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 $1,260 per month in Playa del Carmen vs $749 in Santa Rosa, rent included.

A couple spends around $2,125 per month in Playa del Carmen vs $1,121 in Santa Rosa, rent included.

A family of three spends $2,990 per month in Playa del Carmen vs $1,493 in Santa Rosa, rent included.

Playa del Carmen costs about 68% more than Santa Rosa, driven mainly by Eating Out.

Both Playa del Carmen and Santa Rosa are more affordable than the global median – Playa del Carmen 5% lower, Santa Rosa 44% lower.

Meal at Budget Restaurant

$11.72 MX$203

$2.70 ₱165

334.07%

Three-Course Dinner for Two, Mid-Range

$41.89 MX$725

$21.00 ₱1,286

99.48%

Fast Food Meal (McDonalds, etc)

$10.51 MX$182

$3.16 ₱193

232.59%

Cappuccino

$3.59 MX$62.0

$1.25 ₱76.5

187.20%

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

$1.51 MX$26.10

$0.40 ₱24.67

277.50%

Water (0.33 liter bottle)

$0.92 MX$15.83

$0.26 ₱15.80

253.85%

Local Beer (0.5 liter draught)

$2.96 MX$51.2

$1.23 ₱75.1

140.65%

Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$4.41 MX$76.3

$1.43 ₱87.6

208.39%

Milk (1 liter)

$1.40 MX$24.16

$2.11 ₱129

-33.65%

White Bread (500g)

$1.88 MX$32.60

$1.25 ₱76.4

50.40%

Rice (white) (1kg)

$1.56 MX$26.97

$1.08 ₱66.0

44.44%

Eggs

$2.61 MX$45.14

$1.79 ₱110

45.81%

Local Cheese (1kg)

$8.32 MX$144

$7.09 ₱434

17.35%

Chicken Fillets (1kg)

$8.35 MX$145

$4.21 ₱258

98.34%

Beef Round Steak (1kg)

$10.86 MX$188

$7.29 ₱446

48.97%

Apples (1kg)

$2.71 MX$46.93

$4.35 ₱267

-37.70%

Banana (1kg)

$1.51 MX$26.04

$0.85 ₱51.8

77.65%

Oranges (1kg)

$1.87 MX$32.41

$3.02 ₱185

-38.08%

Tomato (1kg)

$2.19 MX$37.89

$1.63 ₱100

34.36%

Potato (1kg)

$1.86 MX$32.14

$2.87 ₱176

-35.19%

Onion (1kg)

$2.23 MX$38.59

$4.08 ₱250

-45.34%

Lettuce (1 head)

$1.07 MX$18.48

$1.62 ₱99.3

-33.95%

Water (1.5 liter bottle)

$1.09 MX$18.79

$1.00 ₱61.5

9.00%

Cigarettes 20 Pack (Marlboro, Camel)

$4.19 MX$72.4

$3.18 ₱194

31.76%

Wine (Bottle)

$10.43 MX$180

$9.05 ₱554

15.25%

Local Beer (0.5 liter bottle)

$1.66 MX$28.68

$1.59 ₱97.6

4.40%

Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$2.61 MX$45.19

$1.97 ₱120

32.49%

One-way Ticket (Public Transport)

$0.54 MX$9.37

$0.28 ₱17.21

92.86%

Public Transport Monthly Pass (Regular Price)

$26.16 MX$453

Taxi Start (Normal Tariff)

$3.08 MX$53.3

$0.83 ₱50.6

271.08%

Taxi (Normal Tariff) (1km)

$2.40 MX$41.61

$0.22 ₱13.44

990.91%

Taxi 1hour Waiting (Normal Tariff)

$3.13 MX$54.1

$2.08 ₱128

50.48%

Gasoline (1 liter)

$1.31 MX$22.69

$1.09 ₱67.0

20.18%

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

$29.8K MX$515.7K

$26.0K ₱1.6M

14.55%

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

$23.3K MX$403.5K

$20.1K ₱1.2M

15.85%

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

$81.3 MX$1,406

$54.2 ₱3,316

50.02%

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

$22.56 MX$390

$32.39 ₱1,983

-30.35%

Internet (50+ Mbps, Unlimited Data)

$30.05 MX$520

$28.72 ₱1,758

4.63%

Gym Membership (Monthly)

$52.9 MX$915

$34.39 ₱2,105

53.85%

Tennis Court (1 Hour on Weekend)

$18.39 MX$318

$4.51 ₱276

307.76%

Cinema Ticket

$4.92 MX$85.1

$7.25 ₱444

-32.14%

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

$201 MX$3,474

$81.1 ₱4,962

147.70%

International Primary School, 1 Child (Yearly)

$5,175 MX$89.5K

$2,738 ₱167.6K

89.01%

Jeans (Levis 501 Or Similar)

$35.92 MX$622

$31.70 ₱1,941

13.31%

Summer Dress (H&M, Zara, etc)

$40.13 MX$694

$30.06 ₱1,840

33.50%

Sport Shoes (Adidas, Nike)

$79.7 MX$1,379

$96.2 ₱5,890

-17.17%

Men's Leather Business Shoes

$86.5 MX$1,496

$93.3 ₱5,709

-7.29%

1-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)

$978 MX$16.9K

$250 ₱15.3K

290.55%

1-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)

$470 MX$8,140

$176 ₱10.8K

167.16%

3-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)

$1,651 MX$28.6K

$399 ₱24.4K

314.08%

3-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)

$1,203 MX$20.8K

$275 ₱16.9K

337.13%

Buy Apartment in City Center (m2)

$3,953 MX$68.4K

$2,404 ₱147.2K

64.43%

Buy Apartment Outside City Center (m2)

$6,607 MX$114.3K

$1,036 ₱63.4K

537.92%

Average Monthly Net Salary (After Tax)

$677 MX$11.7K

$149 ₱9,150

352.66%

20-Year Fixed Mortgage Interest Rate (Annual %)

11.42

8.13

40.47%

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 Rosa: July 25, 2026

Cost Breakdown

A central one-bedroom costs $978 in Playa del Carmen versus $250 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.

Salaries run about 353% 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 $21.00 in Santa Rosa. Monthly groceries follow the same trend: $252 vs $222 – 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 68%, 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 $1,890 per month in Playa del Carmen and $1,123 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 $1,260 in Playa del Carmen and $749 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 $81.1 in Santa Rosa. For families with young kids, this one expense can tip the scales when choosing between the two cities.

A $2,000 monthly budget goes further in Santa Rosa, where all-in costs run around $749, than in Playa del Carmen at $1,260. 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.