Last update: Nov 2026

Cost of Living Comparison Between Playa del Carmen and Santa Clarita, CA

For one person, living is cheaper in Playa del Carmen: $1,202 a month against $3,818 in Santa Clarita, CA, rent and utilities included – about $31,400 less a year. Rent and utilities account for most of the difference.

57

Cost of Living Index in Playa del Carmen
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Playa del Carmen Living Index
184

Cost of Living Index in Santa Clarita, CA
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Santa Clarita, CA Living Index

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Playa del Carmen

🇲🇽 Mexico

$1,202

/mo nomad

Santa Clarita, CA

🇺🇸 United States

$3,818

/mo nomad

Monthly Cost of Living

How much you'll spend in Playa del Carmen and in Santa Clarita, CA

Real prices from locals and on-the-ground checks – rent, groceries, transit and the daily extras. Here's what a month in Playa del Carmen and in Santa Clarita, CA actually costs, broken down by who's living it.

A single person spends $1,202 per month in Playa del Carmen vs $3,818 in Santa Clarita, CA, rent included.

Playa del Carmen $1,202
Santa Clarita, CA $3,818

A couple spends around $2,082 per month in Playa del Carmen vs $5,123 in Santa Clarita, CA, rent included.

Playa del Carmen $2,082
Santa Clarita, CA $5,123

A family of three spends $2,962 per month in Playa del Carmen vs $6,428 in Santa Clarita, CA, rent included.

Playa del Carmen $2,962
Santa Clarita, CA $6,428

Playa del Carmen is about 69% cheaper than Santa Clarita, CA, and outside of rent the biggest gap is in groceries.

Playa del Carmen sits 11% below the global median, while Santa Clarita, CA is 182% above – they fall on opposite sides of the world average.

Meal at Budget Restaurant

$10.67 MX$200

$20.11 $20.11

-46.94%

Three-Course Dinner for Two, Mid-Range

$43.80 MX$819

$99.7 $99.7

-56.08%

Fast Food Meal (McDonalds, etc)

$11.79 MX$220

$15.10 $15.10

-21.92%

Cappuccino

$3.79 MX$70.8

$6.11 $6.11

-37.97%

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

$1.30 MX$24.26

$3.57 $3.57

-63.59%

Water (0.33 liter bottle)

$0.83 MX$15.59

$3.04 $3.04

-72.70%

Local Beer (0.5 liter draught)

$3.15 MX$58.9

$8.16 $8.16

-61.40%

Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$4.93 MX$92.3

$9.06 $9.06

-45.58%

Milk (1 liter)

$1.41 MX$26.35

$1.13 $1.13

24.78%

White Bread (500g)

$2.20 MX$41.07

$3.98 $3.98

-44.72%

Rice (white) (1kg)

$1.47 MX$27.54

$5.02 $5.02

-70.72%

Eggs

$2.50 MX$46.70

$4.78 $4.78

-47.70%

Local Cheese (1kg)

$7.29 MX$136

$19.18 $19.18

-61.99%

Chicken Fillets (1kg)

$7.95 MX$149

$7.98 $7.98

-0.38%

Beef Round Steak (1kg)

$12.86 MX$241

$17.09 $17.09

-24.75%

Apples (1kg)

$2.90 MX$54.2

$6.56 $6.56

-55.79%

Banana (1kg)

$1.38 MX$25.87

$1.94 $1.94

-28.87%

Oranges (1kg)

$2.49 MX$46.59

$3.09 $3.09

-19.42%

Tomato (1kg)

$2.03 MX$37.97

$2.95 $2.95

-31.19%

Potato (1kg)

$2.02 MX$37.88

$8.38 $8.38

-75.89%

Onion (1kg)

$1.90 MX$35.60

$4.76 $4.76

-60.08%

Lettuce (1 head)

$1.14 MX$21.41

$3.45 $3.45

-66.96%

Water (1.5 liter bottle)

$1.24 MX$23.17

$2.69 $2.69

-53.90%

Cigarettes 20 Pack (Marlboro, Camel)

$4.27 MX$79.9

$11.56 $11.56

-63.06%

Wine (Bottle)

$9.81 MX$184

$16.20 $16.20

-39.44%

Local Beer (0.5 liter bottle)

$1.59 MX$29.66

$1.77 $1.77

-10.17%

Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$2.75 MX$51.3

$4.39 $4.39

-37.36%

One-way Ticket (Public Transport)

$0.51 MX$9.63

$2.47 $2.47

-79.35%

Public Transport Monthly Pass (Regular Price)

$27.39 MX$512

$27.33 $27.33

0.22%

Taxi Start (Normal Tariff)

$4.76 MX$89.1

$2.88 $2.88

65.28%

Taxi (Normal Tariff) (1km)

$3.25 MX$60.8

$2.44 $2.44

33.20%

Taxi 1hour Waiting (Normal Tariff)

$5.39 MX$101

$58.9 $58.9

-90.85%

Gasoline (1 liter)

$1.53 MX$28.58

$1.26 $1.26

21.43%

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

$21.2K MX$396.8K

$23.6K $23.6K

-10.12%

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

$23.3K MX$435.1K

$26.0K $26.0K

-10.68%

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

$83.5 MX$1,562

$221 $221

-62.21%

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

$23.19 MX$434

$56.2 $56.2

-58.71%

Internet (50+ Mbps, Unlimited Data)

$27.61 MX$516

$71.2 $71.2

-61.21%

Gym Membership (Monthly)

$56.4 MX$1,056

$36.80 $36.80

53.34%

Tennis Court (1 Hour on Weekend)

