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

Monthly Cost of Living

A single person spends $1,297 per month in Playa del Carmen vs $1,375 in Santa Tecla, rent included.

A couple spends around $2,181 per month in Playa del Carmen vs $1,962 in Santa Tecla, rent included.

A family of three spends $3,065 per month in Playa del Carmen vs $2,548 in Santa Tecla, rent included.

Playa del Carmen is about 6% cheaper than Santa Tecla, driven mainly by Eating Out.

Playa del Carmen sits 3% below the global median, while Santa Tecla is 3% above – they fall on opposite sides of the world average.

Meal at Budget Restaurant

$11.73 MX$203

$7.81 $7.81

50.19%

Three-Course Dinner for Two, Mid-Range

$41.62 MX$720

$35.13 $35.13

18.47%

Fast Food Meal (McDonalds, etc)

$10.64 MX$184

$7.09 $7.09

50.07%

Cappuccino

$3.52 MX$60.9

$3.31 $3.31

6.34%

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

$1.51 MX$26.12

$1.09 $1.09

38.53%

Water (0.33 liter bottle)

$0.97 MX$16.84

$0.90 $0.90

7.78%

Local Beer (0.5 liter draught)

$2.95 MX$51.0

$2.04 $2.04

44.61%

Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$4.45 MX$77.0

$2.92 $2.92

52.40%

Milk (1 liter)

$1.38 MX$23.93

$1.76 $1.76

-21.59%

White Bread (500g)

$1.89 MX$32.72

$2.05 $2.05

-7.80%

Rice (white) (1kg)

$1.64 MX$28.32

$1.55 $1.55

5.81%

Eggs

$2.51 MX$43.34

$2.38 $2.38

5.46%

Local Cheese (1kg)

$8.34 MX$144

$6.94 $6.94

20.17%

Chicken Fillets (1kg)

$8.34 MX$144

$5.62 $5.62

48.40%

Beef Round Steak (1kg)

$10.73 MX$186

$10.80 $10.80

-0.65%

Apples (1kg)

$2.60 MX$45.04

$3.09 $3.09

-15.86%

Banana (1kg)

$1.46 MX$25.20

$1.66 $1.66

-12.05%

Oranges (1kg)

$1.90 MX$32.87

$2.62 $2.62

-27.48%

Tomato (1kg)

$2.08 MX$35.91

$2.62 $2.62

-20.61%

Potato (1kg)

$1.78 MX$30.71

$2.26 $2.26

-21.24%

Onion (1kg)

$2.19 MX$37.80

$2.13 $2.13

2.82%

Lettuce (1 head)

$1.04 MX$17.99

$1.00 $1.00

4.00%

Water (1.5 liter bottle)

$1.08 MX$18.62

$1.07 $1.07

0.93%

Cigarettes 20 Pack (Marlboro, Camel)

$4.08 MX$70.6

$4.06 $4.06

0.49%

Wine (Bottle)

$10.32 MX$178

$11.21 $11.21

-7.94%

Local Beer (0.5 liter bottle)

$1.71 MX$29.61

$1.71 $1.71

Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$2.58 MX$44.54

$2.53 $2.53

1.98%

One-way Ticket (Public Transport)

$0.51 MX$8.81

Public Transport Monthly Pass (Regular Price)

$26.46 MX$458

Taxi Start (Normal Tariff)

$3.26 MX$56.4

$5.44 $5.44

-40.07%

Taxi (Normal Tariff) (1km)

$2.49 MX$43.09

$3.00 $3.00

-17.00%

Taxi 1hour Waiting (Normal Tariff)

$3.25 MX$56.2

$20.18 $20.18

-83.89%

Gasoline (1 liter)

$1.31 MX$22.61

$0.98 $0.98

33.67%

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

$30.3K MX$523.7K

$25.9K $25.9K

16.93%

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

$23.4K MX$405.3K

$28.5K $28.5K

-17.82%

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

$82.9 MX$1,433

$103 $103

-19.31%

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

$22.22 MX$384

$19.19 $19.19

15.79%

Internet (50+ Mbps, Unlimited Data)

$29.34 MX$507

$42.32 $42.32

-30.67%

Gym Membership (Monthly)

$51.6 MX$893

$24.70 $24.70

109.03%

Tennis Court (1 Hour on Weekend)

$18.32 MX$317

Cinema Ticket

$5.07 MX$87.6

$5.11 $5.11

-0.78%

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

$201 MX$3,473

$147 $147

36.70%

International Primary School, 1 Child (Yearly)

$5,212 MX$90.1K

$6,045 $6,045

-13.79%

Jeans (Levis 501 Or Similar)

$36.92 MX$639

$67.0 $67.0

-44.90%

Summer Dress (H&M, Zara, etc)

$39.79 MX$688

$43.92 $43.92

-9.40%

Sport Shoes (Adidas, Nike)

$78.5 MX$1,357

$114 $114

-31.03%

Men's Leather Business Shoes

$87.1 MX$1,506

$106 $106

-18.19%

1-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)

$973 MX$16.8K

$786 $786

23.76%

1-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)

$468 MX$8,090

$606 $606

-22.78%

3-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)

$1,641 MX$28.4K

$1,210 $1,210

35.68%

3-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)

$1,221 MX$21.1K

$913 $913

33.68%

Buy Apartment in City Center (m2)

$3,946 MX$68.3K

Buy Apartment Outside City Center (m2)

$6,498 MX$112.4K

Average Monthly Net Salary (After Tax)

$664 MX$11.5K

$413 $413

60.95%

20-Year Fixed Mortgage Interest Rate (Annual %)

11.42

8.58

33.10%

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 Tecla: May 30, 2026

Cost Breakdown

A central one-bedroom costs $973 in Playa del Carmen versus $786 in Santa Tecla. 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 61% higher in Playa del Carmen, which reinforces the cost advantage – you earn more and spend less. Purchasing power leans clearly in its favor.

A mid-range dinner for two costs $42.00 in Playa del Carmen versus $35.00 in Santa Tecla. Monthly groceries follow the same trend: $249 vs $248 – making Santa Tecla 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 Tecla: Cost of Living - Frequently Asked Questions

Yes – Santa Tecla is pricier by about 6%, 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 $1,945 per month in Playa del Carmen and $2,063 in Santa Tecla. That covers rent, food, utilities, transport, and enough left over to feel settled – not just surviving.

Rent is clearly cheaper in Playa del Carmen, 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 $1,375 in Santa Tecla. 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 $147 in Santa Tecla. For families with young kids, this one expense can tip the scales when choosing between the two cities.

A $1,500 monthly budget goes further in Playa del Carmen, where all-in costs run around $1,297, than in Santa Tecla at $1,375. In Playa del Carmen it covers expenses comfortably, while in Santa Tecla it requires careful planning or may not stretch far enough.

Families tend to lean toward Playa del Carmen – 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 Playa del Carmen. If higher salaries, better infrastructure, or specific career opportunities are the priority, Santa Tecla makes more sense. Both are solid long-term options with distinct trade-offs.