34.67%

Water (0.33 liter bottle)

$0.94 MX$16.51

$2.06 ARS 2,872

-54.37%

Local Beer (0.5 liter draught)

$3.09 MX$54.1

$1.64 ARS 2,288

88.41%

Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$4.46 MX$78.0

$2.93 ARS 4,094

52.22%

Milk (1 liter)

$1.43 MX$24.94

$1.34 ARS 1,865

6.72%

White Bread (500g)

$1.88 MX$32.97

$1.56 ARS 2,176

20.51%

Rice (white) (1kg)

$1.63 MX$28.50

$2.01 ARS 2,806

-18.91%

Eggs

$2.64 MX$46.26

$2.16 ARS 3,019

22.22%

Local Cheese (1kg)

$8.21 MX$144

$6.59 ARS 9,193

24.58%

Chicken Fillets (1kg)

$8.29 MX$145

$4.64 ARS 6,473

78.66%

Beef Round Steak (1kg)

$11.10 MX$194

$5.59 ARS 7,806

98.57%

Apples (1kg)

$2.65 MX$46.40

$1.23 ARS 1,714

115.45%

Banana (1kg)

$1.50 MX$26.26

$1.53 ARS 2,132

-1.96%

Oranges (1kg)

$1.99 MX$34.79

$1.46 ARS 2,032

36.30%

Tomato (1kg)

$2.08 MX$36.33

$2.08 ARS 2,909

Potato (1kg)

$1.79 MX$31.29

$0.97 ARS 1,358

84.54%

Onion (1kg)

$2.18 MX$38.09

$0.99 ARS 1,380

120.20%

Lettuce (1 head)

$1.08 MX$18.84

$1.02 ARS 1,419

5.88%

Water (1.5 liter bottle)

$1.04 MX$18.15

$0.51 ARS 707

103.92%

Cigarettes 20 Pack (Marlboro, Camel)

$3.97 MX$69.5

$2.43 ARS 3,386

63.37%

Wine (Bottle)

$10.20 MX$179

$4.93 ARS 6,874

106.90%

Local Beer (0.5 liter bottle)

$1.73 MX$30.22

$2.05 ARS 2,859

-15.61%

Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$2.50 MX$43.71

$3.47 ARS 4,848

-27.95%

One-way Ticket (Public Transport)

$0.52 MX$9.07

$0.54 ARS 753

-3.70%

Public Transport Monthly Pass (Regular Price)

$26.97 MX$472

Taxi Start (Normal Tariff)

$3.14 MX$55.0

$0.45 ARS 622

597.78%

Taxi (Normal Tariff) (1km)

$2.40 MX$42.04

$1.01 ARS 1,410

137.62%

Taxi 1hour Waiting (Normal Tariff)

$3.09 MX$54.0

$4.91 ARS 6,854

-37.07%

Gasoline (1 liter)

$1.27 MX$22.28

$1.02 ARS 1,425

24.51%

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

$30.9K MX$540.4K

$31.0K ARS 43.2M

-0.36%

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

$23.3K MX$408.0K

$33.7K ARS 47.0M

-30.78%

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

$82.0 MX$1,435

$59.8 ARS 83.4K

37.26%

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

$22.45 MX$393

$10.86 ARS 15.2K

106.72%

Internet (50+ Mbps, Unlimited Data)

$29.66 MX$519

$21.91 ARS 30.6K

35.37%

Gym Membership (Monthly)

$51.9 MX$908

$26.00 ARS 36.3K

99.50%

Tennis Court (1 Hour on Weekend)

$18.67 MX$327

$13.60 ARS 19.0K

37.28%

Cinema Ticket

$4.97 MX$87.0

$5.56 ARS 7,760

-10.61%

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

$198 MX$3,462

$104 ARS 145.6K

89.53%

International Primary School, 1 Child (Yearly)

$5,273 MX$92.3K

$2,181 ARS 3.0M

141.78%

Jeans (Levis 501 Or Similar)

$36.34 MX$636

$81.9 ARS 114.3K

-55.65%

Summer Dress (H&M, Zara, etc)

$40.05 MX$701

$78.2 ARS 109.0K

-48.75%

Sport Shoes (Adidas, Nike)

$79.9 MX$1,398

$132 ARS 184.8K

-39.68%

Men's Leather Business Shoes

$88.9 MX$1,555

$118 ARS 165.0K

-24.85%

1-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)

$963 MX$16.9K

$297 ARS 414.0K

224.64%

1-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)

$465 MX$8,133

$167 ARS 232.9K

178.45%

3-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)

$1,596 MX$27.9K

$523 ARS 729.3K

205.40%

3-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)

$1,209 MX$21.2K

$303 ARS 422.8K

298.91%

Buy Apartment in City Center (m2)

$3,942 MX$69.0K

$2,074 ARS 2.9M

90.07%

Buy Apartment Outside City Center (m2)

$6,448 MX$112.8K

$605 ARS 844.4K

965.50%

Average Monthly Net Salary (After Tax)

$720 MX$12.6K

$491 ARS 684.4K

46.86%

20-Year Fixed Mortgage Interest Rate (Annual %)

11.42

-85.54%

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

Last update for Playa del Carmen: April 25, 2026

Last update for San Luis: April 26, 2026

Cost Breakdown

A central one-bedroom costs $963 in Playa del Carmen versus $297 in San Luis. 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 47% 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 $43.00 in Playa del Carmen versus $41.00 in San Luis. Monthly groceries follow the same trend: $251 vs $179 – making San Luis 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 Luis: Cost of Living - Frequently Asked Questions

Yes – Playa del Carmen is pricier by about 49%, and the gap shows up most in Clothing & Footwear. It's not just housing either; the difference applies across most spending categories.

For a comfortable life, plan on about $1,930 per month in Playa del Carmen and $1,299 in San Luis. That covers rent, food, utilities, transport, and enough left over to feel settled – not just surviving.

Rent is clearly cheaper in San Luis, 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 $1,287 in Playa del Carmen and $866 in San Luis. The difference isn't just one category – it shows up across housing, food, transport, and services.

Kindergarten costs $198 per month in Playa del Carmen and $104 in San Luis. For families with young kids, this one expense can tip the scales when choosing between the two cities.

A $1,500 monthly budget goes further in San Luis, where all-in costs run around $866, than in Playa del Carmen at $1,287. In San Luis 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 Luis – lower housing and cheaper childcare make a real difference, especially on a single income or when paying for private education.

Both have safer and rougher neighborhoods, but overall safety is comparable to other large cities. Neighborhood choice matters more than the city-level comparison – central, well-trafficked areas feel secure in both.

If budget matters most, go with San Luis. 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.