$28.19 MX$527

$25.47 $25.47

10.68%

Cinema Ticket

$5.00 MX$93.5

$14.07 $14.07

-64.46%

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

$207 MX$3,873

$993 $993

-79.14%

International Primary School, 1 Child (Yearly)

$5,231 MX$97.8K

$40.0K $40.0K

-86.93%

Jeans (Levis 501 Or Similar)

$43.45 MX$813

$73.6 $73.6

-40.93%

Summer Dress (H&M, Zara, etc)

$42.54 MX$796

$27.03 $27.03

57.38%

Sport Shoes (Adidas, Nike)

$72.8 MX$1,361

$72.9 $72.9

-0.23%

Men's Leather Business Shoes

$88.4 MX$1,653

$110 $110

-19.71%

1-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)

$995 MX$18.6K

$2,777 $2,777

-64.18%

1-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)

$382 MX$7,152

$2,418 $2,418

-84.19%

3-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)

$1,674 MX$31.3K

$3,905 $3,905

-57.13%

3-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)

$1,081 MX$20.2K

$3,241 $3,241

-66.66%

Buy Apartment in City Center (m2)

$3,909 MX$73.1K

$3,725 $3,725

4.94%

Buy Apartment Outside City Center (m2)

$6,138 MX$114.8K

$4,283 $4,283

43.29%

Average Monthly Net Salary (After Tax)

$832 MX$15.6K

$5,306 $5,306

-84.31%

20-Year Fixed Mortgage Interest Rate (Annual %)

11.45

6.49

76.43%

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

Last update for Playa del Carmen: November 2, 2026

Last update for Santa Clarita, CA: November 2, 2026

Monthly budget structure

Share of the monthly basket for one person, rent included.

Accommodation & Living

Playa del Carmen

$382 31.8%

Santa Clarita, CA

$2.4K 63.4% 532% $2K

Groceries & Markets

Playa del Carmen

$257 21.4%

Santa Clarita, CA

$441 11.6% 71.5% $184

Eating Out

Playa del Carmen

$200 16.7%

Santa Clarita, CA

$365 9.6% 82.2% $165

Monthly Utilities & Internet

Playa del Carmen

$134 11.2%

Santa Clarita, CA

$348 9.1% 159% $214

Clothing & Footwear

Playa del Carmen

$111 9.3%

Santa Clarita, CA

$128 3.3% 14.8% $16

Sport & Entertainment

Playa del Carmen

$66 5.5%

Santa Clarita, CA

$65 1.7% 2.2% $1.5

Getting Around

Playa del Carmen

$50 4.2%

Santa Clarita, CA

$52 1.4% 3.6% $1.8

Cost Breakdown

A central one-bedroom costs $995 in Playa del Carmen versus $2,777 in Santa Clarita, CA. Rent is usually the largest line item in a monthly budget, so the gap here sets the tone for the overall comparison.

Salaries in Santa Clarita, CA are about 6.4 times higher. Purchasing power depends on which expenses matter most to you.

A mid-range dinner for two costs $44 in Playa del Carmen versus $100 in Santa Clarita, CA. Monthly groceries follow the same trend: $257 vs $441 – making Playa del Carmen the more affordable choice for daily food spending.

Good to know

🇲🇽 Playa del Carmen

🇺🇸 Santa Clarita, CA

🕒 Local time

17:32 5:32 PM

14:32 2:32 PM

3 h behind Playa del Carmen

🌤 Weather

👥 Population

149,923

182,371

💱 Currency

Mexican Peso MXN $

United States Dollar USD $

📈 Exchange rate

100 MXN = 5.35 USD

100 MXN = 4.78 EUR

1 USD = 0.895 EUR

Exchange rates and currency converter

USD, EUR to MXN – Mexican Peso Converter

🇺🇸 United States Dollar ($)

🇲🇽 Mexican Peso ($)

Mexican Peso exchange rates as of November 6, 2026: 1 USD = 18.7 MXN (100 MXN = 5.35 USD). 1 EUR = 20.9 MXN (100 MXN = 4.78 EUR).

United States Dollar exchange rates as of November 6, 2026: 1 EUR = 1.12 USD (1 USD = 0.895 EUR).

USD to MXN in detail →

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Between locations

Playa del Carmen Santa Clarita, CA 3,440 km ≈ 4 h 45 min nonstop flight

From you

Playa del Carmen
Santa Clarita, CA

Distances are measured in a straight line. Your location is detected approximately.

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 Santa Clarita, CA: Cost of Living - Frequently Asked Questions

Yes – Santa Clarita, CA is pricier by about 217%, and outside of rent the gap shows up most in groceries.

For a comfortable life, plan on about $1,804 per month in Playa del Carmen and $5,726 in Santa Clarita, CA. That covers rent, food, utilities, transport, and enough left over to feel settled – not just surviving.

Rent is clearly cheaper in Playa del Carmen, especially for central apartments: a one-bedroom in the center costs $995 there versus $2,777 in Santa Clarita, CA.

Monthly expenses with rent come to $1,202 in Playa del Carmen and $3,818 in Santa Clarita, CA. That makes Playa del Carmen about 69% cheaper.

Kindergarten costs $207 per month in Playa del Carmen and $993 in Santa Clarita, CA. For families with young kids, this one expense can tip the scales when choosing between the two cities.

A $1,500 monthly budget goes further in Playa del Carmen, where all-in costs run around $1,202, than in Santa Clarita, CA at $3,818. In Playa del Carmen it covers expenses comfortably, while in Santa Clarita, CA it requires careful planning or may not stretch far enough.

Families tend to lean toward Playa del Carmen – 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 Playa del Carmen. If higher salaries or specific career opportunities are the priority, Santa Clarita, CA makes more sense. Both are solid long-term options with distinct trade-offs.