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

Monthly Cost of Living

A single person spends $798 per month in San Juan vs $1,256 in Playa del Carmen, rent included.

A couple spends around $1,288 per month in San Juan vs $2,137 in Playa del Carmen, rent included.

A family of three spends $1,777 per month in San Juan vs $3,017 in Playa del Carmen, rent included.

San Juan is about 36% cheaper than Playa del Carmen, driven mainly by Eating Out.

Both San Juan and Playa del Carmen are more affordable than the global median – San Juan 40% lower, Playa del Carmen 6% lower.

Meal at Budget Restaurant

$2.76 ₱170

$11.99 MX$210

-76.98%

Three-Course Dinner for Two, Mid-Range

$8.65 ₱532

$41.78 MX$733

-79.30%

Fast Food Meal (McDonalds, etc)

$3.49 ₱215

$10.75 MX$189

-67.53%

Cappuccino

$2.91 ₱179

$3.50 MX$61.3

-16.86%

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

$0.78 ₱47.86

$1.45 MX$25.41

-46.21%

Water (0.33 liter bottle)

$0.45 ₱27.44

$0.88 MX$15.52

-48.86%

Local Beer (0.5 liter draught)

$1.44 ₱88.7

$2.95 MX$51.7

-51.19%

Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$2.05 ₱126

$4.51 MX$79.1

-54.55%

Milk (1 liter)

$1.82 ₱112

$1.43 MX$25.12

27.27%

White Bread (500g)

$1.57 ₱96.4

$1.84 MX$32.23

-14.67%

Rice (white) (1kg)

$0.98 ₱60.6

$1.57 MX$27.51

-37.58%

Eggs

$2.05 ₱126

$2.51 MX$44.06

-18.33%

Local Cheese (1kg)

$7.94 ₱489

$8.28 MX$145

-4.11%

Chicken Fillets (1kg)

$5.05 ₱311

$8.43 MX$148

-40.09%

Beef Round Steak (1kg)

$10.82 ₱666

$10.68 MX$187

1.31%

Apples (1kg)

$2.37 ₱146

$2.61 MX$45.76

-9.20%

Banana (1kg)

$1.51 ₱92.8

$1.44 MX$25.22

4.86%

Oranges (1kg)

$3.09 ₱190

$1.96 MX$34.41

57.65%

Tomato (1kg)

$1.15 ₱70.6

$2.09 MX$36.74

-44.98%

Potato (1kg)

$1.68 ₱103

$1.85 MX$32.47

-9.19%

Onion (1kg)

$3.57 ₱220

$2.17 MX$38.02

64.52%

Lettuce (1 head)

$1.11 ₱68.2

$1.03 MX$18.09

7.77%

Water (1.5 liter bottle)

$0.87 ₱53.8

$1.07 MX$18.84

-18.69%

Cigarettes 20 Pack (Marlboro, Camel)

$2.88 ₱178

$4.10 MX$72.0

-29.76%

Wine (Bottle)

$7.65 ₱471

$10.17 MX$178

-24.78%

Local Beer (0.5 liter bottle)

$0.70 ₱42.94

$1.68 MX$29.38

-58.33%

Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$1.63 ₱100

$2.53 MX$44.31

-35.57%

One-way Ticket (Public Transport)

$0.17 ₱10.68

$0.51 MX$8.93

-66.67%

Public Transport Monthly Pass (Regular Price)

$26.04 MX$457

Taxi Start (Normal Tariff)

$0.72 ₱44.52

$3.23 MX$56.7

-77.71%

Taxi (Normal Tariff) (1km)

$0.22 ₱13.54

$2.41 MX$42.19

-90.87%

Taxi 1hour Waiting (Normal Tariff)

$2.16 ₱133

$3.23 MX$56.6

-33.13%

Gasoline (1 liter)

$1.15 ₱70.9

$1.32 MX$23.17

-12.88%

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

$28.2K ₱1.7M

$29.7K MX$520.9K

-4.97%

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

$17.7K ₱1.1M

$23.7K MX$415.0K

-25.20%

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

$129 ₱7,960

$82.0 MX$1,439

57.66%

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

$33.17 ₱2,042

$22.95 MX$403

44.53%

Internet (50+ Mbps, Unlimited Data)

$26.36 ₱1,623

$30.11 MX$528

-12.45%

Gym Membership (Monthly)

$70.7 ₱4,351

$52.0 MX$912

35.98%

Tennis Court (1 Hour on Weekend)

$4.40 ₱271

$18.53 MX$325

-76.25%

Cinema Ticket

$3.91 ₱240

$4.98 MX$87.3

-21.49%

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

$145 ₱8,939

$197 MX$3,463

-26.46%

International Primary School, 1 Child (Yearly)

$4,310 ₱265.4K

$5,336 MX$93.6K

-19.23%

Jeans (Levis 501 Or Similar)

$45.56 ₱2,805

$35.60 MX$624

27.98%

Summer Dress (H&M, Zara, etc)

$34.35 ₱2,115

$40.33 MX$707

-14.83%

Sport Shoes (Adidas, Nike)

$68.1 ₱4,190

$78.8 MX$1,381

-13.57%

Men's Leather Business Shoes

$116 ₱7,159

$88.9 MX$1,560

30.75%

1-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)

$265 ₱16.3K

$947 MX$16.6K

-72.01%

1-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)

$107 ₱6,605

$474 MX$8,314

-77.36%

3-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)

$1,297 ₱79.9K

$1,644 MX$28.8K

-21.09%

3-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)

$398 ₱24.5K

$1,211 MX$21.2K

-67.16%

Buy Apartment in City Center (m2)

$2,653 ₱163.4K

$4,056 MX$71.1K

-34.58%

Buy Apartment Outside City Center (m2)

$917 ₱56.5K

$6,470 MX$113.5K

-85.82%

Average Monthly Net Salary (After Tax)

$240 ₱14.8K

$654 MX$11.5K

-63.27%

20-Year Fixed Mortgage Interest Rate (Annual %)

6.17

11.42

-45.97%

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

Last update for San Juan: July 11, 2026

Last update for Playa del Carmen: July 13, 2026

Cost Breakdown

A central one-bedroom costs $265 in San Juan 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 172% 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 $9.00 in San Juan versus $42.00 in Playa del Carmen. Monthly groceries follow the same trend: $216 vs $249 – making San Juan 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 vs Playa del Carmen: Cost of Living - Frequently Asked Questions

Yes – Playa del Carmen is pricier by about 57%, 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 $1,198 per month in San Juan 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, 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 $798 in San Juan 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 $145 per month in San Juan 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, where all-in costs run around $798, than in Playa del Carmen at $1,256. In San Juan 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 – 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. 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.