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

😐 Solo nomad: Playa del Carmen is 18.4% more expensive than San Salvador without rent, and 17.6% cheaper with rent.
πŸ™‚ Family of 3: Playa del Carmen is 9.2% cheaper than San Salvador without rent, and 4.6% more expensive with rent.
Currency
🍽 Eating Out
Playa del Carmen
San Salvador
Difference
Meal at Budget Restaurant
$11.99 MX$227
$7.81 $7.81
53.52%
Three-Course Dinner for Two, Mid-Range
$42.47 MX$803
$35.66 $35.66
19.10%
Fast Food Meal (McDonalds, etc)
$10.47 MX$198
$7.08 $7.08
47.88%
Cappuccino
$3.6 MX$68.2
$3.17 $3.17
13.56%
Coke/Pepsi/Fanta/Sprite (0.33 liter bottle)
$1.44 MX$27.16
$1.14 $1.14
26.32%
Water (0.33 liter bottle)
$0.89 MX$16.79
$0.85 $0.85
4.71%
Local Beer (0.5 liter draught)
$3.09 MX$58.5
$2.03 $2.03
52.22%
Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)
$4.58 MX$86.6
$2.98 $2.98
53.69%
πŸ›’ Groceries & Markets
Playa del Carmen
San Salvador
Difference
Milk (1 liter)
$1.38 MX$26.04
$1.85 $1.85
-25.41%
White Bread (500g)
$1.85 MX$34.9
$1.99 $1.99
-7.04%
Rice (white) (1kg)
$1.57 MX$29.68
$1.56 $1.56
0.64%
Eggs
$2.55 MX$48.3
$2.89 $2.89
-11.76%
Local Cheese (1kg)
$8.61 MX$163
$6.87 $6.87
25.33%
Chicken Fillets (1kg)
$8.54 MX$161
$6.81 $6.81
25.40%
Beef Round Steak (1kg)
$10.98 MX$208
$10.93 $10.93
0.46%
Apples (1kg)
$2.72 MX$51.4
$3.25 $3.25
-16.31%
Banana (1kg)
$1.51 MX$28.57
$1.67 $1.67
-9.58%
Oranges (1kg)
$1.88 MX$35.63
$2.51 $2.51
-25.10%
Tomato (1kg)
$2.19 MX$41.42
$2.62 $2.62
-16.41%
Potato (1kg)
$1.87 MX$35.3
$2.18 $2.18
-14.22%
Onion (1kg)
$2.19 MX$41.37
$2.21 $2.21
-0.90%
Lettuce (1 head)
$1.07 MX$20.23
$0.97 $0.97
10.31%
Water (1.5 liter bottle)
$1.09 MX$20.64
$1.07 $1.07
1.87%
Cigarettes 20 Pack (Marlboro, Camel)
$3.96 MX$74.9
$3.96 $3.96
-
Wine (Bottle)
$8.86 MX$167
$10.17 $10.17
-12.88%
Local Beer (0.5 liter bottle)
$1.72 MX$32.53
$1.69 $1.69
1.78%
Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)
$2.61 MX$49.37
$2.4 $2.4
8.75%
🚌 Getting Around
Playa del Carmen
San Salvador
Difference
One-way Ticket (Public Transport)
$0.52 MX$9.74
$0.33 $0.33
57.58%
Public Transport Monthly Pass (Regular Price)
$26.59 MX$503
$25.29 $25.29
5.14%
Taxi Start (Normal Tariff)
$3.24 MX$61.2
$5.6 $5.6
-42.14%
Taxi (Normal Tariff) (1km)
$2.38 MX$44.94
$3.11 $3.11
-23.47%
Taxi 1hour Waiting (Normal Tariff)
$3.11 MX$58.7
$19.89 $19.89
-84.36%
Gasoline (1 liter)
$1.31 MX$24.85
$0.99 $0.99
32.32%
Midsize Hatchback 1.4l (Volkswagen Golf, Toyota Prius, Honda Civic, etc)
$30.3K MX$573K
$25.5K $25.5K
18.65%
Compact Sedan 1.6l (Toyota Corolla, Mazda3, Kia K4, Hyundai Elantra, etc)
$24K MX$453.6K
$28.4K $28.4K
-15.56%
🧾 Monthly Utilities & Internet
Playa del Carmen
San Salvador
Difference
Utilities for 2 People in 2-bedroom Apartment (Heating, Electricity, Gas, Water, Garbage) (85m2)
$84.2 MX$1,592
$102 $102
-17.50%
SIM Card Monthly Plan (Calls and 10GB+ Data)
$22.14 MX$419
$18.87 $18.87
17.33%
Internet (50+ Mbps, Unlimited Data)
$30.14 MX$570
$40.93 $40.93
-26.36%
πŸŽ‰ Sport & Entertainment
Playa del Carmen
San Salvador
Difference
Gym Membership (Monthly)
$52 MX$983
$31.61 $31.61
64.44%
Tennis Court (1 Hour on Weekend)
$18.72 MX$354
$20.23 $20.23
-7.46%
Cinema Ticket
$5.07 MX$95.9
$5.37 $5.37
-5.59%
🧸 Childcare & Education
Playa del Carmen
San Salvador
Difference
Preschool or Kindergarten, Full Day, Private, 1 Child (Monthly)
$200 MX$3,787
$145 $145
38.01%
International Primary School, 1 Child (Yearly)
$5,333 MX$100.8K
$5,967 $5,967
-10.63%
πŸ‘•πŸ‘Ÿ Clothing & Footwear
Playa del Carmen
San Salvador
Difference
Jeans (Levis 501 Or Similar)
$35.74 MX$676
$66.4 $66.4
-46.19%
Summer Dress (H&M, Zara, etc)
$39.8 MX$753
$42.93 $42.93
-7.29%
Sport Shoes (Adidas, Nike)
$79 MX$1,493
$115 $115
-31.26%
Men's Leather Business Shoes
$88.4 MX$1,671
$105 $105
-15.95%
🏠 Accommodation & Living
Playa del Carmen
San Salvador
Difference
1-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)
$965 MX$18.3K
$845 $845
14.22%
1-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)
$474 MX$8,968
$708 $708
-32.97%
3-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)
$1,653 MX$31.2K
$1,465 $1,465
12.85%
3-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)
$1,202 MX$22.7K
$1,097 $1,097
9.57%
Buy Apartment in City Center (m2)
$3,081 MX$58.3K
$2,369 $2,369
30.05%
Buy Apartment Outside City Center (m2)
$7,529 MX$142.3K
$1,793 $1,793
320.01%
πŸ’΅ Salaries & Financials
Playa del Carmen
San Salvador
Difference
Average Monthly Net Salary (After Tax)
$792 MX$15K
$385 $385
105.69%
20-Year Fixed Mortgage Interest Rate (Annual %)
11.42
8.58
33.10%

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

Last update for Playa del Carmen: October 28, 2025

Last update for San Salvador: October 28, 2025

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