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 $1,253 per month in San Fernando vs $1,305 in Playa del Carmen, rent included.

A couple spends around $2,001 per month in San Fernando vs $2,334 in Playa del Carmen, rent included.

A family of three spends $2,749 per month in San Fernando vs $3,362 in Playa del Carmen, rent included.

San Fernando is about 4% cheaper than Playa del Carmen, driven mainly by Eating Out.

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

$10.29 TTD 69.4

$11.96 MX$203

-13.96%

Three-Course Dinner for Two, Mid-Range

$59.1 TTD 399

$47.38 MX$804

24.80%

Fast Food Meal (McDonalds, etc)

$8.15 TTD 54.9

$11.75 MX$199

-30.64%

Cappuccino

$3.80 TTD 25.64

$4.12 MX$70.0

-7.77%

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

$0.99 TTD 6.67

$1.40 MX$23.74

-29.29%

Water (0.33 liter bottle)

$0.76 TTD 5.12

$0.91 MX$15.48

-16.48%

Local Beer (0.5 liter draught)

$1.87 TTD 12.61

$3.21 MX$54.4

-41.74%

Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$2.51 TTD 16.92

$7.07 MX$120

-64.50%

Milk (1 liter)

$2.03 TTD 13.66

$1.68 MX$28.44

20.83%

White Bread (500g)

$2.26 TTD 15.25

$2.15 MX$36.48

5.12%

Rice (white) (1kg)

$2.81 TTD 18.92

$1.77 MX$30.10

58.76%

Eggs

$3.93 TTD 26.50

$2.82 MX$47.76

39.36%

Local Cheese (1kg)

$6.79 TTD 45.75

$9.20 MX$156

-26.20%

Chicken Fillets (1kg)

$9.95 TTD 67.1

$9.23 MX$157

7.80%

Beef Round Steak (1kg)

$8.72 TTD 58.8

$12.64 MX$214

-31.01%

Apples (1kg)

$5.54 TTD 37.36

$2.95 MX$50.1

87.80%

Banana (1kg)

$2.47 TTD 16.65

$1.58 MX$26.79

56.33%

Oranges (1kg)

$3.59 TTD 24.23

$2.22 MX$37.70

61.71%

Tomato (1kg)

$4.18 TTD 28.20

$2.36 MX$40.09

77.12%

Potato (1kg)

$0.72 TTD 4.86

$1.99 MX$33.81

-63.82%

Onion (1kg)

$0.77 TTD 5.19

$1.98 MX$33.58

-61.11%

Lettuce (1 head)

$1.51 TTD 10.19

$1.24 MX$21.04

21.77%

Water (1.5 liter bottle)

$1.16 TTD 7.82

$1.21 MX$20.55

-4.13%

Cigarettes 20 Pack (Marlboro, Camel)

$5.76 TTD 38.84

$4.60 MX$78.1

25.22%

Wine (Bottle)

$17.73 TTD 120

$10.52 MX$178

68.54%

Local Beer (0.5 liter bottle)

$1.56 TTD 10.53

$1.69 MX$28.70

-7.69%

Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$3.04 TTD 20.50

$2.77 MX$47.06

9.75%

One-way Ticket (Public Transport)

$0.45 TTD 3.05

$0.60 MX$10.22

-25.00%

Public Transport Monthly Pass (Regular Price)

$44.37 TTD 299

$29.70 MX$504

49.39%

Taxi Start (Normal Tariff)

$0.87 TTD 5.86

$5.24 MX$88.8

-83.40%

Taxi (Normal Tariff) (1km)

$0.90 TTD 6.09

$3.65 MX$61.9

-75.34%

Taxi 1hour Waiting (Normal Tariff)

$14.99 TTD 101

$5.78 MX$98.1

159.34%

Gasoline (1 liter)

$1.17 TTD 7.91

$1.54 MX$26.09

-24.03%

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

$36.2K TTD 244.4K

$22.8K MX$386.8K

58.96%

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

$41.2K TTD 277.8K

$25.8K MX$437.9K

59.62%

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

$44.23 TTD 298

$90.7 MX$1,538

-51.22%

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

$42.55 TTD 287

$25.19 MX$427

68.92%

Internet (50+ Mbps, Unlimited Data)

$46.30 TTD 312

$31.75 MX$539

45.83%

Gym Membership (Monthly)

$51.0 TTD 344

$68.8 MX$1,167

-25.89%

Tennis Court (1 Hour on Weekend)

$29.37 MX$498

Cinema Ticket

$8.89 TTD 59.9

$4.86 MX$82.5

82.92%

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

$396 TTD 2,670

$226 MX$3,828

75.46%

International Primary School, 1 Child (Yearly)

$11.0K TTD 74.2K

$4,194 MX$71.1K

162.27%

Jeans (Levis 501 Or Similar)

$55.2 TTD 372

$47.38 MX$804

16.57%

Summer Dress (H&M, Zara, etc)

$37.31 TTD 252

$43.45 MX$737

-14.13%

Sport Shoes (Adidas, Nike)

$89.7 TTD 605

$80.2 MX$1,361

11.85%

Men's Leather Business Shoes

$87.5 TTD 590

$91.4 MX$1,550

-4.30%

1-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)

$509 TTD 3,429

$1,086 MX$18.4K

-53.15%

1-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)

$391 TTD 2,634

$409 MX$6,933

-4.40%

3-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)

$891 TTD 6,007

$1,972 MX$33.5K

-54.82%

3-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)

$745 TTD 5,025

$1,281 MX$21.7K

-41.83%

Buy Apartment in City Center (m2)

$1,997 TTD 13.5K

$4,046 MX$68.6K

-50.64%

Buy Apartment Outside City Center (m2)

$1,513 TTD 10.2K

$6,704 MX$113.7K

-77.43%

Average Monthly Net Salary (After Tax)

$1,028 TTD 6,928

$773 MX$13.1K

32.89%

20-Year Fixed Mortgage Interest Rate (Annual %)

5.75

11.45

-49.78%

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

Last update for San Fernando: September 6, 2026

Last update for Playa del Carmen: September 7, 2026

Cost Breakdown

A central one-bedroom costs $509 in San Fernando versus $1,086 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 33% 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 $47.00 in Playa del Carmen. Monthly groceries follow the same trend: $317 vs $278 – 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 Eating Out. It's not just housing either; the difference applies across most spending categories.

For a comfortable life, plan on about $1,879 per month in San Fernando and $1,958 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 $1,253 in San Fernando and $1,305 in Playa del Carmen. The difference isn't just one category – it shows up across housing, food, transport, and services.

Public transport costs about 49% 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 $1,253, than in Playa del Carmen at $1,305. 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.