Cost of Living Comparison Between San Francisco de Macoris and Playa del Carmen Cost of Living Comparison Between San Francisco de Macoris and Playa del Carmen

Monthly Cost of Living

A single person spends $614 per month in San Francisco de Macoris vs $1,287 in Playa del Carmen, rent included.

A couple spends around $962 per month in San Francisco de Macoris vs $2,184 in Playa del Carmen, rent included.

A family of three spends $1,310 per month in San Francisco de Macoris vs $3,082 in Playa del Carmen, rent included.

San Francisco de Macoris is about 52% cheaper than Playa del Carmen, driven mainly by Eating Out.

Both San Francisco de Macoris and Playa del Carmen are more affordable than the global median – San Francisco de Macoris 54% lower, Playa del Carmen 4% lower.

Meal at Budget Restaurant

$3.72 DOP 221

$11.94 MX$208

-68.84%

Three-Course Dinner for Two, Mid-Range

$13.37 DOP 796

$42.75 MX$744

-68.73%

Fast Food Meal (McDonalds, etc)

$6.91 DOP 411

$10.59 MX$184

-34.75%

Cappuccino

$2.48 DOP 148

$3.62 MX$63.0

-31.49%

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

$0.62 DOP 36.78

$1.47 MX$25.54

-57.82%

Water (0.33 liter bottle)

$0.49 DOP 29.15

$0.94 MX$16.41

-47.87%

Local Beer (0.5 liter draught)

$2.11 DOP 125

$3.09 MX$53.8

-31.72%

Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$2.50 DOP 149

$4.46 MX$77.6

-43.95%

Milk (1 liter)

$1.20 DOP 71.3

$1.43 MX$24.80

-16.08%

White Bread (500g)

$1.75 DOP 104

$1.88 MX$32.79

-6.91%

Rice (white) (1kg)

$1.13 DOP 67.3

$1.63 MX$28.34

-30.67%

Eggs

$1.45 DOP 86.1

$2.64 MX$45.99

-45.08%

Local Cheese (1kg)

$3.97 DOP 236

$8.21 MX$143

-51.64%

Chicken Fillets (1kg)

$3.39 DOP 202

$8.29 MX$144

-59.11%

Beef Round Steak (1kg)

$6.75 DOP 402

$11.10 MX$193

-39.19%

Apples (1kg)

$2.63 DOP 156

$2.65 MX$46.14

-0.75%

Banana (1kg)

$0.80 DOP 47.33

$1.50 MX$26.11

-46.67%

Oranges (1kg)

$1.24 DOP 73.9

$1.99 MX$34.59

-37.69%

Tomato (1kg)

$0.82 DOP 48.80

$2.08 MX$36.13

-60.58%

Potato (1kg)

$1.21 DOP 71.8

$1.79 MX$31.11

-32.40%

Onion (1kg)

$1.24 DOP 73.8

$2.18 MX$37.87

-43.12%

Lettuce (1 head)

$0.60 DOP 35.83

$1.08 MX$18.73

-44.44%

Water (1.5 liter bottle)

$0.88 DOP 52.7

$1.04 MX$18.04

-15.38%

Cigarettes 20 Pack (Marlboro, Camel)

$3.38 DOP 201

$3.97 MX$69.1

-14.86%

Wine (Bottle)

$11.55 DOP 688

$10.20 MX$178

13.24%

Local Beer (0.5 liter bottle)

$2.66 DOP 158

$1.73 MX$30.04

53.76%

Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$3.12 DOP 185

$2.50 MX$43.46

24.80%

One-way Ticket (Public Transport)

$0.57 DOP 33.87

$0.52 MX$9.02

9.62%

Public Transport Monthly Pass (Regular Price)

$26.97 MX$469

Taxi Start (Normal Tariff)

$3.32 DOP 198

$3.14 MX$54.7

5.73%

Taxi (Normal Tariff) (1km)

$2.01 DOP 120

$2.40 MX$41.80

-16.25%

Taxi 1hour Waiting (Normal Tariff)

$5.79 DOP 344

$3.09 MX$53.7

87.38%

Gasoline (1 liter)

$1.16 DOP 68.9

$1.27 MX$22.16

-8.66%

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

$26.3K DOP 1.6M

$30.9K MX$537.3K

-14.73%

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

$31.6K DOP 1.9M

$23.3K MX$405.7K

35.37%

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

$38.98 DOP 2,320

$82.0 MX$1,427

-52.47%

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

$8.47 DOP 504

$22.45 MX$391

-62.27%

Internet (50+ Mbps, Unlimited Data)

$36.30 DOP 2,160

$29.66 MX$516

22.39%

Gym Membership (Monthly)

$17.21 DOP 1,025

$51.9 MX$903

-66.82%

Tennis Court (1 Hour on Weekend)

$8.66 DOP 515

$18.67 MX$325

-53.62%

Cinema Ticket

$4.18 DOP 249

$4.97 MX$86.5

-15.90%

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

$172 DOP 10.3K

$198 MX$3,442

-12.86%

International Primary School, 1 Child (Yearly)

$2,016 DOP 120.0K

$5,273 MX$91.7K

-61.77%

Jeans (Levis 501 Or Similar)

$25.03 DOP 1,490

$36.34 MX$632

-31.12%

Summer Dress (H&M, Zara, etc)

$51.8 DOP 3,084

$40.05 MX$697

29.39%

Sport Shoes (Adidas, Nike)

$66.8 DOP 3,976

$79.9 MX$1,390

-16.36%

Men's Leather Business Shoes

$68.4 DOP 4,072

$88.9 MX$1,547

-23.03%

1-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)

$159 DOP 9,488

$963 MX$16.8K

-83.45%

1-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)

$106 DOP 6,292

$465 MX$8,086

-77.25%

3-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)

$333 DOP 19.8K

$1,596 MX$27.8K

-79.13%

3-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)

$269 DOP 16.0K

$1,209 MX$21.0K

-77.77%

Buy Apartment in City Center (m2)

$3,942 MX$68.6K

Buy Apartment Outside City Center (m2)

$6,448 MX$112.2K

Average Monthly Net Salary (After Tax)

$720 MX$12.5K

20-Year Fixed Mortgage Interest Rate (Annual %)

12.9

11.42

12.96%

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

Last update for San Francisco de Macoris: April 26, 2026

Last update for Playa del Carmen: April 25, 2026

Cost Breakdown

A central one-bedroom costs $159 in San Francisco de Macoris 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 $13.00 in San Francisco de Macoris versus $43.00 in Playa del Carmen. Monthly groceries follow the same trend: $178 vs $251 – making San Francisco de Macoris 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 Francisco de Macoris vs Playa del Carmen: Cost of Living - Frequently Asked Questions

Yes – Playa del Carmen is pricier by about 110%, 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 $921 per month in San Francisco de Macoris 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 Francisco de Macoris, 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 $614 in San Francisco de Macoris 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 $172 per month in San Francisco de Macoris 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 $1,000 monthly budget goes further in San Francisco de Macoris, where all-in costs run around $614, than in Playa del Carmen at $1,287. In San Francisco de Macoris 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 Francisco de Macoris – 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 Francisco de Macoris. 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.