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 $618 per month in San Francisco de Macoris vs $1,260 in Playa del Carmen, rent included.

A couple spends around $979 per month in San Francisco de Macoris vs $2,125 in Playa del Carmen, rent included.

A family of three spends $1,341 per month in San Francisco de Macoris vs $2,990 in Playa del Carmen, rent included.

San Francisco de Macoris is about 51% 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 5% lower.

Meal at Budget Restaurant

$3.71 DOP 216

$11.72 MX$203

-68.34%

Three-Course Dinner for Two, Mid-Range

$13.61 DOP 791

$41.89 MX$725

-67.51%

Fast Food Meal (McDonalds, etc)

$6.67 DOP 387

$10.51 MX$182

-36.54%

Cappuccino

$2.54 DOP 148

$3.59 MX$62.0

-29.25%

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

$0.58 DOP 33.68

$1.51 MX$26.10

-61.59%

Water (0.33 liter bottle)

$0.53 DOP 31.00

$0.92 MX$15.83

-42.39%

Local Beer (0.5 liter draught)

$2.14 DOP 124

$2.96 MX$51.2

-27.70%

Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$2.48 DOP 144

$4.41 MX$76.3

-43.76%

Milk (1 liter)

$1.19 DOP 68.9

$1.40 MX$24.16

-15.00%

White Bread (500g)

$1.74 DOP 101

$1.88 MX$32.60

-7.45%

Rice (white) (1kg)

$1.10 DOP 63.8

$1.56 MX$26.97

-29.49%

Eggs

$1.40 DOP 81.3

$2.61 MX$45.14

-46.36%

Local Cheese (1kg)

$4.01 DOP 233

$8.32 MX$144

-51.80%

Chicken Fillets (1kg)

$3.50 DOP 204

$8.35 MX$145

-58.08%

Beef Round Steak (1kg)

$6.66 DOP 387

$10.86 MX$188

-38.67%

Apples (1kg)

$2.60 DOP 151

$2.71 MX$46.93

-4.06%

Banana (1kg)

$0.77 DOP 44.99

$1.51 MX$26.04

-49.01%

Oranges (1kg)

$1.29 DOP 74.9

$1.87 MX$32.41

-31.02%

Tomato (1kg)

$0.86 DOP 50.2

$2.19 MX$37.89

-60.73%

Potato (1kg)

$1.16 DOP 67.4

$1.86 MX$32.14

-37.63%

Onion (1kg)

$1.24 DOP 71.8

$2.23 MX$38.59

-44.39%

Lettuce (1 head)

$0.58 DOP 33.61

$1.07 MX$18.48

-45.79%

Water (1.5 liter bottle)

$0.98 DOP 56.7

$1.09 MX$18.79

-10.09%

Cigarettes 20 Pack (Marlboro, Camel)

$3.47 DOP 202

$4.19 MX$72.4

-17.18%

Wine (Bottle)

$10.60 DOP 616

$10.43 MX$180

1.63%

Local Beer (0.5 liter bottle)

$2.65 DOP 154

$1.66 MX$28.68

59.64%

Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$3.12 DOP 181

$2.61 MX$45.19

19.54%

One-way Ticket (Public Transport)

$0.61 DOP 35.32

$0.54 MX$9.37

12.96%

Public Transport Monthly Pass (Regular Price)

$26.16 MX$453

Taxi Start (Normal Tariff)

$3.35 DOP 195

$3.08 MX$53.3

8.77%

Taxi (Normal Tariff) (1km)

$2.02 DOP 117

$2.40 MX$41.61

-15.83%

Taxi 1hour Waiting (Normal Tariff)

$5.84 DOP 340

$3.13 MX$54.1

86.58%

Gasoline (1 liter)

$1.12 DOP 65.2

$1.31 MX$22.69

-14.50%

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

$26.7K DOP 1.6M

$29.8K MX$515.7K

-10.34%

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

$31.5K DOP 1.8M

$23.3K MX$403.5K

35.06%

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

$39.55 DOP 2,298

$81.3 MX$1,406

-51.34%

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

$8.35 DOP 485

$22.56 MX$390

-62.99%

Internet (50+ Mbps, Unlimited Data)

$35.88 DOP 2,085

$30.05 MX$520

19.40%

Gym Membership (Monthly)

$16.84 DOP 979

$52.9 MX$915

-68.17%

Tennis Court (1 Hour on Weekend)

$8.41 DOP 489

$18.39 MX$318

-54.27%

Cinema Ticket

$4.34 DOP 252

$4.92 MX$85.1

-11.79%

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

$169 DOP 9,823

$201 MX$3,474

-15.82%

International Primary School, 1 Child (Yearly)

$2,003 DOP 116.4K

$5,175 MX$89.5K

-61.28%

Jeans (Levis 501 Or Similar)

$25.10 DOP 1,458

$35.92 MX$622

-30.12%

Summer Dress (H&M, Zara, etc)

$52.0 DOP 3,020

$40.13 MX$694

29.48%

Sport Shoes (Adidas, Nike)

$67.2 DOP 3,904

$79.7 MX$1,379

-15.70%

Men's Leather Business Shoes

$68.5 DOP 3,979

$86.5 MX$1,496

-20.80%

1-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)

$161 DOP 9,363

$978 MX$16.9K

-83.53%

1-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)

$107 DOP 6,215

$470 MX$8,140

-77.27%

3-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)

$339 DOP 19.7K

$1,651 MX$28.6K

-79.45%

3-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)

$261 DOP 15.2K

$1,203 MX$20.8K

-78.32%

Buy Apartment in City Center (m2)

$3,953 MX$68.4K

Buy Apartment Outside City Center (m2)

$6,607 MX$114.3K

Average Monthly Net Salary (After Tax)

$677 MX$11.7K

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: July 28, 2026

Last update for Playa del Carmen: July 27, 2026

Cost Breakdown

A central one-bedroom costs $161 in San Francisco de Macoris 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.

A mid-range dinner for two costs $14.00 in San Francisco de Macoris versus $42.00 in Playa del Carmen. Monthly groceries follow the same trend: $177 vs $252 – 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 104%, 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 $927 per month in San Francisco de Macoris 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 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 $618 in San Francisco de Macoris and $1,260 in Playa del Carmen. The difference isn't just one category – it shows up across housing, food, transport, and services.

Kindergarten costs $169 per month in San Francisco de Macoris and $201 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 $618, than in Playa del Carmen at $1,260. 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.