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 $1,239 per month in San Pedro Sula vs $1,256 in Playa del Carmen, rent included.

A couple spends around $1,872 per month in San Pedro Sula vs $2,137 in Playa del Carmen, rent included.

A family of three spends $2,506 per month in San Pedro Sula vs $3,017 in Playa del Carmen, rent included.

San Pedro Sula is about 1% 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 7% lower, Playa del Carmen 6% lower.

Meal at Budget Restaurant

$7.73 HNL 207

$11.99 MX$210

-35.53%

Three-Course Dinner for Two, Mid-Range

$30.80 HNL 823

$41.78 MX$733

-26.28%

Fast Food Meal (McDonalds, etc)

$8.59 HNL 230

$10.75 MX$189

-20.09%

Cappuccino

$2.15 HNL 57.4

$3.50 MX$61.3

-38.57%

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

$1.34 HNL 35.70

$1.45 MX$25.41

-7.59%

Water (0.33 liter bottle)

$1.06 HNL 28.33

$0.88 MX$15.52

20.45%

Local Beer (0.5 liter draught)

$1.96 HNL 52.4

$2.95 MX$51.7

-33.56%

Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$3.33 HNL 88.9

$4.51 MX$79.1

-26.16%

Milk (1 liter)

$1.49 HNL 39.73

$1.43 MX$25.12

4.20%

White Bread (500g)

$1.98 HNL 52.9

$1.84 MX$32.23

7.61%

Rice (white) (1kg)

$1.51 HNL 40.27

$1.57 MX$27.51

-3.82%

Eggs

$2.53 HNL 67.7

$2.51 MX$44.06

0.80%

Local Cheese (1kg)

$9.12 HNL 244

$8.28 MX$145

10.14%

Chicken Fillets (1kg)

$6.04 HNL 162

$8.43 MX$148

-28.35%

Beef Round Steak (1kg)

$11.25 HNL 301

$10.68 MX$187

5.34%

Apples (1kg)

$4.27 HNL 114

$2.61 MX$45.76

63.60%

Banana (1kg)

$1.57 HNL 41.90

$1.44 MX$25.22

9.03%

Oranges (1kg)

$3.72 HNL 99.4

$1.96 MX$34.41

89.80%

Tomato (1kg)

$2.01 HNL 53.8

$2.09 MX$36.74

-3.83%

Potato (1kg)

$2.25 HNL 60.3

$1.85 MX$32.47

21.62%

Onion (1kg)

$2.61 HNL 69.9

$2.17 MX$38.02

20.28%

Lettuce (1 head)

$0.85 HNL 22.70

$1.03 MX$18.09

-17.48%

Water (1.5 liter bottle)

$1.62 HNL 43.43

$1.07 MX$18.84

51.40%

Cigarettes 20 Pack (Marlboro, Camel)

$3.00 HNL 80.2

$4.10 MX$72.0

-26.83%

Wine (Bottle)

$13.11 HNL 351

$10.17 MX$178

28.91%

Local Beer (0.5 liter bottle)

$1.15 HNL 30.72

$1.68 MX$29.38

-31.55%

Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$1.55 HNL 41.48

$2.53 MX$44.31

-38.74%

One-way Ticket (Public Transport)

$0.63 HNL 16.91

$0.51 MX$8.93

23.53%

Public Transport Monthly Pass (Regular Price)

$36.58 HNL 978

$26.04 MX$457

40.48%

Taxi Start (Normal Tariff)

$3.66 HNL 97.7

$3.23 MX$56.7

13.31%

Taxi (Normal Tariff) (1km)

$1.42 HNL 37.97

$2.41 MX$42.19

-41.08%

Taxi 1hour Waiting (Normal Tariff)

$6.93 HNL 185

$3.23 MX$56.6

114.55%

Gasoline (1 liter)

$1.06 HNL 28.32

$1.32 MX$23.17

-19.70%

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

$21.4K HNL 573.4K

$29.7K MX$520.9K

-27.77%

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

$16.6K HNL 443.9K

$23.7K MX$415.0K

-29.84%

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

$133 HNL 3,557

$82.0 MX$1,439

62.21%

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

$10.04 HNL 268

$22.95 MX$403

-56.25%

Internet (50+ Mbps, Unlimited Data)

$49.96 HNL 1,336

$30.11 MX$528

65.92%

Gym Membership (Monthly)

$38.74 HNL 1,036

$52.0 MX$912

-25.46%

Tennis Court (1 Hour on Weekend)

$20.93 HNL 560

$18.53 MX$325

12.95%

Cinema Ticket

$5.59 HNL 149

$4.98 MX$87.3

12.25%

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

$145 HNL 3,864

$197 MX$3,463

-26.80%

International Primary School, 1 Child (Yearly)

$3,188 HNL 85.2K

$5,336 MX$93.6K

-40.27%

Jeans (Levis 501 Or Similar)

$52.1 HNL 1,394

$35.60 MX$624

46.43%

Summer Dress (H&M, Zara, etc)

$37.66 HNL 1,007

$40.33 MX$707

-6.62%

Sport Shoes (Adidas, Nike)

$84.5 HNL 2,258

$78.8 MX$1,381

7.26%

Men's Leather Business Shoes

$94.0 HNL 2,513

$88.9 MX$1,560

5.68%

1-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)

$552 HNL 14.8K

$947 MX$16.6K

-41.69%

1-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)

$417 HNL 11.2K

$474 MX$8,314

-11.98%

3-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)

$890 HNL 23.8K

$1,644 MX$28.8K

-45.88%

3-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)

$720 HNL 19.2K

$1,211 MX$21.2K

-40.54%

Buy Apartment in City Center (m2)

$999 HNL 26.7K

$4,056 MX$71.1K

-75.38%

Buy Apartment Outside City Center (m2)

$431 HNL 11.5K

$6,470 MX$113.5K

-93.33%

Average Monthly Net Salary (After Tax)

$594 HNL 15.9K

$654 MX$11.5K

-9.19%

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: July 11, 2026

Last update for Playa del Carmen: July 13, 2026

Cost Breakdown

A central one-bedroom costs $552 in San Pedro Sula versus $947 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 10% 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 – $268 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 1%, 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 $1,858 per month in San Pedro Sula and $1,884 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 $1,239 in San Pedro Sula and $1,256 in Playa del Carmen. The difference isn't just one category – it shows up across housing, food, transport, and services.

Public transport costs about 40% 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 $1,239, than in Playa del Carmen at $1,256. 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.