Cost of Living Comparison Between Playa del Carmen and Santa Lucia Cost of Living Comparison Between Playa del Carmen and Santa Lucia

Monthly Cost of Living

A single person spends $1,266 per month in Playa del Carmen vs $1,293 in Santa Lucia, rent included.

A couple spends around $2,279 per month in Playa del Carmen vs $1,823 in Santa Lucia, rent included.

A family of three spends $3,292 per month in Playa del Carmen vs $2,353 in Santa Lucia, rent included.

Playa del Carmen is about 2% cheaper than Santa Lucia, driven mainly by Monthly Utilities & Internet.

Both Playa del Carmen and Santa Lucia are more affordable than the global median – Playa del Carmen 7% lower, Santa Lucia 6% lower.

Meal at Budget Restaurant

$11.60 MX$199

$10.18 CUP 244

13.95%

Three-Course Dinner for Two, Mid-Range

$47.11 MX$809

$29.76 CUP 714

58.30%

Fast Food Meal (McDonalds, etc)

$11.88 MX$204

$7.16 CUP 172

65.92%

Cappuccino

$3.98 MX$68.2

$3.39 CUP 81.5

17.40%

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

$1.43 MX$24.49

$1.12 CUP 26.92

27.68%

Water (0.33 liter bottle)

$0.82 MX$14.16

$0.92 CUP 22.10

-10.87%

Local Beer (0.5 liter draught)

$3.19 MX$54.7

$1.96 CUP 47.05

62.76%

Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$6.79 MX$117

$2.91 CUP 69.8

133.33%

Milk (1 liter)

$1.68 MX$28.76

$1.93 CUP 46.20

-12.95%

White Bread (500g)

$2.20 MX$37.71

$1.80 CUP 43.27

22.22%

Rice (white) (1kg)

$1.71 MX$29.32

$1.48 CUP 35.56

15.54%

Eggs

$2.74 MX$47.05

$3.64 CUP 87.4

-24.73%

Local Cheese (1kg)

$9.58 MX$164

$6.25 CUP 150

53.28%

Chicken Fillets (1kg)

$9.01 MX$155

$5.72 CUP 137

57.52%

Beef Round Steak (1kg)

$12.81 MX$220

$11.08 CUP 266

15.61%

Apples (1kg)

$2.89 MX$49.58

$2.78 CUP 66.6

3.96%

Banana (1kg)

$1.50 MX$25.70

$1.53 CUP 36.79

-1.96%

Oranges (1kg)

$2.15 MX$36.87

$2.02 CUP 48.43

6.44%

Tomato (1kg)

$2.26 MX$38.79

$2.19 CUP 52.7

3.20%

Potato (1kg)

$1.98 MX$34.00

$1.97 CUP 47.25

0.51%

Onion (1kg)

$1.99 MX$34.15

$1.80 CUP 43.13

10.56%

Lettuce (1 head)

$1.23 MX$21.18

$1.02 CUP 24.39

20.59%

Water (1.5 liter bottle)

$1.20 MX$20.54

$1.02 CUP 24.53

17.65%

Cigarettes 20 Pack (Marlboro, Camel)

$4.55 MX$78.1

$4.11 CUP 98.7

10.71%

Wine (Bottle)

$10.37 MX$178

$11.84 CUP 284

-12.42%

Local Beer (0.5 liter bottle)

$1.62 MX$27.79

$1.64 CUP 39.30

-1.22%

Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$2.88 MX$49.44

$2.34 CUP 56.1

23.08%

One-way Ticket (Public Transport)

$0.60 MX$10.30

$0.18 CUP 4.30

233.33%

Public Transport Monthly Pass (Regular Price)

$28.80 MX$494

$25.29 CUP 607

13.88%

Taxi Start (Normal Tariff)

$5.39 MX$92.5

$3.21 CUP 77.1

67.91%

Taxi (Normal Tariff) (1km)

$3.73 MX$64.0

$0.39 CUP 9.27

856.41%

Taxi 1hour Waiting (Normal Tariff)

