Cost of Living Comparison Between Playa del Carmen and Sao Jose do Rio Preto SP Cost of Living Comparison Between Playa del Carmen and Sao Jose do Rio Preto SP

Monthly Cost of Living

A single person spends $1,293 per month in Playa del Carmen vs $797 in Sao Jose do Rio Preto SP, rent included.

A couple spends around $2,334 per month in Playa del Carmen vs $1,244 in Sao Jose do Rio Preto SP, rent included.

A family of three spends $3,374 per month in Playa del Carmen vs $1,691 in Sao Jose do Rio Preto SP, rent included.

Playa del Carmen costs about 62% more than Sao Jose do Rio Preto SP, driven mainly by Eating Out.

Both Playa del Carmen and Sao Jose do Rio Preto SP are more affordable than the global median – Playa del Carmen 6% lower, Sao Jose do Rio Preto SP 42% lower.

Meal at Budget Restaurant

$11.71 MX$198

$4.27 R$21.80

174.24%

Three-Course Dinner for Two, Mid-Range

$46.59 MX$788

$26.22 R$134

77.69%

Fast Food Meal (McDonalds, etc)

$11.65 MX$197

$8.10 R$41.33

43.83%

Cappuccino

$4.09 MX$69.2

$2.23 R$11.37

83.41%

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

$1.37 MX$23.23

$1.27 R$6.49

7.87%

Water (0.33 liter bottle)

$0.83 MX$14.09

$0.73 R$3.72

13.70%

Local Beer (0.5 liter draught)

$3.35 MX$56.7

$1.97 R$10.06

70.05%

Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$6.91 MX$117

$3.44 R$17.55

100.87%

Milk (1 liter)

$1.73 MX$29.20

$1.02 R$5.19

69.61%

White Bread (500g)

$2.26 MX$38.21

$1.79 R$9.13

26.26%

Rice (white) (1kg)

$1.77 MX$29.91

$1.18 R$6.01

50.00%

Eggs

$2.73 MX$46.19

$1.96 R$9.99

39.29%

Local Cheese (1kg)

$9.18 MX$155

$6.67 R$34.01

37.63%

Chicken Fillets (1kg)

$8.92 MX$151

$4.10 R$20.92

117.56%

Beef Round Steak (1kg)

$12.60 MX$213

$6.26 R$31.94

101.28%

Apples (1kg)

$3.02 MX$51.1

$2.29 R$11.67

31.88%

Banana (1kg)

$1.57 MX$26.55

$1.12 R$5.72

40.18%

Oranges (1kg)

$2.13 MX$35.93

$0.74 R$3.78

187.84%

Tomato (1kg)

$2.26 MX$38.28

$1.49 R$7.59

51.68%

Potato (1kg)

$2.00 MX$33.88

$1.23 R$6.26

62.60%

Onion (1kg)

$2.06 MX$34.90

$1.20 R$6.13

71.67%

Lettuce (1 head)

$1.18 MX$19.94

$0.94 R$4.78

25.53%

Water (1.5 liter bottle)

$1.20 MX$20.35

$0.65 R$3.33

84.62%

Cigarettes 20 Pack (Marlboro, Camel)

$4.63 MX$78.4

$1.90 R$9.67

143.68%

Wine (Bottle)

$10.69 MX$181

$6.83 R$34.81

56.52%

Local Beer (0.5 liter bottle)

$1.62 MX$27.38

$1.10 R$5.61

47.27%

Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$2.88 MX$48.70

$2.26 R$11.54

27.43%

One-way Ticket (Public Transport)

$0.57 MX$9.69

$0.97 R$4.97

-41.24%

Public Transport Monthly Pass (Regular Price)

$29.83 MX$504

$29.30 R$149

1.81%

Taxi Start (Normal Tariff)

$5.45 MX$92.1

$0.57 R$2.89

856.14%

Taxi (Normal Tariff) (1km)

$3.70 MX$62.6

$0.74 R$3.75

400.00%

Taxi 1hour Waiting (Normal Tariff)

$5.98 MX$101

$6.58 R$33.56

-9.12%

Gasoline (1 liter)

$1.55 MX$26.26

$1.20 R$6.13

29.17%

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

$22.3K MX$377.4K

$18.7K R$95.5K

19.22%

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

$25.9K MX$438.7K

$29.8K R$152.1K

-12.97%

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

$89.1 MX$1,507

$63.6 R$324

40.16%

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

$25.04 MX$423

$13.28 R$67.7

88.55%

Internet (50+ Mbps, Unlimited Data)

$31.50 MX$532

$18.15 R$92.6

73.55%

Gym Membership (Monthly)

$67.8 MX$1,146

$20.85 R$106

225.08%

Tennis Court (1 Hour on Weekend)

$28.92 MX$489

$18.96 R$96.7

52.53%

Cinema Ticket

$5.05 MX$85.4

$3.76 R$19.18

34.31%

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

$225 MX$3,803

$275 R$1,404

-18.27%

International Primary School, 1 Child (Yearly)

$4,222 MX$71.4K

$7,665 R$39.1K

-44.92%

Jeans (Levis 501 Or Similar)

$47.44 MX$802

$64.9 R$331

-26.93%

Summer Dress (H&M, Zara, etc)

$44.98 MX$760

$55.5 R$283

-18.97%

Sport Shoes (Adidas, Nike)

$82.0 MX$1,386

$90.5 R$462

-9.44%

Men's Leather Business Shoes

$92.1 MX$1,557

$44.41 R$227

107.41%

1-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)

$1,069 MX$18.1K

$418 R$2,134

155.59%

1-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)

$405 MX$6,852

$258 R$1,315

57.21%

3-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)

$1,935 MX$32.7K

$583 R$2,974

231.84%

3-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)

$1,301 MX$22.0K

$447 R$2,279

191.15%

Buy Apartment in City Center (m2)

$3,995 MX$67.5K

$2,097 R$10.7K

90.56%

Buy Apartment Outside City Center (m2)

$6,626 MX$112.0K

$799 R$4,076

729.04%

Average Monthly Net Salary (After Tax)

$749 MX$12.7K

$525 R$2,675

42.75%

20-Year Fixed Mortgage Interest Rate (Annual %)

11.45

8.23

39.13%

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 Jose do Rio Preto SP: August 29, 2026

Cost Breakdown

A central one-bedroom costs $1,069 in Playa del Carmen versus $418 in Sao Jose do Rio Preto SP. 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 43% 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 $26.00 in Sao Jose do Rio Preto SP. Monthly groceries follow the same trend: $277 vs $170 – making Sao Jose do Rio Preto SP 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 Jose do Rio Preto SP: 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 $1,940 per month in Playa del Carmen and $1,196 in Sao Jose do Rio Preto SP. That covers rent, food, utilities, transport, and enough left over to feel settled – not just surviving.

Rent is clearly cheaper in Sao Jose do Rio Preto SP, 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 $797 in Sao Jose do Rio Preto SP. The difference isn't just one category – it shows up across housing, food, transport, and services.

Public transport costs about 2% less in Sao Jose do Rio Preto SP. For daily commuters, that gap adds up to noticeable savings over a year.

A $1,000 monthly budget goes further in Sao Jose do Rio Preto SP, where all-in costs run around $797, than in Playa del Carmen at $1,293. In Sao Jose do Rio Preto SP 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 Jose do Rio Preto SP – 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 Jose do Rio Preto SP. 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.