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 $962 per month in Santa Rosa vs $1,256 in Playa del Carmen, rent included.

A couple spends around $1,567 per month in Santa Rosa vs $2,137 in Playa del Carmen, rent included.

A family of three spends $2,172 per month in Santa Rosa vs $3,017 in Playa del Carmen, rent included.

Santa Rosa is about 23% 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 28% lower, Playa del Carmen 6% lower.

Meal at Budget Restaurant

$10.47 ARS 15.5K

$11.99 MX$210

-12.68%

Three-Course Dinner for Two, Mid-Range

$34.34 ARS 50.8K

$41.78 MX$733

-17.81%

Fast Food Meal (McDonalds, etc)

$9.32 ARS 13.8K

$10.75 MX$189

-13.30%

Cappuccino

$2.74 ARS 4,056

$3.50 MX$61.3

-21.71%

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

$1.65 ARS 2,442

$1.45 MX$25.41

13.79%

Water (0.33 liter bottle)

$1.50 ARS 2,212

$0.88 MX$15.52

70.45%

Local Beer (0.5 liter draught)

$2.15 ARS 3,180

$2.95 MX$51.7

-27.12%

Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$3.05 ARS 4,511

$4.51 MX$79.1

-32.37%

Milk (1 liter)

$1.24 ARS 1,840

$1.43 MX$25.12

-13.29%

White Bread (500g)

$1.59 ARS 2,349

$1.84 MX$32.23

-13.59%

Rice (white) (1kg)

$2.01 ARS 2,972

$1.57 MX$27.51

28.03%

Eggs

$2.26 ARS 3,342

$2.51 MX$44.06

-9.96%

Local Cheese (1kg)

$10.18 ARS 15.0K

$8.28 MX$145

22.95%

Chicken Fillets (1kg)

$6.22 ARS 9,195

$8.43 MX$148

-26.22%

Beef Round Steak (1kg)

$9.39 ARS 13.9K

$10.68 MX$187

-12.08%

Apples (1kg)

$1.94 ARS 2,864

$2.61 MX$45.76

-25.67%

Banana (1kg)

$2.04 ARS 3,013

$1.44 MX$25.22

41.67%

Oranges (1kg)

$1.31 ARS 1,929

$1.96 MX$34.41

-33.16%

Tomato (1kg)

$2.51 ARS 3,707

$2.09 MX$36.74

20.10%

Potato (1kg)

$1.19 ARS 1,761

$1.85 MX$32.47

-35.68%

Onion (1kg)

$1.19 ARS 1,760

$2.17 MX$38.02

-45.16%

Lettuce (1 head)

$1.30 ARS 1,923

$1.03 MX$18.09

26.21%

Water (1.5 liter bottle)

$1.49 ARS 2,206

$1.07 MX$18.84

39.25%

Cigarettes 20 Pack (Marlboro, Camel)

$3.11 ARS 4,604

$4.10 MX$72.0

-24.15%

Wine (Bottle)

$5.04 ARS 7,452

$10.17 MX$178

-50.44%

Local Beer (0.5 liter bottle)

$2.07 ARS 3,053

$1.68 MX$29.38

23.21%

Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$3.03 ARS 4,476

$2.53 MX$44.31

19.76%

One-way Ticket (Public Transport)

$0.79 ARS 1,161

$0.51 MX$8.93

54.90%

Public Transport Monthly Pass (Regular Price)

$26.04 MX$457

Taxi Start (Normal Tariff)

$1.54 ARS 2,271

$3.23 MX$56.7

-52.32%

Taxi (Normal Tariff) (1km)

$0.87 ARS 1,290

$2.41 MX$42.19

-63.90%

Taxi 1hour Waiting (Normal Tariff)

$5.94 ARS 8,775

$3.23 MX$56.6

83.90%

Gasoline (1 liter)

$1.07 ARS 1,581

$1.32 MX$23.17

-18.94%

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

$27.7K ARS 40.9M

$29.7K MX$520.9K

-6.79%

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

$30.8K ARS 45.5M

$23.7K MX$415.0K

30.24%

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

$65.7 ARS 97.1K

$82.0 MX$1,439

-19.94%

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

$17.41 ARS 25.7K

$22.95 MX$403

-24.14%

Internet (50+ Mbps, Unlimited Data)

$22.91 ARS 33.9K

$30.11 MX$528

-23.91%

Gym Membership (Monthly)

$25.68 ARS 38.0K

$52.0 MX$912

-50.59%

Tennis Court (1 Hour on Weekend)

$13.57 ARS 20.1K

$18.53 MX$325

-26.77%

Cinema Ticket

$6.08 ARS 8,984

$4.98 MX$87.3

22.09%

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

$223 ARS 330.0K

$197 MX$3,463

13.09%

International Primary School, 1 Child (Yearly)

$2,666 ARS 3.9M

$5,336 MX$93.6K

-50.05%

Jeans (Levis 501 Or Similar)

$74.2 ARS 109.7K

$35.60 MX$624

108.46%

Summer Dress (H&M, Zara, etc)

$70.5 ARS 104.1K

$40.33 MX$707

74.71%

Sport Shoes (Adidas, Nike)

$116 ARS 171.6K

$78.8 MX$1,381

47.40%

Men's Leather Business Shoes

$110 ARS 162.7K

$88.9 MX$1,560

23.76%

1-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)

$333 ARS 491.4K

$947 MX$16.6K

-64.89%

1-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)

$236 ARS 348.7K

$474 MX$8,314

-50.23%

3-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)

$679 ARS 1.0M

$1,644 MX$28.8K

-58.72%

3-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)

$542 ARS 801.7K

$1,211 MX$21.2K

-55.19%

Buy Apartment in City Center (m2)

$2,492 ARS 3.7M

$4,056 MX$71.1K

-38.55%

Buy Apartment Outside City Center (m2)

$1,387 ARS 2.1M

$6,470 MX$113.5K

-78.56%

Average Monthly Net Salary (After Tax)

$654 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: July 13, 2026

Last update for Playa del Carmen: July 13, 2026

Cost Breakdown

A central one-bedroom costs $333 in Santa Rosa 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.

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 31%, 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 $1,443 per month in Santa Rosa 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 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 $962 in Santa Rosa and $1,256 in Playa del Carmen. The difference isn't just one category – it shows up across housing, food, transport, and services.

Kindergarten costs $223 per month in Santa Rosa and $197 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 $962, than in Playa del Carmen at $1,256. 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.