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

🙂 Solo nomad: Santa Cruz is 30.6% cheaper than Playa del Carmen without rent, and 34.2% cheaper with rent.

🙂 Family of 3: Santa Cruz is 21.5% cheaper than Playa del Carmen without rent, and 38.3% cheaper with rent.

Meal at Budget Restaurant

$2.86 BOB 19.79

$11.61 MX$200

-75.37%

Three-Course Dinner for Two, Mid-Range

$26.77 BOB 185

$42.75 MX$738

-37.38%

Fast Food Meal (McDonalds, etc)

$7.09 BOB 49.07

$10.60 MX$183

-33.11%

Cappuccino

$2.84 BOB 19.65

$3.59 MX$62.0

-20.89%

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

$0.79 BOB 5.45

$1.45 MX$25.08

-45.52%

Water (0.33 liter bottle)

$0.66 BOB 4.59

$0.90 MX$15.50

-26.67%

Local Beer (0.5 liter draught)

$1.41 BOB 9.75

$3.03 MX$52.4

-53.47%

Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$1.97 BOB 13.64

$4.56 MX$78.8

-56.80%

Milk (1 liter)

$1.12 BOB 7.78

$1.45 MX$25.07

-22.76%

White Bread (500g)

$1.42 BOB 9.81

$1.83 MX$31.55

-22.40%

Rice (white) (1kg)

$1.34 BOB 9.24

$1.61 MX$27.77

-16.77%

Eggs

$1.77 BOB 12.23

$2.54 MX$43.82

-30.31%

Local Cheese (1kg)

$4.74 BOB 32.79

$8.54 MX$148

-44.50%

Chicken Fillets (1kg)

$4.19 BOB 28.99

$8.47 MX$146

-50.53%

Beef Round Steak (1kg)

$6.40 BOB 44.29

$10.86 MX$188

-41.07%

Apples (1kg)

$2.68 BOB 18.54

$2.73 MX$47.13

-1.83%

Banana (1kg)

$0.88 BOB 6.12

$1.49 MX$25.77

-40.94%

Oranges (1kg)

$1.18 BOB 8.14

$1.94 MX$33.55

-39.18%

Tomato (1kg)

$1.05 BOB 7.23

$2.16 MX$37.38

-51.39%

Potato (1kg)

$0.99 BOB 6.87

$1.85 MX$31.88

-46.49%

Onion (1kg)

$1.01 BOB 6.99

$2.19 MX$37.80

-53.88%

Lettuce (1 head)

$0.75 BOB 5.20

$1.07 MX$18.52

-29.91%

Water (1.5 liter bottle)

$1.12 BOB 7.74

$1.08 MX$18.71

3.70%

Cigarettes 20 Pack (Marlboro, Camel)

$2.20 BOB 15.21

$4.06 MX$70.1

-45.81%

Wine (Bottle)

$7.19 BOB 49.76

$10.46 MX$181

-31.26%

Local Beer (0.5 liter bottle)

$1.47 BOB 10.20

$1.65 MX$28.56

-10.91%

Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$1.98 BOB 13.68

$2.55 MX$44.01

-22.35%

One-way Ticket (Public Transport)

$0.32 BOB 2.22

$0.56 MX$9.60

-42.86%

Public Transport Monthly Pass (Regular Price)

$21.23 BOB 147

$26.20 MX$453

-18.97%

Taxi Start (Normal Tariff)

$2.87 BOB 19.88

$3.14 MX$54.2

-8.60%

Taxi (Normal Tariff) (1km)

$1.49 BOB 10.29

$2.37 MX$40.96

-37.13%

Taxi 1hour Waiting (Normal Tariff)

$7.24 BOB 50.1

$3.24 MX$56.0

123.46%

Gasoline (1 liter)

$0.58 BOB 4.03

$1.31 MX$22.70

-55.73%

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

$28.8K BOB 199.3K

$30.5K MX$527.4K

-5.70%

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

$27.9K BOB 192.8K

$23.8K MX$411.4K

16.95%

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

$53.5 BOB 370

$83.1 MX$1,436

-35.64%

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

$22.53 BOB 156

$22.15 MX$383

1.72%

Internet (50+ Mbps, Unlimited Data)

$33.17 BOB 230

$29.37 MX$507

12.94%

Gym Membership (Monthly)

$32.54 BOB 225

$51.2 MX$884

-36.43%

Tennis Court (1 Hour on Weekend)

$21.85 BOB 151

$18.69 MX$323

16.91%

Cinema Ticket

$7.46 BOB 51.6

$4.89 MX$84.4

52.56%

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

$203 BOB 1,401

$199 MX$3,431

1.93%

International Primary School, 1 Child (Yearly)

$4,235 BOB 29.3K

$5,207 MX$89.9K

-18.68%

Jeans (Levis 501 Or Similar)

$43.25 BOB 299

$35.93 MX$621

20.37%

Summer Dress (H&M, Zara, etc)

$47.64 BOB 330

$39.39 MX$680

20.94%

Sport Shoes (Adidas, Nike)

$84.4 BOB 584

$80.3 MX$1,387

5.06%

Men's Leather Business Shoes

$62.0 BOB 429

$87.6 MX$1,512

-29.19%

1-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)

$403 BOB 2,790

$963 MX$16.6K

-58.15%

1-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)

$261 BOB 1,803

$482 MX$8,326

-45.95%

3-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)

$734 BOB 5,081

$1,645 MX$28.4K

-55.37%

3-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)

$651 BOB 4,508

$1,192 MX$20.6K

-45.34%

Buy Apartment in City Center (m2)

$1,524 BOB 10.5K

$3,957 MX$68.3K

-61.48%

Buy Apartment Outside City Center (m2)

$850 BOB 5,883

$6,513 MX$112.5K

-86.95%

Average Monthly Net Salary (After Tax)

$515 BOB 3,565

$726 MX$12.5K

-29.06%

20-Year Fixed Mortgage Interest Rate (Annual %)

6.67

11.42

-41.59%

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

Last update for Santa Cruz: April 13, 2026

Last update for Playa del Carmen: April 12, 2026

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

Santa Cruz vs other spots: cost of living compared

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