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

🙂 Solo nomad: Playa del Carmen is 29.5% cheaper than Santa Cruz, CA without rent, and 70.4% cheaper with rent.

🙂 Family of 3: Playa del Carmen is 53.2% cheaper than Santa Cruz, CA without rent, and 60.1% cheaper with rent.

Meal at Budget Restaurant

$11.99 MX$227

$22.44 $22.44

-46.57%

Three-Course Dinner for Two, Mid-Range

$42.47 MX$803

$79.7 $79.7

-46.73%

Fast Food Meal (McDonalds, etc)

$10.47 MX$198

$12.36 $12.36

-15.29%

Cappuccino

$3.6 MX$68.2

$5.85 $5.85

-38.46%

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

$1.44 MX$27.16

$3.41 $3.41

-57.77%

Water (0.33 liter bottle)

$0.89 MX$16.79

$2.54 $2.54

-64.96%

Local Beer (0.5 liter draught)

$3.09 MX$58.5

$6.93 $6.93

-55.41%

Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$4.58 MX$86.6

$7.46 $7.46

-38.61%

Milk (1 liter)

$1.38 MX$26.04

$1.43 $1.43

-3.50%

White Bread (500g)

$1.85 MX$34.9

$5.16 $5.16

-64.15%

Rice (white) (1kg)

$1.57 MX$29.68

$6.65 $6.65

-76.39%

Eggs

$2.55 MX$48.3

$5.96 $5.96

-57.21%

Local Cheese (1kg)

$8.61 MX$163

$23.24 $23.24

-62.95%

Chicken Fillets (1kg)

$8.54 MX$161

$14.85 $14.85

-42.49%

Beef Round Steak (1kg)

$10.98 MX$208

$23.7 $23.7

-53.67%

Apples (1kg)

$2.72 MX$51.4

$7.05 $7.05

-61.42%

Banana (1kg)

$1.51 MX$28.57

$2.78 $2.78

-45.68%

Oranges (1kg)

$1.88 MX$35.63

$5.32 $5.32

-64.66%

Tomato (1kg)

$2.19 MX$41.42

$7.49 $7.49

-70.76%

Potato (1kg)

$1.87 MX$35.3

$3.88 $3.88

-51.80%

Onion (1kg)

$2.19 MX$41.37

$3.93 $3.93

-44.27%

Lettuce (1 head)

$1.07 MX$20.23

$2.9 $2.9

-63.10%

Water (1.5 liter bottle)

$1.09 MX$20.64

$2.86 $2.86

-61.89%

Cigarettes 20 Pack (Marlboro, Camel)

$3.96 MX$74.9

$14.16 $14.16

-72.03%

Wine (Bottle)

$8.86 MX$167

$12.02 $12.02

-26.29%

Local Beer (0.5 liter bottle)

$1.72 MX$32.53

$2.15 $2.15

-20.00%

Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$2.61 MX$49.37

$2.67 $2.67

-2.25%

One-way Ticket (Public Transport)

$0.52 MX$9.74

$2.05 $2.05

-74.63%

Public Transport Monthly Pass (Regular Price)

$26.59 MX$503

$65.2 $65.2

-59.23%

Taxi Start (Normal Tariff)

$3.24 MX$61.2

$4.09 $4.09

-20.78%

Taxi (Normal Tariff) (1km)

$2.38 MX$44.94

$1.93 $1.93

23.32%

Taxi 1hour Waiting (Normal Tariff)

$3.11 MX$58.7

$38.9 $38.9

-92.01%

Gasoline (1 liter)

$1.31 MX$24.85

$1.24 $1.24

5.65%

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

$30.3K MX$573K

$34.9K $34.9K

-13.16%

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

$24K MX$453.6K

$26.5K $26.5K

-9.32%

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

$84.2 MX$1,592

$221 $221

-61.85%

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

$22.14 MX$419

$47.05 $47.05

-52.94%

Internet (50+ Mbps, Unlimited Data)

$30.14 MX$570

$67.8 $67.8

-55.56%

Gym Membership (Monthly)

$52 MX$983

$60.2 $60.2

-13.67%

Tennis Court (1 Hour on Weekend)

$18.72 MX$354

Cinema Ticket

$5.07 MX$95.9

$17.04 $17.04

-70.25%

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

$200 MX$3,787

$3,225 $3,225

-93.79%

International Primary School, 1 Child (Yearly)

$5,333 MX$100.8K

$38.5K $38.5K

-86.13%

Jeans (Levis 501 Or Similar)

$35.74 MX$676

$63.2 $63.2

-43.42%

Summer Dress (H&M, Zara, etc)

$39.8 MX$753

$46.64 $46.64

-14.67%

Sport Shoes (Adidas, Nike)

$79 MX$1,493

$79.3 $79.3

-0.35%

Men's Leather Business Shoes

$88.4 MX$1,671

$115 $115

-23.35%

1-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)

$965 MX$18.3K

$2,893 $2,893

-66.63%

1-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)

$474 MX$8,968

$2,648 $2,648

-82.09%

3-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)

$1,653 MX$31.2K

$5,700 $5,700

-71.00%

3-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)

$1,202 MX$22.7K

$4,219 $4,219

-71.51%

Buy Apartment in City Center (m2)

$3,081 MX$58.3K

$9,235 $9,235

-66.63%

Buy Apartment Outside City Center (m2)

$7,529 MX$142.3K

$8,116 $8,116

-7.23%

Average Monthly Net Salary (After Tax)

$792 MX$15K

$5,594 $5,594

-85.85%

20-Year Fixed Mortgage Interest Rate (Annual %)

11.42

6.36

79.56%

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

Last update for Playa del Carmen: October 28, 2025

Last update for Santa Cruz, CA: October 27, 2025

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