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 $1,305 per month in Playa del Carmen vs $347 in Sancti Spíritus, rent included.

A couple spends around $2,334 per month in Playa del Carmen vs $587 in Sancti Spíritus, rent included.

A family of three spends $3,362 per month in Playa del Carmen vs $826 in Sancti Spíritus, rent included.

Playa del Carmen costs about 276% 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 5% lower, Sancti Spíritus 75% lower.

Meal at Budget Restaurant

$11.96 MX$203

$6.82 CUP 164

75.37%

Three-Course Dinner for Two, Mid-Range

$47.38 MX$804

$24.73 CUP 594

91.59%

Fast Food Meal (McDonalds, etc)

$11.75 MX$199

$4.95 CUP 119

137.37%

Cappuccino

$4.12 MX$70.0

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

$1.40 MX$23.74

$0.98 CUP 23.47

42.86%

Water (0.33 liter bottle)

$0.91 MX$15.48

$0.73 CUP 17.41

24.66%

Local Beer (0.5 liter draught)

$3.21 MX$54.4

$2.95 CUP 70.9

8.81%

Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$7.07 MX$120

$2.01 CUP 48.28

251.74%

Milk (1 liter)

$1.68 MX$28.44

White Bread (500g)

$2.15 MX$36.48

Rice (white) (1kg)

$1.77 MX$30.10

$0.98 CUP 23.59

80.61%

Eggs

$2.82 MX$47.76

$2.33 CUP 55.9

21.03%

Local Cheese (1kg)

$9.20 MX$156

$3.96 CUP 95.1

132.32%

Chicken Fillets (1kg)

$9.23 MX$157

$5.05 CUP 121

82.77%

Beef Round Steak (1kg)

$12.64 MX$214

$10.11 CUP 243

25.02%

Apples (1kg)

$2.95 MX$50.1

$3.01 CUP 72.2

-1.99%

Banana (1kg)

$1.58 MX$26.79

$0.52 CUP 12.47

203.85%

Oranges (1kg)

$2.22 MX$37.70

$0.49 CUP 11.66

353.06%

Tomato (1kg)

$2.36 MX$40.09

$0.98 CUP 23.45

140.82%

Potato (1kg)

$1.99 MX$33.81

$1.95 CUP 46.68

2.05%

Onion (1kg)

$1.98 MX$33.58

$2.03 CUP 48.75

-2.46%

Lettuce (1 head)

$1.24 MX$21.04

Water (1.5 liter bottle)

$1.21 MX$20.55

$1.01 CUP 24.34

19.80%

Cigarettes 20 Pack (Marlboro, Camel)

$4.60 MX$78.1

$2.05 CUP 49.29

124.39%

Wine (Bottle)

$10.52 MX$178

$12.93 CUP 310

-18.64%

Local Beer (0.5 liter bottle)

$1.69 MX$28.70

Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$2.77 MX$47.06

$2.02 CUP 48.54

37.13%

One-way Ticket (Public Transport)

$0.60 MX$10.22

Public Transport Monthly Pass (Regular Price)

$29.70 MX$504

Taxi Start (Normal Tariff)

$5.24 MX$88.8

$0.98 CUP 23.52

434.69%

Taxi (Normal Tariff) (1km)

$3.65 MX$61.9

$1.03 CUP 24.62

254.37%

Taxi 1hour Waiting (Normal Tariff)

$5.78 MX$98.1

Gasoline (1 liter)

$1.54 MX$26.09

$1.97 CUP 47.22

-21.83%

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

$22.8K MX$386.8K

$50.7K CUP 1.2M

-55.02%

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

$25.8K MX$437.9K

$68.9K CUP 1.7M

-62.55%

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

$90.7 MX$1,538

$29.60 CUP 710

206.32%

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

$25.19 MX$427

Internet (50+ Mbps, Unlimited Data)

$31.75 MX$539

Gym Membership (Monthly)

$68.8 MX$1,167

Tennis Court (1 Hour on Weekend)

$29.37 MX$498

Cinema Ticket

$4.86 MX$82.5

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

$226 MX$3,828

International Primary School, 1 Child (Yearly)

$4,194 MX$71.1K

Jeans (Levis 501 Or Similar)

$47.38 MX$804

$24.86 CUP 597

90.59%

Summer Dress (H&M, Zara, etc)

$43.45 MX$737

$14.76 CUP 354

194.38%

Sport Shoes (Adidas, Nike)

$80.2 MX$1,361

$40.05 CUP 961

100.30%

Men's Leather Business Shoes

$91.4 MX$1,550

$29.52 CUP 708

209.55%

1-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)

$1,086 MX$18.4K

1-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)

$409 MX$6,933

3-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)

$1,972 MX$33.5K

3-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)

$1,281 MX$21.7K

Buy Apartment in City Center (m2)

$4,046 MX$68.6K

Buy Apartment Outside City Center (m2)

$6,704 MX$113.7K

Average Monthly Net Salary (After Tax)

$773 MX$13.1K

$19.96 CUP 479

3774.30%

20-Year Fixed Mortgage Interest Rate (Annual %)

11.45

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

Last update for Playa del Carmen: September 7, 2026

Last update for Sancti Spíritus: September 5, 2026

Cost Breakdown

Salaries run about 3774% 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 $47.00 in Playa del Carmen versus $25.00 in Sancti Spíritus. Monthly groceries follow the same trend: $278 vs $158 – 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 276%, 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 $1,958 per month in Playa del Carmen and $520 in Sancti Spíritus. That covers rent, food, utilities, transport, and enough left over to feel settled – not just surviving.

Groceries cost about 76% 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 $47.00 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 $347, than in Playa del Carmen at $1,305. 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.