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 $1,256 per month in Playa del Carmen vs $893 in San Miguelito, rent included.

A couple spends around $2,137 per month in Playa del Carmen vs $1,444 in San Miguelito, rent included.

A family of three spends $3,017 per month in Playa del Carmen vs $1,995 in San Miguelito, rent included.

Playa del Carmen costs about 41% more than San Miguelito, driven mainly by Groceries & Markets.

Both Playa del Carmen and San Miguelito are more affordable than the global median – Playa del Carmen 6% lower, San Miguelito 33% lower.

Meal at Budget Restaurant

$11.99 MX$209

$9.92 PAB 9.92

20.87%

Three-Course Dinner for Two, Mid-Range

$41.78 MX$728

$49.75 PAB 49.75

-16.02%

Fast Food Meal (McDonalds, etc)

$10.75 MX$187

$7.97 PAB 7.97

34.88%

Cappuccino

$3.50 MX$60.9

$3.71 PAB 3.71

-5.66%

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

$1.45 MX$25.22

$1.74 PAB 1.74

-16.67%

Water (0.33 liter bottle)

$0.88 MX$15.41

$1.12 PAB 1.12

-21.43%

Local Beer (0.5 liter draught)

$2.95 MX$51.3

$3.07 PAB 3.07

-3.91%

Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$4.51 MX$78.6

$4.07 PAB 4.07

10.81%

Milk (1 liter)

$1.43 MX$24.94

$1.80 PAB 1.80

-20.56%

White Bread (500g)

$1.84 MX$31.99

$2.46 PAB 2.46

-25.20%

Rice (white) (1kg)

$1.57 MX$27.31

$2.38 PAB 2.38

-34.03%

Eggs

$2.51 MX$43.74

$2.93 PAB 2.93

-14.33%

Local Cheese (1kg)

$8.28 MX$144

$10.05 PAB 10.05

-17.61%

Chicken Fillets (1kg)

$8.43 MX$147

$7.15 PAB 7.15

17.90%

Beef Round Steak (1kg)

$10.68 MX$186

$10.10 PAB 10.10

5.74%

Apples (1kg)

$2.61 MX$45.43

$3.43 PAB 3.43

-23.91%

Banana (1kg)

$1.44 MX$25.04

$1.54 PAB 1.54

-6.49%

Oranges (1kg)

$1.96 MX$34.16

$2.78 PAB 2.78

-29.50%

Tomato (1kg)

$2.09 MX$36.47

$3.10 PAB 3.10

-32.58%

Potato (1kg)

$1.85 MX$32.24

$2.29 PAB 2.29

-19.21%

Onion (1kg)

$2.17 MX$37.74

$2.83 PAB 2.83

-23.32%

Lettuce (1 head)

$1.03 MX$17.96

$2.13 PAB 2.13

-51.64%

Water (1.5 liter bottle)

$1.07 MX$18.70

$1.50 PAB 1.50

-28.67%

Cigarettes 20 Pack (Marlboro, Camel)

$4.10 MX$71.4

$5.91 PAB 5.91

-30.63%

Wine (Bottle)

$10.17 MX$177

$10.64 PAB 10.64

-4.42%

Local Beer (0.5 liter bottle)

$1.68 MX$29.17

$1.24 PAB 1.24

35.48%

Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$2.53 MX$43.98

$2.34 PAB 2.34

8.12%

One-way Ticket (Public Transport)

$0.51 MX$8.87

Public Transport Monthly Pass (Regular Price)

$26.04 MX$453

Taxi Start (Normal Tariff)

$3.23 MX$56.3

$2.46 PAB 2.46

31.30%

Taxi (Normal Tariff) (1km)

$2.41 MX$41.88

$1.86 PAB 1.86

29.57%

Taxi 1hour Waiting (Normal Tariff)

$3.23 MX$56.2

$22.02 PAB 22.02

-85.33%

Gasoline (1 liter)

$1.32 MX$23.00

$0.87 PAB 0.87

51.72%

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

$29.7K MX$517.1K

$20.1K PAB 20.1K

47.63%

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

$23.7K MX$412.0K

$20.6K PAB 20.6K

14.88%

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

$82.0 MX$1,428

$122 PAB 122

-32.71%

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

$22.95 MX$400

$30.15 PAB 30.15

-23.88%

Internet (50+ Mbps, Unlimited Data)

$30.11 MX$524

$49.98 PAB 49.98

-39.76%

Gym Membership (Monthly)

$52.0 MX$905

$50.2 PAB 50.2

3.63%

Tennis Court (1 Hour on Weekend)

$18.53 MX$323

Cinema Ticket

$4.98 MX$86.6

$8.04 PAB 8.04

-38.06%

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

$197 MX$3,438

$473 PAB 473

-58.24%

International Primary School, 1 Child (Yearly)

$5,336 MX$92.9K

$15.7K PAB 15.7K

-65.91%

Jeans (Levis 501 Or Similar)

$35.60 MX$620

$51.4 PAB 51.4

-30.79%

Summer Dress (H&M, Zara, etc)

$40.33 MX$702

$45.37 PAB 45.37

-11.11%

Sport Shoes (Adidas, Nike)

$78.8 MX$1,371

$89.4 PAB 89.4

-11.91%

Men's Leather Business Shoes

$88.9 MX$1,549

$122 PAB 122

-26.92%

1-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)

$947 MX$16.5K

1-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)

$474 MX$8,254

3-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)

$1,644 MX$28.6K

3-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)

$1,211 MX$21.1K

Buy Apartment in City Center (m2)

$4,056 MX$70.6K

Buy Apartment Outside City Center (m2)

$6,470 MX$112.7K

Average Monthly Net Salary (After Tax)

$654 MX$11.4K

20-Year Fixed Mortgage Interest Rate (Annual %)

11.42

6.23

83.31%

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

Last update for Playa del Carmen: July 13, 2026

Last update for San Miguelito: July 12, 2026

Cost Breakdown

A mid-range dinner for two costs $42.00 in Playa del Carmen versus $50.0 in San Miguelito. Monthly groceries follow the same trend: $249 vs $284 – 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 Miguelito: Cost of Living - Frequently Asked Questions

Yes – Playa del Carmen is pricier by about 41%, 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 $1,884 per month in Playa del Carmen and $1,339 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 $1,256 in Playa del Carmen and $893 in San Miguelito. The difference isn't just one category – it shows up across housing, food, transport, and services.

Kindergarten costs $197 per month in Playa del Carmen and $473 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 $893, than in Playa del Carmen at $1,256. 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.