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 $1,256 per month in Playa del Carmen vs $752 in Santa Cruz, Laguna, rent included.

A couple spends around $2,137 per month in Playa del Carmen vs $1,163 in Santa Cruz, Laguna, rent included.

A family of three spends $3,017 per month in Playa del Carmen vs $1,574 in Santa Cruz, Laguna, rent included.

Playa del Carmen costs about 67% 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 6% lower, Santa Cruz, Laguna 44% lower.

Meal at Budget Restaurant

$11.99 MX$209

$1.81 ₱111

562.43%

Three-Course Dinner for Two, Mid-Range

$41.78 MX$728

$8.80 ₱543

374.77%

Fast Food Meal (McDonalds, etc)

$10.75 MX$187

$3.07 ₱189

250.16%

Cappuccino

$3.50 MX$60.9

$2.10 ₱129

66.67%

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

$1.45 MX$25.22

$0.43 ₱26.27

237.21%

Water (0.33 liter bottle)

$0.88 MX$15.41

$0.28 ₱17.46

214.29%

Local Beer (0.5 liter draught)

$2.95 MX$51.3

$1.22 ₱75.5

141.80%

Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$4.51 MX$78.6

$1.09 ₱67.1

313.76%

Milk (1 liter)

$1.43 MX$24.94

$1.81 ₱112

-20.99%

White Bread (500g)

$1.84 MX$31.99

$1.25 ₱77.4

47.20%

Rice (white) (1kg)

$1.57 MX$27.31

$1.04 ₱64.0

50.96%

Eggs

$2.51 MX$43.74

$1.72 ₱106

45.93%

Local Cheese (1kg)

$8.28 MX$144

$5.18 ₱319

59.85%

Chicken Fillets (1kg)

$8.43 MX$147

$4.35 ₱268

93.79%

Beef Round Steak (1kg)

$10.68 MX$186

$7.26 ₱448

47.11%

Apples (1kg)

$2.61 MX$45.43

$1.58 ₱97.1

65.19%

Banana (1kg)

$1.44 MX$25.04

$0.52 ₱31.85

176.92%

Oranges (1kg)

$1.96 MX$34.16

$1.55 ₱95.7

26.45%

Tomato (1kg)

$2.09 MX$36.47

$1.63 ₱101

28.22%

Potato (1kg)

$1.85 MX$32.24

$2.90 ₱179

-36.21%

Onion (1kg)

$2.17 MX$37.74

$4.00 ₱247

-45.75%

Lettuce (1 head)

$1.03 MX$17.96

$1.57 ₱96.9

-34.39%

Water (1.5 liter bottle)

$1.07 MX$18.70

$1.06 ₱65.4

0.94%

Cigarettes 20 Pack (Marlboro, Camel)

$4.10 MX$71.4

$3.17 ₱196

29.34%

Wine (Bottle)

$10.17 MX$177

$9.17 ₱565

10.91%

Local Beer (0.5 liter bottle)

$1.68 MX$29.17

$1.61 ₱99.6

4.35%

Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$2.53 MX$43.98

$1.94 ₱120

30.41%

One-way Ticket (Public Transport)

$0.51 MX$8.87

$0.26 ₱15.84

96.15%

Public Transport Monthly Pass (Regular Price)

$26.04 MX$453

Taxi Start (Normal Tariff)

$3.23 MX$56.3

$0.79 ₱48.55

308.86%

Taxi (Normal Tariff) (1km)

$2.41 MX$41.88

$0.22 ₱13.50

995.45%

Taxi 1hour Waiting (Normal Tariff)

$3.23 MX$56.2

$2.14 ₱132

50.93%

Gasoline (1 liter)

$1.32 MX$23.00

$1.10 ₱68.1

20.00%

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

$29.7K MX$517.1K

$25.9K ₱1.6M

14.55%

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

$23.7K MX$412.0K

$20.5K ₱1.3M

15.44%

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

$82.0 MX$1,428

$95.2 ₱5,873

-13.89%

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

$22.95 MX$400

$33.23 ₱2,050

-30.94%

Internet (50+ Mbps, Unlimited Data)

$30.11 MX$524

$30.15 ₱1,859

-0.13%

Gym Membership (Monthly)

$52.0 MX$905

$33.67 ₱2,077

54.35%

Tennis Court (1 Hour on Weekend)

$18.53 MX$323

$4.30 ₱265

330.93%

Cinema Ticket

$4.98 MX$86.6

$6.89 ₱425

-27.72%

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

$197 MX$3,438

$81.0 ₱4,998

143.63%

International Primary School, 1 Child (Yearly)

$5,336 MX$92.9K

$2,775 ₱171.2K

92.27%

Jeans (Levis 501 Or Similar)

$35.60 MX$620

$32.05 ₱1,976

11.08%

Summer Dress (H&M, Zara, etc)

$40.33 MX$702

$29.37 ₱1,811

37.32%

Sport Shoes (Adidas, Nike)

$78.8 MX$1,371

$99.3 ₱6,120

-20.65%

Men's Leather Business Shoes

$88.9 MX$1,549

$95.8 ₱5,907

-7.16%

1-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)

$947 MX$16.5K

$265 ₱16.4K

257.14%

1-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)

$474 MX$8,254

$173 ₱10.7K

173.78%

3-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)

$1,644 MX$28.6K

$588 ₱36.3K

179.55%

3-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)

$1,211 MX$21.1K

$400 ₱24.7K

202.66%

Buy Apartment in City Center (m2)

$4,056 MX$70.6K

$2,399 ₱148.0K

69.05%

Buy Apartment Outside City Center (m2)

$6,470 MX$112.7K

$1,116 ₱68.8K

479.81%

Average Monthly Net Salary (After Tax)

$654 MX$11.4K

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: July 13, 2026

Last update for Santa Cruz, Laguna: July 12, 2026

Cost Breakdown

A central one-bedroom costs $947 in Playa del Carmen versus $265 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 $192 – 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 67%, 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 $1,128 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 $1,256 in Playa del Carmen and $752 in Santa Cruz, Laguna. The difference isn't just one category – it shows up across housing, food, transport, and services.

Kindergarten costs $197 per month in Playa del Carmen and $81.0 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 $752, than in Playa del Carmen at $1,256. 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.