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 $1,256 per month in Playa del Carmen vs $1,083 in Senta, rent included.

A couple spends around $2,137 per month in Playa del Carmen vs $1,570 in Senta, rent included.

A family of three spends $3,017 per month in Playa del Carmen vs $2,057 in Senta, rent included.

Playa del Carmen costs about 16% more than Senta, driven mainly by Groceries & Markets.

Both Playa del Carmen and Senta are more affordable than the global median – Playa del Carmen 6% lower, Senta 19% lower.

Meal at Budget Restaurant

$11.99 MX$210

$8.75 RSD 895

37.03%

Three-Course Dinner for Two, Mid-Range

$41.78 MX$733

$40.24 RSD 4,117

3.83%

Fast Food Meal (McDonalds, etc)

$10.75 MX$189

$9.54 RSD 976

12.68%

Cappuccino

$3.50 MX$61.3

$2.03 RSD 208

72.41%

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

$1.45 MX$25.41

$2.21 RSD 226

-34.39%

Water (0.33 liter bottle)

$0.88 MX$15.52

$1.37 RSD 141

-35.77%

Local Beer (0.5 liter draught)

$2.95 MX$51.7

$2.48 RSD 254

18.95%

Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$4.51 MX$79.1

$3.56 RSD 364

26.69%

Milk (1 liter)

$1.43 MX$25.12

$1.19 RSD 122

20.17%

White Bread (500g)

$1.84 MX$32.23

$0.62 RSD 63.0

196.77%

Rice (white) (1kg)

$1.57 MX$27.51

$1.93 RSD 197

-18.65%

Eggs

$2.51 MX$44.06

$2.34 RSD 240

7.26%

Local Cheese (1kg)

$8.28 MX$145

$8.95 RSD 916

-7.49%

Chicken Fillets (1kg)

$8.43 MX$148

$5.89 RSD 603

43.12%

Beef Round Steak (1kg)

$10.68 MX$187

$11.93 RSD 1,221

-10.48%

Apples (1kg)

$2.61 MX$45.76

$0.97 RSD 99.0

169.07%

Banana (1kg)

$1.44 MX$25.22

$1.83 RSD 187

-21.31%

Oranges (1kg)

$1.96 MX$34.41

$1.56 RSD 160

25.64%

Tomato (1kg)

$2.09 MX$36.74

$1.91 RSD 196

9.42%

Potato (1kg)

$1.85 MX$32.47

$1.14 RSD 117

62.28%

Onion (1kg)

$2.17 MX$38.02

$0.80 RSD 82.1

171.25%

Lettuce (1 head)

$1.03 MX$18.09

$0.71 RSD 72.6

45.07%

Water (1.5 liter bottle)

$1.07 MX$18.84

$0.72 RSD 73.6

48.61%

Cigarettes 20 Pack (Marlboro, Camel)

$4.10 MX$72.0

$4.22 RSD 432

-2.84%

Wine (Bottle)

$10.17 MX$178

$6.84 RSD 700

48.68%

Local Beer (0.5 liter bottle)

$1.68 MX$29.38

$0.85 RSD 87.4

97.65%

Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$2.53 MX$44.31

$1.36 RSD 139

86.03%

One-way Ticket (Public Transport)

$0.51 MX$8.93

$0.92 RSD 93.7

-44.57%

Public Transport Monthly Pass (Regular Price)

$26.04 MX$457

$28.05 RSD 2,870

-7.17%

Taxi Start (Normal Tariff)

$3.23 MX$56.7

$1.09 RSD 111

196.33%

Taxi (Normal Tariff) (1km)

$2.41 MX$42.19

$0.74 RSD 75.3

225.68%

Taxi 1hour Waiting (Normal Tariff)

$3.23 MX$56.6

$7.83 RSD 801

-58.75%

Gasoline (1 liter)

$1.32 MX$23.17

$1.77 RSD 181

-25.42%

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

$29.7K MX$520.9K

$30.9K RSD 3.2M

-3.94%

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

$23.7K MX$415.0K

$26.4K RSD 2.7M

-10.44%

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

$82.0 MX$1,439

$174 RSD 17.8K

-52.79%

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

$22.95 MX$403

$18.11 RSD 1,853

26.73%

Internet (50+ Mbps, Unlimited Data)

$30.11 MX$528

$32.88 RSD 3,363

-8.42%

Gym Membership (Monthly)

$52.0 MX$912

$30.19 RSD 3,088

72.14%

Tennis Court (1 Hour on Weekend)

$18.53 MX$325

$16.79 RSD 1,718

10.36%

Cinema Ticket

$4.98 MX$87.3

$6.77 RSD 692

-26.44%

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

$197 MX$3,463

$181 RSD 18.6K

8.84%

International Primary School, 1 Child (Yearly)

$5,336 MX$93.6K

$3,921 RSD 401.1K

36.09%

Jeans (Levis 501 Or Similar)

$35.60 MX$624

$63.5 RSD 6,494

-43.92%

Summer Dress (H&M, Zara, etc)

$40.33 MX$707

$34.29 RSD 3,508

17.61%

Sport Shoes (Adidas, Nike)

$78.8 MX$1,381

$84.8 RSD 8,676

-7.15%

Men's Leather Business Shoes

$88.9 MX$1,560

$89.1 RSD 9,118

-0.22%

1-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)

$947 MX$16.6K

$374 RSD 38.3K

153.24%

1-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)

$474 MX$8,314

$293 RSD 29.9K

61.97%

3-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)

$1,644 MX$28.8K

$554 RSD 56.7K

196.83%

3-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)

$1,211 MX$21.2K

$415 RSD 42.5K

191.68%

Buy Apartment in City Center (m2)

$4,056 MX$71.1K

$2,245 RSD 229.7K

80.67%

Buy Apartment Outside City Center (m2)

$6,470 MX$113.5K

$1,421 RSD 145.4K

355.23%

Average Monthly Net Salary (After Tax)

$654 MX$11.5K

$777 RSD 79.5K

-15.84%

20-Year Fixed Mortgage Interest Rate (Annual %)

11.42

42.75%

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

Last update for Playa del Carmen: July 13, 2026

Last update for Senta: July 12, 2026

Cost Breakdown

A central one-bedroom costs $947 in Playa del Carmen versus $374 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 19% 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 $42.00 in Playa del Carmen versus $40.00 in Senta. Monthly groceries follow the same trend: $249 vs $196 – 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 16%, 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 $1,884 per month in Playa del Carmen and $1,624 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 $1,256 in Playa del Carmen and $1,083 in Senta. The difference isn't just one category – it shows up across housing, food, transport, and services.

Public transport costs about 8% less in Senta. For daily commuters, that gap adds up to noticeable savings over a year.

A $2,000 monthly budget goes further in Senta, where all-in costs run around $1,083, than in Playa del Carmen at $1,256. 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.