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

Monthly Cost of Living

A single person spends $1,305 per month in Playa del Carmen vs $927 in San Miguelito, rent included.

A couple spends around $2,334 per month in Playa del Carmen vs $1,471 in San Miguelito, rent included.

A family of three spends $3,362 per month in Playa del Carmen vs $2,015 in San Miguelito, rent included.

Playa del Carmen costs about 41% more than San Miguelito, driven mainly by Getting Around.

Both Playa del Carmen and San Miguelito are more affordable than the global median – Playa del Carmen 5% lower, San Miguelito 33% lower.

Meal at Budget Restaurant

$11.96 MX$203

$9.94 PAB 9.94

20.32%

Three-Course Dinner for Two, Mid-Range

$47.38 MX$804

$45.13 PAB 45.13

4.99%

Fast Food Meal (McDonalds, etc)

$11.75 MX$199

$8.10 PAB 8.10

45.06%

Cappuccino

$4.12 MX$70.0

$4.06 PAB 4.06

1.48%

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

$1.40 MX$23.74

$1.96 PAB 1.96

-28.57%

Water (0.33 liter bottle)

$0.91 MX$15.48

$1.50 PAB 1.50

-39.33%

Local Beer (0.5 liter draught)

$3.21 MX$54.4

$2.93 PAB 2.93

9.56%

Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$7.07 MX$120

$3.95 PAB 3.95

78.99%

Milk (1 liter)

$1.68 MX$28.44

$1.92 PAB 1.92

-12.50%

White Bread (500g)

$2.15 MX$36.48

$2.37 PAB 2.37

-9.28%

Rice (white) (1kg)

$1.77 MX$30.10

$3.09 PAB 3.09

-42.72%

Eggs

$2.82 MX$47.76

$2.78 PAB 2.78

1.44%

Local Cheese (1kg)

$9.20 MX$156

$12.51 PAB 12.51

-26.46%

Chicken Fillets (1kg)

$9.23 MX$157

$6.57 PAB 6.57

40.49%

Beef Round Steak (1kg)

$12.64 MX$214

$10.11 PAB 10.11

25.02%

Apples (1kg)

$2.95 MX$50.1

$4.46 PAB 4.46

-33.86%

Banana (1kg)

$1.58 MX$26.79

$1.75 PAB 1.75

-9.71%

Oranges (1kg)

$2.22 MX$37.70

$3.92 PAB 3.92

-43.37%

Tomato (1kg)

$2.36 MX$40.09

$3.88 PAB 3.88

-39.18%

Potato (1kg)

$1.99 MX$33.81

$3.20 PAB 3.20

-37.81%

Onion (1kg)

$1.98 MX$33.58

$4.29 PAB 4.29

-53.85%

Lettuce (1 head)

$1.24 MX$21.04

$2.25 PAB 2.25

-44.89%

Water (1.5 liter bottle)

$1.21 MX$20.55

$1.77 PAB 1.77

-31.64%

Cigarettes 20 Pack (Marlboro, Camel)

$4.60 MX$78.1

$5.85 PAB 5.85

-21.37%

Wine (Bottle)

$10.52 MX$178

$10.91 PAB 10.91

-3.57%

Local Beer (0.5 liter bottle)

$1.69 MX$28.70

$1.41 PAB 1.41

19.86%

Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$2.77 MX$47.06

$2.74 PAB 2.74

1.09%

One-way Ticket (Public Transport)

$0.60 MX$10.22

Public Transport Monthly Pass (Regular Price)

$29.70 MX$504

Taxi Start (Normal Tariff)

$5.24 MX$88.8

$2.55 PAB 2.55

105.49%

Taxi (Normal Tariff) (1km)

$3.65 MX$61.9

$1.78 PAB 1.78

105.06%

Taxi 1hour Waiting (Normal Tariff)

$5.78 MX$98.1

$22.10 PAB 22.10

-73.85%

Gasoline (1 liter)

$1.54 MX$26.09

$1.17 PAB 1.17

31.62%

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

$22.8K MX$386.8K

$21.7K PAB 21.7K

5.15%

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

$25.8K MX$437.9K

$21.0K PAB 21.0K

22.95%

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

$90.7 MX$1,538

$130 PAB 130

-30.50%

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

$25.19 MX$427

$29.22 PAB 29.22

-13.79%

Internet (50+ Mbps, Unlimited Data)

$31.75 MX$539

$48.96 PAB 48.96

-35.15%

Gym Membership (Monthly)

$68.8 MX$1,167

$49.16 PAB 49.16

39.93%

Tennis Court (1 Hour on Weekend)

$29.37 MX$498

Cinema Ticket

$4.86 MX$82.5

$8.23 PAB 8.23

-40.95%

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

$226 MX$3,828

$541 PAB 541

-58.31%

International Primary School, 1 Child (Yearly)

$4,194 MX$71.1K

$9,516 PAB 9,516

-55.93%

Jeans (Levis 501 Or Similar)

$47.38 MX$804

$58.9 PAB 58.9

-19.57%

Summer Dress (H&M, Zara, etc)

$43.45 MX$737

$46.39 PAB 46.39

-6.34%

Sport Shoes (Adidas, Nike)

$80.2 MX$1,361

$95.4 PAB 95.4

-15.92%

Men's Leather Business Shoes

$91.4 MX$1,550

$117 PAB 117

-21.95%

1-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)

$1,086 MX$18.4K

1-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)

$409 MX$6,933

3-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)

$1,972 MX$33.5K

3-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)

$1,281 MX$21.7K

Buy Apartment in City Center (m2)

$4,046 MX$68.6K

Buy Apartment Outside City Center (m2)

$6,704 MX$113.7K

Average Monthly Net Salary (After Tax)

$773 MX$13.1K

20-Year Fixed Mortgage Interest Rate (Annual %)

11.45

6.39

79.19%

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

Last update for Playa del Carmen: September 7, 2026

Last update for San Miguelito: September 5, 2026

Cost Breakdown

A mid-range dinner for two costs $47.00 in Playa del Carmen versus $45.00 in San Miguelito. Groceries tell a different story – $278 in Playa del Carmen vs $318 in San Miguelito – so Playa del Carmen wins on supermarket bills even if dining out costs more.

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 Miguelito: Cost of Living - Frequently Asked Questions

Yes – Playa del Carmen is pricier by about 41%, and the gap shows up most in Getting Around. It's not just housing either; the difference applies across most spending categories.

For a comfortable life, plan on about $1,958 per month in Playa del Carmen and $1,390 in San Miguelito. That covers rent, food, utilities, transport, and enough left over to feel settled – not just surviving.

Monthly expenses with rent come to $1,305 in Playa del Carmen and $927 in San Miguelito. The difference isn't just one category – it shows up across housing, food, transport, and services.

Kindergarten costs $226 per month in Playa del Carmen and $541 in San Miguelito. 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 Miguelito, where all-in costs run around $927, than in Playa del Carmen at $1,305. In San Miguelito 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 Miguelito – 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 Miguelito. 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.