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 $1,266 per month in Playa del Carmen vs $623 in Santa Rosa, rent included.

A couple spends around $2,279 per month in Playa del Carmen vs $881 in Santa Rosa, rent included.

A family of three spends $3,292 per month in Playa del Carmen vs $1,139 in Santa Rosa, rent included.

Playa del Carmen costs about 103% 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 7% lower, Santa Rosa 54% lower.

Meal at Budget Restaurant

$11.60 MX$200

$2.40 ₱151

383.33%

Three-Course Dinner for Two, Mid-Range

$47.11 MX$811

$16.91 ₱1,062

178.59%

Fast Food Meal (McDonalds, etc)

$11.88 MX$205

$2.78 ₱174

327.34%

Cappuccino

$3.98 MX$68.5

$1.08 ₱68.0

268.52%

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

$1.43 MX$24.57

$0.34 ₱21.19

320.59%

Water (0.33 liter bottle)

$0.82 MX$14.20

$0.23 ₱14.43

256.52%

Local Beer (0.5 liter draught)

$3.19 MX$54.9

$0.96 ₱60.6

232.29%

Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$6.79 MX$117

$1.30 ₱81.4

422.31%

Milk (1 liter)

$1.68 MX$28.85

$1.66 ₱104

1.20%

White Bread (500g)

$2.20 MX$37.83

$1.16 ₱72.9

89.66%

Rice (white) (1kg)

$1.71 MX$29.41

$1.01 ₱63.3

69.31%

Eggs

$2.74 MX$47.20

$1.57 ₱98.8

74.52%

Local Cheese (1kg)

$9.58 MX$165

$5.23 ₱329

83.17%

Chicken Fillets (1kg)

$9.01 MX$155

$3.42 ₱215

163.45%

Beef Round Steak (1kg)

$12.81 MX$221

$8.01 ₱503

59.93%

Apples (1kg)

$2.89 MX$49.74

$2.29 ₱144

26.20%

Banana (1kg)

$1.50 MX$25.78

$0.76 ₱47.45

97.37%

Oranges (1kg)

$2.15 MX$36.98

$2.29 ₱144

-6.11%

Tomato (1kg)

$2.26 MX$38.91

$1.03 ₱64.5

119.42%

Potato (1kg)

$1.98 MX$34.10

$1.65 ₱104

20.00%

Onion (1kg)

$1.99 MX$34.26

$1.70 ₱107

17.06%

Lettuce (1 head)

$1.23 MX$21.25

$0.66 ₱41.55

86.36%

Water (1.5 liter bottle)

$1.20 MX$20.60

$0.49 ₱31.00

144.90%

Cigarettes 20 Pack (Marlboro, Camel)

$4.55 MX$78.3

$2.87 ₱180

58.54%

Wine (Bottle)

$10.37 MX$179

$8.99 ₱565

15.35%

Local Beer (0.5 liter bottle)

$1.62 MX$27.88

$0.92 ₱57.6

76.09%

Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$2.88 MX$49.60

$2.00 ₱125

44.00%

One-way Ticket (Public Transport)

$0.60 MX$10.34

$0.28 ₱17.46

114.29%

Public Transport Monthly Pass (Regular Price)

$28.80 MX$496

$12.17 ₱765

136.65%

Taxi Start (Normal Tariff)

$5.39 MX$92.8

$0.81 ₱50.7

565.43%

Taxi (Normal Tariff) (1km)

$3.73 MX$64.2

$0.23 ₱14.41

1521.74%

Taxi 1hour Waiting (Normal Tariff)

$5.77 MX$99.3

$1.96 ₱123

194.39%

Gasoline (1 liter)

$1.54 MX$26.45

$1.03 ₱65.0

49.51%

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

$22.5K MX$388.3K

$21.5K ₱1.4M

4.83%

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

$26.1K MX$448.7K

$19.5K ₱1.2M

33.30%

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

$91.4 MX$1,573

$63.2 ₱3,970

44.61%

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

$25.20 MX$434

$6.28 ₱395

301.27%

Internet (50+ Mbps, Unlimited Data)

$31.24 MX$538

$22.95 ₱1,442

36.12%

Gym Membership (Monthly)

$67.2 MX$1,157

$32.36 ₱2,033

107.66%

Tennis Court (1 Hour on Weekend)

$29.11 MX$501

$5.16 ₱324

464.15%

Cinema Ticket

$4.86 MX$83.7

$5.10 ₱321

-4.71%

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

$224 MX$3,851

$135 ₱8,466

65.95%

International Primary School, 1 Child (Yearly)

$4,229 MX$72.8K

$5,487 ₱344.7K

-22.93%

Jeans (Levis 501 Or Similar)

$47.10 MX$811

$28.46 ₱1,788

65.50%

Summer Dress (H&M, Zara, etc)

$44.29 MX$763

$19.68 ₱1,236

125.05%

Sport Shoes (Adidas, Nike)

$80.1 MX$1,379

$72.3 ₱4,543

10.79%

Men's Leather Business Shoes

$92.7 MX$1,596

$55.1 ₱3,463

68.11%

1-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)

$1,063 MX$18.3K

$271 ₱17.1K

291.51%

1-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)

$390 MX$6,719

$172 ₱10.8K

127.12%

3-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)

$2,149 MX$37.0K

$505 ₱31.7K

325.56%

3-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)

$1,272 MX$21.9K

$174 ₱10.9K

631.88%

Buy Apartment in City Center (m2)

$4,001 MX$68.9K

$2,830 ₱177.8K

41.42%

Buy Apartment Outside City Center (m2)

$6,502 MX$112.0K

$1,033 ₱64.9K

529.53%

Average Monthly Net Salary (After Tax)

$758 MX$13.1K

$144 ₱9,033

427.36%

20-Year Fixed Mortgage Interest Rate (Annual %)

11.45

6.75

69.63%

CityCost data is based on AI and user input – minor inaccuracies may occur.

Last update for Playa del Carmen: September 12, 2026

Last update for Santa Rosa: September 12, 2026

Cost Breakdown

A central one-bedroom costs $1,063 in Playa del Carmen versus $271 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 427% 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 $47.00 in Playa del Carmen versus $17.00 in Santa Rosa. Monthly groceries follow the same trend: $276 vs $169 – 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 103%, 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 $1,899 per month in Playa del Carmen and $935 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 $1,266 in Playa del Carmen and $623 in Santa Rosa. The difference isn't just one category – it shows up across housing, food, transport, and services.

Public transport costs about 137% less in Santa Rosa. For daily commuters, that gap adds up to noticeable savings over a year.

A $2,000 monthly budget goes further in Santa Rosa, where all-in costs run around $623, than in Playa del Carmen at $1,266. 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.