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 $1,223 per month in San Pedro Sula vs $1,293 in Playa del Carmen, rent included.

A couple spends around $1,845 per month in San Pedro Sula vs $2,334 in Playa del Carmen, rent included.

A family of three spends $2,467 per month in San Pedro Sula vs $3,374 in Playa del Carmen, rent included.

San Pedro Sula is about 5% 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 11% lower, Playa del Carmen 6% lower.

Meal at Budget Restaurant

$7.65 HNL 205

$11.71 MX$199

-34.67%

Three-Course Dinner for Two, Mid-Range

$33.69 HNL 904

$46.59 MX$791

-27.69%

Fast Food Meal (McDonalds, etc)

$9.34 HNL 251

$11.65 MX$198

-19.83%

Cappuccino

$2.42 HNL 65.0

$4.09 MX$69.5

-40.83%

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

$1.08 HNL 28.93

$1.37 MX$23.34

-21.17%

Water (0.33 liter bottle)

$0.78 HNL 20.87

$0.83 MX$14.16

-6.02%

Local Beer (0.5 liter draught)

$1.88 HNL 50.5

$3.35 MX$56.9

-43.88%

Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$3.50 HNL 93.8

$6.91 MX$117

-49.35%

Milk (1 liter)

$1.47 HNL 39.31

$1.73 MX$29.33

-15.03%

White Bread (500g)

$1.97 HNL 52.8

$2.26 MX$38.39

-12.83%

Rice (white) (1kg)

$1.62 HNL 43.42

$1.77 MX$30.05

-8.47%

Eggs

$2.30 HNL 61.8

$2.73 MX$46.41

-15.75%

Local Cheese (1kg)

$8.76 HNL 235

$9.18 MX$156

-4.58%

Chicken Fillets (1kg)

$6.80 HNL 182

$8.92 MX$151

-23.77%

Beef Round Steak (1kg)

$9.26 HNL 248

$12.60 MX$214

-26.51%

Apples (1kg)

$3.62 HNL 97.2

$3.02 MX$51.3

19.87%

Banana (1kg)

$1.22 HNL 32.76

$1.57 MX$26.68

-22.29%

Oranges (1kg)

$3.30 HNL 88.4

$2.13 MX$36.10

54.93%

Tomato (1kg)

$1.64 HNL 43.94

$2.26 MX$38.46

-27.43%

Potato (1kg)

$2.43 HNL 65.2

$2.00 MX$34.04

21.50%

Onion (1kg)

$2.29 HNL 61.4

$2.06 MX$35.06

11.17%

Lettuce (1 head)

$1.46 HNL 39.24

$1.18 MX$20.04

23.73%

Water (1.5 liter bottle)

$1.68 HNL 45.02

$1.20 MX$20.45

40.00%

Cigarettes 20 Pack (Marlboro, Camel)

$2.91 HNL 78.1

$4.63 MX$78.7

-37.15%

Wine (Bottle)

$12.95 HNL 348

$10.69 MX$182

21.14%

Local Beer (0.5 liter bottle)

$0.80 HNL 21.38

$1.62 MX$27.50

-50.62%

Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$1.35 HNL 36.17

$2.88 MX$48.93

-53.13%

One-way Ticket (Public Transport)

$0.63 HNL 16.91

$0.57 MX$9.74

10.53%

Public Transport Monthly Pass (Regular Price)

$35.42 HNL 950

$29.83 MX$507

18.74%

Taxi Start (Normal Tariff)

$2.83 HNL 76.0

$5.45 MX$92.5

-48.07%

Taxi (Normal Tariff) (1km)

$1.82 HNL 48.83

$3.70 MX$62.9

-50.81%

Taxi 1hour Waiting (Normal Tariff)

$11.20 HNL 301

$5.98 MX$102

87.29%

Gasoline (1 liter)

$0.99 HNL 26.55

$1.55 MX$26.38

-36.13%

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

$23.3K HNL 625.1K

$22.3K MX$379.2K

4.34%

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

$24.4K HNL 654.3K

$25.9K MX$440.7K

-6.02%

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

$128 HNL 3,439

$89.1 MX$1,514

43.79%

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

$11.18 HNL 300

$25.04 MX$425

-55.35%

Internet (50+ Mbps, Unlimited Data)

$42.78 HNL 1,148

$31.50 MX$535

35.81%

Gym Membership (Monthly)

$37.57 HNL 1,008

$67.8 MX$1,151

-44.57%

Tennis Court (1 Hour on Weekend)

$13.89 HNL 373

$28.92 MX$491

-51.97%

Cinema Ticket

$5.77 HNL 155

$5.05 MX$85.8

14.26%

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

$149 HNL 4,009

$225 MX$3,820

-33.58%

International Primary School, 1 Child (Yearly)

$3,150 HNL 84.5K

$4,222 MX$71.7K

-25.39%

Jeans (Levis 501 Or Similar)

$73.9 HNL 1,984

$47.44 MX$806

55.86%

Summer Dress (H&M, Zara, etc)

$39.87 HNL 1,070

$44.98 MX$764

-11.36%

Sport Shoes (Adidas, Nike)

$77.9 HNL 2,090

$82.0 MX$1,392

-5.00%

Men's Leather Business Shoes

$75.8 HNL 2,034

$92.1 MX$1,564

-17.72%

1-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)

$552 HNL 14.8K

$1,069 MX$18.2K

-48.38%

1-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)

$415 HNL 11.1K

$405 MX$6,884

2.49%

3-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)

$795 HNL 21.3K

$1,935 MX$32.9K

-58.94%

3-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)

$713 HNL 19.1K

$1,301 MX$22.1K

-45.17%

Buy Apartment in City Center (m2)

$995 HNL 26.7K

$3,995 MX$67.9K

-75.09%

Buy Apartment Outside City Center (m2)

$430 HNL 11.5K

$6,626 MX$112.5K

-93.50%

Average Monthly Net Salary (After Tax)

$602 HNL 16.1K

$749 MX$12.7K

-19.65%

20-Year Fixed Mortgage Interest Rate (Annual %)

12.33

11.45

7.69%

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

Last update for San Pedro Sula: August 30, 2026

Last update for Playa del Carmen: August 29, 2026

Cost Breakdown

A central one-bedroom costs $552 in San Pedro Sula versus $1,069 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 24% 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 $34.00 in San Pedro Sula versus $47.00 in Playa del Carmen. Monthly groceries follow the same trend: $255 vs $277 – making San Pedro Sula 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 Pedro Sula vs Playa del Carmen: Cost of Living - Frequently Asked Questions

Yes – Playa del Carmen is pricier by about 6%, 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 $1,834 per month in San Pedro Sula and $1,940 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 $1,223 in San Pedro Sula and $1,293 in Playa del Carmen. The difference isn't just one category – it shows up across housing, food, transport, and services.

Public transport costs about 19% 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 $1,223, than in Playa del Carmen at $1,293. 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.