Last update: Oct 2026

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

For one person, living costs are similar in Santa Rosa and in Playa del Carmen: $1,189 and $1,204 a month, rent and utilities included.

Santa Rosa, Argentina
Playa del Carmen, Mexico
Santa Rosa
🇦🇷 Argentina
$1,189
/mo nomad
Playa del Carmen
🇲🇽 Mexico
$1,204
/mo nomad
Monthly Cost of Living

How much you'll spend in Santa Rosa and in Playa del Carmen

Real prices from locals and on-the-ground checks – rent, groceries, transit and the daily extras. Here's what a month in Santa Rosa and in Playa del Carmen actually costs, broken down by who's living it.

A single person spends $1,189 per month in Santa Rosa vs $1,204 in Playa del Carmen, rent included.

  • Santa Rosa $1,189
  • Playa del Carmen $1,204

A couple spends around $2,054 per month in Santa Rosa vs $2,082 in Playa del Carmen, rent included.

  • Santa Rosa $2,054
  • Playa del Carmen $2,082

A family of three spends $2,919 per month in Santa Rosa vs $2,959 in Playa del Carmen, rent included.

  • Santa Rosa $2,919
  • Playa del Carmen $2,959

Santa Rosa and Playa del Carmen have comparable living costs – the differences are in the details.

Both Santa Rosa and Playa del Carmen are more affordable than the global median – Santa Rosa 13% lower, Playa del Carmen 12% lower.

