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 $1,256 per month in Playa del Carmen vs $1,609 in San Pedro, rent included.

A couple spends around $2,137 per month in Playa del Carmen vs $2,115 in San Pedro, rent included.

A family of three spends $3,017 per month in Playa del Carmen vs $2,622 in San Pedro, rent included.

Playa del Carmen is about 22% cheaper than San Pedro, driven mainly by Groceries & Markets.

Playa del Carmen sits 6% below the global median, while San Pedro is 20% above – they fall on opposite sides of the world average.

Meal at Budget Restaurant

$11.99 MX$210

$9.52 BZD 19.04

25.95%

Three-Course Dinner for Two, Mid-Range

$41.78 MX$733

$30.07 BZD 60.2

38.94%

Fast Food Meal (McDonalds, etc)

$10.75 MX$189

Cappuccino

$3.50 MX$61.3

$2.97 BZD 5.94

17.85%

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

$1.45 MX$25.41

$1.40 BZD 2.80

3.57%

Water (0.33 liter bottle)

$0.88 MX$15.52

$1.56 BZD 3.12

-43.59%

Local Beer (0.5 liter draught)

$2.95 MX$51.7

$2.96 BZD 5.93

-0.34%

Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$4.51 MX$79.1

$4.10 BZD 8.20

10.00%

Milk (1 liter)

$1.43 MX$25.12

$4.02 BZD 8.03

-64.43%

White Bread (500g)

$1.84 MX$32.23

$1.38 BZD 2.76

33.33%

Rice (white) (1kg)

$1.57 MX$27.51

$4.18 BZD 8.36

-62.44%

Eggs

$2.51 MX$44.06

$2.21 BZD 4.42

13.57%

Local Cheese (1kg)

$8.28 MX$145

$9.97 BZD 19.95

-16.95%

Chicken Fillets (1kg)

$8.43 MX$148

$6.18 BZD 12.36

36.41%

Beef Round Steak (1kg)

$10.68 MX$187

$8.45 BZD 16.91

26.39%

Apples (1kg)

$2.61 MX$45.76

$8.52 BZD 17.03

-69.37%

Banana (1kg)

$1.44 MX$25.22

$1.05 BZD 2.09

37.14%

Oranges (1kg)

$1.96 MX$34.41

$1.06 BZD 2.12

84.91%

Tomato (1kg)

$2.09 MX$36.74

$5.36 BZD 10.72

-61.01%

Potato (1kg)

$1.85 MX$32.47

$2.72 BZD 5.43

-31.99%

Onion (1kg)

$2.17 MX$38.02

$2.95 BZD 5.91

-26.44%

Lettuce (1 head)

$1.03 MX$18.09

$3.51 BZD 7.01

-70.66%

Water (1.5 liter bottle)

$1.07 MX$18.84

$1.29 BZD 2.57

-17.05%

Cigarettes 20 Pack (Marlboro, Camel)

$4.10 MX$72.0

Wine (Bottle)

$10.17 MX$178

$23.59 BZD 47.19

-56.89%

Local Beer (0.5 liter bottle)

$1.68 MX$29.38

$2.38 BZD 4.77

-29.41%

Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$2.53 MX$44.31

$3.31 BZD 6.61

-23.56%

One-way Ticket (Public Transport)

$0.51 MX$8.93

Public Transport Monthly Pass (Regular Price)

$26.04 MX$457

Taxi Start (Normal Tariff)

$3.23 MX$56.7

Taxi (Normal Tariff) (1km)

$2.41 MX$42.19

$4.91 BZD 9.82

-50.92%

Taxi 1hour Waiting (Normal Tariff)

$3.23 MX$56.6

Gasoline (1 liter)

$1.32 MX$23.17

$1.56 BZD 3.13

-15.38%

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

$29.7K MX$520.9K

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

$23.7K MX$415.0K

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

$82.0 MX$1,439

$174 BZD 348

-52.81%

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

$22.95 MX$403

Internet (50+ Mbps, Unlimited Data)

$30.11 MX$528

$98.1 BZD 196

-69.30%

Gym Membership (Monthly)

$52.0 MX$912

$30.16 BZD 60.3

72.31%

Tennis Court (1 Hour on Weekend)

$18.53 MX$325

Cinema Ticket

$4.98 MX$87.3

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

$197 MX$3,463

International Primary School, 1 Child (Yearly)

$5,336 MX$93.6K

Jeans (Levis 501 Or Similar)

$35.60 MX$624

Summer Dress (H&M, Zara, etc)

$40.33 MX$707

Sport Shoes (Adidas, Nike)

$78.8 MX$1,381

$98.7 BZD 197

-20.23%

Men's Leather Business Shoes

$88.9 MX$1,560

1-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)

$947 MX$16.6K

$996 BZD 1,993

-4.94%

1-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)

$474 MX$8,314

$762 BZD 1,524

-37.79%

3-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)

$1,644 MX$28.8K

$1,050 BZD 2,101

56.50%

3-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)

$1,211 MX$21.2K

$905 BZD 1,811

33.74%

Buy Apartment in City Center (m2)

$4,056 MX$71.1K

$2,647 BZD 5,294

53.25%

Buy Apartment Outside City Center (m2)

$6,470 MX$113.5K

$1,629 BZD 3,258

297.17%

Average Monthly Net Salary (After Tax)

$654 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: July 13, 2026

Last update for San Pedro: July 13, 2026

Cost Breakdown

A central one-bedroom costs $947 in Playa del Carmen versus $996 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 $30.00 in San Pedro. Groceries tell a different story – $249 in Playa del Carmen vs $355 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 28%, 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 $2,413 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 43% 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 $30.00 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 $1,256, than in San Pedro at $1,609. 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.