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

Monthly Cost of Living

A single person spends $1,298 per month in Santa Isabel vs $1,266 in Playa del Carmen, rent included.

A couple spends around $2,036 per month in Santa Isabel vs $2,279 in Playa del Carmen, rent included.

A family of three spends $2,774 per month in Santa Isabel vs $3,292 in Playa del Carmen, rent included.

Santa Isabel costs about 3% more than Playa del Carmen, driven mainly by Groceries & Markets.

Both Santa Isabel and Playa del Carmen are more affordable than the global median – Santa Isabel 5% lower, Playa del Carmen 7% lower.

Meal at Budget Restaurant

$18.74 $18.74

$11.60 MX$200

61.55%

Three-Course Dinner for Two, Mid-Range

$82.9 $82.9

$47.11 MX$811

75.86%

Fast Food Meal (McDonalds, etc)

$9.04 $9.04

$11.88 MX$205

-23.91%

Cappuccino

$3.77 $3.77

$3.98 MX$68.5

-5.28%

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

$1.86 $1.86

$1.43 MX$24.57

30.07%

Water (0.33 liter bottle)

$1.50 $1.50

$0.82 MX$14.20

82.93%

Local Beer (0.5 liter draught)

$2.97 $2.97

$3.19 MX$54.9

-6.90%

Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$4.90 $4.90

$6.79 MX$117

-27.84%

Milk (1 liter)

$1.32 $1.32

$1.68 MX$28.85

-21.43%

White Bread (500g)

$3.38 $3.38

$2.20 MX$37.83

53.64%

Rice (white) (1kg)

$2.34 $2.34

$1.71 MX$29.41

36.84%

Eggs

$6.29 $6.29

$2.74 MX$47.20

129.56%

Local Cheese (1kg)

$12.28 $12.28

$9.58 MX$165

28.18%

Chicken Fillets (1kg)

$9.70 $9.70

$9.01 MX$155

7.66%

Beef Round Steak (1kg)

$13.49 $13.49

$12.81 MX$221

5.31%

Apples (1kg)

$5.08 $5.08

$2.89 MX$49.74

75.78%

Banana (1kg)

$2.57 $2.57

$1.50 MX$25.78

71.33%

Oranges (1kg)

$4.72 $4.72

$2.15 MX$36.98

119.53%

Tomato (1kg)

$4.93 $4.93

$2.26 MX$38.91

118.14%

Potato (1kg)

$3.79 $3.79

$1.98 MX$34.10

91.41%

Onion (1kg)

$3.99 $3.99

$1.99 MX$34.26

100.50%

Lettuce (1 head)

$3.50 $3.50

$1.23 MX$21.25

184.55%

Water (1.5 liter bottle)

$1.58 $1.58

$1.20 MX$20.60

31.67%

Cigarettes 20 Pack (Marlboro, Camel)

$12.06 $12.06

$4.55 MX$78.3

165.05%

Wine (Bottle)

$15.66 $15.66

$10.37 MX$179

51.01%

Local Beer (0.5 liter bottle)

$3.08 $3.08

$1.62 MX$27.88

90.12%

Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$4.08 $4.08

$2.88 MX$49.60

41.67%

One-way Ticket (Public Transport)

$0.60 MX$10.34

Public Transport Monthly Pass (Regular Price)

$28.80 MX$496

Taxi Start (Normal Tariff)

$2.55 $2.55

$5.39 MX$92.8

-52.69%

Taxi (Normal Tariff) (1km)

$0.63 $0.63

$3.73 MX$64.2

-83.11%

Taxi 1hour Waiting (Normal Tariff)

$39.46 $39.46

$5.77 MX$99.3

583.88%

Gasoline (1 liter)

$1.05 $1.05

$1.54 MX$26.45

-31.82%

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

$40.4K $40.4K

$22.5K MX$388.3K

79.36%

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

$28.4K $28.4K

$26.1K MX$448.7K

8.96%

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

$327 $327

$91.4 MX$1,573

257.32%

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

$70.2 $70.2

$25.20 MX$434

178.45%

Internet (50+ Mbps, Unlimited Data)

$69.7 $69.7

$31.24 MX$538

123.21%

Gym Membership (Monthly)

$67.2 MX$1,157

Tennis Court (1 Hour on Weekend)

$29.11 MX$501

Cinema Ticket

$10.38 $10.38

$4.86 MX$83.7

113.58%

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

$825 $825

$224 MX$3,851

268.74%

International Primary School, 1 Child (Yearly)

$12.4K $12.4K

$4,229 MX$72.8K

193.07%

Jeans (Levis 501 Or Similar)

$56.9 $56.9

$47.10 MX$811

20.89%

Summer Dress (H&M, Zara, etc)

$61.2 $61.2

$44.29 MX$763

38.11%

Sport Shoes (Adidas, Nike)

$109 $109

$80.1 MX$1,379

36.41%

Men's Leather Business Shoes

$115 $115

$92.7 MX$1,596

23.87%

1-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)

$1,063 MX$18.3K

1-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)

$390 MX$6,719

3-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)

$2,149 MX$37.0K

3-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)

$1,272 MX$21.9K

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 %)

6.55

11.45

-42.79%

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

Last update for Santa Isabel: September 12, 2026

Last update for Playa del Carmen: September 12, 2026

Cost Breakdown

A mid-range dinner for two costs $83.0 in Santa Isabel versus $47.00 in Playa del Carmen. Monthly groceries follow the same trend: $399 vs $276 – making Playa del Carmen 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

Santa Isabel vs Playa del Carmen: Cost of Living - Frequently Asked Questions

Yes – Santa Isabel is pricier by about 3%, 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 $1,948 per month in Santa Isabel and $1,899 in Playa del Carmen. That covers rent, food, utilities, transport, and enough left over to feel settled – not just surviving.

Monthly expenses with rent come to $1,298 in Santa Isabel and $1,266 in Playa del Carmen. The difference isn't just one category – it shows up across housing, food, transport, and services.

Kindergarten costs $825 per month in Santa Isabel and $224 in Playa del Carmen. 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 Isabel at $1,298. In Playa del Carmen it covers expenses comfortably, while in Santa Isabel 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 Isabel makes more sense. Both are solid long-term options with distinct trade-offs.