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

Monthly Cost of Living

A single person spends $1,266 per month in Playa del Carmen vs $1,518 in Santa Teresa, rent included.

A couple spends around $2,279 per month in Playa del Carmen vs $2,284 in Santa Teresa, rent included.

A family of three spends $3,292 per month in Playa del Carmen vs $3,050 in Santa Teresa, rent included.

Playa del Carmen is about 17% cheaper than Santa Teresa, driven mainly by Groceries & Markets.

Playa del Carmen sits 7% below the global median, while Santa Teresa is 11% above – they fall on opposite sides of the world average.

Meal at Budget Restaurant

$11.60 MX$200

$10.03 ₡4,456

15.65%

Three-Course Dinner for Two, Mid-Range

$47.11 MX$811

$42.84 ₡19.0K

9.97%

Fast Food Meal (McDonalds, etc)

$11.88 MX$205

$9.47 ₡4,208

25.45%

Cappuccino

$3.98 MX$68.5

$3.89 ₡1,729

2.31%

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

$1.43 MX$24.58

$2.07 ₡922

-30.92%

Water (0.33 liter bottle)

$0.82 MX$14.20

$1.65 ₡735

-50.30%

Local Beer (0.5 liter draught)

$3.19 MX$54.9

$3.01 ₡1,340

5.98%

Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$6.79 MX$117

$4.71 ₡2,096

44.16%

Milk (1 liter)

$1.68 MX$28.86

$2.06 ₡916

-18.45%

White Bread (500g)

$2.20 MX$37.84

$2.82 ₡1,251

-21.99%

Rice (white) (1kg)

$1.71 MX$29.42

$2.20 ₡979

-22.27%

Eggs

$2.74 MX$47.21

$2.90 ₡1,288

-5.52%

Local Cheese (1kg)

$9.58 MX$165

$9.93 ₡4,412

-3.52%

Chicken Fillets (1kg)

$9.01 MX$155

$9.02 ₡4,008

-0.11%

Beef Round Steak (1kg)

$12.81 MX$221

$13.71 ₡6,093

-6.56%

Apples (1kg)

$2.89 MX$49.75

$4.42 ₡1,963

-34.62%

Banana (1kg)

$1.50 MX$25.79

$1.46 ₡650

2.74%

Oranges (1kg)

$2.15 MX$37.00

$4.28 ₡1,904

-49.77%

Tomato (1kg)

$2.26 MX$38.92

$3.22 ₡1,430

-29.81%

Potato (1kg)

$1.98 MX$34.11

$3.33 ₡1,482

-40.54%

Onion (1kg)

$1.99 MX$34.27

$2.64 ₡1,174

-24.62%

Lettuce (1 head)

$1.23 MX$21.26

$1.00 ₡445

23.00%

Water (1.5 liter bottle)

$1.20 MX$20.61

$2.94 ₡1,307

-59.18%

Cigarettes 20 Pack (Marlboro, Camel)

$4.55 MX$78.4

$4.87 ₡2,165

-6.57%

Wine (Bottle)

$10.37 MX$179

$14.05 ₡6,243

-26.19%

Local Beer (0.5 liter bottle)

$1.62 MX$27.88

$2.41 ₡1,069

-32.78%

Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$2.88 MX$49.61

$2.54 ₡1,128

13.39%

One-way Ticket (Public Transport)

$0.60 MX$10.34

$1.02 ₡453

-41.18%

Public Transport Monthly Pass (Regular Price)

$28.80 MX$496

Taxi Start (Normal Tariff)

$5.39 MX$92.8

$1.85 ₡822

191.35%

Taxi (Normal Tariff) (1km)

$3.73 MX$64.2

$1.78 ₡792

109.55%

Taxi 1hour Waiting (Normal Tariff)

$5.77 MX$99.4

$7.78 ₡3,456

-25.84%

Gasoline (1 liter)

$1.54 MX$26.46

$1.41 ₡629

9.22%

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

$22.5K MX$388.4K

$37.2K ₡16.5M

-39.38%

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

$26.1K MX$448.8K

$32.0K ₡14.2M

-18.48%

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

$91.4 MX$1,574

$82.0 ₡36.5K

11.40%

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

$25.20 MX$434

$26.18 ₡11.6K

-3.74%

Internet (50+ Mbps, Unlimited Data)

$31.24 MX$538

$49.27 ₡21.9K

-36.59%

Gym Membership (Monthly)

$67.2 MX$1,158

$49.15 ₡21.8K

36.72%

Tennis Court (1 Hour on Weekend)

$29.11 MX$501

$23.85 ₡10.6K

22.05%

Cinema Ticket

$4.86 MX$83.8

$8.83 ₡3,926

-44.96%

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

$224 MX$3,852

$574 ₡255.1K

-61.04%

International Primary School, 1 Child (Yearly)

$4,229 MX$72.8K

$12.5K ₡5.5M

-66.05%

Jeans (Levis 501 Or Similar)

$47.10 MX$811

$61.9 ₡27.5K

-23.92%

Summer Dress (H&M, Zara, etc)

$44.29 MX$763

$50.6 ₡22.5K

-12.42%

Sport Shoes (Adidas, Nike)

$80.1 MX$1,380

$128 ₡56.7K

-37.18%

Men's Leather Business Shoes

$92.7 MX$1,596

$106 ₡47.1K

-12.58%

1-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)

$1,063 MX$18.3K

$703 ₡312.5K

51.10%

1-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)

$390 MX$6,721

$603 ₡268.1K

-35.30%

3-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)

$2,149 MX$37.0K

$1,423 ₡632.4K

51.04%

3-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)

$1,272 MX$21.9K

$967 ₡429.7K

31.59%

Buy Apartment in City Center (m2)

$4,001 MX$68.9K

Buy Apartment Outside City Center (m2)

$6,502 MX$112.0K

Average Monthly Net Salary (After Tax)

$758 MX$13.1K

20-Year Fixed Mortgage Interest Rate (Annual %)

11.45

10.17

12.59%

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 Teresa: September 14, 2026

Cost Breakdown

A central one-bedroom costs $1,063 in Playa del Carmen versus $703 in Santa Teresa. 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 $47.00 in Playa del Carmen versus $43.00 in Santa Teresa. Groceries tell a different story – $276 in Playa del Carmen vs $349 in Santa Teresa – so Playa del Carmen wins on supermarket bills even if dining out costs more.

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 Teresa: Cost of Living - Frequently Asked Questions

Yes – Santa Teresa is pricier by about 20%, and the gap shows up most in Groceries & Markets. 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 $2,277 in Santa Teresa. 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 $1,266 in Playa del Carmen and $1,518 in Santa Teresa. The difference isn't just one category – it shows up across housing, food, transport, and services.

Kindergarten costs $224 per month in Playa del Carmen and $574 in Santa Teresa. 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 $1,266, than in Santa Teresa at $1,518. In Playa del Carmen it covers expenses comfortably, while in Santa Teresa 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 Teresa makes more sense. Both are solid long-term options with distinct trade-offs.