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 $799 in San Pedro, rent included.

A couple spends around $2,181 per month in Playa del Carmen vs $1,252 in San Pedro, rent included.

A family of three spends $3,065 per month in Playa del Carmen vs $1,705 in San Pedro, rent included.

Playa del Carmen costs about 62% more than San Pedro, driven mainly by Eating Out.

Both Playa del Carmen and San Pedro are more affordable than the global median – Playa del Carmen 3% lower, San Pedro 40% lower.

Meal at Budget Restaurant

$11.73 MX$203

$4.72 ₱291

148.52%

Three-Course Dinner for Two, Mid-Range

$41.62 MX$720

$21.59 ₱1,331

92.77%

Fast Food Meal (McDonalds, etc)

$10.64 MX$184

$3.06 ₱189

247.71%

Cappuccino

$3.52 MX$60.9

$2.71 ₱167

29.89%

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

$1.51 MX$26.12

$0.96 ₱59.2

57.29%

Water (0.33 liter bottle)

$0.97 MX$16.84

$0.35 ₱21.33

177.14%

Local Beer (0.5 liter draught)

$2.95 MX$51.0

$1.27 ₱78.5

132.28%

Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$4.45 MX$77.0

$2.65 ₱163

67.92%

Milk (1 liter)

$1.38 MX$23.93

$1.90 ₱117

-27.37%

White Bread (500g)

$1.89 MX$32.72

$1.25 ₱76.9

51.20%

Rice (white) (1kg)

$1.64 MX$28.32

$1.08 ₱66.5

51.85%

Eggs

$2.51 MX$43.34

$1.96 ₱121

28.06%

Local Cheese (1kg)

$8.34 MX$144

$6.91 ₱426

20.69%

Chicken Fillets (1kg)

$8.34 MX$144

$4.32 ₱266

93.06%

Beef Round Steak (1kg)

$10.73 MX$186

$7.28 ₱449

47.39%

Apples (1kg)

$2.60 MX$45.04

$3.40 ₱210

-23.53%

Banana (1kg)

$1.46 MX$25.20

$1.55 ₱95.6

-5.81%

Oranges (1kg)

$1.90 MX$32.87

$3.01 ₱186

-36.88%

Tomato (1kg)

$2.08 MX$35.91

$1.63 ₱101

27.61%

Potato (1kg)

$1.78 MX$30.71

$2.73 ₱168

-34.80%

Onion (1kg)

$2.19 MX$37.80

$3.16 ₱195

-30.70%

Lettuce (1 head)

$1.04 MX$17.99

$1.64 ₱101

-36.59%

Water (1.5 liter bottle)

$1.08 MX$18.62

$0.69 ₱42.70

56.52%

Cigarettes 20 Pack (Marlboro, Camel)

$4.08 MX$70.6

$3.24 ₱200

25.93%

Wine (Bottle)

$10.32 MX$178

$9.00 ₱555

14.67%

Local Beer (0.5 liter bottle)

$1.71 MX$29.61

$1.52 ₱93.5

12.50%

Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$2.58 MX$44.54

$2.06 ₱127

25.24%

One-way Ticket (Public Transport)

$0.51 MX$8.81

$0.26 ₱15.87

96.15%

Public Transport Monthly Pass (Regular Price)

$26.46 MX$458

Taxi Start (Normal Tariff)

$3.26 MX$56.4

$0.78 ₱48.14

317.95%

Taxi (Normal Tariff) (1km)

$2.49 MX$43.09

$0.24 ₱14.88

937.50%

Taxi 1hour Waiting (Normal Tariff)

$3.25 MX$56.2

$2.17 ₱134

49.77%

Gasoline (1 liter)

$1.31 MX$22.61

$1.09 ₱67.0

20.18%

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

$30.3K MX$523.7K

$25.9K ₱1.6M

17.00%

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

$23.4K MX$405.3K

$20.3K ₱1.3M

15.16%

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

$82.9 MX$1,433

$134 ₱8,273

-38.24%

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

$22.22 MX$384

$21.51 ₱1,326

3.30%

Internet (50+ Mbps, Unlimited Data)

$29.34 MX$507

$27.77 ₱1,712

5.65%

Gym Membership (Monthly)

$51.6 MX$893

$33.82 ₱2,086

52.66%

Tennis Court (1 Hour on Weekend)

$18.32 MX$317

$4.48 ₱276

308.93%

Cinema Ticket

$5.07 MX$87.6

$6.67 ₱411

-23.99%

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

$201 MX$3,473

$82.7 ₱5,101

142.76%

International Primary School, 1 Child (Yearly)

$5,212 MX$90.1K

$2,816 ₱173.6K

85.08%

Jeans (Levis 501 Or Similar)

$36.92 MX$639

$31.53 ₱1,945

17.09%

Summer Dress (H&M, Zara, etc)

$39.79 MX$688

$29.34 ₱1,809

35.62%

Sport Shoes (Adidas, Nike)

$78.5 MX$1,357

$81.9 ₱5,052

-4.26%

Men's Leather Business Shoes

$87.1 MX$1,506

$46.27 ₱2,853

88.22%

1-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)

$973 MX$16.8K

$266 ₱16.4K

265.97%

1-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)

$468 MX$8,090

$180 ₱11.1K

160.39%

3-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)

$1,641 MX$28.4K

$585 ₱36.1K

180.52%

3-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)

$1,221 MX$21.1K

$390 ₱24.0K

213.40%

Buy Apartment in City Center (m2)

$3,946 MX$68.3K

$2,395 ₱147.7K

64.79%

Buy Apartment Outside City Center (m2)

$6,498 MX$112.4K

$956 ₱58.9K

579.79%

Average Monthly Net Salary (After Tax)

$664 MX$11.5K

$308 ₱19.0K

115.81%

20-Year Fixed Mortgage Interest Rate (Annual %)

11.42

7.52

51.86%

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: May 30, 2026

Cost Breakdown

A central one-bedroom costs $973 in Playa del Carmen versus $266 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.

Salaries run about 116% 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 $42.00 in Playa del Carmen versus $22.00 in San Pedro. Monthly groceries follow the same trend: $249 vs $213 – making San Pedro 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 Pedro: Cost of Living - Frequently Asked Questions

Yes – Playa del Carmen is pricier by about 62%, and the gap shows up most in Eating Out. 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 $1,199 in San Pedro. That covers rent, food, utilities, transport, and enough left over to feel settled – not just surviving.

Rent is clearly cheaper in San Pedro, 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 $1,297 in Playa del Carmen and $799 in San Pedro. The difference isn't just one category – it shows up across housing, food, transport, and services.

Kindergarten costs $201 per month in Playa del Carmen and $82.7 in San Pedro. 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 Pedro, where all-in costs run around $799, than in Playa del Carmen at $1,297. In San Pedro 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 Pedro – 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 Pedro. 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.