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 $1,287 per month in Playa del Carmen vs $746 in Santa Rosa, rent included.

A couple spends around $2,184 per month in Playa del Carmen vs $1,142 in Santa Rosa, rent included.

A family of three spends $3,082 per month in Playa del Carmen vs $1,539 in Santa Rosa, rent included.

Playa del Carmen costs about 73% 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 4% lower, Santa Rosa 44% lower.

Meal at Budget Restaurant

$11.94 MX$208

$2.78 ₱170

329.50%

Three-Course Dinner for Two, Mid-Range

$42.75 MX$744

$21.58 ₱1,320

98.10%

Fast Food Meal (McDonalds, etc)

$10.59 MX$184

$3.16 ₱193

235.13%

Cappuccino

$3.62 MX$63.0

$1.27 ₱77.6

185.04%

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

$1.47 MX$25.54

$0.37 ₱22.91

297.30%

Water (0.33 liter bottle)

$0.94 MX$16.41

$0.26 ₱15.82

261.54%

Local Beer (0.5 liter draught)

$3.09 MX$53.8

$1.25 ₱76.6

147.20%

Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$4.46 MX$77.6

$1.41 ₱86.1

216.31%

Milk (1 liter)

$1.43 MX$24.80

$2.14 ₱131

-33.18%

White Bread (500g)

$1.88 MX$32.79

$1.25 ₱76.2

50.40%

Rice (white) (1kg)

$1.63 MX$28.34

$1.11 ₱67.6

46.85%

Eggs

$2.64 MX$45.99

$1.73 ₱106

52.60%

Local Cheese (1kg)

$8.21 MX$143

$6.87 ₱421

19.51%

Chicken Fillets (1kg)

$8.29 MX$144

$4.18 ₱256

98.33%

Beef Round Steak (1kg)

$11.10 MX$193

$7.39 ₱452

50.20%

Apples (1kg)

$2.65 MX$46.14

$4.32 ₱264

-38.66%

Banana (1kg)

$1.50 MX$26.11

$0.88 ₱53.7

70.45%

Oranges (1kg)

$1.99 MX$34.59

$2.89 ₱177

-31.14%

Tomato (1kg)

$2.08 MX$36.13

$1.63 ₱99.5

27.61%

Potato (1kg)

$1.79 MX$31.11

$2.74 ₱168

-34.67%

Onion (1kg)

$2.18 MX$37.87

$4.00 ₱244

-45.50%

Lettuce (1 head)

$1.08 MX$18.73

$1.63 ₱99.7

-33.74%

Water (1.5 liter bottle)

$1.04 MX$18.04

$1.05 ₱64.5

-0.95%

Cigarettes 20 Pack (Marlboro, Camel)

$3.97 MX$69.1

$3.27 ₱200

21.41%

Wine (Bottle)

$10.20 MX$178

$9.09 ₱556

12.21%

Local Beer (0.5 liter bottle)

$1.73 MX$30.04

$1.53 ₱93.8

13.07%

Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$2.50 MX$43.46

$2.02 ₱124

23.76%

One-way Ticket (Public Transport)

$0.52 MX$9.02

$0.28 ₱17.26

85.71%

Public Transport Monthly Pass (Regular Price)

$26.97 MX$469

Taxi Start (Normal Tariff)

$3.14 MX$54.7

$0.77 ₱47.21

307.79%

Taxi (Normal Tariff) (1km)

$2.40 MX$41.80

$0.22 ₱13.41

990.91%

Taxi 1hour Waiting (Normal Tariff)

$3.09 MX$53.7

$2.10 ₱128

47.14%

Gasoline (1 liter)

$1.27 MX$22.16

$1.10 ₱67.1

15.45%

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

$30.9K MX$537.3K

$25.9K ₱1.6M

19.12%

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

$23.3K MX$405.7K

$20.7K ₱1.3M

12.70%

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

$82.0 MX$1,427

$52.2 ₱3,193

57.14%

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

$22.45 MX$391

$32.54 ₱1,991

-31.01%

Internet (50+ Mbps, Unlimited Data)

$29.66 MX$516

$28.70 ₱1,756

3.34%

Gym Membership (Monthly)

$51.9 MX$903

$34.03 ₱2,082

52.42%

Tennis Court (1 Hour on Weekend)

$18.67 MX$325

$4.54 ₱278

311.23%

Cinema Ticket

$4.97 MX$86.5

$6.98 ₱427

-28.80%

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

$198 MX$3,442

$81.9 ₱5,008

141.64%

International Primary School, 1 Child (Yearly)

$5,273 MX$91.7K

$2,737 ₱167.5K

92.63%

Jeans (Levis 501 Or Similar)

$36.34 MX$632

$32.23 ₱1,972

12.75%

Summer Dress (H&M, Zara, etc)

$40.05 MX$697

$29.54 ₱1,807

35.58%

Sport Shoes (Adidas, Nike)

$79.9 MX$1,390

$96.3 ₱5,890

-17.03%

Men's Leather Business Shoes

$88.9 MX$1,547

$95.6 ₱5,851

-7.06%

1-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)

$963 MX$16.8K

$248 ₱15.2K

287.71%

1-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)

$465 MX$8,086

$177 ₱10.8K

162.89%

3-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)

$1,596 MX$27.8K

$398 ₱24.3K

301.16%

3-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)

$1,209 MX$21.0K

$280 ₱17.1K

331.88%

Buy Apartment in City Center (m2)

$3,942 MX$68.6K

$2,577 ₱157.7K

52.94%

Buy Apartment Outside City Center (m2)

$6,448 MX$112.2K

Average Monthly Net Salary (After Tax)

$720 MX$12.5K

$153 ₱9,331

372.33%

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: April 25, 2026

Last update for Santa Rosa: April 27, 2026

Cost Breakdown

A central one-bedroom costs $963 in Playa del Carmen versus $248 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 372% 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 $43.00 in Playa del Carmen versus $22.00 in Santa Rosa. Monthly groceries follow the same trend: $251 vs $221 – 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 73%, 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 $1,930 per month in Playa del Carmen and $1,119 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 $1,287 in Playa del Carmen and $746 in Santa Rosa. The difference isn't just one category – it shows up across housing, food, transport, and services.

Kindergarten costs $198 per month in Playa del Carmen and $81.9 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 $746, than in Playa del Carmen at $1,287. 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.