$5.77 MX$99.0

$15.03 CUP 361

-61.61%

Gasoline (1 liter)

$1.54 MX$26.37

$1.07 CUP 25.65

43.93%

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

$22.5K MX$387.0K

$70.9K CUP 1.7M

-68.22%

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

$26.1K MX$447.3K

$79.0K CUP 1.9M

-67.02%

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

$91.4 MX$1,569

$34.71 CUP 833

163.27%

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

$25.20 MX$433

$15.23 CUP 366

65.46%

Internet (50+ Mbps, Unlimited Data)

$31.24 MX$536

$249 CUP 5,970

-87.44%

Gym Membership (Monthly)

$67.2 MX$1,154

$40.13 CUP 963

67.46%

Tennis Court (1 Hour on Weekend)

$29.11 MX$500

$15.14 CUP 363

92.27%

Cinema Ticket

$4.86 MX$83.5

$1.02 CUP 24.45

376.47%

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

$224 MX$3,839

$168 CUP 4,026

33.32%

International Primary School, 1 Child (Yearly)

$4,229 MX$72.6K

$4,017 CUP 96.4K

5.28%

Jeans (Levis 501 Or Similar)

$47.10 MX$808

$69.7 CUP 1,672

-32.39%

Summer Dress (H&M, Zara, etc)

$44.29 MX$760

$55.6 CUP 1,335

-20.36%

Sport Shoes (Adidas, Nike)

$80.1 MX$1,375

$98.2 CUP 2,356

-18.40%

Men's Leather Business Shoes

$92.7 MX$1,591

$107 CUP 2,561

-13.16%

1-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)

$1,063 MX$18.2K

$558 CUP 13.4K

90.48%

1-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)

$390 MX$6,698

$353 CUP 8,474

10.52%

3-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)

$2,149 MX$36.9K

$752 CUP 18.1K

185.71%

3-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)

$1,272 MX$21.8K

$505 CUP 12.1K

151.86%

Buy Apartment in City Center (m2)

$4,001 MX$68.7K

$345 CUP 8,282

1059.62%

Buy Apartment Outside City Center (m2)

$6,502 MX$111.6K

$368 CUP 8,833

1666.68%

Average Monthly Net Salary (After Tax)

$758 MX$13.0K

$56.3 CUP 1,351

1246.68%

20-Year Fixed Mortgage Interest Rate (Annual %)

11.45

4.94

131.78%

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

Last update for Playa del Carmen: September 12, 2026

Last update for Santa Lucia: September 14, 2026

Cost Breakdown

A central one-bedroom costs $1,063 in Playa del Carmen versus $558 in Santa Lucia. Rent is usually the largest line item in a monthly budget, so the gap here sets the tone for the overall comparison.

Salaries run about 1247% higher in Playa del Carmen, which reinforces the cost advantage – you earn more and spend less. Purchasing power leans clearly in its favor.

A mid-range dinner for two costs $47.00 in Playa del Carmen versus $30.00 in Santa Lucia. Monthly groceries follow the same trend: $276 vs $243 – making Santa Lucia 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 Lucia: Cost of Living - Frequently Asked Questions

Yes – Santa Lucia is pricier by about 2%, and the gap shows up most in Monthly Utilities & Internet. It's not just housing either; the difference applies across most spending categories.

For a comfortable life, plan on about $1,899 per month in Playa del Carmen and $1,939 in Santa Lucia. 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. Housing is actually the single biggest factor behind the overall cost gap between these two cities.

Monthly expenses with rent come to $1,266 in Playa del Carmen and $1,293 in Santa Lucia. The difference isn't just one category – it shows up across housing, food, transport, and services.

Public transport costs about 14% less in Playa del Carmen. For daily commuters, that gap adds up to noticeable savings over a year.

A $1,500 monthly budget goes further in Playa del Carmen, where all-in costs run around $1,266, than in Santa Lucia at $1,293. In Playa del Carmen it covers expenses comfortably, while in Santa Lucia 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, better infrastructure, or specific career opportunities are the priority, Santa Lucia makes more sense. Both are solid long-term options with distinct trade-offs.