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 $2,421 per month in San Juan vs $1,271 in Playa del Carmen, rent included.

A couple spends around $3,503 per month in San Juan vs $2,126 in Playa del Carmen, rent included.

A family of three spends $4,584 per month in San Juan vs $2,980 in Playa del Carmen, rent included.

San Juan costs about 91% more than Playa del Carmen, driven mainly by Groceries & Markets.

San Juan sits 80% above the global median, while Playa del Carmen is 5% below – they fall on opposite sides of the world average.

Meal at Budget Restaurant

$19.31 $19.31

$11.87 MX$204

62.68%

Three-Course Dinner for Two, Mid-Range

$82.3 $82.3

$42.90 MX$736

91.72%

Fast Food Meal (McDonalds, etc)

$9.89 $9.89

$10.65 MX$183

-7.14%

Cappuccino

$3.52 $3.52

$3.45 MX$59.2

2.03%

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

$1.71 $1.71

$1.50 MX$25.81

14.00%

Water (0.33 liter bottle)

$1.39 $1.39

$0.95 MX$16.28

46.32%

Local Beer (0.5 liter draught)

$3.01 $3.01

$3.03 MX$51.9

-0.66%

Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$4.63 $4.63

$4.61 MX$79.1

0.43%

Milk (1 liter)

$2.49 $2.49

$1.38 MX$23.61

80.43%

White Bread (500g)

$3.45 $3.45

$1.85 MX$31.70

86.49%

Rice (white) (1kg)

$2.21 $2.21

$1.61 MX$27.65

37.27%

Eggs

$5.88 $5.88

$2.59 MX$44.51

127.03%

Local Cheese (1kg)

$8.92 $8.92

$8.26 MX$142

7.99%

Chicken Fillets (1kg)

$8.66 $8.66

$8.37 MX$144

3.46%

Beef Round Steak (1kg)

$12.82 $12.82

$10.66 MX$183

20.26%

Apples (1kg)

$5.99 $5.99

$2.63 MX$45.12

127.76%

Banana (1kg)

$2.71 $2.71

$1.49 MX$25.53

81.88%

Oranges (1kg)

$3.83 $3.83

$1.92 MX$32.94

99.48%

Tomato (1kg)

$4.01 $4.01

$2.09 MX$35.81

91.87%

Potato (1kg)

$4.04 $4.04

$1.86 MX$31.88

117.20%

Onion (1kg)

$2.94 $2.94

$2.26 MX$38.81

30.09%

Lettuce (1 head)

$2.97 $2.97

$1.06 MX$18.23

180.19%

Water (1.5 liter bottle)

$2.00 $2.00

$1.09 MX$18.67

83.49%

Cigarettes 20 Pack (Marlboro, Camel)

$12.17 $12.17

$4.15 MX$71.2

193.25%

Wine (Bottle)

$15.59 $15.59

$10.39 MX$178

50.05%

Local Beer (0.5 liter bottle)

$2.49 $2.49

$1.72 MX$29.59

44.77%

Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$3.17 $3.17

$2.61 MX$44.85

21.46%

One-way Ticket (Public Transport)

$1.47 $1.47

$0.54 MX$9.30

172.22%

Public Transport Monthly Pass (Regular Price)

$29.56 $29.56

$26.94 MX$462

9.73%

Taxi Start (Normal Tariff)

$3.13 MX$53.7

Taxi (Normal Tariff) (1km)

$1.52 $1.52

$2.51 MX$43.09

-39.44%

Taxi 1hour Waiting (Normal Tariff)

$15.21 $15.21

$3.15 MX$54.1

382.86%

Gasoline (1 liter)

$0.95 $0.95

$1.27 MX$21.88

-25.20%

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

$35.7K $35.7K

$30.4K MX$521.3K

17.50%

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

$26.7K $26.7K

$23.6K MX$404.5K

13.50%

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

$483 $483

$83.0 MX$1,425

481.73%

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

$80.3 $80.3

$22.71 MX$390

253.50%

Internet (50+ Mbps, Unlimited Data)

$73.6 $73.6

$29.46 MX$506

149.86%

Gym Membership (Monthly)

$45.31 $45.31

$51.0 MX$875

-11.16%

Tennis Court (1 Hour on Weekend)

$34.32 $34.32

$18.33 MX$315

87.23%

Cinema Ticket

$11.97 $11.97

$4.93 MX$84.5

142.80%

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

$478 $478

$197 MX$3,386

142.15%

International Primary School, 1 Child (Yearly)

$10.5K $10.5K

$5,280 MX$90.6K

99.18%

Jeans (Levis 501 Or Similar)

$45.55 $45.55

$36.90 MX$633

23.44%

Summer Dress (H&M, Zara, etc)

$56.7 $56.7

$39.89 MX$685

42.24%

Sport Shoes (Adidas, Nike)

$91.1 $91.1

$80.0 MX$1,373

13.84%

Men's Leather Business Shoes

$107 $107

$89.5 MX$1,536

19.40%

1-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)

$1,597 $1,597

$956 MX$16.4K

67.00%

1-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)

$869 $869

$477 MX$8,189

82.21%

3-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)

$2,400 $2,400

$1,646 MX$28.3K

45.83%

3-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)

$1,381 $1,381

$1,225 MX$21.0K

12.74%

Buy Apartment in City Center (m2)

$7,369 $7,369

$3,918 MX$67.2K

88.07%

Buy Apartment Outside City Center (m2)

$3,442 $3,442

$6,459 MX$110.9K

-46.70%

Average Monthly Net Salary (After Tax)

$2,800 $2,800

$667 MX$11.4K

319.76%

20-Year Fixed Mortgage Interest Rate (Annual %)

5.71

11.42

-50.00%

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

Last update for San Juan: June 9, 2026

Last update for Playa del Carmen: June 7, 2026

Cost Breakdown

A central one-bedroom costs $1,597 in San Juan 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.

Salaries run about 320% higher in San Juan, 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 $82.0 in San Juan versus $43.00 in Playa del Carmen. Monthly groceries follow the same trend: $386 vs $250 – making Playa del Carmen 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 – San Juan is pricier by about 91%, and the gap shows up most in Groceries & Markets. It's not just housing either; the difference applies across most spending categories.

For a comfortable life, plan on about $3,632 per month in San Juan 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 Playa del Carmen, 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 $2,421 in San Juan and $1,271 in Playa del Carmen. The difference isn't just one category – it shows up across housing, food, transport, and services.

Public transport costs about 10% less in Playa del Carmen. For daily commuters, that gap adds up to noticeable savings over a year.

A $1,500 monthly budget goes further in Playa del Carmen, where all-in costs run around $1,271, than in San Juan at $2,421. In Playa del Carmen it covers expenses comfortably, while in San Juan it requires careful planning or may not stretch far enough.

Families tend to lean toward Playa del Carmen – 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 Playa del Carmen. If higher salaries, better infrastructure, or specific career opportunities are the priority, San Juan makes more sense. Both are solid long-term options with distinct trade-offs.