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

Monthly Cost of Living

A single person spends $1,151 per month in San Bernardo vs $1,294 in Playa del Carmen, rent included.

A couple spends around $1,752 per month in San Bernardo vs $2,189 in Playa del Carmen, rent included.

A family of three spends $2,354 per month in San Bernardo vs $3,084 in Playa del Carmen, rent included.

San Bernardo is about 11% cheaper than Playa del Carmen, driven mainly by Getting Around.

Both San Bernardo and Playa del Carmen are more affordable than the global median – San Bernardo 14% lower, Playa del Carmen 3% lower.

Meal at Budget Restaurant

$10.86 CLP 9,623

$11.73 MX$202

-7.42%

Three-Course Dinner for Two, Mid-Range

$53.6 CLP 47.4K

$41.78 MX$719

28.20%

Fast Food Meal (McDonalds, etc)

$8.26 CLP 7,314

$10.41 MX$179

-20.65%

Cappuccino

$3.13 CLP 2,776

$3.61 MX$62.1

-13.30%

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

$0.89 CLP 789

$1.46 MX$25.06

-39.04%

Water (0.33 liter bottle)

$1.24 CLP 1,099

$0.97 MX$16.70

27.84%

Local Beer (0.5 liter draught)

$3.32 CLP 2,939

$2.92 MX$50.3

13.70%

Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$4.23 CLP 3,749

$4.62 MX$79.5

-8.44%

Milk (1 liter)

$1.11 CLP 983

$1.43 MX$24.59

-22.38%

White Bread (500g)

$1.58 CLP 1,401

$1.90 MX$32.70

-16.84%

Rice (white) (1kg)

$2.09 CLP 1,851

$1.57 MX$26.95

33.12%

Eggs

$4.10 CLP 3,632

$2.64 MX$45.34

55.30%

Local Cheese (1kg)

$10.32 CLP 9,139

$8.44 MX$145

22.27%

Chicken Fillets (1kg)

$6.76 CLP 5,986

$8.58 MX$148

-21.21%

Beef Round Steak (1kg)

$11.05 CLP 9,790

$11.00 MX$189

0.45%

Apples (1kg)

$2.04 CLP 1,810

$2.70 MX$46.51

-24.44%

Banana (1kg)

$1.63 CLP 1,445

$1.51 MX$25.92

7.95%

Oranges (1kg)

$2.05 CLP 1,812

$1.91 MX$32.93

7.33%

Tomato (1kg)

$1.86 CLP 1,647

$2.17 MX$37.37

-14.29%

Potato (1kg)

$1.90 CLP 1,681

$1.87 MX$32.25

1.60%

Onion (1kg)

$1.62 CLP 1,434

$2.23 MX$38.43

-27.35%

Lettuce (1 head)

$1.30 CLP 1,149

$1.08 MX$18.60

20.37%

Water (1.5 liter bottle)

$1.22 CLP 1,084

$1.07 MX$18.47

14.02%

Cigarettes 20 Pack (Marlboro, Camel)

$3.38 CLP 2,995

$4.16 MX$71.6

-18.75%

Wine (Bottle)

$6.73 CLP 5,959

$10.29 MX$177

-34.60%

Local Beer (0.5 liter bottle)

$1.60 CLP 1,419

$1.68 MX$28.95

-4.76%

Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$2.58 CLP 2,289

$2.53 MX$43.59

1.98%

One-way Ticket (Public Transport)

$0.58 CLP 518

$0.55 MX$9.53

5.45%

Public Transport Monthly Pass (Regular Price)

$26.29 MX$452

Taxi Start (Normal Tariff)

$0.50 CLP 444

$3.20 MX$55.0

-84.38%

Taxi (Normal Tariff) (1km)

$1.47 CLP 1,303

$2.46 MX$42.37

-40.24%

Taxi 1hour Waiting (Normal Tariff)

