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

Monthly Cost of Living

A single person spends $1,802 per month in Santa Rita vs $1,297 in Playa del Carmen, rent included.

A couple spends around $3,164 per month in Santa Rita vs $2,181 in Playa del Carmen, rent included.

A family of three spends $4,526 per month in Santa Rita vs $3,065 in Playa del Carmen, rent included.

Santa Rita costs about 39% more than Playa del Carmen, driven mainly by Monthly Utilities & Internet.

Santa Rita sits 34% above the global median, while Playa del Carmen is 3% below – they fall on opposite sides of the world average.

Meal at Budget Restaurant

$20.14 $20.14

$11.73 MX$205

71.70%

Three-Course Dinner for Two, Mid-Range

$77.3 $77.3

$41.62 MX$727

85.73%

Fast Food Meal (McDonalds, etc)

$6.09 $6.09

$10.64 MX$186

-42.76%

Cappuccino

$5.04 $5.04

$3.52 MX$61.5

43.18%

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

$2.57 $2.57

$1.51 MX$26.37

70.20%

Water (0.33 liter bottle)

$2.55 $2.55

$0.97 MX$17.00

162.89%

Local Beer (0.5 liter draught)

$7.83 $7.83

$2.95 MX$51.5

165.42%

Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$10.12 $10.12

$4.45 MX$77.8

127.42%

Milk (1 liter)

$3.90 $3.90

$1.38 MX$24.16

182.61%

White Bread (500g)

$4.22 $4.22

$1.89 MX$33.04

123.28%

Rice (white) (1kg)

$2.61 $2.61

$1.64 MX$28.59

59.15%

Eggs

$3.89 $3.89

$2.51 MX$43.76

54.98%

Local Cheese (1kg)

$19.87 $19.87

$8.34 MX$146

138.25%

Chicken Fillets (1kg)

$6.77 $6.77

$8.34 MX$146

-18.82%

Beef Round Steak (1kg)

$9.93 $9.93

$10.73 MX$187

-7.46%

Apples (1kg)

$4.71 $4.71

$2.60 MX$45.48

81.15%

Banana (1kg)

$2.59 $2.59

$1.46 MX$25.45

77.40%

Oranges (1kg)

$1.90 MX$33.19

Tomato (1kg)

$4.26 $4.26

$2.08 MX$36.26

104.81%

Potato (1kg)

$4.09 $4.09

$1.78 MX$31.01

129.78%

Onion (1kg)

$2.89 $2.89

$2.19 MX$38.16

31.96%

Lettuce (1 head)

$1.93 $1.93

$1.04 MX$18.16

85.58%

Water (1.5 liter bottle)

$1.08 MX$18.80

Cigarettes 20 Pack (Marlboro, Camel)

$4.08 MX$71.3

Wine (Bottle)

$10.32 MX$180

Local Beer (0.5 liter bottle)

$2.78 $2.78

$1.71 MX$29.90

62.57%

Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$1.67 $1.67

$2.58 MX$44.98

-35.27%

One-way Ticket (Public Transport)

$0.51 MX$8.90

Public Transport Monthly Pass (Regular Price)

$26.46 MX$462

Taxi Start (Normal Tariff)

$3.26 MX$57.0

Taxi (Normal Tariff) (1km)

$2.49 MX$43.51

Taxi 1hour Waiting (Normal Tariff)

$32.41 $32.41

$3.25 MX$56.7

897.23%

Gasoline (1 liter)

$1.59 $1.59

$1.31 MX$22.83

21.37%

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

$30.3K MX$528.8K

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

$23.4K MX$409.2K

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

$252 $252

$82.9 MX$1,447

204.49%

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

$91.6 $91.6

$22.22 MX$388

312.02%

Internet (50+ Mbps, Unlimited Data)

$81.3 $81.3

$29.34 MX$512

177.16%

Gym Membership (Monthly)

$98.2 $98.2

$51.6 MX$902

90.26%

Tennis Court (1 Hour on Weekend)

$18.32 MX$320

Cinema Ticket

$5.07 MX$88.5

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

$201 MX$3,507

International Primary School, 1 Child (Yearly)

$5,212 MX$91.0K

Jeans (Levis 501 Or Similar)

$36.92 MX$645

Summer Dress (H&M, Zara, etc)

$39.79 MX$695

Sport Shoes (Adidas, Nike)

$78.5 MX$1,370

Men's Leather Business Shoes

$87.1 MX$1,521

1-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)

$904 $904

$973 MX$17.0K

-7.01%

1-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)

$605 $605

$468 MX$8,169

29.44%

3-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)

$1,994 $1,994

$1,641 MX$28.7K

21.51%

3-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)

$1,963 $1,963

$1,221 MX$21.3K

60.82%

Buy Apartment in City Center (m2)

$3,946 MX$68.9K

Buy Apartment Outside City Center (m2)

$300 $300

$6,498 MX$113.5K

-95.39%

Average Monthly Net Salary (After Tax)

$5,426 $5,426

$664 MX$11.6K

717.30%

20-Year Fixed Mortgage Interest Rate (Annual %)

11.42

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

Last update for Santa Rita: June 1, 2026

Last update for Playa del Carmen: June 2, 2026

Cost Breakdown

A central one-bedroom costs $904 in Santa Rita versus $973 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 717% higher in Santa Rita, 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 $77.0 in Santa Rita versus $42.00 in Playa del Carmen. Monthly groceries follow the same trend: $334 vs $249 – 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 Rita vs Playa del Carmen: Cost of Living - Frequently Asked Questions

Yes – Santa Rita is pricier by about 39%, 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 $2,703 per month in Santa Rita and $1,945 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.

Groceries cost about 34% more in Santa Rita, though it depends on what you buy. Local produce may be comparable; imported and premium items show the biggest price gap.

A mid-range dinner for two costs $77.0 in Santa Rita and $42.00 in Playa del Carmen. That's a good indicator of the overall restaurant and café pricing gap between the two cities.

A $1,500 monthly budget goes further in Playa del Carmen, where all-in costs run around $1,297, than in Santa Rita at $1,802. In Playa del Carmen it covers expenses comfortably, while in Santa Rita 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 Rita makes more sense. Both are solid long-term options with distinct trade-offs.