Cost of Living Comparison Between Playa del Carmen and Senta Cost of Living Comparison Between Playa del Carmen and Senta

Monthly Cost of Living

A single person spends $1,305 per month in Playa del Carmen vs $1,025 in Senta, rent included.

A couple spends around $2,334 per month in Playa del Carmen vs $1,522 in Senta, rent included.

A family of three spends $3,362 per month in Playa del Carmen vs $2,020 in Senta, rent included.

Playa del Carmen costs about 27% more than Senta, driven mainly by Groceries & Markets.

Both Playa del Carmen and Senta are more affordable than the global median – Playa del Carmen 5% lower, Senta 26% lower.

Meal at Budget Restaurant

$11.96 MX$203

$8.79 RSD 885

36.06%

Three-Course Dinner for Two, Mid-Range

$47.38 MX$804

$39.25 RSD 3,956

20.71%

Fast Food Meal (McDonalds, etc)

$11.75 MX$199

$9.39 RSD 947

25.13%

Cappuccino

$4.12 MX$70.0

$2.03 RSD 204

102.96%

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

$1.40 MX$23.74

$2.37 RSD 239

-40.93%

Water (0.33 liter bottle)

$0.91 MX$15.48

$1.38 RSD 139

-34.06%

Local Beer (0.5 liter draught)

$3.21 MX$54.4

$2.45 RSD 247

31.02%

Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$7.07 MX$120

$3.54 RSD 357

99.72%

Milk (1 liter)

$1.68 MX$28.44

$1.16 RSD 117

44.83%

White Bread (500g)

$2.15 MX$36.48

$0.59 RSD 59.9

264.41%

Rice (white) (1kg)

$1.77 MX$30.10

$1.90 RSD 192

-6.84%

Eggs

$2.82 MX$47.76

$2.41 RSD 243

17.01%

Local Cheese (1kg)

$9.20 MX$156

$8.69 RSD 876

5.87%

Chicken Fillets (1kg)

$9.23 MX$157

$6.11 RSD 615

51.06%

Beef Round Steak (1kg)

$12.64 MX$214

$11.71 RSD 1,180

7.94%

Apples (1kg)

$2.95 MX$50.1

$0.96 RSD 96.8

207.29%

Banana (1kg)

$1.58 MX$26.79

$1.74 RSD 175

-9.20%

Oranges (1kg)

$2.22 MX$37.70

$1.56 RSD 157

42.31%

Tomato (1kg)

$2.36 MX$40.09

$1.94 RSD 196

21.65%

Potato (1kg)

$1.99 MX$33.81

$1.11 RSD 112

79.28%

Onion (1kg)

$1.98 MX$33.58

$0.77 RSD 77.4

157.14%

Lettuce (1 head)

$1.24 MX$21.04

$0.71 RSD 72.0

74.65%

Water (1.5 liter bottle)

$1.21 MX$20.55

$0.62 RSD 62.1

95.16%

Cigarettes 20 Pack (Marlboro, Camel)

$4.60 MX$78.1

$4.37 RSD 440

5.26%

Wine (Bottle)

$10.52 MX$178

$7.06 RSD 711

49.01%

Local Beer (0.5 liter bottle)

$1.69 MX$28.70

$0.86 RSD 87.1

96.51%

Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$2.77 MX$47.06

$1.37 RSD 139

102.19%

One-way Ticket (Public Transport)

$0.60 MX$10.22

Public Transport Monthly Pass (Regular Price)

$29.70 MX$504

Taxi Start (Normal Tariff)

$5.24 MX$88.8

$1.51 RSD 152

247.02%

Taxi (Normal Tariff) (1km)

$3.65 MX$61.9

$0.88 RSD 88.5

314.77%

Taxi 1hour Waiting (Normal Tariff)

$5.78 MX$98.1

$5.42 RSD 547

6.64%

Gasoline (1 liter)

$1.54 MX$26.09

$1.81 RSD 183

-14.92%

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

$22.8K MX$386.8K

$31.2K RSD 3.1M

-26.87%

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

$25.8K MX$437.9K

$26.7K RSD 2.7M

-3.21%

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

$90.7 MX$1,538

$194 RSD 19.5K

-53.21%

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

$25.19 MX$427

$18.13 RSD 1,827

38.94%

Internet (50+ Mbps, Unlimited Data)

$31.75 MX$539

$32.91 RSD 3,317

-3.52%

Gym Membership (Monthly)

$68.8 MX$1,167

$31.15 RSD 3,139

120.83%

Tennis Court (1 Hour on Weekend)

$29.37 MX$498

$14.16 RSD 1,427

107.42%

Cinema Ticket

$4.86 MX$82.5

$5.68 RSD 572

-14.44%

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

$226 MX$3,828

$178 RSD 18.0K

26.45%

International Primary School, 1 Child (Yearly)

$4,194 MX$71.1K

$3,937 RSD 396.8K

6.51%

Jeans (Levis 501 Or Similar)

$47.38 MX$804

$63.3 RSD 6,377

-25.11%

Summer Dress (H&M, Zara, etc)

$43.45 MX$737

$34.35 RSD 3,463

26.49%

Sport Shoes (Adidas, Nike)

$80.2 MX$1,361

$84.3 RSD 8,496

-4.83%

Men's Leather Business Shoes

$91.4 MX$1,550

$89.8 RSD 9,046

1.82%

1-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)

$1,086 MX$18.4K

$324 RSD 32.7K

234.70%

1-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)

$409 MX$6,933

$265 RSD 26.7K

54.02%

3-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)

$1,972 MX$33.5K

$449 RSD 45.2K

339.64%

3-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)

$1,281 MX$21.7K

$374 RSD 37.7K

242.51%

Buy Apartment in City Center (m2)

$4,046 MX$68.6K

$2,305 RSD 232.3K

75.52%

Buy Apartment Outside City Center (m2)

$6,704 MX$113.7K

$1,663 RSD 167.7K

303.03%

Average Monthly Net Salary (After Tax)

$773 MX$13.1K

$797 RSD 80.4K

-3.01%

20-Year Fixed Mortgage Interest Rate (Annual %)

11.45

4.84

136.57%

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

Last update for Playa del Carmen: September 7, 2026

Last update for Senta: September 7, 2026

Cost Breakdown

A central one-bedroom costs $1,086 in Playa del Carmen versus $324 in Senta. 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 3% higher in Senta, 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 $47.00 in Playa del Carmen versus $39.00 in Senta. Monthly groceries follow the same trend: $278 vs $194 – making Senta 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 Senta: Cost of Living - Frequently Asked Questions

Yes – Playa del Carmen is pricier by about 27%, 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 $1,958 per month in Playa del Carmen and $1,537 in Senta. That covers rent, food, utilities, transport, and enough left over to feel settled – not just surviving.

Rent is clearly cheaper in Senta, 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 $1,305 in Playa del Carmen and $1,025 in Senta. The difference isn't just one category – it shows up across housing, food, transport, and services.

Kindergarten costs $226 per month in Playa del Carmen and $178 in Senta. 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 Senta, where all-in costs run around $1,025, than in Playa del Carmen at $1,305. In Senta it covers expenses comfortably, while in Playa del Carmen it requires careful planning or may not stretch far enough.

Families tend to lean toward Senta – 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 Senta. 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.