$11.45 CLP 10.1K

$3.20 MX$55.0

257.81%

Gasoline (1 liter)

$1.38 CLP 1,222

$1.32 MX$22.72

4.55%

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

$19.8K CLP 17.6M

$30.2K MX$518.8K

-34.19%

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

$22.5K CLP 19.9M

$23.4K MX$402.5K

-3.91%

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

$133 CLP 117.8K

$81.4 MX$1,400

63.48%

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

$13.51 CLP 12.0K

$22.41 MX$386

-39.71%

Internet (50+ Mbps, Unlimited Data)

$22.12 CLP 19.6K

$29.97 MX$516

-26.19%

Gym Membership (Monthly)

$38.66 CLP 34.2K

$51.6 MX$887

-25.02%

Tennis Court (1 Hour on Weekend)

$21.47 CLP 19.0K

$18.39 MX$316

16.75%

Cinema Ticket

$6.35 CLP 5,622

$5.16 MX$88.9

23.06%

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

$431 CLP 381.6K

$202 MX$3,471

113.55%

International Primary School, 1 Child (Yearly)

$8,522 CLP 7.5M

$5,311 MX$91.4K

60.46%

Jeans (Levis 501 Or Similar)

$55.7 CLP 49.3K

$35.61 MX$613

56.30%

Summer Dress (H&M, Zara, etc)

$33.41 CLP 29.6K

$40.37 MX$695

-17.24%

Sport Shoes (Adidas, Nike)

$77.0 CLP 68.2K

$78.6 MX$1,353

-2.05%

Men's Leather Business Shoes

$83.5 CLP 74.0K

$86.9 MX$1,495

-3.88%

1-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)

$478 CLP 423.7K

$950 MX$16.3K

-49.65%

1-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)

$373 CLP 330.3K

$478 MX$8,227

-22.01%

3-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)

$892 CLP 790.0K

$1,621 MX$27.9K

-44.97%

3-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)

$585 CLP 518.2K

$1,223 MX$21.0K

-52.15%

Buy Apartment in City Center (m2)

$2,066 CLP 1.8M

$4,009 MX$69.0K

-48.47%

Buy Apartment Outside City Center (m2)

$1,528 CLP 1.4M

$6,473 MX$111.4K

-76.40%

Average Monthly Net Salary (After Tax)

$1,370 CLP 1.2M

$673 MX$11.6K

103.58%

20-Year Fixed Mortgage Interest Rate (Annual %)

5.18

11.42

-54.64%

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

Last update for San Bernardo: June 14, 2026

Last update for Playa del Carmen: June 15, 2026

Cost Breakdown

A central one-bedroom costs $478 in San Bernardo versus $950 in Playa del Carmen. 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 104% higher in San Bernardo, which reinforces the cost advantage – you earn more and spend less. Purchasing power leans clearly in its favor.

A mid-range dinner for two costs $54.0 in San Bernardo versus $42.00 in Playa del Carmen. Groceries tell a different story – $242 in San Bernardo vs $254 in Playa del Carmen – so San Bernardo 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

San Bernardo vs Playa del Carmen: Cost of Living - Frequently Asked Questions

Yes – Playa del Carmen is pricier by about 12%, and the gap shows up most in Getting Around. It's not just housing either; the difference applies across most spending categories.

For a comfortable life, plan on about $1,726 per month in San Bernardo and $1,941 in Playa del Carmen. That covers rent, food, utilities, transport, and enough left over to feel settled – not just surviving.

Rent is clearly cheaper in San Bernardo, 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 $1,151 in San Bernardo and $1,294 in Playa del Carmen. The difference isn't just one category – it shows up across housing, food, transport, and services.

Kindergarten costs $431 per month in San Bernardo and $202 in Playa del Carmen. 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 San Bernardo, where all-in costs run around $1,151, than in Playa del Carmen at $1,294. In San Bernardo 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 Bernardo – 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 San Bernardo. 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.