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 $772 per month in San Juan vs $1,215 in Playa del Carmen, rent included.

A couple spends around $1,317 per month in San Juan vs $2,144 in Playa del Carmen, rent included.

A family of three spends $1,863 per month in San Juan vs $3,072 in Playa del Carmen, rent included.

San Juan is about 36% cheaper than Playa del Carmen, driven mainly by Groceries & Markets.

Both San Juan and Playa del Carmen are more affordable than the global median – San Juan 42% lower, Playa del Carmen 9% lower.

Meal at Budget Restaurant

$10.49 TTD 70.6

$10.97 MX$200

-4.38%

Three-Course Dinner for Two, Mid-Range

$57.9 TTD 389

$44.85 MX$816

29.01%

Fast Food Meal (McDonalds, etc)

$8.08 TTD 54.4

$11.92 MX$217

-32.21%

Cappuccino

$3.64 TTD 24.48

$3.80 MX$69.2

-4.21%

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

$1.20 TTD 8.04

$1.31 MX$23.86

-8.40%

Water (0.33 liter bottle)

$0.70 TTD 4.74

$0.86 MX$15.58

-18.60%

Local Beer (0.5 liter draught)

$2.18 TTD 14.69

$3.21 MX$58.4

-32.09%

Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$2.90 TTD 19.54

$5.01 MX$91.2

-42.12%

Milk (1 liter)

$2.00 TTD 13.45

$1.46 MX$26.53

36.99%

White Bread (500g)

$2.31 TTD 15.56

$2.33 MX$42.33

-0.86%

Rice (white) (1kg)

$2.86 TTD 19.28

$1.44 MX$26.24

98.61%

Eggs

$3.76 TTD 25.31

$2.46 MX$44.78

52.85%

Local Cheese (1kg)

$6.50 TTD 43.71

$7.70 MX$140

-15.58%

Chicken Fillets (1kg)

$10.22 TTD 68.8

$7.89 MX$144

29.53%

Beef Round Steak (1kg)

$9.17 TTD 61.7

$12.80 MX$233

-28.36%

Apples (1kg)

$5.61 TTD 37.73

$2.92 MX$53.1

92.12%

Banana (1kg)

$2.49 TTD 16.77

$1.42 MX$25.87

75.35%

Oranges (1kg)

$3.61 TTD 24.29

$2.57 MX$46.66

40.47%

Tomato (1kg)

$4.39 TTD 29.51

$2.14 MX$38.88

105.14%

Potato (1kg)

$0.76 TTD 5.10

$1.95 MX$35.42

-61.03%

Onion (1kg)

$0.75 TTD 5.07

$1.94 MX$35.22

-61.34%

Lettuce (1 head)

$1.45 TTD 9.76

$1.15 MX$20.94

26.09%

Water (1.5 liter bottle)

$1.16 TTD 7.79

$1.22 MX$22.21

-4.92%

Cigarettes 20 Pack (Marlboro, Camel)

$5.47 TTD 36.83

$4.38 MX$79.6

24.89%

Wine (Bottle)

$18.02 TTD 121

$9.85 MX$179

82.94%

Local Beer (0.5 liter bottle)

$1.50 TTD 10.09

$1.54 MX$27.97

-2.60%

Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$2.96 TTD 19.92

$2.72 MX$49.40

8.82%

One-way Ticket (Public Transport)

$0.52 MX$9.55

Public Transport Monthly Pass (Regular Price)

$27.42 MX$499

Taxi Start (Normal Tariff)

$0.86 TTD 5.77

$4.91 MX$89.4

-82.48%

Taxi (Normal Tariff) (1km)

$0.90 TTD 6.06

$3.52 MX$64.1

-74.43%

Taxi 1hour Waiting (Normal Tariff)

$14.55 TTD 97.9

$5.69 MX$103

155.71%

Gasoline (1 liter)

$1.11 TTD 7.47

$1.54 MX$28.01

-27.92%

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

$36.4K TTD 245.1K

$21.2K MX$386.3K

71.48%

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

$40.5K TTD 272.6K

$24.5K MX$445.4K

65.46%

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

$44.96 TTD 302

$83.6 MX$1,521

-46.23%

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

$41.52 TTD 279

$24.03 MX$437

72.78%

Internet (50+ Mbps, Unlimited Data)

$45.45 TTD 306

$29.33 MX$534

54.96%

Gym Membership (Monthly)

$64.9 MX$1,180

Tennis Court (1 Hour on Weekend)

$29.46 MX$536

Cinema Ticket

$8.82 TTD 59.4

$5.09 MX$92.5

73.28%

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

$404 TTD 2,719

$208 MX$3,778

94.61%

International Primary School, 1 Child (Yearly)

$11.0K TTD 74.1K

$4,045 MX$73.6K

172.34%

Jeans (Levis 501 Or Similar)

$55.6 TTD 374

$44.55 MX$810

24.71%

Summer Dress (H&M, Zara, etc)

$36.30 TTD 244

$42.06 MX$765

-13.69%

Sport Shoes (Adidas, Nike)

$89.7 TTD 604

$75.5 MX$1,374

18.80%

Men's Leather Business Shoes

$89.9 TTD 605

$91.4 MX$1,662

-1.58%

1-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)

$986 MX$17.9K

1-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)

$385 MX$7,007

3-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)

$1,713 MX$31.2K

3-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)

$1,108 MX$20.2K

Buy Apartment in City Center (m2)

$4,016 MX$73.0K

Buy Apartment Outside City Center (m2)

$6,247 MX$113.6K

Average Monthly Net Salary (After Tax)

$758 MX$13.8K

20-Year Fixed Mortgage Interest Rate (Annual %)

5.75

11.45

-49.78%

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

Last update for San Juan: October 6, 2026

Last update for Playa del Carmen: October 4, 2026

Cost Breakdown

A mid-range dinner for two costs $58.0 in San Juan versus $45.00 in Playa del Carmen. Monthly groceries follow the same trend: $320 vs $260 – 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 – Playa del Carmen is pricier by about 57%, 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 $1,158 per month in San Juan and $1,823 in Playa del Carmen. That covers rent, food, utilities, transport, and enough left over to feel settled – not just surviving.

Monthly expenses with rent come to $772 in San Juan and $1,215 in Playa del Carmen. The difference isn't just one category – it shows up across housing, food, transport, and services.

Kindergarten costs $404 per month in San Juan and $208 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 Juan, where all-in costs run around $772, than in Playa del Carmen at $1,215. 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.