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

Monthly Cost of Living

A single person spends $1,291 per month in Santa Lucia vs $1,260 in Playa del Carmen, rent included.

A couple spends around $1,809 per month in Santa Lucia vs $2,125 in Playa del Carmen, rent included.

A family of three spends $2,326 per month in Santa Lucia vs $2,990 in Playa del Carmen, rent included.

Santa Lucia costs about 2% more than Playa del Carmen, driven mainly by Monthly Utilities & Internet.

Both Santa Lucia and Playa del Carmen are more affordable than the global median – Santa Lucia 3% lower, Playa del Carmen 5% lower.

Meal at Budget Restaurant

$9.81 CUP 236

$11.72 MX$203

-16.30%

Three-Course Dinner for Two, Mid-Range

$30.14 CUP 723

$41.89 MX$725

-28.05%

Fast Food Meal (McDonalds, etc)

$7.21 CUP 173

$10.51 MX$182

-31.40%

Cappuccino

$3.35 CUP 80.5

$3.59 MX$62.0

-6.69%

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

$1.07 CUP 25.66

$1.51 MX$26.10

-29.14%

Water (0.33 liter bottle)

$0.87 CUP 20.88

$0.92 MX$15.83

-5.43%

Local Beer (0.5 liter draught)

$1.98 CUP 47.55

$2.96 MX$51.2

-33.11%

Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$2.93 CUP 70.3

$4.41 MX$76.3

-33.56%

Milk (1 liter)

$2.00 CUP 47.96

$1.40 MX$24.16

42.86%

White Bread (500g)

$1.81 CUP 43.39

$1.88 MX$32.60

-3.72%

Rice (white) (1kg)

$1.54 CUP 36.84

$1.56 MX$26.97

-1.28%

Eggs

$3.72 CUP 89.2

$2.61 MX$45.14

42.53%

Local Cheese (1kg)

$6.38 CUP 153

$8.32 MX$144

-23.32%

Chicken Fillets (1kg)

$5.72 CUP 137

$8.35 MX$145

-31.50%

Beef Round Steak (1kg)

$11.04 CUP 265

$10.86 MX$188

1.66%

Apples (1kg)

$2.77 CUP 66.4

$2.71 MX$46.93

2.21%

Banana (1kg)

$1.51 CUP 36.24

$1.51 MX$26.04

Oranges (1kg)

$2.03 CUP 48.67

$1.87 MX$32.41

8.56%

Tomato (1kg)

$2.27 CUP 54.6

$2.19 MX$37.89

3.65%

Potato (1kg)

$2.02 CUP 48.55

$1.86 MX$32.14

8.60%

Onion (1kg)

$1.72 CUP 41.30

$2.23 MX$38.59

-22.87%

Lettuce (1 head)

$1.02 CUP 24.49

$1.07 MX$18.48

-4.67%

Water (1.5 liter bottle)

$0.98 CUP 23.57

$1.09 MX$18.79

-10.09%

Cigarettes 20 Pack (Marlboro, Camel)

$3.91 CUP 93.9

$4.19 MX$72.4

-6.68%

Wine (Bottle)

$12.20 CUP 293

$10.43 MX$180

16.97%

Local Beer (0.5 liter bottle)

$1.67 CUP 40.04

$1.66 MX$28.68

0.60%

Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$2.40 CUP 57.6

$2.61 MX$45.19

-8.05%

One-way Ticket (Public Transport)

$0.21 CUP 4.97

$0.54 MX$9.37

-61.11%

Public Transport Monthly Pass (Regular Price)

$25.16 CUP 604

$26.16 MX$453

-3.82%

Taxi Start (Normal Tariff)

$3.19 CUP 76.6

$3.08 MX$53.3

3.57%

Taxi (Normal Tariff) (1km)

$0.38 CUP 9.16

$2.40 MX$41.61

-84.17%

Taxi 1hour Waiting (Normal Tariff)

$14.78 CUP 355

$3.13 MX$54.1

372.20%

Gasoline (1 liter)

