Cost of Living Comparison Between Playa del Carmen and Sao Bernardo do Campo Cost of Living Comparison Between Playa del Carmen and Sao Bernardo do Campo

Monthly Cost of Living

A single person spends $1,293 per month in Playa del Carmen vs $826 in Sao Bernardo do Campo, rent included.

A couple spends around $2,334 per month in Playa del Carmen vs $1,292 in Sao Bernardo do Campo, rent included.

A family of three spends $3,374 per month in Playa del Carmen vs $1,758 in Sao Bernardo do Campo, rent included.

Playa del Carmen costs about 57% more than Sao Bernardo do Campo, driven mainly by Eating Out.

Both Playa del Carmen and Sao Bernardo do Campo are more affordable than the global median – Playa del Carmen 6% lower, Sao Bernardo do Campo 40% lower.

Meal at Budget Restaurant

$11.71 MX$198

$6.76 R$34.65

73.22%

Three-Course Dinner for Two, Mid-Range

$46.59 MX$787

$28.64 R$147

62.67%

Fast Food Meal (McDonalds, etc)

$11.65 MX$197

$8.42 R$43.15

38.36%

Cappuccino

$4.09 MX$69.2

$1.72 R$8.82

137.79%

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

$1.37 MX$23.23

$1.22 R$6.24

12.30%

Water (0.33 liter bottle)

$0.83 MX$14.09

$0.64 R$3.30

29.69%

Local Beer (0.5 liter draught)

$3.35 MX$56.7

$2.33 R$11.94

43.78%

Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$6.91 MX$117

$3.77 R$19.31

83.29%

Milk (1 liter)

$1.73 MX$29.19

$0.93 R$4.75

86.02%

White Bread (500g)

$2.26 MX$38.20

$1.93 R$9.88

17.10%

Rice (white) (1kg)

$1.77 MX$29.90

$1.29 R$6.61

37.21%

Eggs

$2.73 MX$46.18

$1.92 R$9.82

42.19%

Local Cheese (1kg)

$9.18 MX$155

$11.23 R$57.6

-18.25%

Chicken Fillets (1kg)

$8.92 MX$151

$4.38 R$22.42

103.65%

Beef Round Steak (1kg)

$12.60 MX$213

$10.18 R$52.2

23.77%

Apples (1kg)

$3.02 MX$51.1

$2.32 R$11.87

30.17%

Banana (1kg)

$1.57 MX$26.54

$1.67 R$8.57

-5.99%

Oranges (1kg)

$2.13 MX$35.92

$1.32 R$6.75

61.36%

Tomato (1kg)

$2.26 MX$38.27

$1.48 R$7.59

52.70%

Potato (1kg)

$2.00 MX$33.87

$1.28 R$6.57

56.25%

Onion (1kg)

$2.06 MX$34.89

$0.97 R$4.98

112.37%

Lettuce (1 head)

$1.18 MX$19.94

$0.85 R$4.37

38.82%

Water (1.5 liter bottle)

$1.20 MX$20.35

$0.81 R$4.14

48.15%

Cigarettes 20 Pack (Marlboro, Camel)

$4.63 MX$78.3

$2.16 R$11.07

114.35%

Wine (Bottle)

$10.69 MX$181

$6.75 R$34.60

58.37%

Local Beer (0.5 liter bottle)

$1.62 MX$27.37

$1.20 R$6.16

35.00%

Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$2.88 MX$48.69

$2.52 R$12.89

14.29%

One-way Ticket (Public Transport)

$0.57 MX$9.69

$1.09 R$5.58

-47.71%

Public Transport Monthly Pass (Regular Price)

$29.83 MX$504

Taxi Start (Normal Tariff)

$5.45 MX$92.1

$1.13 R$5.80

382.30%

Taxi (Normal Tariff) (1km)

$3.70 MX$62.6

$0.60 R$3.10

516.67%

Taxi 1hour Waiting (Normal Tariff)

$5.98 MX$101

$2.97 R$15.20

101.35%

Gasoline (1 liter)

$1.55 MX$26.25

$1.09 R$5.59

42.20%

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

$22.3K MX$377.3K

$22.9K R$117.4K

-2.57%

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

$25.9K MX$438.5K

$30.9K R$158.3K

-16.03%

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

$89.1 MX$1,506

$63.5 R$325

40.38%

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

$25.04 MX$423

$15.38 R$78.8

62.81%

Internet (50+ Mbps, Unlimited Data)

$31.50 MX$532

$19.98 R$102

57.66%

Gym Membership (Monthly)

$67.8 MX$1,145

$23.11 R$118

193.29%

Tennis Court (1 Hour on Weekend)

$28.92 MX$489

$32.12 R$165

-9.96%

Cinema Ticket

$5.05 MX$85.3

$6.88 R$35.25

-26.60%

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

$225 MX$3,802

$323 R$1,656

-30.41%

International Primary School, 1 Child (Yearly)

$4,222 MX$71.4K

$6,370 R$32.6K

-33.72%

Jeans (Levis 501 Or Similar)

$47.44 MX$802

$36.95 R$189

28.39%

Summer Dress (H&M, Zara, etc)

$44.98 MX$760

$46.34 R$237

-2.93%

Sport Shoes (Adidas, Nike)

$82.0 MX$1,386

$92.8 R$475

-11.60%

Men's Leather Business Shoes

$92.1 MX$1,556

$73.2 R$375

25.80%

1-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)

$1,069 MX$18.1K

$326 R$1,672

227.74%

1-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)

$405 MX$6,850

$245 R$1,256

65.32%

3-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)

$1,935 MX$32.7K

$953 R$4,884

103.04%

3-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)

$1,301 MX$22.0K

$426 R$2,183

205.45%

Buy Apartment in City Center (m2)

$3,995 MX$67.5K

$1,535 R$7,865

160.29%

Buy Apartment Outside City Center (m2)

$6,626 MX$112.0K

$1,058 R$5,421

526.27%

Average Monthly Net Salary (After Tax)

$749 MX$12.7K

$379 R$1,941

97.64%

20-Year Fixed Mortgage Interest Rate (Annual %)

11.45

10.81

5.92%

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

Last update for Playa del Carmen: August 29, 2026

Last update for Sao Bernardo do Campo: August 31, 2026

Cost Breakdown

A central one-bedroom costs $1,069 in Playa del Carmen versus $326 in Sao Bernardo do Campo. 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 98% 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 $47.00 in Playa del Carmen versus $29.00 in Sao Bernardo do Campo. Monthly groceries follow the same trend: $277 vs $205 – making Sao Bernardo do Campo 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 Sao Bernardo do Campo: Cost of Living - Frequently Asked Questions

Yes – Playa del Carmen is pricier by about 57%, 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 $1,940 per month in Playa del Carmen and $1,239 in Sao Bernardo do Campo. That covers rent, food, utilities, transport, and enough left over to feel settled – not just surviving.

Rent is clearly cheaper in Sao Bernardo do Campo, 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 $1,293 in Playa del Carmen and $826 in Sao Bernardo do Campo. The difference isn't just one category – it shows up across housing, food, transport, and services.

Kindergarten costs $225 per month in Playa del Carmen and $323 in Sao Bernardo do Campo. 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 Sao Bernardo do Campo, where all-in costs run around $826, than in Playa del Carmen at $1,293. In Sao Bernardo do Campo it covers expenses comfortably, while in Playa del Carmen it requires careful planning or may not stretch far enough.

Families tend to lean toward Sao Bernardo do Campo – 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 Sao Bernardo do Campo. 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.