Cost of Living Comparison Between San Juan del Sur and Playa del Carmen Cost of Living Comparison Between San Juan del Sur and Playa del Carmen

Monthly Cost of Living

A single person spends $1,040 per month in San Juan del Sur vs $1,293 in Playa del Carmen, rent included.

A couple spends around $1,663 per month in San Juan del Sur vs $2,334 in Playa del Carmen, rent included.

A family of three spends $2,285 per month in San Juan del Sur vs $3,374 in Playa del Carmen, rent included.

San Juan del Sur is about 20% cheaper than Playa del Carmen, driven mainly by Eating Out.

Both San Juan del Sur and Playa del Carmen are more affordable than the global median – San Juan del Sur 24% lower, Playa del Carmen 6% lower.

Meal at Budget Restaurant

$4.32 NIO 158

$11.71 MX$199

-63.11%

Three-Course Dinner for Two, Mid-Range

$33.13 NIO 1,213

$46.59 MX$791

-28.89%

Fast Food Meal (McDonalds, etc)

$5.65 NIO 207

$11.65 MX$198

-51.50%

Cappuccino

$2.51 NIO 91.9

$4.09 MX$69.5

-38.63%

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

$0.88 NIO 32.30

$1.37 MX$23.34

-35.77%

Water (0.33 liter bottle)

$0.73 NIO 26.63

$0.83 MX$14.16

-12.05%

Local Beer (0.5 liter draught)

$1.44 NIO 52.8

$3.35 MX$56.9

-57.01%

Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$2.03 NIO 74.5

$6.91 MX$117

-70.62%

Milk (1 liter)

$1.18 NIO 43.35

$1.73 MX$29.33

-31.79%

White Bread (500g)

$1.53 NIO 56.2

$2.26 MX$38.39

-32.30%

Rice (white) (1kg)

$1.16 NIO 42.64

$1.77 MX$30.05

-34.46%

Eggs

$2.33 NIO 85.2

$2.73 MX$46.41

-14.65%

Local Cheese (1kg)

$7.84 NIO 287

$9.18 MX$156

-14.60%

Chicken Fillets (1kg)

$6.24 NIO 229

$8.92 MX$151

-30.04%

Beef Round Steak (1kg)

$7.14 NIO 262

$12.60 MX$214

-43.33%

Apples (1kg)

$3.68 NIO 135

$3.02 MX$51.3

21.85%

Banana (1kg)

$0.58 NIO 21.35

$1.57 MX$26.68

-63.06%

Oranges (1kg)

$1.77 NIO 64.7

$2.13 MX$36.10

-16.90%

Tomato (1kg)

$2.18 NIO 79.7

$2.26 MX$38.46

-3.54%

Potato (1kg)

$3.19 NIO 117

$2.00 MX$34.04

59.50%

Onion (1kg)

$2.15 NIO 78.8

$2.06 MX$35.06

4.37%

Lettuce (1 head)

$1.00 NIO 36.61

$1.18 MX$20.04

-15.25%

Water (1.5 liter bottle)

$1.07 NIO 39.22

$1.20 MX$20.45

-10.83%

Cigarettes 20 Pack (Marlboro, Camel)

$2.72 NIO 99.7

$4.63 MX$78.7

-41.25%

Wine (Bottle)

$9.88 NIO 362

$10.69 MX$182

-7.58%

Local Beer (0.5 liter bottle)

$1.46 NIO 53.6

$1.62 MX$27.50

-9.88%

Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$2.31 NIO 84.5

$2.88 MX$48.93

-19.79%

One-way Ticket (Public Transport)

$0.57 MX$9.74

Public Transport Monthly Pass (Regular Price)

$29.83 MX$507

Taxi Start (Normal Tariff)

$1.66 NIO 60.8

$5.45 MX$92.5

-69.54%

Taxi (Normal Tariff) (1km)

$1.65 NIO 60.5

$3.70 MX$62.9

-55.41%

Taxi 1hour Waiting (Normal Tariff)

$6.93 NIO 254

$5.98 MX$102

15.89%

Gasoline (1 liter)

$1.34 NIO 49.15

$1.55 MX$26.38

-13.55%

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

$22.9K NIO 837.1K

$22.3K MX$379.2K

2.37%

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

$26.2K NIO 960.8K

$25.9K MX$440.7K

1.10%

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

$60.4 NIO 2,211

$89.1 MX$1,514

-32.26%

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

$10.59 NIO 388

$25.04 MX$425

-57.71%

Internet (50+ Mbps, Unlimited Data)

$35.66 NIO 1,306

$31.50 MX$535

13.21%

Gym Membership (Monthly)

$30.73 NIO 1,126

$67.8 MX$1,151

-54.66%

Tennis Court (1 Hour on Weekend)

$28.92 MX$491

Cinema Ticket

$8.60 NIO 315

$5.05 MX$85.8

70.30%

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

$232 NIO 8,493

$225 MX$3,820

3.09%

International Primary School, 1 Child (Yearly)

$6,167 NIO 225.9K

$4,222 MX$71.7K

46.05%

Jeans (Levis 501 Or Similar)

$71.2 NIO 2,606

$47.44 MX$806

50.00%

Summer Dress (H&M, Zara, etc)

$72.3 NIO 2,648

$44.98 MX$764

60.72%

Sport Shoes (Adidas, Nike)

$130 NIO 4,777

$82.0 MX$1,392

59.09%

Men's Leather Business Shoes

$107 NIO 3,909

$92.1 MX$1,564

15.87%

1-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)

$420 NIO 15.4K

$1,069 MX$18.2K

-60.75%

1-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)

$389 NIO 14.2K

$405 MX$6,884

-4.15%

3-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)

$931 NIO 34.1K

$1,935 MX$32.9K

-51.87%

3-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)

$771 NIO 28.2K

$1,301 MX$22.1K

-40.76%

Buy Apartment in City Center (m2)

$3,995 MX$67.9K

Buy Apartment Outside City Center (m2)

$6,626 MX$112.5K

Average Monthly Net Salary (After Tax)

$348 NIO 12.7K

$749 MX$12.7K

-53.55%

20-Year Fixed Mortgage Interest Rate (Annual %)

10.25

11.45

-10.48%

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

Last update for San Juan del Sur: August 29, 2026

Last update for Playa del Carmen: August 29, 2026

Cost Breakdown

A central one-bedroom costs $420 in San Juan del Sur versus $1,069 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 115% higher in Playa del Carmen, which partly offsets the higher cost of living there. Purchasing power depends on which expenses matter most to you.

A mid-range dinner for two costs $33.00 in San Juan del Sur versus $47.00 in Playa del Carmen. Monthly groceries follow the same trend: $220 vs $277 – making San Juan del Sur 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 Juan del Sur vs Playa del Carmen: Cost of Living - Frequently Asked Questions

Yes – Playa del Carmen is pricier by about 24%, 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 $1,561 per month in San Juan del Sur and $1,940 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 Juan del Sur, 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 $1,040 in San Juan del Sur and $1,293 in Playa del Carmen. The difference isn't just one category – it shows up across housing, food, transport, and services.

Kindergarten costs $232 per month in San Juan del Sur and $225 in Playa del Carmen. For families with young kids, this one expense can tip the scales when choosing between the two cities.

A $2,000 monthly budget goes further in San Juan del Sur, where all-in costs run around $1,040, than in Playa del Carmen at $1,293. In San Juan del Sur 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 Juan del Sur – 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 Juan del Sur. 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.