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 $1,198 per month in San Fernando vs $1,271 in Playa del Carmen, rent included.

A couple spends around $1,963 per month in San Fernando vs $2,126 in Playa del Carmen, rent included.

A family of three spends $2,727 per month in San Fernando vs $2,980 in Playa del Carmen, rent included.

San Fernando is about 6% cheaper than Playa del Carmen, driven mainly by Groceries & Markets.

Both San Fernando and Playa del Carmen are more affordable than the global median – San Fernando 11% lower, Playa del Carmen 5% lower.

Meal at Budget Restaurant

$10.19 TTD 68.9

$11.87 MX$204

-14.15%

Three-Course Dinner for Two, Mid-Range

$59.3 TTD 401

$42.90 MX$736

38.11%

Fast Food Meal (McDonalds, etc)

$7.36 TTD 49.77

$10.65 MX$183

-30.89%

Cappuccino

$3.55 TTD 24.03

$3.45 MX$59.2

2.90%

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

$1.06 TTD 7.15

$1.50 MX$25.81

-29.33%

Water (0.33 liter bottle)

$0.75 TTD 5.06

$0.95 MX$16.28

-21.05%

Local Beer (0.5 liter draught)

$1.89 TTD 12.77

$3.03 MX$51.9

-37.62%

Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$2.46 TTD 16.63

$4.61 MX$79.1

-46.64%

Milk (1 liter)

$2.07 TTD 14.01

$1.38 MX$23.61

50.00%

White Bread (500g)

$2.34 TTD 15.81

$1.85 MX$31.70

26.49%

Rice (white) (1kg)

$2.63 TTD 17.77

$1.61 MX$27.65

63.35%

Eggs

$3.77 TTD 25.47

$2.59 MX$44.51

45.56%

Local Cheese (1kg)

$7.96 TTD 53.8

$8.26 MX$142

-3.63%

Chicken Fillets (1kg)

$10.53 TTD 71.2

$8.37 MX$144

25.81%

Beef Round Steak (1kg)

$8.52 TTD 57.6

$10.66 MX$183

-20.08%

Apples (1kg)

$5.96 TTD 40.27

$2.63 MX$45.12

126.62%

Banana (1kg)

$2.58 TTD 17.48

$1.49 MX$25.53

73.15%

Oranges (1kg)

$4.32 TTD 29.23

$1.92 MX$32.94

125.00%

Tomato (1kg)

$4.74 TTD 32.05

$2.09 MX$35.81

126.79%

Potato (1kg)

$1.23 TTD 8.30

$1.86 MX$31.88

-33.87%

Onion (1kg)

$0.73 TTD 4.92

$2.26 MX$38.81

-67.70%

Lettuce (1 head)

$1.46 TTD 9.84

$1.06 MX$18.23

37.74%

Water (1.5 liter bottle)

$1.21 TTD 8.16

$1.09 MX$18.67

11.01%

Cigarettes 20 Pack (Marlboro, Camel)

$5.69 TTD 38.45

$4.15 MX$71.2

37.11%

Wine (Bottle)

$17.94 TTD 121

$10.39 MX$178

72.67%

Local Beer (0.5 liter bottle)

$1.54 TTD 10.41

$1.72 MX$29.59

-10.47%

Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$2.82 TTD 19.06

$2.61 MX$44.85

8.05%

One-way Ticket (Public Transport)

$0.42 TTD 2.86

$0.54 MX$9.30

-22.22%

Public Transport Monthly Pass (Regular Price)

$43.75 TTD 296

$26.94 MX$462

62.40%

Taxi Start (Normal Tariff)

$0.86 TTD 5.79

$3.13 MX$53.7

-72.52%

Taxi (Normal Tariff) (1km)

$0.91 TTD 6.16

$2.51 MX$43.09

-63.75%

Taxi 1hour Waiting (Normal Tariff)

$14.70 TTD 99.4

$3.15 MX$54.1

366.67%

Gasoline (1 liter)

$1.03 TTD 6.98

$1.27 MX$21.88

-18.90%

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

$33.8K TTD 228.2K

$30.4K MX$521.3K

11.14%

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

$38.4K TTD 259.8K

$23.6K MX$404.5K

63.07%

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

$44.62 TTD 302

$83.0 MX$1,425

-46.24%

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

$41.80 TTD 283

$22.71 MX$390

84.06%

Internet (50+ Mbps, Unlimited Data)

$45.79 TTD 310

$29.46 MX$506

55.43%

Gym Membership (Monthly)

$45.66 TTD 309

$51.0 MX$875

-10.47%

Tennis Court (1 Hour on Weekend)

$8.95 TTD 60.5

$18.33 MX$315

-51.17%

Cinema Ticket

$9.01 TTD 60.9

$4.93 MX$84.5

82.76%

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

$324 TTD 2,190

$197 MX$3,386

64.15%

International Primary School, 1 Child (Yearly)

$2,257 TTD 15.3K

$5,280 MX$90.6K

-57.25%

Jeans (Levis 501 Or Similar)

$44.69 TTD 302

$36.90 MX$633

21.11%

Summer Dress (H&M, Zara, etc)

$36.57 TTD 247

$39.89 MX$685

-8.32%

Sport Shoes (Adidas, Nike)

$89.0 TTD 602

$80.0 MX$1,373

11.22%

Men's Leather Business Shoes

$87.7 TTD 593

$89.5 MX$1,536

-1.94%

1-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)

$550 TTD 3,720

$956 MX$16.4K

-42.46%

1-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)

$341 TTD 2,302

$477 MX$8,189

-28.62%

3-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)

$952 TTD 6,436

$1,646 MX$28.3K

-42.17%

3-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)

$697 TTD 4,714

$1,225 MX$21.0K

-43.06%

Buy Apartment in City Center (m2)

$2,003 TTD 13.5K

$3,918 MX$67.2K

-48.88%

Buy Apartment Outside City Center (m2)

$1,489 TTD 10.1K

$6,459 MX$110.9K

-76.95%

Average Monthly Net Salary (After Tax)

$1,031 TTD 6,971

$667 MX$11.4K

54.59%

20-Year Fixed Mortgage Interest Rate (Annual %)

5.38

11.42

-52.89%

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

Last update for San Fernando: June 9, 2026

Last update for Playa del Carmen: June 7, 2026

Cost Breakdown

A central one-bedroom costs $550 in San Fernando versus $956 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 55% higher in San Fernando, 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 $59.0 in San Fernando versus $43.00 in Playa del Carmen. Monthly groceries follow the same trend: $333 vs $250 – making Playa del Carmen 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 6%, and the gap shows up most in Groceries & Markets. It's not just housing either; the difference applies across most spending categories.

For a comfortable life, plan on about $1,797 per month in San Fernando and $1,906 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 $1,198 in San Fernando and $1,271 in Playa del Carmen. The difference isn't just one category – it shows up across housing, food, transport, and services.

Public transport costs about 62% less in San Fernando. For daily commuters, that gap adds up to noticeable savings over a year.

A $1,500 monthly budget goes further in San Fernando, where all-in costs run around $1,198, than in Playa del Carmen at $1,271. 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.