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

Monthly Cost of Living

A single person spends $1,297 per month in Playa del Carmen vs $976 in Santa Rosa, rent included.

A couple spends around $2,181 per month in Playa del Carmen vs $1,564 in Santa Rosa, rent included.

A family of three spends $3,065 per month in Playa del Carmen vs $2,151 in Santa Rosa, rent included.

Playa del Carmen costs about 33% more than Santa Rosa, driven mainly by Clothing & Footwear.

Both Playa del Carmen and Santa Rosa are more affordable than the global median – Playa del Carmen 3% lower, Santa Rosa 27% lower.

Meal at Budget Restaurant

$11.73 MX$203

$10.71 ARS 15.3K

9.52%

Three-Course Dinner for Two, Mid-Range

$41.62 MX$720

$34.35 ARS 49.0K

21.16%

Fast Food Meal (McDonalds, etc)

$10.64 MX$184

$9.13 ARS 13.0K

16.54%

Cappuccino

$3.52 MX$60.9

$2.75 ARS 3,928

28.00%

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

$1.51 MX$26.12

$1.72 ARS 2,454

-12.21%

Water (0.33 liter bottle)

$0.97 MX$16.84

$1.55 ARS 2,213

-37.42%

Local Beer (0.5 liter draught)

$2.95 MX$51.0

$2.05 ARS 2,928

43.90%

Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$4.45 MX$77.0

$2.98 ARS 4,250

49.33%

Milk (1 liter)

$1.38 MX$23.93

$1.25 ARS 1,784

10.40%

White Bread (500g)

$1.89 MX$32.72

$1.64 ARS 2,339

15.24%

Rice (white) (1kg)

$1.64 MX$28.32

$1.93 ARS 2,754

-15.03%

Eggs

$2.51 MX$43.34

$2.16 ARS 3,086

16.20%

Local Cheese (1kg)

$8.34 MX$144

$9.98 ARS 14.2K

-16.43%

Chicken Fillets (1kg)

$8.34 MX$144

$6.29 ARS 8,979

32.59%

Beef Round Steak (1kg)

$10.73 MX$186

$9.13 ARS 13.0K

17.52%

Apples (1kg)

$2.60 MX$45.04

$2.02 ARS 2,882

28.71%

Banana (1kg)

$1.46 MX$25.20

$2.04 ARS 2,915

-28.43%

Oranges (1kg)

$1.90 MX$32.87

$1.27 ARS 1,809

49.61%

Tomato (1kg)

$2.08 MX$35.91

$2.63 ARS 3,752

-20.91%

Potato (1kg)

$1.78 MX$30.71

$1.19 ARS 1,695

49.58%

Onion (1kg)

$2.19 MX$37.80

$1.25 ARS 1,778

75.20%

Lettuce (1 head)

$1.04 MX$17.99

$1.28 ARS 1,821

-18.75%

Water (1.5 liter bottle)

$1.08 MX$18.62

$1.43 ARS 2,035

-24.48%

Cigarettes 20 Pack (Marlboro, Camel)

$4.08 MX$70.6

$3.17 ARS 4,516

28.71%

Wine (Bottle)

$10.32 MX$178

$5.23 ARS 7,459

97.32%

Local Beer (0.5 liter bottle)

$1.71 MX$29.61

$2.09 ARS 2,982

-18.18%

Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$2.58 MX$44.54

$3.14 ARS 4,481

-17.83%

One-way Ticket (Public Transport)

$0.51 MX$8.81

$0.82 ARS 1,169

-37.80%

Public Transport Monthly Pass (Regular Price)

$26.46 MX$458

Taxi Start (Normal Tariff)

$3.26 MX$56.4

$1.53 ARS 2,185

113.07%

Taxi (Normal Tariff) (1km)

$2.49 MX$43.09

$0.91 ARS 1,294

173.63%

Taxi 1hour Waiting (Normal Tariff)

$3.25 MX$56.2

$5.98 ARS 8,531

-45.65%

Gasoline (1 liter)

$1.31 MX$22.61

$1.06 ARS 1,506

23.58%

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

$30.3K MX$523.7K

$27.2K ARS 38.7M

11.52%

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

$23.4K MX$405.3K

$30.1K ARS 42.9M

-22.11%

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

$82.9 MX$1,433

$65.9 ARS 93.9K

25.85%

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

$22.22 MX$384

$17.10 ARS 24.4K

29.94%

Internet (50+ Mbps, Unlimited Data)

$29.34 MX$507

$22.81 ARS 32.5K

28.63%

Gym Membership (Monthly)

$51.6 MX$893

$26.13 ARS 37.3K

97.59%

Tennis Court (1 Hour on Weekend)

$18.32 MX$317

$14.02 ARS 20.0K

30.67%

Cinema Ticket

$5.07 MX$87.6

$6.31 ARS 9,007

-19.65%

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

$201 MX$3,473

$218 ARS 311.3K

-7.99%

International Primary School, 1 Child (Yearly)

$5,212 MX$90.1K

$2,745 ARS 3.9M

89.84%

Jeans (Levis 501 Or Similar)

$36.92 MX$639

$73.7 ARS 105.2K

-49.92%

Summer Dress (H&M, Zara, etc)

$39.79 MX$688

$70.8 ARS 101.0K

-43.78%

Sport Shoes (Adidas, Nike)

$78.5 MX$1,357

$116 ARS 164.8K

-32.11%

Men's Leather Business Shoes

$87.1 MX$1,506

$112 ARS 160.3K

-22.48%

1-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)

$973 MX$16.8K

$340 ARS 484.6K

186.31%

1-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)

$468 MX$8,090

$241 ARS 344.0K

93.95%

3-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)

$1,641 MX$28.4K

$689 ARS 983.3K

138.11%

3-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)

$1,221 MX$21.1K

$532 ARS 758.9K

129.47%

Buy Apartment in City Center (m2)

$3,946 MX$68.3K

$2,026 ARS 2.9M

94.78%

Buy Apartment Outside City Center (m2)

$6,498 MX$112.4K

Average Monthly Net Salary (After Tax)

$664 MX$11.5K

20-Year Fixed Mortgage Interest Rate (Annual %)

11.42

58.5

-80.48%

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 Rosa: June 1, 2026

Cost Breakdown

A central one-bedroom costs $973 in Playa del Carmen versus $340 in Santa Rosa. 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 $34.00 in Santa Rosa. Monthly groceries follow the same trend: $249 vs $230 – making Santa Rosa 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 Rosa: Cost of Living - Frequently Asked Questions

Yes – Playa del Carmen is pricier by about 33%, and the gap shows up most in Clothing & Footwear. 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 $1,464 in Santa Rosa. That covers rent, food, utilities, transport, and enough left over to feel settled – not just surviving.

Rent is clearly cheaper in Santa Rosa, 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 $976 in Santa Rosa. The difference isn't just one category – it shows up across housing, food, transport, and services.

Kindergarten costs $201 per month in Playa del Carmen and $218 in Santa Rosa. For families with young kids, this one expense can tip the scales when choosing between the two cities.

A $1,000 monthly budget goes further in Santa Rosa, where all-in costs run around $976, than in Playa del Carmen at $1,297. In Santa Rosa 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 Rosa – lower housing and cheaper childcare make a real difference, especially on a single income or when paying for private education.

Both have safer and rougher neighborhoods, but overall safety is comparable to other large cities. Neighborhood choice matters more than the city-level comparison – central, well-trafficked areas feel secure in both.

If budget matters most, go with Santa Rosa. 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.