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

Monthly Cost of Living

A single person spends $1,297 per month in Playa del Carmen vs $1,622 in San Pedro, rent included.

A couple spends around $2,181 per month in Playa del Carmen vs $2,116 in San Pedro, rent included.

A family of three spends $3,065 per month in Playa del Carmen vs $2,610 in San Pedro, rent included.

Playa del Carmen is about 20% cheaper than San Pedro, driven mainly by Groceries & Markets.

Playa del Carmen sits 3% below the global median, while San Pedro is 21% above – they fall on opposite sides of the world average.

Meal at Budget Restaurant

$11.73 MX$203

$9.25 BZD 18.51

26.81%

Three-Course Dinner for Two, Mid-Range

$41.62 MX$720

$29.39 BZD 58.8

41.61%

Fast Food Meal (McDonalds, etc)

$10.64 MX$184

Cappuccino

$3.52 MX$60.9

$2.92 BZD 5.83

20.55%

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

$1.51 MX$26.12

$1.34 BZD 2.68

12.69%

Water (0.33 liter bottle)

$0.97 MX$16.84

$1.52 BZD 3.03

-36.18%

Local Beer (0.5 liter draught)

$2.95 MX$51.0

$3.05 BZD 6.10

-3.28%

Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$4.45 MX$77.0

$3.97 BZD 7.94

12.09%

Milk (1 liter)

$1.38 MX$23.93

$4.12 BZD 8.25

-66.50%

White Bread (500g)

$1.89 MX$32.72

$1.32 BZD 2.64

43.18%

Rice (white) (1kg)

$1.64 MX$28.32

$4.22 BZD 8.44

-61.14%

Eggs

$2.51 MX$43.34

$2.18 BZD 4.36

15.14%

Local Cheese (1kg)

$8.34 MX$144

$9.98 BZD 19.96

-16.43%

Chicken Fillets (1kg)

$8.34 MX$144

$6.32 BZD 12.64

31.96%

Beef Round Steak (1kg)

$10.73 MX$186

$8.28 BZD 16.57

29.59%

Apples (1kg)

$2.60 MX$45.04

$8.40 BZD 16.81

-69.05%

Banana (1kg)

$1.46 MX$25.20

$1.07 BZD 2.15

36.45%

Oranges (1kg)

$1.90 MX$32.87

$1.12 BZD 2.24

69.64%

Tomato (1kg)

$2.08 MX$35.91

$5.59 BZD 11.18

-62.79%

Potato (1kg)

$1.78 MX$30.71

$2.76 BZD 5.53

-35.51%

Onion (1kg)

$2.19 MX$37.80

$3.04 BZD 6.08

-27.96%

Lettuce (1 head)

$1.04 MX$17.99

$3.53 BZD 7.06

-70.54%

Water (1.5 liter bottle)

$1.08 MX$18.62

$1.23 BZD 2.46

-12.20%

Cigarettes 20 Pack (Marlboro, Camel)

$4.08 MX$70.6

Wine (Bottle)

$10.32 MX$178

$24.01 BZD 48.02

-57.02%

Local Beer (0.5 liter bottle)

$1.71 MX$29.61

$2.48 BZD 4.96

-31.05%

Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$2.58 MX$44.54

$3.29 BZD 6.59

-21.58%

One-way Ticket (Public Transport)

$0.51 MX$8.81

Public Transport Monthly Pass (Regular Price)

$26.46 MX$458

Taxi Start (Normal Tariff)

$3.26 MX$56.4

Taxi (Normal Tariff) (1km)

$2.49 MX$43.09

$4.95 BZD 9.90

-49.70%

Taxi 1hour Waiting (Normal Tariff)

$3.25 MX$56.2

Gasoline (1 liter)

$1.31 MX$22.61

$1.65 BZD 3.30

-20.61%

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

$30.3K MX$523.7K

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

$23.4K MX$405.3K

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

$82.9 MX$1,433

$174 BZD 347

-52.29%

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

$22.22 MX$384

Internet (50+ Mbps, Unlimited Data)

$29.34 MX$507

$102 BZD 204

-71.17%

Gym Membership (Monthly)

$51.6 MX$893

$29.41 BZD 58.8

75.55%

Tennis Court (1 Hour on Weekend)

$18.32 MX$317

Cinema Ticket

$5.07 MX$87.6

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

$201 MX$3,473

International Primary School, 1 Child (Yearly)

$5,212 MX$90.1K

Jeans (Levis 501 Or Similar)

$36.92 MX$639

Summer Dress (H&M, Zara, etc)

$39.79 MX$688

Sport Shoes (Adidas, Nike)

$78.5 MX$1,357

$98.2 BZD 196

-20.11%

Men's Leather Business Shoes

$87.1 MX$1,506

1-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)

$973 MX$16.8K

$1,008 BZD 2,017

-3.53%

1-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)

$468 MX$8,090

$746 BZD 1,492

-37.30%

3-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)

$1,641 MX$28.4K

$1,056 BZD 2,112

55.45%

3-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)

$1,221 MX$21.1K

$897 BZD 1,795

36.03%

Buy Apartment in City Center (m2)

$3,946 MX$68.3K

$2,648 BZD 5,296

49.04%

Buy Apartment Outside City Center (m2)

$6,498 MX$112.4K

$1,622 BZD 3,244

300.71%

Average Monthly Net Salary (After Tax)

$664 MX$11.5K

20-Year Fixed Mortgage Interest Rate (Annual %)

11.42

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 Pedro: June 1, 2026

Cost Breakdown

A central one-bedroom costs $973 in Playa del Carmen versus $1,008 in San Pedro. Rent is usually the largest line item in a monthly budget, so the gap here sets the tone for the overall comparison.

A mid-range dinner for two costs $42.00 in Playa del Carmen versus $29.00 in San Pedro. Groceries tell a different story – $249 in Playa del Carmen vs $358 in San Pedro – 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 Pedro: Cost of Living - Frequently Asked Questions

Yes – San Pedro is pricier by about 25%, 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 $2,432 in San Pedro. That covers rent, food, utilities, transport, and enough left over to feel settled – not just surviving.

Rent is clearly cheaper in Playa del Carmen, especially for central apartments. Housing is actually the single biggest factor behind the overall cost gap between these two cities.

Groceries cost about 44% more in San Pedro, though it depends on what you buy. Local produce may be comparable; imported and premium items show the biggest price gap.

A mid-range dinner for two costs $42.00 in Playa del Carmen and $29.00 in San Pedro. That's a good indicator of the overall restaurant and café pricing gap between the two cities.

A $1,500 monthly budget goes further in Playa del Carmen, where all-in costs run around $1,297, than in San Pedro at $1,622. In Playa del Carmen it covers expenses comfortably, while in San Pedro it requires careful planning or may not stretch far enough.

Families tend to lean toward Playa del Carmen – 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 Playa del Carmen. If higher salaries, better infrastructure, or specific career opportunities are the priority, San Pedro makes more sense. Both are solid long-term options with distinct trade-offs.