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 $1,260 per month in Playa del Carmen vs $1,291 in Santa Lucia, rent included.

A couple spends around $2,125 per month in Playa del Carmen vs $1,809 in Santa Lucia, rent included.

A family of three spends $2,990 per month in Playa del Carmen vs $2,326 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 5% lower, Santa Lucia 3% lower.

Meal at Budget Restaurant

$11.72 MX$203

$9.81 CUP 236

19.47%

Three-Course Dinner for Two, Mid-Range

$41.89 MX$725

$30.14 CUP 723

38.98%

Fast Food Meal (McDonalds, etc)

$10.51 MX$182

$7.21 CUP 173

45.77%

Cappuccino

$3.59 MX$62.0

$3.35 CUP 80.5

7.16%

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

$1.51 MX$26.10

$1.07 CUP 25.66

41.12%

Water (0.33 liter bottle)

$0.92 MX$15.83

$0.87 CUP 20.88

5.75%

Local Beer (0.5 liter draught)

$2.96 MX$51.2

$1.98 CUP 47.55

49.49%

Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$4.41 MX$76.3

$2.93 CUP 70.3

50.51%

Milk (1 liter)

$1.40 MX$24.16

$2.00 CUP 47.96

-30.00%

White Bread (500g)

$1.88 MX$32.60

$1.81 CUP 43.39

3.87%

Rice (white) (1kg)

$1.56 MX$26.97

$1.54 CUP 36.84

1.30%

Eggs

$2.61 MX$45.14

$3.72 CUP 89.2

-29.84%

Local Cheese (1kg)

$8.32 MX$144

$6.38 CUP 153

30.41%

Chicken Fillets (1kg)

$8.35 MX$145

$5.72 CUP 137

45.98%

Beef Round Steak (1kg)

$10.86 MX$188

$11.04 CUP 265

-1.63%

Apples (1kg)

$2.71 MX$46.93

$2.77 CUP 66.4

-2.17%

Banana (1kg)

$1.51 MX$26.04

$1.51 CUP 36.24

Oranges (1kg)

$1.87 MX$32.41

$2.03 CUP 48.67

-7.88%

Tomato (1kg)

$2.19 MX$37.89

$2.27 CUP 54.6

-3.52%

Potato (1kg)

$1.86 MX$32.14

$2.02 CUP 48.55

-7.92%

Onion (1kg)

$2.23 MX$38.59

$1.72 CUP 41.30

29.65%

Lettuce (1 head)

$1.07 MX$18.48

$1.02 CUP 24.49

4.90%

Water (1.5 liter bottle)

$1.09 MX$18.79

$0.98 CUP 23.57

11.22%

Cigarettes 20 Pack (Marlboro, Camel)

$4.19 MX$72.4

$3.91 CUP 93.9

7.16%

Wine (Bottle)

$10.43 MX$180

$12.20 CUP 293

-14.51%

Local Beer (0.5 liter bottle)

$1.66 MX$28.68

$1.67 CUP 40.04

-0.60%

Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$2.61 MX$45.19

$2.40 CUP 57.6

8.75%

One-way Ticket (Public Transport)

$0.54 MX$9.37

$0.21 CUP 4.97

157.14%

Public Transport Monthly Pass (Regular Price)

$26.16 MX$453

$25.16 CUP 604

3.97%

Taxi Start (Normal Tariff)

$3.08 MX$53.3

$3.19 CUP 76.6

-3.45%

Taxi (Normal Tariff) (1km)

$2.40 MX$41.61

$0.38 CUP 9.16

531.58%

Taxi 1hour Waiting (Normal Tariff)

$3.13 MX$54.1

$14.78 CUP 355

-78.82%

Gasoline (1 liter)

$1.31 MX$22.69

$1.03 CUP 24.68

27.18%

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

$29.8K MX$515.7K

$70.3K CUP 1.7M

-57.63%

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

$23.3K MX$403.5K

$80.2K CUP 1.9M

-70.92%

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

$81.3 MX$1,406

$35.02 CUP 840

132.10%

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

$22.56 MX$390

$14.95 CUP 359

50.90%

Internet (50+ Mbps, Unlimited Data)

$30.05 MX$520

$252 CUP 6,042

-88.06%

Gym Membership (Monthly)

$52.9 MX$915

$40.32 CUP 968

31.23%

Tennis Court (1 Hour on Weekend)

$18.39 MX$318

$15.30 CUP 367

20.20%

Cinema Ticket

$4.92 MX$85.1

$1.03 CUP 24.71

377.67%

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

$201 MX$3,474

$163 CUP 3,909

23.28%

International Primary School, 1 Child (Yearly)

$5,175 MX$89.5K

$4,070 CUP 97.7K

27.13%

Jeans (Levis 501 Or Similar)

$35.92 MX$622

$70.9 CUP 1,703

-49.37%

Summer Dress (H&M, Zara, etc)

$40.13 MX$694

$54.4 CUP 1,305

-26.20%

Sport Shoes (Adidas, Nike)

$79.7 MX$1,379

$102 CUP 2,447

-21.82%

Men's Leather Business Shoes

$86.5 MX$1,496

$106 CUP 2,554

-18.74%

1-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)

$978 MX$16.9K

$546 CUP 13.1K

79.24%

1-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)

$470 MX$8,140

$357 CUP 8,556

31.97%

3-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)

$1,651 MX$28.6K

$757 CUP 18.2K

118.23%

3-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)

$1,203 MX$20.8K

$494 CUP 11.9K

143.56%

Buy Apartment in City Center (m2)

$3,953 MX$68.4K

$335 CUP 8,031

1081.40%

Buy Apartment Outside City Center (m2)

$6,607 MX$114.3K

$368 CUP 8,821

1697.81%

Average Monthly Net Salary (After Tax)

$677 MX$11.7K

$56.1 CUP 1,347

1105.68%

20-Year Fixed Mortgage Interest Rate (Annual %)

11.42

4.94

131.17%

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

Last update for Playa del Carmen: July 27, 2026

Last update for Santa Lucia: July 25, 2026

Cost Breakdown

A central one-bedroom costs $978 in Playa del Carmen versus $546 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 1106% 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 $42.00 in Playa del Carmen versus $30.00 in Santa Lucia. Monthly groceries follow the same trend: $252 vs $245 – 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 $1,890 per month in Playa del Carmen and $1,937 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 $1,260 in Playa del Carmen and $1,291 in Santa Lucia. The difference isn't just one category – it shows up across housing, food, transport, and services.

Public transport costs about 4% 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 $1,260, than in Santa Lucia at $1,291. 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.