$1.03 CUP 24.68

$1.31 MX$22.69

-21.37%

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

$70.3K CUP 1.7M

$29.8K MX$515.7K

136.00%

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

$80.2K CUP 1.9M

$23.3K MX$403.5K

243.88%

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

$35.02 CUP 840

$81.3 MX$1,406

-56.91%

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

$14.95 CUP 359

$22.56 MX$390

-33.73%

Internet (50+ Mbps, Unlimited Data)

$252 CUP 6,042

$30.05 MX$520

737.74%

Gym Membership (Monthly)

$40.32 CUP 968

$52.9 MX$915

-23.80%

Tennis Court (1 Hour on Weekend)

$15.30 CUP 367

$18.39 MX$318

-16.80%

Cinema Ticket

$1.03 CUP 24.71

$4.92 MX$85.1

-79.07%

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

$163 CUP 3,909

$201 MX$3,474

-18.88%

International Primary School, 1 Child (Yearly)

$4,070 CUP 97.7K

$5,175 MX$89.5K

-21.34%

Jeans (Levis 501 Or Similar)

$70.9 CUP 1,703

$35.92 MX$622

97.49%

Summer Dress (H&M, Zara, etc)

$54.4 CUP 1,305

$40.13 MX$694

35.51%

Sport Shoes (Adidas, Nike)

$102 CUP 2,447

$79.7 MX$1,379

27.90%

Men's Leather Business Shoes

$106 CUP 2,554

$86.5 MX$1,496

23.06%

1-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)

$546 CUP 13.1K

$978 MX$16.9K

-44.21%

1-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)

$357 CUP 8,556

$470 MX$8,140

-24.23%

3-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)

$757 CUP 18.2K

$1,651 MX$28.6K

-54.18%

3-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)

$494 CUP 11.9K

$1,203 MX$20.8K

-58.94%

Buy Apartment in City Center (m2)

$335 CUP 8,031

$3,953 MX$68.4K

-91.54%

Buy Apartment Outside City Center (m2)

$368 CUP 8,821

$6,607 MX$114.3K

-94.44%

Average Monthly Net Salary (After Tax)

$56.1 CUP 1,347

$677 MX$11.7K

-91.71%

20-Year Fixed Mortgage Interest Rate (Annual %)

4.94

11.42

-56.74%

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

Last update for Santa Lucia: July 25, 2026

Last update for Playa del Carmen: July 27, 2026

Cost Breakdown

A central one-bedroom costs $546 in Santa Lucia versus $978 in Playa del Carmen. 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 1106% higher in Playa del Carmen, 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 $30.00 in Santa Lucia versus $42.00 in Playa del Carmen. Monthly groceries follow the same trend: $245 vs $252 – making Santa Lucia the more affordable choice for daily food spending.

City Median Internet Speeds Comparison (Updated March 2026)

The chart highlights the Precision Threshold for mobile and fixed broadband internet speeds, updated quarterly.

Digital Nomad Cost of Living Index

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

Yes – Santa Lucia is pricier by about 2%, and the gap shows up most in Monthly Utilities & Internet. It's not just housing either; the difference applies across most spending categories.

For a comfortable life, plan on about $1,937 per month in Santa Lucia and $1,890 in Playa del Carmen. 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 $1,291 in Santa Lucia and $1,260 in Playa del Carmen. The difference isn't just one category – it shows up across housing, food, transport, and services.

Public transport costs about 4% less in Playa del Carmen. For daily commuters, that gap adds up to noticeable savings over a year.

A $1,500 monthly budget goes further in Playa del Carmen, where all-in costs run around $1,260, than in Santa Lucia at $1,291. In Playa del Carmen it covers expenses comfortably, while in Santa Lucia 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.

If budget matters most, go with Playa del Carmen. If higher salaries, better infrastructure, or specific career opportunities are the priority, Santa Lucia makes more sense. Both are solid long-term options with distinct trade-offs.