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

Monthly Cost of Living

A single person spends $1,297 per month in Playa del Carmen vs $738 in Santa Cruz, Laguna, rent included.

A couple spends around $2,181 per month in Playa del Carmen vs $1,156 in Santa Cruz, Laguna, rent included.

A family of three spends $3,065 per month in Playa del Carmen vs $1,574 in Santa Cruz, Laguna, rent included.

Playa del Carmen costs about 76% more than Santa Cruz, Laguna, driven mainly by Eating Out.

Both Playa del Carmen and Santa Cruz, Laguna are more affordable than the global median – Playa del Carmen 3% lower, Santa Cruz, Laguna 45% lower.

Meal at Budget Restaurant

$11.73 MX$203

$1.80 ₱111

551.67%

Three-Course Dinner for Two, Mid-Range

$41.62 MX$721

$8.66 ₱535

380.60%

Fast Food Meal (McDonalds, etc)

$10.64 MX$184

$3.05 ₱188

248.85%

Cappuccino

$3.52 MX$61.0

$2.19 ₱135

60.73%

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

$1.51 MX$26.17

$0.43 ₱26.49

251.16%

Water (0.33 liter bottle)

$0.97 MX$16.87

$0.26 ₱15.87

273.08%

Local Beer (0.5 liter draught)

$2.95 MX$51.1

$1.27 ₱78.5

132.28%

Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$4.45 MX$77.2

$1.08 ₱66.8

312.04%

Milk (1 liter)

$1.38 MX$23.97

$1.81 ₱111

-23.76%

White Bread (500g)

$1.89 MX$32.78

$1.21 ₱74.5

56.20%

Rice (white) (1kg)

$1.64 MX$28.37

$1.07 ₱66.1

53.27%

Eggs

$2.51 MX$43.42

$1.74 ₱107

44.25%

Local Cheese (1kg)

$8.34 MX$145

$5.38 ₱332

55.02%

Chicken Fillets (1kg)

$8.34 MX$145

$4.31 ₱266

93.50%

Beef Round Steak (1kg)

$10.73 MX$186

$7.16 ₱442

49.86%

Apples (1kg)

$2.60 MX$45.12

$1.57 ₱97.2

65.61%

Banana (1kg)

$1.46 MX$25.25

$0.51 ₱31.36

186.27%

Oranges (1kg)

$1.90 MX$32.94

$1.56 ₱96.2

21.79%

Tomato (1kg)

$2.08 MX$35.98

$1.69 ₱104

23.08%

Potato (1kg)

$1.78 MX$30.77

$2.86 ₱177

-37.76%

Onion (1kg)

$2.19 MX$37.87

$4.16 ₱256

-47.36%

Lettuce (1 head)

$1.04 MX$18.02

$1.56 ₱96.4

-33.33%

Water (1.5 liter bottle)

$1.08 MX$18.66

$1.04 ₱64.3

3.85%

Cigarettes 20 Pack (Marlboro, Camel)

$4.08 MX$70.7

$3.18 ₱196

28.30%

Wine (Bottle)

$10.32 MX$179

$8.92 ₱550

15.70%

Local Beer (0.5 liter bottle)

$1.71 MX$29.67

$1.54 ₱95.3

11.04%

Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$2.58 MX$44.63

$1.98 ₱122

30.30%

One-way Ticket (Public Transport)

$0.51 MX$8.83

$0.26 ₱15.85

96.15%

Public Transport Monthly Pass (Regular Price)

$26.46 MX$459

Taxi Start (Normal Tariff)

$3.26 MX$56.5

$0.77 ₱47.66

323.38%

Taxi (Normal Tariff) (1km)

$2.49 MX$43.17

$0.22 ₱13.54

1031.82%

Taxi 1hour Waiting (Normal Tariff)

$3.25 MX$56.3

$2.19 ₱135

48.40%

Gasoline (1 liter)

$1.31 MX$22.65

$1.09 ₱67.2

20.18%

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

$30.3K MX$524.7K

$25.4K ₱1.6M

19.14%

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

$23.4K MX$406.0K

$20.4K ₱1.3M

15.00%

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

$82.9 MX$1,436

$94.5 ₱5,830

-12.30%

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

$22.22 MX$385

$33.54 ₱2,070

-33.75%

Internet (50+ Mbps, Unlimited Data)

$29.34 MX$508

$29.99 ₱1,851

-2.17%

Gym Membership (Monthly)

$51.6 MX$895

$34.24 ₱2,113

50.79%

Tennis Court (1 Hour on Weekend)

$18.32 MX$317

$4.49 ₱277

308.02%

Cinema Ticket

$5.07 MX$87.8

$6.91 ₱426

-26.63%

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

$201 MX$3,480

$81.2 ₱5,008

147.42%

International Primary School, 1 Child (Yearly)

$5,212 MX$90.3K

$2,818 ₱173.9K

84.97%

Jeans (Levis 501 Or Similar)

$36.92 MX$640

$32.30 ₱1,993

14.30%

Summer Dress (H&M, Zara, etc)

$39.79 MX$689

$29.26 ₱1,805

35.99%

Sport Shoes (Adidas, Nike)

$78.5 MX$1,360

$97.3 ₱6,002

-19.35%

Men's Leather Business Shoes

$87.1 MX$1,509

$92.8 ₱5,723

-6.10%

1-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)

$973 MX$16.9K

$271 ₱16.7K

258.84%

1-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)

$468 MX$8,105

$179 ₱11.0K

161.65%

3-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)

$1,641 MX$28.4K

$579 ₱35.7K

183.60%

3-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)

$1,221 MX$21.2K

$399 ₱24.6K

206.03%

Buy Apartment in City Center (m2)

$3,946 MX$68.4K

$2,557 ₱157.8K

54.31%

Buy Apartment Outside City Center (m2)

$6,498 MX$112.6K

$1,067 ₱65.8K

509.11%

Average Monthly Net Salary (After Tax)

$664 MX$11.5K

20-Year Fixed Mortgage Interest Rate (Annual %)

11.42

8.13

40.47%

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

Last update for Playa del Carmen: June 2, 2026

Last update for Santa Cruz, Laguna: June 2, 2026

Cost Breakdown

A central one-bedroom costs $973 in Playa del Carmen versus $271 in Santa Cruz, Laguna. Rent is usually the largest line item in a monthly budget, so the gap here sets the tone for the overall comparison.

A mid-range dinner for two costs $42.00 in Playa del Carmen versus $9.00 in Santa Cruz, Laguna. Monthly groceries follow the same trend: $249 vs $191 – making Santa Cruz, Laguna 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 Santa Cruz, Laguna: Cost of Living - Frequently Asked Questions

Yes – Playa del Carmen is pricier by about 76%, 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 $1,945 per month in Playa del Carmen and $1,107 in Santa Cruz, Laguna. That covers rent, food, utilities, transport, and enough left over to feel settled – not just surviving.

Rent is clearly cheaper in Santa Cruz, Laguna, 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 $1,297 in Playa del Carmen and $738 in Santa Cruz, Laguna. The difference isn't just one category – it shows up across housing, food, transport, and services.

Kindergarten costs $201 per month in Playa del Carmen and $81.2 in Santa Cruz, Laguna. For families with young kids, this one expense can tip the scales when choosing between the two cities.

A $2,000 monthly budget goes further in Santa Cruz, Laguna, where all-in costs run around $738, than in Playa del Carmen at $1,297. In Santa Cruz, Laguna it covers expenses comfortably, while in Playa del Carmen it requires careful planning or may not stretch far enough.

Families tend to lean toward Santa Cruz, Laguna – 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 Santa Cruz, Laguna. 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.