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

Monthly Cost of Living

A single person spends $1,119 per month in San Fernando vs $1,287 in Playa del Carmen, rent included.

A couple spends around $1,757 per month in San Fernando vs $2,184 in Playa del Carmen, rent included.

A family of three spends $2,395 per month in San Fernando vs $3,082 in Playa del Carmen, rent included.

San Fernando is about 13% cheaper than Playa del Carmen, driven mainly by Getting Around.

Both San Fernando and Playa del Carmen are more affordable than the global median – San Fernando 16% lower, Playa del Carmen 4% lower.

Meal at Budget Restaurant

$10.61 MX$185

$11.94 MX$208

-11.14%

Three-Course Dinner for Two, Mid-Range

$39.66 MX$690

$42.75 MX$744

-7.23%

Fast Food Meal (McDonalds, etc)

$7.97 MX$139

$10.59 MX$184

-24.74%

Cappuccino

$3.28 MX$57.1

$3.62 MX$63.0

-9.39%

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

$1.28 MX$22.29

$1.47 MX$25.54

-12.93%

Water (0.33 liter bottle)

$0.92 MX$16.07

$0.94 MX$16.41

-2.13%

Local Beer (0.5 liter draught)

$2.45 MX$42.64

$3.09 MX$53.8

-20.71%

Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$3.93 MX$68.4

$4.46 MX$77.6

-11.88%

Milk (1 liter)

$1.45 MX$25.20

$1.43 MX$24.80

1.40%

White Bread (500g)

$2.55 MX$44.35

$1.88 MX$32.79

35.64%

Rice (white) (1kg)

$1.63 MX$28.31

$1.63 MX$28.34

Eggs

$2.40 MX$41.67

$2.64 MX$45.99

-9.09%

Local Cheese (1kg)

$7.97 MX$139

$8.21 MX$143

-2.92%

Chicken Fillets (1kg)

$7.79 MX$136

$8.29 MX$144

-6.03%

Beef Round Steak (1kg)

$10.65 MX$185

$11.10 MX$193

-4.05%

Apples (1kg)

$2.60 MX$45.24

$2.65 MX$46.14

-1.89%

Banana (1kg)

$1.44 MX$25.04

$1.50 MX$26.11

-4.00%

Oranges (1kg)

$1.79 MX$31.18

$1.99 MX$34.59

-10.05%

Tomato (1kg)

$1.61 MX$27.96

$2.08 MX$36.13

-22.60%

Potato (1kg)

$1.92 MX$33.40

$1.79 MX$31.11

7.26%

Onion (1kg)

$1.99 MX$34.63

$2.18 MX$37.87

-8.72%

Lettuce (1 head)

$1.26 MX$21.98

$1.08 MX$18.73

16.67%

Water (1.5 liter bottle)

$1.02 MX$17.71

$1.04 MX$18.04

-1.92%

Cigarettes 20 Pack (Marlboro, Camel)

$4.11 MX$71.6

$3.97 MX$69.1

3.53%

Wine (Bottle)

$10.25 MX$178

$10.20 MX$178

0.49%

Local Beer (0.5 liter bottle)

$1.56 MX$27.20

$1.73 MX$30.04

-9.83%

Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$2.75 MX$47.92

$2.50 MX$43.46

10.00%

One-way Ticket (Public Transport)

$0.66 MX$11.46

$0.52 MX$9.02

26.92%

Public Transport Monthly Pass (Regular Price)

$26.97 MX$469

Taxi Start (Normal Tariff)

$2.63 MX$45.75

$3.14 MX$54.7

-16.24%

Taxi (Normal Tariff) (1km)

$1.55 MX$27.02

$2.40 MX$41.80

-35.42%

Taxi 1hour Waiting (Normal Tariff)

$8.13 MX$141

$3.09 MX$53.7

163.11%

Gasoline (1 liter)

$1.26 MX$21.93

$1.27 MX$22.16

-0.79%

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

$21.5K MX$374.0K

$30.9K MX$537.3K

-30.40%

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

$22.7K MX$394.3K

$23.3K MX$405.7K

-2.81%

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

$55.7 MX$970

$82.0 MX$1,427

-32.03%

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

$21.89 MX$381

$22.45 MX$391

-2.49%

Internet (50+ Mbps, Unlimited Data)

$28.24 MX$491

$29.66 MX$516

-4.79%

Gym Membership (Monthly)

$36.51 MX$635

$51.9 MX$903

-29.61%

Tennis Court (1 Hour on Weekend)

$15.76 MX$274

$18.67 MX$325

-15.59%

Cinema Ticket

$4.50 MX$78.2

$4.97 MX$86.5

-9.46%

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

$209 MX$3,631

$198 MX$3,442

5.48%

International Primary School, 1 Child (Yearly)

$3,543 MX$61.6K

$5,273 MX$91.7K

-32.81%

Jeans (Levis 501 Or Similar)

$53.1 MX$923

$36.34 MX$632

45.98%

Summer Dress (H&M, Zara, etc)

$39.84 MX$693

$40.05 MX$697

-0.52%

Sport Shoes (Adidas, Nike)

$90.5 MX$1,575

$79.9 MX$1,390

13.32%

Men's Leather Business Shoes

$78.6 MX$1,367

$88.9 MX$1,547

-11.60%

1-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)

$519 MX$9,033

$963 MX$16.8K

-46.11%

1-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)

$396 MX$6,884

$465 MX$8,086

-14.87%

3-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)

$943 MX$16.4K

$1,596 MX$27.8K

-40.94%

3-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)

$766 MX$13.3K

$1,209 MX$21.0K

-36.64%

Buy Apartment in City Center (m2)

$2,010 MX$35.0K

$3,942 MX$68.6K

-49.00%

Buy Apartment Outside City Center (m2)

$1,286 MX$22.4K

$6,448 MX$112.2K

-80.06%

Average Monthly Net Salary (After Tax)

$720 MX$12.5K

20-Year Fixed Mortgage Interest Rate (Annual %)

11.48

11.42

0.53%

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

Last update for San Fernando: April 26, 2026

Last update for Playa del Carmen: April 25, 2026

Cost Breakdown

A central one-bedroom costs $519 in San Fernando versus $963 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.

A mid-range dinner for two costs $40.00 in San Fernando versus $43.00 in Playa del Carmen. Monthly groceries follow the same trend: $249 vs $251 – making San Fernando 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

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

Yes – Playa del Carmen is pricier by about 15%, 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 $1,678 per month in San Fernando and $1,930 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 Fernando, 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 $1,119 in San Fernando and $1,287 in Playa del Carmen. The difference isn't just one category – it shows up across housing, food, transport, and services.

Kindergarten costs $209 per month in San Fernando and $198 in Playa del Carmen. 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 Fernando, where all-in costs run around $1,119, than in Playa del Carmen at $1,287. In San Fernando 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 Fernando – 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 Fernando. 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.