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 $1,061 per month in San Juan del Sur vs $1,256 in Playa del Carmen, rent included.

A couple spends around $1,748 per month in San Juan del Sur vs $2,137 in Playa del Carmen, rent included.

A family of three spends $2,434 per month in San Juan del Sur vs $3,017 in Playa del Carmen, rent included.

San Juan del Sur is about 16% 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 21% lower, Playa del Carmen 6% lower.

Meal at Budget Restaurant

$4.25 NIO 156

$11.99 MX$210

-64.55%

Three-Course Dinner for Two, Mid-Range

$33.73 NIO 1,235

$41.78 MX$731

-19.27%

Fast Food Meal (McDonalds, etc)

$5.54 NIO 203

$10.75 MX$188

-48.47%

Cappuccino

$2.43 NIO 88.8

$3.50 MX$61.1

-30.57%

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

$0.79 NIO 28.88

$1.45 MX$25.33

-45.52%

Water (0.33 liter bottle)

$0.67 NIO 24.45

$0.88 MX$15.47

-23.86%

Local Beer (0.5 liter draught)

$1.33 NIO 48.78

$2.95 MX$51.6

-54.92%

Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$2.03 NIO 74.5

$4.51 MX$78.9

-54.99%

Milk (1 liter)

$1.26 NIO 46.32

$1.43 MX$25.04

-11.89%

White Bread (500g)

$1.53 NIO 56.0

$1.84 MX$32.13

-16.85%

Rice (white) (1kg)

$1.17 NIO 42.74

$1.57 MX$27.42

-25.48%

Eggs

$1.87 NIO 68.3

$2.51 MX$43.92

-25.50%

Local Cheese (1kg)

$7.78 NIO 285

$8.28 MX$145

-6.04%

Chicken Fillets (1kg)

$6.48 NIO 237

$8.43 MX$147

-23.13%

Beef Round Steak (1kg)

$8.15 NIO 298

$10.68 MX$187

-23.69%

Apples (1kg)

$4.00 NIO 146

$2.61 MX$45.62

53.26%

Banana (1kg)

$0.83 NIO 30.35

$1.44 MX$25.15

-42.36%

Oranges (1kg)

$1.83 NIO 67.2

$1.96 MX$34.31

-6.63%

Tomato (1kg)

$2.17 NIO 79.4

$2.09 MX$36.62

3.83%

Potato (1kg)

$3.22 NIO 118

$1.85 MX$32.37

74.05%

Onion (1kg)

$2.16 NIO 79.2

$2.17 MX$37.90

-0.46%

Lettuce (1 head)

$1.07 NIO 39.10

$1.03 MX$18.04

3.88%

Water (1.5 liter bottle)

$1.06 NIO 38.70

$1.07 MX$18.78

-0.93%

Cigarettes 20 Pack (Marlboro, Camel)

$2.71 NIO 99.4

$4.10 MX$71.7

-33.90%

Wine (Bottle)

$9.99 NIO 366

$10.17 MX$178

-1.77%

Local Beer (0.5 liter bottle)

$1.42 NIO 51.9

$1.68 MX$29.29

-15.48%

Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$2.21 NIO 80.8

$2.53 MX$44.17

-12.65%

One-way Ticket (Public Transport)

$0.51 MX$8.90

Public Transport Monthly Pass (Regular Price)

$26.04 MX$455

Taxi Start (Normal Tariff)

$1.47 NIO 53.8

$3.23 MX$56.5

-54.49%

Taxi (Normal Tariff) (1km)

$2.41 MX$42.06

Taxi 1hour Waiting (Normal Tariff)

$6.85 NIO 251

$3.23 MX$56.5

112.07%

Gasoline (1 liter)

$1.24 NIO 45.37

$1.32 MX$23.10

-6.06%

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

$22.5K NIO 825.0K

$29.7K MX$519.2K

-24.15%

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

$26.2K NIO 958.4K

$23.7K MX$413.7K

10.58%

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

$42.79 NIO 1,567

$82.0 MX$1,434

-47.82%

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

$10.45 NIO 383

$22.95 MX$401

-54.47%

Internet (50+ Mbps, Unlimited Data)

$36.21 NIO 1,326

$30.11 MX$527

20.26%

Gym Membership (Monthly)

$30.32 NIO 1,111

$52.0 MX$909

-41.66%

Tennis Court (1 Hour on Weekend)

$18.53 MX$324

Cinema Ticket

$8.10 NIO 297

$4.98 MX$87.0

62.65%

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

$123 NIO 4,499

$197 MX$3,452

-37.79%

International Primary School, 1 Child (Yearly)

$6,022 NIO 220.5K

$5,336 MX$93.3K

12.85%

Jeans (Levis 501 Or Similar)

$75.9 NIO 2,780

$35.60 MX$622

113.23%

Summer Dress (H&M, Zara, etc)

$72.9 NIO 2,668

$40.33 MX$705

80.63%

Sport Shoes (Adidas, Nike)

$134 NIO 4,914

$78.8 MX$1,377

70.37%

Men's Leather Business Shoes

$108 NIO 3,951

$88.9 MX$1,555

21.32%

1-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)

$464 NIO 17.0K

$947 MX$16.6K

-50.95%

1-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)

$402 NIO 14.7K

$474 MX$8,288

-15.13%

3-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)

$962 NIO 35.2K

$1,644 MX$28.7K

-41.50%

3-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)

$961 NIO 35.2K

$1,211 MX$21.2K

-20.65%

Buy Apartment in City Center (m2)

$4,056 MX$70.9K

Buy Apartment Outside City Center (m2)

$6,470 MX$113.1K

Average Monthly Net Salary (After Tax)

$354 NIO 13.0K

$654 MX$11.4K

-45.91%

20-Year Fixed Mortgage Interest Rate (Annual %)

10.25

11.42

-10.25%

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

Last update for San Juan del Sur: July 13, 2026

Last update for Playa del Carmen: July 13, 2026

Cost Breakdown

A central one-bedroom costs $464 in San Juan del Sur versus $947 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 85% 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 $34.00 in San Juan del Sur versus $42.00 in Playa del Carmen. Monthly groceries follow the same trend: $226 vs $249 – 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 18%, 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 $1,592 per month in San Juan del Sur and $1,884 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 $1,061 in San Juan del Sur and $1,256 in Playa del Carmen. The difference isn't just one category – it shows up across housing, food, transport, and services.

Kindergarten costs $123 per month in San Juan del Sur 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 $2,000 monthly budget goes further in San Juan del Sur, where all-in costs run around $1,061, than in Playa del Carmen at $1,256. 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.