Cost of Living Comparison Between Playa del Carmen and Sancti Spíritus Cost of Living Comparison Between Playa del Carmen and Sancti Spíritus

Monthly Cost of Living

A single person spends $1,256 per month in Playa del Carmen vs $338 in Sancti Spíritus, rent included.

A couple spends around $2,137 per month in Playa del Carmen vs $583 in Sancti Spíritus, rent included.

A family of three spends $3,017 per month in Playa del Carmen vs $828 in Sancti Spíritus, rent included.

Playa del Carmen costs about 272% more than Sancti Spíritus, driven mainly by Eating Out.

Both Playa del Carmen and Sancti Spíritus are more affordable than the global median – Playa del Carmen 6% lower, Sancti Spíritus 75% lower.

Meal at Budget Restaurant

$11.99 MX$210

$6.80 CUP 163

76.32%

Three-Course Dinner for Two, Mid-Range

$41.78 MX$733

$24.89 CUP 597

67.86%

Fast Food Meal (McDonalds, etc)

$10.75 MX$189

$4.93 CUP 118

118.05%

Cappuccino

$3.50 MX$61.3

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

$1.45 MX$25.41

$1.02 CUP 24.36

42.16%

Water (0.33 liter bottle)

$0.88 MX$15.52

$0.73 CUP 17.46

20.55%

Local Beer (0.5 liter draught)

$2.95 MX$51.7

$2.95 CUP 70.8

Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$4.51 MX$79.1

$2.02 CUP 48.50

123.27%

Milk (1 liter)

$1.43 MX$25.12

White Bread (500g)

$1.84 MX$32.23

Rice (white) (1kg)

$1.57 MX$27.51

$1.01 CUP 24.26

55.45%

Eggs

$2.51 MX$44.06

$2.46 CUP 59.0

2.03%

Local Cheese (1kg)

$8.28 MX$145

$3.89 CUP 93.3

112.85%

Chicken Fillets (1kg)

$8.43 MX$148

$5.14 CUP 123

64.01%

Beef Round Steak (1kg)

$10.68 MX$187

$10.01 CUP 240

6.69%

Apples (1kg)

$2.61 MX$45.76

$2.95 CUP 70.7

-11.53%

Banana (1kg)

$1.44 MX$25.22

$0.48 CUP 11.53

200.00%

Oranges (1kg)

$1.96 MX$34.41

$0.49 CUP 11.69

300.00%

Tomato (1kg)

$2.09 MX$36.74

$1.02 CUP 24.56

104.90%

Potato (1kg)

$1.85 MX$32.47

$2.06 CUP 49.37

-10.19%

Onion (1kg)

$2.17 MX$38.02

$1.95 CUP 46.77

11.28%

Lettuce (1 head)

$1.03 MX$18.09

Water (1.5 liter bottle)

$1.07 MX$18.84

$0.98 CUP 23.55

9.18%

Cigarettes 20 Pack (Marlboro, Camel)

$4.10 MX$72.0

$1.97 CUP 47.22

108.12%

Wine (Bottle)

$10.17 MX$178

$12.87 CUP 309

-20.98%

Local Beer (0.5 liter bottle)

$1.68 MX$29.38

Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$2.53 MX$44.31

$1.96 CUP 46.98

29.08%

One-way Ticket (Public Transport)

$0.51 MX$8.93

Public Transport Monthly Pass (Regular Price)

$26.04 MX$457

Taxi Start (Normal Tariff)

$3.23 MX$56.7

$0.99 CUP 23.68

226.26%

Taxi (Normal Tariff) (1km)

$2.41 MX$42.19

$1.01 CUP 24.32

138.61%

Taxi 1hour Waiting (Normal Tariff)

$3.23 MX$56.6

Gasoline (1 liter)

$1.32 MX$23.17

$2.04 CUP 48.99

-35.29%

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

$29.7K MX$520.9K

$50.6K CUP 1.2M

-41.25%

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

$23.7K MX$415.0K

$70.1K CUP 1.7M

-66.26%

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

$82.0 MX$1,439

$29.45 CUP 707

178.47%

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

$22.95 MX$403

Internet (50+ Mbps, Unlimited Data)

$30.11 MX$528

Gym Membership (Monthly)

$52.0 MX$912

Tennis Court (1 Hour on Weekend)

$18.53 MX$325

Cinema Ticket

$4.98 MX$87.3

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

$197 MX$3,463

International Primary School, 1 Child (Yearly)

$5,336 MX$93.6K

Jeans (Levis 501 Or Similar)

$35.60 MX$624

$24.63 CUP 591

44.54%

Summer Dress (H&M, Zara, etc)

$40.33 MX$707

$14.88 CUP 357

171.03%

Sport Shoes (Adidas, Nike)

$78.8 MX$1,381

$40.35 CUP 969

95.17%

Men's Leather Business Shoes

$88.9 MX$1,560

$30.46 CUP 731

191.96%

1-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)

$947 MX$16.6K

1-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)

$474 MX$8,314

3-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)

$1,644 MX$28.8K

3-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)

$1,211 MX$21.2K

Buy Apartment in City Center (m2)

$4,056 MX$71.1K

Buy Apartment Outside City Center (m2)

$6,470 MX$113.5K

Average Monthly Net Salary (After Tax)

$654 MX$11.5K

$19.61 CUP 471

3234.47%

20-Year Fixed Mortgage Interest Rate (Annual %)

11.42

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

Last update for Playa del Carmen: July 13, 2026

Last update for Sancti Spíritus: July 11, 2026

Cost Breakdown

Salaries run about 3234% 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 $42.00 in Playa del Carmen versus $25.00 in Sancti Spíritus. Monthly groceries follow the same trend: $249 vs $157 – making Sancti Spíritus 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

Playa del Carmen vs Sancti Spíritus: Cost of Living - Frequently Asked Questions

Yes – Playa del Carmen is pricier by about 272%, 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 $1,884 per month in Playa del Carmen and $507 in Sancti Spíritus. That covers rent, food, utilities, transport, and enough left over to feel settled – not just surviving.

Groceries cost about 58% more in Playa del Carmen, though it depends on what you buy. Local produce may be comparable; imported and premium items show the biggest price gap.

A mid-range dinner for two costs $42.00 in Playa del Carmen and $25.00 in Sancti Spíritus. That's a good indicator of the overall restaurant and café pricing gap between the two cities.

A $1,500 monthly budget goes further in Sancti Spíritus, where all-in costs run around $338, than in Playa del Carmen at $1,256. In Sancti Spíritus it covers expenses comfortably, while in Playa del Carmen it requires careful planning or may not stretch far enough.

Families tend to lean toward Sancti Spíritus – 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 Sancti Spíritus. 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.