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

Monthly Cost of Living

A single person spends $1,297 per month in Playa del Carmen vs $1,052 in Santa Marta, rent included.

A couple spends around $2,181 per month in Playa del Carmen vs $1,421 in Santa Marta, rent included.

A family of three spends $3,065 per month in Playa del Carmen vs $1,789 in Santa Marta, rent included.

Playa del Carmen costs about 23% more than Santa Marta, driven mainly by Eating Out.

Both Playa del Carmen and Santa Marta are more affordable than the global median – Playa del Carmen 3% lower, Santa Marta 21% lower.

Meal at Budget Restaurant

$11.73 MX$203

$3.56 COP 12.7K

229.49%

Three-Course Dinner for Two, Mid-Range

$41.62 MX$721

$28.12 COP 100.2K

48.01%

Fast Food Meal (McDonalds, etc)

$10.64 MX$184

$6.21 COP 22.2K

71.34%

Cappuccino

$3.52 MX$61.0

$1.57 COP 5,605

124.20%

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

$1.51 MX$26.17

$0.68 COP 2,422

122.06%

Water (0.33 liter bottle)

$0.97 MX$16.87

$0.47 COP 1,660

106.38%

Local Beer (0.5 liter draught)

$2.95 MX$51.1

$0.88 COP 3,140

235.23%

Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$4.45 MX$77.2

$1.64 COP 5,854

171.34%

Milk (1 liter)

$1.38 MX$23.97

$1.12 COP 3,999

23.21%

White Bread (500g)

$1.89 MX$32.78

$1.20 COP 4,287

57.50%

Rice (white) (1kg)

$1.64 MX$28.37

$0.91 COP 3,238

80.22%

Eggs

$2.51 MX$43.42

$2.46 COP 8,766

2.03%

Local Cheese (1kg)

$8.34 MX$145

$3.56 COP 12.7K

134.27%

Chicken Fillets (1kg)

$8.34 MX$145

$3.86 COP 13.8K

116.06%

Beef Round Steak (1kg)

$10.73 MX$186

$8.02 COP 28.6K

33.79%

Apples (1kg)

$2.60 MX$45.12

$1.81 COP 6,435

43.65%

Banana (1kg)

$1.46 MX$25.25

$0.77 COP 2,731

89.61%

Oranges (1kg)

$1.90 MX$32.94

$0.99 COP 3,527

91.92%

Tomato (1kg)

$2.08 MX$35.98

$0.74 COP 2,642

181.08%

Potato (1kg)

$1.78 MX$30.77

$0.55 COP 1,952

223.64%

Onion (1kg)

$2.19 MX$37.87

$0.98 COP 3,509

123.47%

Lettuce (1 head)

$1.04 MX$18.02

$1.04 COP 3,711

Water (1.5 liter bottle)

$1.08 MX$18.66

$0.51 COP 1,824

111.76%

Cigarettes 20 Pack (Marlboro, Camel)

$4.08 MX$70.7

$2.49 COP 8,881

63.86%

Wine (Bottle)

$10.32 MX$179

$13.57 COP 48.4K

-23.95%

Local Beer (0.5 liter bottle)

$1.71 MX$29.67

$1.48 COP 5,271

15.54%

Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$2.58 MX$44.63

$1.49 COP 5,316

73.15%

One-way Ticket (Public Transport)

$0.51 MX$8.83

$0.72 COP 2,568

-29.17%

Public Transport Monthly Pass (Regular Price)

$26.46 MX$459

$14.44 COP 51.5K

83.24%

Taxi Start (Normal Tariff)

$3.26 MX$56.5

$1.66 COP 5,933

96.39%

Taxi (Normal Tariff) (1km)

$2.49 MX$43.17

$1.79 COP 6,370

39.11%

Taxi 1hour Waiting (Normal Tariff)

$3.25 MX$56.3

$8.51 COP 30.3K

-61.81%

Gasoline (1 liter)

$1.31 MX$22.65

$0.92 COP 3,266

42.39%

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

$30.3K MX$524.7K

$21.7K COP 77.2M

39.80%

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

$23.4K MX$406.0K

$26.3K COP 93.6M

-10.80%

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

$82.9 MX$1,436

$196 COP 698.5K

-57.70%

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

$22.22 MX$385

$8.85 COP 31.5K

151.07%

Internet (50+ Mbps, Unlimited Data)

$29.34 MX$508

$24.02 COP 85.6K

22.15%

Gym Membership (Monthly)

$51.6 MX$895

$19.61 COP 69.9K

163.28%

Tennis Court (1 Hour on Weekend)

$18.32 MX$317

$7.63 COP 27.2K

140.10%

Cinema Ticket

$5.07 MX$87.8

$4.78 COP 17.0K

6.07%

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

$201 MX$3,480

$161 COP 575.7K

24.36%

International Primary School, 1 Child (Yearly)

$5,212 MX$90.3K

$4,882 COP 17.4M

6.76%

Jeans (Levis 501 Or Similar)

$36.92 MX$640

$40.46 COP 144.2K

-8.75%

Summer Dress (H&M, Zara, etc)

$39.79 MX$689

$35.11 COP 125.2K

13.33%

Sport Shoes (Adidas, Nike)

$78.5 MX$1,360

$80.2 COP 285.8K

-2.16%

Men's Leather Business Shoes

$87.1 MX$1,509

$58.3 COP 207.8K

49.38%

1-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)

$973 MX$16.9K

$281 COP 1.0M

246.48%

1-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)

$468 MX$8,105

$437 COP 1.6M

6.97%

3-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)

$1,641 MX$28.4K

$697 COP 2.5M

135.61%

3-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)

$1,221 MX$21.2K

$563 COP 2.0M

116.78%

Buy Apartment in City Center (m2)

$3,946 MX$68.4K

$1,900 COP 6.8M

107.68%

Buy Apartment Outside City Center (m2)

$6,498 MX$112.6K

$952 COP 3.4M

582.84%

Average Monthly Net Salary (After Tax)

$664 MX$11.5K

$468 COP 1.7M

41.89%

20-Year Fixed Mortgage Interest Rate (Annual %)

11.42

8.62

32.48%

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 Marta: June 1, 2026

Cost Breakdown

A central one-bedroom costs $973 in Playa del Carmen versus $281 in Santa Marta. 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 42% higher in Playa del Carmen, which partly offsets the higher cost of living there. Purchasing power depends on which expenses matter most to you.

A mid-range dinner for two costs $42.00 in Playa del Carmen versus $28.00 in Santa Marta. Monthly groceries follow the same trend: $249 vs $163 – making Santa Marta 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 Marta: Cost of Living - Frequently Asked Questions

Yes – Playa del Carmen is pricier by about 23%, 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 $1,579 in Santa Marta. That covers rent, food, utilities, transport, and enough left over to feel settled – not just surviving.

Rent is clearly cheaper in Santa Marta, 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 $1,052 in Santa Marta. The difference isn't just one category – it shows up across housing, food, transport, and services.

Public transport costs about 83% less in Santa Marta. For daily commuters, that gap adds up to noticeable savings over a year.

A $1,000 monthly budget goes further in Santa Marta, where all-in costs run around $1,052, than in Playa del Carmen at $1,297. In Santa Marta 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 Marta – 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 Marta. 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.