Currency
🍽 Eating Out
Santa Rosa
Playa del Carmen
Difference
Meal at Budget Restaurant
$15.35 ARS 23.6K
$10.92 MX$204
40.57%
Three-Course Dinner for Two, Mid-Range
$59.5 ARS 91.6K
$43.37 MX$808
37.28%
Fast Food Meal (McDonalds, etc)
$13.37 ARS 20.6K
$11.78 MX$220
13.50%
Cappuccino
$3.42 ARS 5,255
$3.81 MX$71.0
-10.24%
Coke/Pepsi/Fanta/Sprite (0.33 liter bottle)
$2.38 ARS 3,662
$1.28 MX$23.90
85.94%
Water (0.33 liter bottle)
$2.03 ARS 3,120
$0.78 MX$14.59
160.26%
Local Beer (0.5 liter draught)
$3.44 ARS 5,285
$3.17 MX$59.0
8.52%
Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)
$3.53 ARS 5,434
$4.93 MX$92.0
-28.40%
🛒 Groceries & Markets
Santa Rosa
Playa del Carmen
Difference
Milk (1 liter)
$1.36 ARS 2,094
$1.41 MX$26.22
-3.55%
White Bread (500g)
$2.12 ARS 3,264
$2.22 MX$41.33
-4.50%
Rice (white) (1kg)
$1.95 ARS 2,994
$1.42 MX$26.42
37.32%
Eggs
$3.12 ARS 4,804
$2.52 MX$47.03
23.81%
Local Cheese (1kg)
$10.72 ARS 16.5K
$7.26 MX$135
47.66%
Chicken Fillets (1kg)
$7.34 ARS 11.3K
$7.70 MX$143
-4.68%
Beef Round Steak (1kg)
$12.82 ARS 19.7K
$12.69 MX$237
1.02%
Apples (1kg)
$2.64 ARS 4,055
$2.78 MX$51.9
-5.04%
Banana (1kg)
$2.22 ARS 3,415
$1.37 MX$25.50
62.04%
Oranges (1kg)
$1.38 ARS 2,123
$2.55 MX$47.55
-45.88%
Tomato (1kg)
$2.30 ARS 3,538
$2.12 MX$39.58
8.49%
Potato (1kg)
$1.11 ARS 1,715
$1.94 MX$36.13
-42.78%
Onion (1kg)
$0.90 ARS 1,389
$1.89 MX$35.16
-52.38%
Lettuce (1 head)
-
$1.15 MX$21.37
-
Water (1.5 liter bottle)
$1.59 ARS 2,441
$1.18 MX$21.98
34.75%
Cigarettes 20 Pack (Marlboro, Camel)
$3.04 ARS 4,683
$4.30 MX$80.1
-29.30%
Wine (Bottle)
$5.57 ARS 8,562
$9.95 MX$185
-44.02%
Local Beer (0.5 liter bottle)
$1.91 ARS 2,939
$1.58 MX$29.52
20.89%
Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)
$3.62 ARS 5,571
$2.67 MX$49.79
35.58%
🚌 Getting Around
Santa Rosa
Playa del Carmen
Difference
One-way Ticket (Public Transport)
$1.05 ARS 1,615
$0.55 MX$10.31
90.91%
Public Transport Monthly Pass (Regular Price)
-
$26.62 MX$496
-
Taxi Start (Normal Tariff)
$1.38 ARS 2,129
$4.97 MX$92.6
-72.23%
Taxi (Normal Tariff) (1km)
-
$3.33 MX$62.1
-
Taxi 1hour Waiting (Normal Tariff)
-
$5.36 MX$99.8
-
Gasoline (1 liter)
$1.38 ARS 2,124
$1.44 MX$26.92
-4.17%
Midsize Hatchback 1.4l (Volkswagen Golf, Toyota Prius, Honda Civic, etc)
$22.9K ARS 35.2M
$20.7K MX$385.2K
10.69%
Compact Sedan 1.6l (Toyota Corolla, Mazda3, Kia K4, Hyundai Elantra, etc)
$32.8K ARS 50.5M
$23.5K MX$437.4K
39.93%
🧾 Monthly Utilities & Internet
Santa Rosa
Playa del Carmen
Difference
Utilities for 2 People in 2-bedroom Apartment (Heating, Electricity, Gas, Water, Garbage) (85m2)
$117 ARS 179.7K
$84.8 MX$1,581
37.76%
SIM Card Monthly Plan (Calls and 10GB+ Data)
$14.41 ARS 22.2K
$23.41 MX$436
-38.45%
Internet (50+ Mbps, Unlimited Data)
$22.18 ARS 34.1K
$28.66 MX$534
-22.61%
🎉 Sport & Entertainment
Santa Rosa
Playa del Carmen
Difference
Gym Membership (Monthly)
$29.52 ARS 45.4K
$57.1 MX$1,063
-48.26%
Tennis Court (1 Hour on Weekend)
$20.13 ARS 31.0K
$28.91 MX$539
-30.37%
Cinema Ticket
$10.18 ARS 15.7K
$5.14 MX$95.8
98.05%
🧸 Childcare & Education
Santa Rosa
Playa del Carmen
Difference
Preschool or Kindergarten, Full Day, Private, 1 Child (Monthly)
$218 ARS 335.7K
$207 MX$3,851
5.66%
International Primary School, 1 Child (Yearly)
$4,231 ARS 6.5M
$3,927 MX$73.2K
7.73%
👕👟 Clothing & Footwear
Santa Rosa
Playa del Carmen
Difference
Jeans (Levis 501 Or Similar)
$121 ARS 186.0K
$43.35 MX$808
178.87%
Summer Dress (H&M, Zara, etc)
$93.4 ARS 143.7K
$41.44 MX$772
125.46%
Sport Shoes (Adidas, Nike)
$103 ARS 158.6K
$74.2 MX$1,383
38.92%
Men's Leather Business Shoes
$112 ARS 172.1K
$89.3 MX$1,664
25.32%
🏠 Accommodation & Living
Santa Rosa
Playa del Carmen
Difference
1-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)
$564 ARS 867.8K
$980 MX$18.3K
-42.41%
1-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)
$283 ARS 434.8K
$381 MX$7,099
-25.77%
3-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)
$909 ARS 1.4M
$1,708 MX$31.8K
-46.76%
3-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)
$798 ARS 1.2M
$1,075 MX$20.0K
-25.78%
Buy Apartment in City Center (m2)
-
$3,943 MX$73.5K
-
Buy Apartment Outside City Center (m2)
$1,124 ARS 1.7M
$6,158 MX$114.8K
-81.75%
💵 Salaries & Financials
Santa Rosa
Playa del Carmen
Difference
Average Monthly Net Salary (After Tax)
-
$735 MX$13.7K
-
20-Year Fixed Mortgage Interest Rate (Annual %)
0
11.45
-

