Cost of Living Comparison Between San Luis Rio Colorado and Playa del Carmen Cost of Living Comparison Between San Luis Rio Colorado and Playa del Carmen

Monthly Cost of Living

A single person spends $1,063 per month in San Luis Rio Colorado vs $1,261 in Playa del Carmen, rent included.

A couple spends around $1,667 per month in San Luis Rio Colorado vs $2,130 in Playa del Carmen, rent included.

A family of three spends $2,271 per month in San Luis Rio Colorado vs $2,999 in Playa del Carmen, rent included.

San Luis Rio Colorado is about 16% cheaper than Playa del Carmen, driven mainly by Eating Out.

Both San Luis Rio Colorado and Playa del Carmen are more affordable than the global median – San Luis Rio Colorado 21% lower, Playa del Carmen 6% lower.

Meal at Budget Restaurant

$9.60 MX$166

$11.67 MX$202

-17.74%

Three-Course Dinner for Two, Mid-Range

$31.65 MX$549

$41.88 MX$726

-24.43%

Fast Food Meal (McDonalds, etc)

$7.71 MX$134

$10.40 MX$180

-25.87%

Cappuccino

$2.68 MX$46.48

$3.61 MX$62.6

-25.76%

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

$1.16 MX$20.12

$1.47 MX$25.45

-21.09%

Water (0.33 liter bottle)

$0.90 MX$15.59

$0.91 MX$15.80

-1.10%

Local Beer (0.5 liter draught)

$2.87 MX$49.71

$3.03 MX$52.6

-5.28%

Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$4.98 MX$86.4

$4.47 MX$77.4

11.41%

Milk (1 liter)

$1.58 MX$27.33

$1.38 MX$23.83

14.49%

White Bread (500g)

$2.49 MX$43.17

$1.84 MX$31.93

35.33%

Rice (white) (1kg)

$1.79 MX$31.08

$1.61 MX$27.82

11.18%

Eggs

$3.13 MX$54.2

$2.57 MX$44.52

21.79%

Local Cheese (1kg)

$7.38 MX$128

$8.49 MX$147

-13.07%

Chicken Fillets (1kg)

$5.64 MX$97.8

$8.49 MX$147

-33.57%

Beef Round Steak (1kg)

$10.49 MX$182

$10.99 MX$190

-4.55%

Apples (1kg)

$2.63 MX$45.55

$2.73 MX$47.25

-3.66%

Banana (1kg)

$1.48 MX$25.71

$1.50 MX$25.92

-1.33%

Oranges (1kg)

$1.83 MX$31.73

$1.96 MX$33.93

-6.63%

Tomato (1kg)

$1.57 MX$27.23

$2.12 MX$36.70

-25.94%

Potato (1kg)

$1.67 MX$28.97

$1.86 MX$32.30

-10.22%

Onion (1kg)

$1.79 MX$30.96

$2.17 MX$37.67

-17.51%

Lettuce (1 head)

$1.11 MX$19.23

$1.07 MX$18.59

3.74%

Water (1.5 liter bottle)

$0.97 MX$16.82

$1.05 MX$18.18

-7.62%

Cigarettes 20 Pack (Marlboro, Camel)

$4.16 MX$72.1

$4.19 MX$72.6

-0.72%

Wine (Bottle)

$8.67 MX$150

$10.28 MX$178

-15.66%

Local Beer (0.5 liter bottle)

$1.87 MX$32.44

$1.67 MX$28.87

11.98%

Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$3.18 MX$55.2

$2.49 MX$43.12

27.71%

One-way Ticket (Public Transport)

$0.65 MX$11.26

$0.54 MX$9.37

20.37%

Public Transport Monthly Pass (Regular Price)

$26.27 MX$455

Taxi Start (Normal Tariff)

$2.75 MX$47.63

$3.10 MX$53.8

-11.29%

Taxi (Normal Tariff) (1km)

$1.54 MX$26.76

$2.46 MX$42.66

-37.40%

Taxi 1hour Waiting (Normal Tariff)

$3.15 MX$54.6

$3.24 MX$56.1

-2.78%

Gasoline (1 liter)

$1.26 MX$21.86

$1.26 MX$21.83

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

$22.9K MX$396.9K

$30.2K MX$522.8K

-24.08%

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

$20.4K MX$354.3K

$23.4K MX$406.3K

-12.79%

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

$56.2 MX$973

$84.0 MX$1,456

-33.15%

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

$27.28 MX$473

$22.21 MX$385

22.83%

Internet (50+ Mbps, Unlimited Data)

$31.26 MX$542

$29.65 MX$514

5.43%

Gym Membership (Monthly)

$36.56 MX$634

$52.6 MX$912

-30.55%

Tennis Court (1 Hour on Weekend)

$15.94 MX$276

$18.34 MX$318

-13.09%

Cinema Ticket

$4.47 MX$77.5

$4.95 MX$85.7

-9.70%

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

$202 MX$3,504

$198 MX$3,438

1.92%

International Primary School, 1 Child (Yearly)

$2,750 MX$47.7K

$5,322 MX$92.2K

-48.32%

Jeans (Levis 501 Or Similar)

$42.19 MX$731

$35.95 MX$623

17.36%

Summer Dress (H&M, Zara, etc)

$34.91 MX$605

$40.06 MX$694

-12.86%

Sport Shoes (Adidas, Nike)

$86.1 MX$1,492

$78.8 MX$1,365

9.27%

Men's Leather Business Shoes

$69.2 MX$1,199

$86.5 MX$1,499

-20.04%

1-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)

$503 MX$8,711

$977 MX$16.9K

-48.53%

1-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)

$393 MX$6,815

$471 MX$8,158

-16.46%

3-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)

$926 MX$16.0K

$1,595 MX$27.6K

-41.95%

3-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)

$769 MX$13.3K

$1,215 MX$21.1K

-36.69%

Buy Apartment in City Center (m2)

$1,928 MX$33.4K

$4,032 MX$69.9K

-52.18%

Buy Apartment Outside City Center (m2)

$1,189 MX$20.6K

$6,579 MX$114.0K

-81.92%

Average Monthly Net Salary (After Tax)

$714 MX$12.4K

20-Year Fixed Mortgage Interest Rate (Annual %)

11.8

11.42

3.33%

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

Last update for San Luis Rio Colorado: April 22, 2026

Last update for Playa del Carmen: April 19, 2026

Cost Breakdown

A central one-bedroom costs $503 in San Luis Rio Colorado versus $977 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.

A mid-range dinner for two costs $32 in San Luis Rio Colorado versus $42 in Playa del Carmen. Monthly groceries follow the same trend: $237 vs $252 – making San Luis Rio Colorado 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 Luis Rio Colorado vs Playa del Carmen: Cost of Living - Frequently Asked Questions

Yes – Playa del Carmen is pricier by about 19%, 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 $1,595 per month in San Luis Rio Colorado and $1,891 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 Luis Rio Colorado, 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 $1,063 in San Luis Rio Colorado and $1,261 in Playa del Carmen. The difference isn't just one category – it shows up across housing, food, transport, and services.

Kindergarten costs $202 per month in San Luis Rio Colorado and $198 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 Luis Rio Colorado, where all-in costs run around $1,063, than in Playa del Carmen at $1,261. In San Luis Rio Colorado 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 Luis Rio Colorado – 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 Luis Rio Colorado. 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.