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 $600 per month in San Francisco de Macoris vs $1,271 in Playa del Carmen, rent included.

A couple spends around $964 per month in San Francisco de Macoris vs $2,126 in Playa del Carmen, rent included.

A family of three spends $1,329 per month in San Francisco de Macoris vs $2,980 in Playa del Carmen, rent included.

San Francisco de Macoris is about 53% 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 55% lower, Playa del Carmen 5% lower.

Meal at Budget Restaurant

$3.91 DOP 229

$11.87 MX$204

-67.06%

Three-Course Dinner for Two, Mid-Range

$13.38 DOP 784

$42.90 MX$736

-68.81%

Fast Food Meal (McDonalds, etc)

$6.77 DOP 397

$10.65 MX$183

-36.43%

Cappuccino

$2.60 DOP 152

$3.45 MX$59.2

-24.64%

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

$0.57 DOP 33.38

$1.50 MX$25.81

-62.00%

Water (0.33 liter bottle)

$0.53 DOP 30.84

$0.95 MX$16.28

-44.21%

Local Beer (0.5 liter draught)

$2.17 DOP 127

$3.03 MX$51.9

-28.38%

Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$2.61 DOP 153

$4.61 MX$79.1

-43.38%

Milk (1 liter)

$1.15 DOP 67.7

$1.38 MX$23.61

-16.67%

White Bread (500g)

$1.81 DOP 106

$1.85 MX$31.70

-2.16%

Rice (white) (1kg)

$1.09 DOP 64.1

$1.61 MX$27.65

-32.30%

Eggs

$1.46 DOP 85.7

$2.59 MX$44.51

-43.63%

Local Cheese (1kg)

$4.01 DOP 235

$8.26 MX$142

-51.45%

Chicken Fillets (1kg)

$3.46 DOP 203

$8.37 MX$144

-58.66%

Beef Round Steak (1kg)

$6.82 DOP 400

$10.66 MX$183

-36.02%

Apples (1kg)

$2.70 DOP 158

$2.63 MX$45.12

2.66%

Banana (1kg)

$0.72 DOP 42.35

$1.49 MX$25.53

-51.68%

Oranges (1kg)

$1.30 DOP 76.2

$1.92 MX$32.94

-32.29%

Tomato (1kg)

$0.86 DOP 50.4

$2.09 MX$35.81

-58.85%

Potato (1kg)

$1.19 DOP 69.8

$1.86 MX$31.88

-36.02%

Onion (1kg)

$1.25 DOP 73.5

$2.26 MX$38.81

-44.69%

Lettuce (1 head)

$0.61 DOP 35.65

$1.06 MX$18.23

-42.45%

Water (1.5 liter bottle)

$0.96 DOP 56.2

$1.09 MX$18.67

-11.93%

Cigarettes 20 Pack (Marlboro, Camel)

$3.32 DOP 194

$4.15 MX$71.2

-20.00%

Wine (Bottle)

$10.67 DOP 625

$10.39 MX$178

2.69%

Local Beer (0.5 liter bottle)

$2.76 DOP 161

$1.72 MX$29.59

60.47%

Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$3.20 DOP 187

$2.61 MX$44.85

22.61%

One-way Ticket (Public Transport)

$0.57 DOP 33.10

$0.54 MX$9.30

5.56%

Public Transport Monthly Pass (Regular Price)

$26.94 MX$462

Taxi Start (Normal Tariff)

$3.43 DOP 201

$3.13 MX$53.7

9.58%

Taxi (Normal Tariff) (1km)

$1.94 DOP 114

$2.51 MX$43.09

-22.71%

Taxi 1hour Waiting (Normal Tariff)

$5.81 DOP 340

$3.15 MX$54.1

84.44%

Gasoline (1 liter)

$1.15 DOP 67.5

$1.27 MX$21.88

-9.45%

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

$26.4K DOP 1.5M

$30.4K MX$521.3K

-12.94%

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

$32.2K DOP 1.9M

$23.6K MX$404.5K

36.77%

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

$39.30 DOP 2,302

$83.0 MX$1,425

-52.65%

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

$8.73 DOP 511

$22.71 MX$390

-61.56%

Internet (50+ Mbps, Unlimited Data)

$35.55 DOP 2,082

$29.46 MX$506

20.67%

Gym Membership (Monthly)

$16.90 DOP 990

$51.0 MX$875

-66.86%

Tennis Court (1 Hour on Weekend)

$8.32 DOP 487

$18.33 MX$315

-54.61%

Cinema Ticket

$4.28 DOP 250

$4.93 MX$84.5

-13.18%

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

$171 DOP 10.0K

$197 MX$3,386

-13.48%

International Primary School, 1 Child (Yearly)

$2,050 DOP 120.1K

$5,280 MX$90.6K

-61.18%

Jeans (Levis 501 Or Similar)

$25.79 DOP 1,511

$36.90 MX$633

-30.11%

Summer Dress (H&M, Zara, etc)

$51.6 DOP 3,020

$39.89 MX$685

29.23%

Sport Shoes (Adidas, Nike)

$66.8 DOP 3,914

$80.0 MX$1,373

-16.50%

Men's Leather Business Shoes

$66.6 DOP 3,902

$89.5 MX$1,536

-25.55%

1-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)

$160 DOP 9,394

$956 MX$16.4K

-83.23%

1-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)

$109 DOP 6,383

$477 MX$8,189

-77.16%

3-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)

$343 DOP 20.1K

$1,646 MX$28.3K

-79.15%

3-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)

$270 DOP 15.8K

$1,225 MX$21.0K

-77.95%

Buy Apartment in City Center (m2)

$3,918 MX$67.2K

Buy Apartment Outside City Center (m2)

$6,459 MX$110.9K

Average Monthly Net Salary (After Tax)

$667 MX$11.4K

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: June 9, 2026

Last update for Playa del Carmen: June 7, 2026

Cost Breakdown

A central one-bedroom costs $160 in San Francisco de Macoris versus $956 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: $179 vs $250 – 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 112%, 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 $900 per month in San Francisco de Macoris and $1,906 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 $600 in San Francisco de Macoris and $1,271 in Playa del Carmen. The difference isn't just one category – it shows up across housing, food, transport, and services.

Kindergarten costs $171 per month in San Francisco de Macoris and $197 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 $600, than in Playa del Carmen at $1,271. 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.