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

Last update for Santa Rosa: October 26, 2026

Last update for Playa del Carmen: October 25, 2026

Monthly budget structure
Share of the monthly basket for one person, rent included.
Accommodation & Living
Santa Rosa
$283
Playa del Carmen
$381 34.7% $98
Groceries & Markets
Santa Rosa
$258 *
Playa del Carmen
$255 1.3% $3.3
Eating Out
Santa Rosa
$246
Playa del Carmen
$202 17.7% $43
Clothing & Footwear
Santa Rosa
$193
Playa del Carmen
$112 42.2% $81
Monthly Utilities & Internet
Santa Rosa
$153
Playa del Carmen
$137 10.8% $17
Sport & Entertainment
Santa Rosa
$50
Playa del Carmen
$67 35% $17
Getting Around
Santa Rosa
$5.6 *
Playa del Carmen
$50 804% $45

Categories marked with * are only partly priced – their share counts the items that do have prices.

Cost Breakdown

A central one-bedroom costs $564 in Santa Rosa versus $980 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 $60 in Santa Rosa versus $43 in Playa del Carmen. Monthly groceries follow the same trend: $258 vs $255 – making Playa del Carmen the more affordable choice for daily food spending.

Good to know
🇦🇷 Santa Rosa
🇲🇽 Playa del Carmen
🕒 Local time
20:48 8:48 PM
18:48 6:48 PM
2 h behind Santa Rosa
🌤 Weather
👥 Population
116,083
149,923
💱 Currency
Exchange rates and currency converter

MXN, USD, EUR to ARS – Argentine Peso Converter

Argentine Peso exchange rates as of October 28, 2026: 1 USD = 1,538 ARS (10,000 ARS = 6.5 USD). 1 EUR = 1,712 ARS (10,000 ARS = 5.84 EUR).

Mexican Peso exchange rates as of October 28, 2026: 1 USD = 18.64 MXN (100 MXN = 5.36 USD). 1 EUR = 20.75 MXN (100 MXN = 4.82 EUR).

On the map
Between locations
  • Santa Rosa Playa del Carmen 6,800 km ≈ 9 h nonstop flight
From you
  • Santa Rosa
  • Playa del Carmen

Distances are measured in a straight line. Your location is detected approximately.

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
What income do you need for each city?
For a comfortable life, plan on about $1,783 per month in Santa Rosa and $1,806 in Playa del Carmen. That covers rent, food, utilities, transport, and enough left over to feel settled – not just surviving.
Which city has lower housing costs?
Rent is clearly cheaper in Santa Rosa, especially for central apartments: a one-bedroom in the center costs $564 there versus $980 in Playa del Carmen.
Is eating out cheaper in Santa Rosa or in Playa del Carmen?
A mid-range dinner for two costs $60 in Santa Rosa and $43 in Playa del Carmen. That’s a good indicator of the overall restaurant and café pricing gap between the two cities.
Which city has cheaper kindergarten?
Kindergarten costs $218 per month in Santa Rosa and $207 in Playa del Carmen. For families with young kids, this one expense can tip the scales when choosing between the two cities.
Is $1,000 enough to cover costs in Santa Rosa or in Playa del Carmen?
$1,000 is a stretch for both – monthly costs hit $1,189 in Santa Rosa and $1,204 in Playa del Carmen. You’ll need shared housing and careful budgeting no matter which city you pick.
Is it better to live in Santa Rosa or in Playa del Carmen?
It depends on your priorities. Playa del Carmen has an edge in some lifestyle areas, with costs from $1,189 in Santa Rosa to $1,204 in Playa del Carmen. Climate, culture, job market, and personal taste all factor in.

Santa Rosa vs other spots: cost of living compared

Similar cities

Show times on the 12-hour clock, temperatures in °F and distances in miles?