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 $1,217 per month in San Fernando vs $1,260 in Playa del Carmen, rent included.

A couple spends around $2,005 per month in San Fernando vs $2,125 in Playa del Carmen, rent included.

A family of three spends $2,794 per month in San Fernando vs $2,990 in Playa del Carmen, rent included.

San Fernando is about 3% 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 9% lower, Playa del Carmen 5% lower.

Meal at Budget Restaurant

$10.40 TTD 70.1

$11.72 MX$204

-11.26%

Three-Course Dinner for Two, Mid-Range

$59.1 TTD 399

$41.89 MX$731

41.13%

Fast Food Meal (McDonalds, etc)

$7.54 TTD 50.9

$10.51 MX$183

-28.26%

Cappuccino

$3.68 TTD 24.82

$3.59 MX$62.5

2.51%

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

$1.09 TTD 7.34

$1.51 MX$26.31

-27.81%

Water (0.33 liter bottle)

$0.77 TTD 5.18

$0.92 MX$15.96

-16.30%

Local Beer (0.5 liter draught)

$1.82 TTD 12.30

$2.96 MX$51.6

-38.51%

Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$2.48 TTD 16.73

$4.41 MX$76.9

-43.76%

Milk (1 liter)

$2.03 TTD 13.72

$1.40 MX$24.35

45.00%

White Bread (500g)

$2.34 TTD 15.80

$1.88 MX$32.87

24.47%

Rice (white) (1kg)

$2.63 TTD 17.71

$1.56 MX$27.19

68.59%

Eggs

$3.83 TTD 25.83

$2.61 MX$45.50

46.74%

Local Cheese (1kg)

$8.09 TTD 54.6

$8.32 MX$145

-2.76%

Chicken Fillets (1kg)

$10.45 TTD 70.5

$8.35 MX$146

25.15%

Beef Round Steak (1kg)

$8.70 TTD 58.7

$10.86 MX$189

-19.89%

Apples (1kg)

$5.92 TTD 39.97

$2.71 MX$47.31

118.45%

Banana (1kg)

$2.48 TTD 16.75

$1.51 MX$26.25

64.24%

Oranges (1kg)

$4.36 TTD 29.41

$1.87 MX$32.67

133.16%

Tomato (1kg)

$4.67 TTD 31.51

$2.19 MX$38.19

113.24%

Potato (1kg)

$1.24 TTD 8.35

$1.86 MX$32.40

-33.33%

Onion (1kg)

$0.76 TTD 5.13

$2.23 MX$38.90

-65.92%

Lettuce (1 head)

$1.49 TTD 10.06

$1.07 MX$18.63

39.25%

Water (1.5 liter bottle)

$1.16 TTD 7.85

$1.09 MX$18.94

6.42%

Cigarettes 20 Pack (Marlboro, Camel)

$5.69 TTD 38.36

$4.19 MX$73.0

35.80%

Wine (Bottle)

$17.35 TTD 117

$10.43 MX$182

66.35%

Local Beer (0.5 liter bottle)

$1.52 TTD 10.24

$1.66 MX$28.91

-8.43%

Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$2.71 TTD 18.27

$2.61 MX$45.56

3.83%

One-way Ticket (Public Transport)

$0.46 TTD 3.09

$0.54 MX$9.45

-14.81%

Public Transport Monthly Pass (Regular Price)

$44.31 TTD 299

$26.16 MX$456

69.38%

Taxi Start (Normal Tariff)

$0.85 TTD 5.76

$3.08 MX$53.7

-72.40%

Taxi (Normal Tariff) (1km)

$0.86 TTD 5.77

$2.40 MX$41.94

-64.17%

Taxi 1hour Waiting (Normal Tariff)

$14.56 TTD 98.2

$3.13 MX$54.5

365.18%

Gasoline (1 liter)

$0.99 TTD 6.68

$1.31 MX$22.87

-24.43%

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

$34.4K TTD 232.1K

$29.8K MX$519.9K

15.44%

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

$38.2K TTD 257.8K

$23.3K MX$406.8K

63.89%

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

$44.86 TTD 303

$81.3 MX$1,418

-44.81%

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

$42.88 TTD 289

$22.56 MX$393

90.07%

Internet (50+ Mbps, Unlimited Data)

$45.00 TTD 304

$30.05 MX$524

49.75%

Gym Membership (Monthly)

$46.91 TTD 316

$52.9 MX$923

-11.34%

Tennis Court (1 Hour on Weekend)

$8.62 TTD 58.2

$18.39 MX$321

-53.13%

Cinema Ticket

$8.80 TTD 59.4

$4.92 MX$85.8

78.86%

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

$325 TTD 2,195

$201 MX$3,502

62.07%

International Primary School, 1 Child (Yearly)

$2,224 TTD 15.0K

$5,175 MX$90.2K

-57.03%

Jeans (Levis 501 Or Similar)

$43.93 TTD 296

$35.92 MX$627

22.30%

Summer Dress (H&M, Zara, etc)

$36.61 TTD 247

$40.13 MX$700

-8.77%

Sport Shoes (Adidas, Nike)

$89.7 TTD 605

$79.7 MX$1,390

12.57%

Men's Leather Business Shoes

$90.4 TTD 610

$86.5 MX$1,508

4.52%

1-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)

$533 TTD 3,596

$978 MX$17.1K

-45.49%

1-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)

$349 TTD 2,355

$470 MX$8,206

-25.81%

3-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)

$976 TTD 6,583

$1,651 MX$28.8K

-40.90%

3-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)

$695 TTD 4,688

$1,203 MX$21.0K

-42.25%

Buy Apartment in City Center (m2)

$1,976 TTD 13.3K

$3,953 MX$69.0K

-50.01%

Buy Apartment Outside City Center (m2)

$1,484 TTD 10.0K

$6,607 MX$115.2K

-77.54%

Average Monthly Net Salary (After Tax)

$1,030 TTD 6,947

$677 MX$11.8K

52.20%

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: July 27, 2026

Last update for Playa del Carmen: July 27, 2026

Cost Breakdown

A central one-bedroom costs $533 in San Fernando versus $978 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 52% 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 $42.00 in Playa del Carmen. Monthly groceries follow the same trend: $330 vs $252 – 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 4%, 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 $1,826 per month in San Fernando and $1,890 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 $1,217 in San Fernando and $1,260 in Playa del Carmen. The difference isn't just one category – it shows up across housing, food, transport, and services.

Public transport costs about 69% 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 $1,217, than in Playa del Carmen at $1,260. 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.