Cost of Living Comparison Between San Pedro Sula and Playa del Carmen Cost of Living Comparison Between San Pedro Sula and Playa del Carmen

Monthly Cost of Living

A single person spends $1,215 per month in San Pedro Sula vs $1,297 in Playa del Carmen, rent included.

A couple spends around $1,842 per month in San Pedro Sula vs $2,181 in Playa del Carmen, rent included.

A family of three spends $2,469 per month in San Pedro Sula vs $3,065 in Playa del Carmen, rent included.

San Pedro Sula is about 6% cheaper than Playa del Carmen, driven mainly by Eating Out.

Both San Pedro Sula and Playa del Carmen are more affordable than the global median – San Pedro Sula 9% lower, Playa del Carmen 3% lower.

Meal at Budget Restaurant

$7.66 HNL 204

$11.73 MX$203

-34.70%

Three-Course Dinner for Two, Mid-Range

$31.10 HNL 828

$41.62 MX$720

-25.28%

Fast Food Meal (McDonalds, etc)

$8.68 HNL 231

$10.64 MX$184

-18.42%

Cappuccino

$2.17 HNL 57.8

$3.52 MX$60.9

-38.35%

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

$1.37 HNL 36.61

$1.51 MX$26.12

-9.27%

Water (0.33 liter bottle)

$1.11 HNL 29.52

$0.97 MX$16.84

14.43%

Local Beer (0.5 liter draught)

$1.94 HNL 51.6

$2.95 MX$51.0

-34.24%

Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$3.22 HNL 85.7

$4.45 MX$77.0

-27.64%

Milk (1 liter)

$1.47 HNL 39.14

$1.38 MX$23.93

6.52%

White Bread (500g)

$1.96 HNL 52.2

$1.89 MX$32.72

3.70%

Rice (white) (1kg)

$1.55 HNL 41.31

$1.64 MX$28.32

-5.49%

Eggs

$2.51 HNL 66.8

$2.51 MX$43.34

Local Cheese (1kg)

$8.92 HNL 238

$8.34 MX$144

6.95%

Chicken Fillets (1kg)

$5.95 HNL 159

$8.34 MX$144

-28.66%

Beef Round Steak (1kg)

$10.98 HNL 293

$10.73 MX$186

2.33%

Apples (1kg)

$4.27 HNL 114

$2.60 MX$45.04

64.23%

Banana (1kg)

$1.58 HNL 42.01

$1.46 MX$25.20

8.22%

Oranges (1kg)

$3.94 HNL 105

$1.90 MX$32.87

107.37%

Tomato (1kg)

$2.02 HNL 53.7

$2.08 MX$35.91

-2.88%

Potato (1kg)

$2.27 HNL 60.5

$1.78 MX$30.71

27.53%

Onion (1kg)

$2.51 HNL 66.8

$2.19 MX$37.80

14.61%

Lettuce (1 head)

$0.82 HNL 21.92

$1.04 MX$17.99

-21.15%

Water (1.5 liter bottle)

$1.62 HNL 43.21

$1.08 MX$18.62

50.00%

Cigarettes 20 Pack (Marlboro, Camel)

$3.14 HNL 83.6

$4.08 MX$70.6

-23.04%

Wine (Bottle)

$12.99 HNL 346

$10.32 MX$178

25.87%

Local Beer (0.5 liter bottle)

$1.11 HNL 29.46

$1.71 MX$29.61

-35.09%

Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$1.62 HNL 43.03

$2.58 MX$44.54

-37.21%

One-way Ticket (Public Transport)

$0.58 HNL 15.50

$0.51 MX$8.81

13.73%

Public Transport Monthly Pass (Regular Price)

$37.20 HNL 991

$26.46 MX$458

40.59%

Taxi Start (Normal Tariff)

$3.75 HNL 99.8

$3.26 MX$56.4

15.03%

Taxi (Normal Tariff) (1km)

$1.43 HNL 37.98

$2.49 MX$43.09

-42.57%

Taxi 1hour Waiting (Normal Tariff)

$7.19 HNL 192

$3.25 MX$56.2

121.23%

Gasoline (1 liter)

$1.05 HNL 27.95

$1.31 MX$22.61

-19.85%

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

$21.5K HNL 573.7K

$30.3K MX$523.7K

-28.85%

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

$16.4K HNL 435.4K

$23.4K MX$405.3K

-30.21%

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

$135 HNL 3,588

$82.9 MX$1,433

62.60%

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

$10.17 HNL 271

$22.22 MX$384

-54.23%

Internet (50+ Mbps, Unlimited Data)

$49.79 HNL 1,326

$29.34 MX$507

69.70%

Gym Membership (Monthly)

$39.17 HNL 1,043

$51.6 MX$893

-24.13%

Tennis Court (1 Hour on Weekend)

$20.81 HNL 554

$18.32 MX$317

13.59%

Cinema Ticket

$5.41 HNL 144

$5.07 MX$87.6

6.71%

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

$144 HNL 3,843

$201 MX$3,473

-28.13%

International Primary School, 1 Child (Yearly)

$3,288 HNL 87.6K

$5,212 MX$90.1K

-36.90%

Jeans (Levis 501 Or Similar)

$50.5 HNL 1,343

$36.92 MX$639

36.65%

Summer Dress (H&M, Zara, etc)

$37.13 HNL 989

$39.79 MX$688

-6.69%

Sport Shoes (Adidas, Nike)

$83.6 HNL 2,225

$78.5 MX$1,357

6.53%

Men's Leather Business Shoes

$93.6 HNL 2,492

$87.1 MX$1,506

7.44%

1-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)

$556 HNL 14.8K

$973 MX$16.8K

-42.83%

1-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)

$416 HNL 11.1K

$468 MX$8,090

-11.00%

3-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)

$925 HNL 24.6K

$1,641 MX$28.4K

-43.63%

3-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)

$739 HNL 19.7K

$1,221 MX$21.1K

-39.49%

Buy Apartment in City Center (m2)

$1,031 HNL 27.5K

$3,946 MX$68.3K

-73.87%

Buy Apartment Outside City Center (m2)

$430 HNL 11.4K

$6,498 MX$112.4K

-93.39%

Average Monthly Net Salary (After Tax)

$597 HNL 15.9K

$664 MX$11.5K

-10.06%

20-Year Fixed Mortgage Interest Rate (Annual %)

11.24

11.42

-1.58%

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

Last update for San Pedro Sula: June 1, 2026

Last update for Playa del Carmen: June 2, 2026

Cost Breakdown

A central one-bedroom costs $556 in San Pedro Sula versus $973 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 11% 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 $31.00 in San Pedro Sula versus $42.00 in Playa del Carmen. Groceries tell a different story – $266 in San Pedro Sula vs $249 in Playa del Carmen – so Playa del Carmen wins on supermarket bills even if dining out costs more.

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 Pedro Sula vs Playa del Carmen: Cost of Living - Frequently Asked Questions

Yes – Playa del Carmen is pricier by about 7%, 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 $1,823 per month in San Pedro Sula and $1,945 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 Pedro Sula, 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 $1,215 in San Pedro Sula and $1,297 in Playa del Carmen. The difference isn't just one category – it shows up across housing, food, transport, and services.

Public transport costs about 41% less in San Pedro Sula. For daily commuters, that gap adds up to noticeable savings over a year.

A $2,000 monthly budget goes further in San Pedro Sula, where all-in costs run around $1,215, than in Playa del Carmen at $1,297. In San Pedro Sula 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 Pedro Sula – 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 Pedro Sula. 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.