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 $757 per month in San Juan vs $1,330 in Playa del Carmen, rent included.

A couple spends around $1,317 per month in San Juan vs $2,336 in Playa del Carmen, rent included.

A family of three spends $1,878 per month in San Juan vs $3,341 in Playa del Carmen, rent included.

San Juan is about 43% cheaper than Playa del Carmen, driven mainly by Sport & Entertainment.

Both San Juan and Playa del Carmen are more affordable than the global median – San Juan 45% lower, Playa del Carmen 3% lower.

Meal at Budget Restaurant

$10.40 TTD 69.8

$13.02 MX$221

-20.12%

Three-Course Dinner for Two, Mid-Range

$59.4 TTD 399

$46.25 MX$784

28.35%

Fast Food Meal (McDonalds, etc)

$7.88 TTD 52.9

$12.59 MX$213

-37.41%

Cappuccino

$3.82 TTD 25.63

$4.00 MX$67.9

-4.50%

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

$1.21 TTD 8.15

$1.42 MX$24.08

-14.79%

Water (0.33 liter bottle)

$0.78 TTD 5.21

$0.81 MX$13.73

-3.70%

Local Beer (0.5 liter draught)

$2.27 TTD 15.27

$3.05 MX$51.7

-25.57%

Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$2.91 TTD 19.52

$6.82 MX$116

-57.33%

Milk (1 liter)

$1.99 TTD 13.34

$1.71 MX$29.04

16.37%

White Bread (500g)

$2.29 TTD 15.38

$2.22 MX$37.62

3.15%

Rice (white) (1kg)

$2.89 TTD 19.39

$1.72 MX$29.13

68.02%

Eggs

$3.91 TTD 26.28

$2.71 MX$45.99

44.28%

Local Cheese (1kg)

$6.77 TTD 45.46

$9.37 MX$159

-27.75%

Chicken Fillets (1kg)

$10.05 TTD 67.5

$8.86 MX$150

13.43%

Beef Round Steak (1kg)

$8.69 TTD 58.4

$12.78 MX$217

-32.00%

Apples (1kg)

$5.36 TTD 35.96

$3.13 MX$53.0

71.25%

Banana (1kg)

$2.58 TTD 17.29

$1.55 MX$26.24

66.45%

Oranges (1kg)

$3.63 TTD 24.36

$2.15 MX$36.51

68.84%

Tomato (1kg)

$4.40 TTD 29.55

$2.35 MX$39.89

87.23%

Potato (1kg)

$0.71 TTD 4.77

$2.02 MX$34.23

-64.85%

Onion (1kg)

$0.72 TTD 4.81

$1.99 MX$33.67

-63.82%

Lettuce (1 head)

$1.44 TTD 9.68

$1.24 MX$21.09

16.13%

Water (1.5 liter bottle)

$1.16 TTD 7.81

$1.19 MX$20.21

-2.52%

Cigarettes 20 Pack (Marlboro, Camel)

$5.62 TTD 37.74

$4.65 MX$78.8

20.86%

Wine (Bottle)

$17.67 TTD 119

$10.47 MX$177

68.77%

Local Beer (0.5 liter bottle)

$1.56 TTD 10.47

$1.58 MX$26.82

-1.27%

Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$2.95 TTD 19.80

$2.92 MX$49.48

1.03%

One-way Ticket (Public Transport)

$0.56 MX$9.53

Public Transport Monthly Pass (Regular Price)

$29.76 MX$504

Taxi Start (Normal Tariff)

$0.92 TTD 6.19

$5.32 MX$90.2

-82.71%

Taxi (Normal Tariff) (1km)

$0.85 TTD 5.71

$3.72 MX$63.0

-77.15%

Taxi 1hour Waiting (Normal Tariff)

$14.95 TTD 100

$5.78 MX$97.9

158.65%

Gasoline (1 liter)

$1.16 TTD 7.81

$1.55 MX$26.27

-25.16%

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

$36.4K TTD 244.6K

$22.4K MX$379.1K

62.85%

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

$41.9K TTD 281.4K

$25.6K MX$433.3K

63.91%

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

$44.12 TTD 296

$89.3 MX$1,513

-50.58%

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

$42.10 TTD 283

$23.30 MX$395

80.69%

Internet (50+ Mbps, Unlimited Data)

$46.00 TTD 309

$31.72 MX$538

45.02%

Gym Membership (Monthly)

$68.8 MX$1,165

Tennis Court (1 Hour on Weekend)

$29.40 MX$498

Cinema Ticket

$8.76 TTD 58.8

$5.06 MX$85.7

73.12%

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

$393 TTD 2,637

$222 MX$3,765

76.76%

International Primary School, 1 Child (Yearly)

$10.4K TTD 69.8K

$4,293 MX$72.7K

142.08%

Jeans (Levis 501 Or Similar)

$54.7 TTD 367

$46.21 MX$783

18.35%

Summer Dress (H&M, Zara, etc)

$37.55 TTD 252

$44.43 MX$753

-15.49%

Sport Shoes (Adidas, Nike)

$87.5 TTD 587

$95.5 MX$1,618

-8.39%

Men's Leather Business Shoes

$87.9 TTD 590

$92.5 MX$1,568

-5.00%

1-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)

$1,069 MX$18.1K

1-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)

$393 MX$6,663

3-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)

$1,988 MX$33.7K

3-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)

$1,304 MX$22.1K

Buy Apartment in City Center (m2)

$4,037 MX$68.4K

Buy Apartment Outside City Center (m2)

$6,627 MX$112.3K

Average Monthly Net Salary (After Tax)

$747 MX$12.7K

20-Year Fixed Mortgage Interest Rate (Annual %)

5.75

11.6

-50.43%

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

Last update for San Juan: August 17, 2026

Last update for Playa del Carmen: August 18, 2026

Cost Breakdown

A mid-range dinner for two costs $59.0 in San Juan versus $46.00 in Playa del Carmen. Monthly groceries follow the same trend: $318 vs $277 – 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 76%, and the gap shows up most in Sport & Entertainment. It's not just housing either; the difference applies across most spending categories.

For a comfortable life, plan on about $1,135 per month in San Juan and $1,995 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 $757 in San Juan and $1,330 in Playa del Carmen. The difference isn't just one category – it shows up across housing, food, transport, and services.

Kindergarten costs $393 per month in San Juan and $222 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 $757, than in Playa del Carmen at $1,330. 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.