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 $1,256 per month in Playa del Carmen vs $1,078 in Santa Marta, rent included.

A couple spends around $2,137 per month in Playa del Carmen vs $1,454 in Santa Marta, rent included.

A family of three spends $3,017 per month in Playa del Carmen vs $1,830 in Santa Marta, rent included.

Playa del Carmen costs about 16% 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 6% lower, Santa Marta 19% lower.

Meal at Budget Restaurant

$11.99 MX$210

$3.66 COP 11.9K

227.60%

Three-Course Dinner for Two, Mid-Range

$41.78 MX$733

$28.29 COP 92.1K

47.68%

Fast Food Meal (McDonalds, etc)

$10.75 MX$189

$6.22 COP 20.3K

72.83%

Cappuccino

$3.50 MX$61.3

$1.55 COP 5,037

125.81%

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

$1.45 MX$25.41

$0.73 COP 2,372

98.63%

Water (0.33 liter bottle)

$0.88 MX$15.52

$0.46 COP 1,502

91.30%

Local Beer (0.5 liter draught)

$2.95 MX$51.7

$0.82 COP 2,676

259.76%

Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$4.51 MX$79.1

$1.68 COP 5,483

168.45%

Milk (1 liter)

$1.43 MX$25.12

$1.11 COP 3,629

28.83%

White Bread (500g)

$1.84 MX$32.23

$1.19 COP 3,869

54.62%

Rice (white) (1kg)

$1.57 MX$27.51

$0.90 COP 2,919

74.44%

Eggs

$2.51 MX$44.06

$2.45 COP 7,960

2.45%

Local Cheese (1kg)

$8.28 MX$145

$3.69 COP 12.0K

124.39%

Chicken Fillets (1kg)

$8.43 MX$148

$4.07 COP 13.2K

107.13%

Beef Round Steak (1kg)

$10.68 MX$187

$7.85 COP 25.5K

36.05%

Apples (1kg)

$2.61 MX$45.76

$1.74 COP 5,680

50.00%

Banana (1kg)

$1.44 MX$25.22

$0.76 COP 2,470

89.47%

Oranges (1kg)

$1.96 MX$34.41

$0.98 COP 3,197

100.00%

Tomato (1kg)

$2.09 MX$36.74

$0.71 COP 2,320

194.37%

Potato (1kg)

$1.85 MX$32.47

$0.51 COP 1,671

262.75%

Onion (1kg)

$2.17 MX$38.02

$0.99 COP 3,231

119.19%

Lettuce (1 head)

$1.03 MX$18.09

$1.04 COP 3,387

-0.96%

Water (1.5 liter bottle)

$1.07 MX$18.84

$0.55 COP 1,791

94.55%

Cigarettes 20 Pack (Marlboro, Camel)

$4.10 MX$72.0

$2.41 COP 7,835

70.12%

Wine (Bottle)

$10.17 MX$178

$15.04 COP 49.0K

-32.38%

Local Beer (0.5 liter bottle)

$1.68 MX$29.38

$1.46 COP 4,758

15.07%

Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$2.53 MX$44.31

$1.41 COP 4,588

79.43%

One-way Ticket (Public Transport)

$0.51 MX$8.93

$0.68 COP 2,208

-25.00%

Public Transport Monthly Pass (Regular Price)

$26.04 MX$457

$14.46 COP 47.1K

80.08%

Taxi Start (Normal Tariff)

$3.23 MX$56.7

$1.68 COP 5,481

92.26%

Taxi (Normal Tariff) (1km)

$2.41 MX$42.19

$1.79 COP 5,820

34.64%

Taxi 1hour Waiting (Normal Tariff)

$3.23 MX$56.6

$8.42 COP 27.4K

-61.64%

Gasoline (1 liter)

$1.32 MX$23.17

$0.98 COP 3,194

34.69%

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

$29.7K MX$520.9K

$21.2K COP 69.0M

40.16%

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

$23.7K MX$415.0K

$26.2K COP 85.3M

-9.67%

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

$82.0 MX$1,439

$192 COP 625.0K

-57.28%

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

$22.95 MX$403

$8.78 COP 28.6K

161.39%

Internet (50+ Mbps, Unlimited Data)

$30.11 MX$528

$24.15 COP 78.6K

24.68%

Gym Membership (Monthly)

$52.0 MX$912

$19.49 COP 63.4K

166.65%

Tennis Court (1 Hour on Weekend)

$18.53 MX$325

$7.94 COP 25.9K

133.38%

Cinema Ticket

$4.98 MX$87.3

$4.87 COP 15.8K

2.26%

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

$197 MX$3,463

$167 COP 543.1K

18.36%

International Primary School, 1 Child (Yearly)

$5,336 MX$93.6K

$4,906 COP 16.0M

8.76%

Jeans (Levis 501 Or Similar)

$35.60 MX$624

$39.94 COP 130.0K

-10.87%

Summer Dress (H&M, Zara, etc)

$40.33 MX$707

$35.37 COP 115.2K

14.02%

Sport Shoes (Adidas, Nike)

$78.8 MX$1,381

$79.9 COP 260.0K

-1.38%

Men's Leather Business Shoes

$88.9 MX$1,560

$59.9 COP 194.9K

48.54%

1-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)

$947 MX$16.6K

$281 COP 913.8K

237.38%

1-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)

$474 MX$8,314

$450 COP 1.5M

5.39%

3-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)

$1,644 MX$28.8K

$685 COP 2.2M

139.97%

3-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)

$1,211 MX$21.2K

$564 COP 1.8M

114.82%

Buy Apartment in City Center (m2)

$4,056 MX$71.1K

$2,078 COP 6.8M

95.20%

Buy Apartment Outside City Center (m2)

$6,470 MX$113.5K

$996 COP 3.2M

549.48%

Average Monthly Net Salary (After Tax)

$654 MX$11.5K

$530 COP 1.7M

23.35%

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: July 13, 2026

Last update for Santa Marta: July 14, 2026

Cost Breakdown

A central one-bedroom costs $947 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 23% 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 $167 – 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 16%, 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 $1,617 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 $1,256 in Playa del Carmen and $1,078 in Santa Marta. The difference isn't just one category – it shows up across housing, food, transport, and services.

Public transport costs about 80% 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 $1,078, than in Playa del Carmen at $1,256. 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.