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

Monthly Cost of Living

A single person spends $976 per month in Santa Rosa vs $1,297 in Playa del Carmen, rent included.

A couple spends around $1,564 per month in Santa Rosa vs $2,181 in Playa del Carmen, rent included.

A family of three spends $2,151 per month in Santa Rosa vs $3,065 in Playa del Carmen, rent included.

Santa Rosa is about 25% cheaper than Playa del Carmen, driven mainly by Clothing & Footwear.

Both Santa Rosa and Playa del Carmen are more affordable than the global median – Santa Rosa 27% lower, Playa del Carmen 3% lower.

Meal at Budget Restaurant

$10.71 ARS 15.3K

$11.73 MX$203

-8.70%

Three-Course Dinner for Two, Mid-Range

$34.35 ARS 49.0K

$41.62 MX$720

-17.47%

Fast Food Meal (McDonalds, etc)

$9.13 ARS 13.0K

$10.64 MX$184

-14.19%

Cappuccino

$2.75 ARS 3,928

$3.52 MX$60.9

-21.88%

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

$1.72 ARS 2,454

$1.51 MX$26.12

13.91%

Water (0.33 liter bottle)

$1.55 ARS 2,213

$0.97 MX$16.84

59.79%

Local Beer (0.5 liter draught)

$2.05 ARS 2,928

$2.95 MX$51.0

-30.51%

Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$2.98 ARS 4,250

$4.45 MX$77.0

-33.03%

Milk (1 liter)

$1.25 ARS 1,784

$1.38 MX$23.93

-9.42%

White Bread (500g)

$1.64 ARS 2,339

$1.89 MX$32.72

-13.23%

Rice (white) (1kg)

$1.93 ARS 2,754

$1.64 MX$28.32

17.68%

Eggs

$2.16 ARS 3,086

$2.51 MX$43.34

-13.94%

Local Cheese (1kg)

$9.98 ARS 14.2K

$8.34 MX$144

19.66%

Chicken Fillets (1kg)

$6.29 ARS 8,979

$8.34 MX$144

-24.58%

Beef Round Steak (1kg)

$9.13 ARS 13.0K

$10.73 MX$186

-14.91%

Apples (1kg)

$2.02 ARS 2,882

$2.60 MX$45.04

-22.31%

Banana (1kg)

$2.04 ARS 2,915

$1.46 MX$25.20

39.73%

Oranges (1kg)

$1.27 ARS 1,809

$1.90 MX$32.87

-33.16%

Tomato (1kg)

$2.63 ARS 3,752

$2.08 MX$35.91

26.44%

Potato (1kg)

$1.19 ARS 1,695

$1.78 MX$30.71

-33.15%

Onion (1kg)

$1.25 ARS 1,778

$2.19 MX$37.80

-42.92%

Lettuce (1 head)

$1.28 ARS 1,821

$1.04 MX$17.99

23.08%

Water (1.5 liter bottle)

$1.43 ARS 2,035

$1.08 MX$18.62

32.41%

Cigarettes 20 Pack (Marlboro, Camel)

$3.17 ARS 4,516

$4.08 MX$70.6

-22.30%

Wine (Bottle)

$5.23 ARS 7,459

$10.32 MX$178

-49.32%

Local Beer (0.5 liter bottle)

$2.09 ARS 2,982

$1.71 MX$29.61

22.22%

Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$3.14 ARS 4,481

$2.58 MX$44.54

21.71%

One-way Ticket (Public Transport)

$0.82 ARS 1,169

$0.51 MX$8.81

60.78%

Public Transport Monthly Pass (Regular Price)

$26.46 MX$458

Taxi Start (Normal Tariff)

$1.53 ARS 2,185

$3.26 MX$56.4

-53.07%

Taxi (Normal Tariff) (1km)

$0.91 ARS 1,294

$2.49 MX$43.09

-63.45%

Taxi 1hour Waiting (Normal Tariff)

$5.98 ARS 8,531

$3.25 MX$56.2

84.00%

Gasoline (1 liter)

$1.06 ARS 1,506

$1.31 MX$22.61

-19.08%

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

$27.2K ARS 38.7M

$30.3K MX$523.7K

-10.33%

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

$30.1K ARS 42.9M

$23.4K MX$405.3K

28.38%

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

$65.9 ARS 93.9K

$82.9 MX$1,433

-20.54%

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

$17.10 ARS 24.4K

$22.22 MX$384

-23.04%

Internet (50+ Mbps, Unlimited Data)

$22.81 ARS 32.5K

$29.34 MX$507

-22.26%

Gym Membership (Monthly)

$26.13 ARS 37.3K

$51.6 MX$893

-49.39%

Tennis Court (1 Hour on Weekend)

$14.02 ARS 20.0K

$18.32 MX$317

-23.47%

Cinema Ticket

$6.31 ARS 9,007

$5.07 MX$87.6

24.46%

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

$218 ARS 311.3K

$201 MX$3,473

8.68%

International Primary School, 1 Child (Yearly)

$2,745 ARS 3.9M

$5,212 MX$90.1K

-47.32%

Jeans (Levis 501 Or Similar)

$73.7 ARS 105.2K

$36.92 MX$639

99.67%

Summer Dress (H&M, Zara, etc)

$70.8 ARS 101.0K

$39.79 MX$688

77.88%

Sport Shoes (Adidas, Nike)

$116 ARS 164.8K

$78.5 MX$1,357

47.30%

Men's Leather Business Shoes

$112 ARS 160.3K

$87.1 MX$1,506

29.00%

1-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)

$340 ARS 484.6K

$973 MX$16.8K

-65.07%

1-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)

$241 ARS 344.0K

$468 MX$8,090

-48.44%

3-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)

$689 ARS 983.3K

$1,641 MX$28.4K

-58.00%

3-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)

$532 ARS 758.9K

$1,221 MX$21.1K

-56.42%

Buy Apartment in City Center (m2)

$2,026 ARS 2.9M

$3,946 MX$68.3K

-48.66%

Buy Apartment Outside City Center (m2)

$6,498 MX$112.4K

Average Monthly Net Salary (After Tax)

$664 MX$11.5K

20-Year Fixed Mortgage Interest Rate (Annual %)

58.5

11.42

412.26%

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

Last update for Santa Rosa: June 1, 2026

Last update for Playa del Carmen: June 2, 2026

Cost Breakdown

A central one-bedroom costs $340 in Santa Rosa 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.

A mid-range dinner for two costs $34.00 in Santa Rosa versus $42.00 in Playa del Carmen. Monthly groceries follow the same trend: $230 vs $249 – making Santa Rosa 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 Rosa vs Playa del Carmen: Cost of Living - Frequently Asked Questions

Yes – Playa del Carmen is pricier by about 33%, and the gap shows up most in Clothing & Footwear. It's not just housing either; the difference applies across most spending categories.

For a comfortable life, plan on about $1,464 per month in Santa Rosa 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 Santa Rosa, 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 $976 in Santa Rosa and $1,297 in Playa del Carmen. The difference isn't just one category – it shows up across housing, food, transport, and services.

Kindergarten costs $218 per month in Santa Rosa and $201 in Playa del Carmen. For families with young kids, this one expense can tip the scales when choosing between the two cities.

A $1,000 monthly budget goes further in Santa Rosa, where all-in costs run around $976, than in Playa del Carmen at $1,297. In Santa Rosa 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 Rosa – 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 Santa Rosa. 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.