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 $1,197 per month in San Fernando vs $1,287 in Playa del Carmen, rent included.

A couple spends around $1,968 per month in San Fernando vs $2,184 in Playa del Carmen, rent included.

A family of three spends $2,740 per month in San Fernando vs $3,082 in Playa del Carmen, rent included.

San Fernando is about 7% 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 4% lower.

Meal at Budget Restaurant

$10.30 TTD 70.0

$11.94 MX$208

-13.74%

Three-Course Dinner for Two, Mid-Range

$59.2 TTD 402

$42.75 MX$744

38.53%

Fast Food Meal (McDonalds, etc)

$7.54 TTD 51.2

$10.59 MX$184

-28.80%

Cappuccino

$3.76 TTD 25.52

$3.62 MX$63.0

3.87%

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

$1.09 TTD 7.37

$1.47 MX$25.54

-25.85%

Water (0.33 liter bottle)

$0.80 TTD 5.45

$0.94 MX$16.41

-14.89%

Local Beer (0.5 liter draught)

$1.90 TTD 12.89

$3.09 MX$53.8

-38.51%

Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$2.47 TTD 16.76

$4.46 MX$77.6

-44.62%

Milk (1 liter)

$2.00 TTD 13.56

$1.43 MX$24.80

39.86%

White Bread (500g)

$2.32 TTD 15.74

$1.88 MX$32.79

23.40%

Rice (white) (1kg)

$2.57 TTD 17.44

$1.63 MX$28.34

57.67%

Eggs

$3.77 TTD 25.58

$2.64 MX$45.99

42.80%

Local Cheese (1kg)

$8.07 TTD 54.8

$8.21 MX$143

-1.71%

Chicken Fillets (1kg)

$10.36 TTD 70.3

$8.29 MX$144

24.97%

Beef Round Steak (1kg)

$8.47 TTD 57.5

$11.10 MX$193

-23.69%

Apples (1kg)

$5.81 TTD 39.45

$2.65 MX$46.14

119.25%

Banana (1kg)

$2.55 TTD 17.30

$1.50 MX$26.11

70.00%

Oranges (1kg)

$4.29 TTD 29.10

$1.99 MX$34.59

115.58%

Tomato (1kg)

$4.63 TTD 31.46

$2.08 MX$36.13

122.60%

Potato (1kg)

$1.23 TTD 8.33

$1.79 MX$31.11

-31.28%

Onion (1kg)

$0.77 TTD 5.23

$2.18 MX$37.87

-64.68%

Lettuce (1 head)

$1.46 TTD 9.90

$1.08 MX$18.73

35.19%

Water (1.5 liter bottle)

$1.21 TTD 8.22

$1.04 MX$18.04

16.35%

Cigarettes 20 Pack (Marlboro, Camel)

$5.52 TTD 37.49

$3.97 MX$69.1

39.04%

Wine (Bottle)

$17.74 TTD 120

$10.20 MX$178

73.92%

Local Beer (0.5 liter bottle)

$1.50 TTD 10.20

$1.73 MX$30.04

-13.29%

Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$2.73 TTD 18.54

$2.50 MX$43.46

9.20%

One-way Ticket (Public Transport)

$0.42 TTD 2.86

$0.52 MX$9.02

-19.23%

Public Transport Monthly Pass (Regular Price)

$44.18 TTD 300

$26.97 MX$469

63.81%

Taxi Start (Normal Tariff)

$0.92 TTD 6.23

$3.14 MX$54.7

-70.70%

Taxi (Normal Tariff) (1km)

$0.92 TTD 6.24

$2.40 MX$41.80

-61.67%

Taxi 1hour Waiting (Normal Tariff)

$14.79 TTD 100

$3.09 MX$53.7

378.64%

Gasoline (1 liter)

$1.03 TTD 7.00

$1.27 MX$22.16

-18.90%

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

$34.2K TTD 232.4K

$30.9K MX$537.3K

10.82%

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

$38.8K TTD 263.7K

$23.3K MX$405.7K

66.57%

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

$45.18 TTD 307

$82.0 MX$1,427

-44.91%

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

$42.01 TTD 285

$22.45 MX$391

87.13%

Internet (50+ Mbps, Unlimited Data)

$46.20 TTD 314

$29.66 MX$516

55.77%

Gym Membership (Monthly)

$45.57 TTD 309

$51.9 MX$903

-12.15%

Tennis Court (1 Hour on Weekend)

$8.82 TTD 59.9

$18.67 MX$325

-52.76%

Cinema Ticket

$9.12 TTD 61.9

$4.97 MX$86.5

83.50%

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

$326 TTD 2,212

$198 MX$3,442

64.71%

International Primary School, 1 Child (Yearly)

$2,226 TTD 15.1K

$5,273 MX$91.7K

-57.78%

Jeans (Levis 501 Or Similar)

$45.00 TTD 306

$36.34 MX$632

23.83%

Summer Dress (H&M, Zara, etc)

$36.74 TTD 249

$40.05 MX$697

-8.26%

Sport Shoes (Adidas, Nike)

$88.3 TTD 600

$79.9 MX$1,390

10.53%

Men's Leather Business Shoes

$89.8 TTD 610

$88.9 MX$1,547

1.08%

1-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)

$532 TTD 3,610

$963 MX$16.8K

-44.81%

1-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)

$348 TTD 2,365

$465 MX$8,086

-25.06%

3-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)

$977 TTD 6,636

$1,596 MX$27.8K

-38.77%

3-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)

$699 TTD 4,749

$1,209 MX$21.0K

-42.14%

Buy Apartment in City Center (m2)

$2,016 TTD 13.7K

$3,942 MX$68.6K

-48.85%

Buy Apartment Outside City Center (m2)

$1,497 TTD 10.2K

$6,448 MX$112.2K

-76.79%

Average Monthly Net Salary (After Tax)

$1,009 TTD 6,850

$720 MX$12.5K

40.03%

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: April 26, 2026

Last update for Playa del Carmen: April 25, 2026

Cost Breakdown

A central one-bedroom costs $532 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.

Salaries run about 40% 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: $329 vs $251 – 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 8%, 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 $1,795 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 $1,197 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.

Public transport costs about 64% 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 $1,197, 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.