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

Monthly Cost of Living

A single person spends $1,078 per month in Santa Marta vs $1,256 in Playa del Carmen, rent included.

A couple spends around $1,454 per month in Santa Marta vs $2,137 in Playa del Carmen, rent included.

A family of three spends $1,830 per month in Santa Marta vs $3,017 in Playa del Carmen, rent included.

Santa Marta is about 14% cheaper than Playa del Carmen, driven mainly by Eating Out.

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

Meal at Budget Restaurant

$3.66 COP 11.9K

$11.99 MX$210

-69.47%

Three-Course Dinner for Two, Mid-Range

$28.29 COP 92.0K

$41.78 MX$731

-32.29%

Fast Food Meal (McDonalds, etc)

$6.22 COP 20.2K

$10.75 MX$188

-42.14%

Cappuccino

$1.55 COP 5,030

$3.50 MX$61.1

-55.71%

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

$0.73 COP 2,369

$1.45 MX$25.33

-49.66%

Water (0.33 liter bottle)

$0.46 COP 1,500

$0.88 MX$15.47

-47.73%

Local Beer (0.5 liter draught)

$0.82 COP 2,673

$2.95 MX$51.6

-72.20%

Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$1.68 COP 5,476

$4.51 MX$78.9

-62.75%

Milk (1 liter)

$1.11 COP 3,624

$1.43 MX$25.04

-22.38%

White Bread (500g)

$1.19 COP 3,864

$1.84 MX$32.13

-35.33%

Rice (white) (1kg)

$0.90 COP 2,915

$1.57 MX$27.42

-42.68%

Eggs

$2.45 COP 7,949

$2.51 MX$43.92

-2.39%

Local Cheese (1kg)

$3.69 COP 12.0K

$8.28 MX$145

-55.43%

Chicken Fillets (1kg)

$4.07 COP 13.2K

$8.43 MX$147

-51.72%

Beef Round Steak (1kg)

$7.85 COP 25.5K

$10.68 MX$187

-26.50%

Apples (1kg)

$1.74 COP 5,673

$2.61 MX$45.62

-33.33%

Banana (1kg)

$0.76 COP 2,467

$1.44 MX$25.15

-47.22%

Oranges (1kg)

$0.98 COP 3,193

$1.96 MX$34.31

-50.00%

Tomato (1kg)

$0.71 COP 2,317

$2.09 MX$36.62

-66.03%

Potato (1kg)

$0.51 COP 1,668

$1.85 MX$32.37

-72.43%

Onion (1kg)

$0.99 COP 3,227

$2.17 MX$37.90

-54.38%

Lettuce (1 head)

$1.04 COP 3,383

$1.03 MX$18.04

0.97%

Water (1.5 liter bottle)

$0.55 COP 1,788

$1.07 MX$18.78

-48.60%

Cigarettes 20 Pack (Marlboro, Camel)

$2.41 COP 7,824

$4.10 MX$71.7

-41.22%

Wine (Bottle)

$15.04 COP 48.9K

$10.17 MX$178

47.89%

Local Beer (0.5 liter bottle)

$1.46 COP 4,752

$1.68 MX$29.29

-13.10%

Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$1.41 COP 4,582

$2.53 MX$44.17

-44.27%

One-way Ticket (Public Transport)

$0.68 COP 2,205

$0.51 MX$8.90

33.33%

Public Transport Monthly Pass (Regular Price)

$14.46 COP 47.0K

$26.04 MX$455

-44.47%

Taxi Start (Normal Tariff)

$1.68 COP 5,474

$3.23 MX$56.5

-47.99%

Taxi (Normal Tariff) (1km)

$1.79 COP 5,813

$2.41 MX$42.06

-25.73%

Taxi 1hour Waiting (Normal Tariff)

$8.42 COP 27.4K

$3.23 MX$56.5

160.68%

Gasoline (1 liter)

$0.98 COP 3,190

$1.32 MX$23.10

-25.76%

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

$21.2K COP 68.9M

$29.7K MX$519.2K

-28.65%

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

$26.2K COP 85.2M

$23.7K MX$413.7K

10.71%

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

$192 COP 624.2K

$82.0 MX$1,434

134.11%

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

$8.78 COP 28.6K

$22.95 MX$401

-61.74%

Internet (50+ Mbps, Unlimited Data)

$24.15 COP 78.5K

$30.11 MX$527

-19.79%

Gym Membership (Monthly)

$19.49 COP 63.4K

$52.0 MX$909

-62.50%

Tennis Court (1 Hour on Weekend)

$7.94 COP 25.8K

$18.53 MX$324

-57.15%

Cinema Ticket

$4.87 COP 15.8K

$4.98 MX$87.0

-2.21%

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

$167 COP 542.4K

$197 MX$3,452

-15.51%

International Primary School, 1 Child (Yearly)

$4,906 COP 16.0M

$5,336 MX$93.3K

-8.06%

Jeans (Levis 501 Or Similar)

$39.94 COP 129.8K

$35.60 MX$622

12.19%

Summer Dress (H&M, Zara, etc)

$35.37 COP 115.0K

$40.33 MX$705

-12.30%

Sport Shoes (Adidas, Nike)

$79.9 COP 259.6K

$78.8 MX$1,377

1.40%

Men's Leather Business Shoes

$59.9 COP 194.6K

$88.9 MX$1,555

-32.68%

1-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)

$281 COP 912.6K

$947 MX$16.6K

-70.36%

1-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)

$450 COP 1.5M

$474 MX$8,288

-5.11%

3-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)

$685 COP 2.2M

$1,644 MX$28.7K

-58.33%

3-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)

$564 COP 1.8M

$1,211 MX$21.2K

-53.45%

Buy Apartment in City Center (m2)

$2,078 COP 6.8M

$4,056 MX$70.9K

-48.77%

Buy Apartment Outside City Center (m2)

$996 COP 3.2M

$6,470 MX$113.1K

-84.60%

Average Monthly Net Salary (After Tax)

$530 COP 1.7M

$654 MX$11.4K

-18.93%

20-Year Fixed Mortgage Interest Rate (Annual %)

8.62

11.42

-24.52%

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

Last update for Santa Marta: July 14, 2026

Last update for Playa del Carmen: July 13, 2026

Cost Breakdown

A central one-bedroom costs $281 in Santa Marta versus $947 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 23% higher in Playa del Carmen, which partly offsets the higher cost of living there. Purchasing power depends on which expenses matter most to you.

A mid-range dinner for two costs $28.00 in Santa Marta versus $42.00 in Playa del Carmen. Monthly groceries follow the same trend: $167 vs $249 – making Santa Marta 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 Marta vs Playa del Carmen: Cost of Living - Frequently Asked Questions

Yes – Playa del Carmen is pricier by about 16%, and the gap shows up most in Eating Out. It's not just housing either; the difference applies across most spending categories.

For a comfortable life, plan on about $1,617 per month in Santa Marta and $1,884 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 Santa Marta, 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 $1,078 in Santa Marta and $1,256 in Playa del Carmen. The difference isn't just one category – it shows up across housing, food, transport, and services.

Public transport costs about 80% less in Santa Marta. For daily commuters, that gap adds up to noticeable savings over a year.

A $1,000 monthly budget goes further in Santa Marta, where all-in costs run around $1,078, than in Playa del Carmen at $1,256. In Santa Marta it covers expenses comfortably, while in Playa del Carmen it requires careful planning or may not stretch far enough.

Families tend to lean toward Santa Marta – 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 Santa Marta. 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.