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 $1,162 per month in Santa Rosa vs $1,305 in Playa del Carmen, rent included.

A couple spends around $1,964 per month in Santa Rosa vs $2,334 in Playa del Carmen, rent included.

A family of three spends $2,766 per month in Santa Rosa vs $3,362 in Playa del Carmen, rent included.

Santa Rosa is about 11% 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 16% lower, Playa del Carmen 5% lower.

Meal at Budget Restaurant

$15.51 ARS 23.4K

$11.96 MX$203

29.68%

Three-Course Dinner for Two, Mid-Range

$53.4 ARS 80.5K

$47.38 MX$804

12.64%

Fast Food Meal (McDonalds, etc)

$12.94 ARS 19.5K

$11.75 MX$199

10.13%

Cappuccino

$3.93 ARS 5,930

$4.12 MX$70.0

-4.61%

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

$2.16 ARS 3,264

$1.40 MX$23.74

54.29%

Water (0.33 liter bottle)

$1.71 ARS 2,583

$0.91 MX$15.48

87.91%

Local Beer (0.5 liter draught)

$3.60 ARS 5,425

$3.21 MX$54.4

12.15%

Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$3.66 ARS 5,521

$7.07 MX$120

-48.23%

Milk (1 liter)

$1.39 ARS 2,101

$1.68 MX$28.44

-17.26%

White Bread (500g)

$2.19 ARS 3,305

$2.15 MX$36.48

1.86%

Rice (white) (1kg)

$1.58 ARS 2,385

$1.77 MX$30.10

-10.73%

Eggs

$2.35 ARS 3,544

$2.82 MX$47.76

-16.67%

Local Cheese (1kg)

$10.14 ARS 15.3K

$9.20 MX$156

10.22%

Chicken Fillets (1kg)

$6.58 ARS 9,924

$9.23 MX$157

-28.71%

Beef Round Steak (1kg)

$11.72 ARS 17.7K

$12.64 MX$214

-7.28%

Apples (1kg)

$2.31 ARS 3,481

$2.95 MX$50.1

-21.69%

Banana (1kg)

$2.24 ARS 3,382

$1.58 MX$26.79

41.77%

Oranges (1kg)

$1.37 ARS 2,062

$2.22 MX$37.70

-38.29%

Tomato (1kg)

$2.12 ARS 3,203

$2.36 MX$40.09

-10.17%

Potato (1kg)

$1.09 ARS 1,645

$1.99 MX$33.81

-45.23%

Onion (1kg)

$0.99 ARS 1,488

$1.98 MX$33.58

-50.00%

Lettuce (1 head)

$1.56 ARS 2,359

$1.24 MX$21.04

25.81%

Water (1.5 liter bottle)

$1.68 ARS 2,533

$1.21 MX$20.55

38.84%

Cigarettes 20 Pack (Marlboro, Camel)

$3.22 ARS 4,861

$4.60 MX$78.1

-30.00%

Wine (Bottle)

$4.98 ARS 7,509

$10.52 MX$178

-52.66%

Local Beer (0.5 liter bottle)

$2.05 ARS 3,087

$1.69 MX$28.70

21.30%

Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$2.84 ARS 4,282

$2.77 MX$47.06

2.53%

One-way Ticket (Public Transport)

$0.99 ARS 1,488

$0.60 MX$10.22

65.00%

Public Transport Monthly Pass (Regular Price)

$29.70 MX$504

Taxi Start (Normal Tariff)

$1.63 ARS 2,456

$5.24 MX$88.8

-68.89%

Taxi (Normal Tariff) (1km)

$1.01 ARS 1,528

$3.65 MX$61.9

-72.33%

Taxi 1hour Waiting (Normal Tariff)

$7.52 ARS 11.3K

$5.78 MX$98.1

30.10%

Gasoline (1 liter)

$1.16 ARS 1,747

$1.54 MX$26.09

-24.68%

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

$28.0K ARS 42.3M

$22.8K MX$386.8K

22.99%

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

$33.2K ARS 50.1M

$25.8K MX$437.9K

28.65%

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

$84.8 ARS 128.0K

$90.7 MX$1,538

-6.44%

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

$16.82 ARS 25.4K

$25.19 MX$427

-33.23%

Internet (50+ Mbps, Unlimited Data)

$27.16 ARS 41.0K

$31.75 MX$539

-14.46%

Gym Membership (Monthly)

$30.03 ARS 45.3K

$68.8 MX$1,167

-56.35%

Tennis Court (1 Hour on Weekend)

$29.37 MX$498

Cinema Ticket

$8.40 ARS 12.7K

$4.86 MX$82.5

72.84%

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

$304 ARS 458.1K

$226 MX$3,828

34.57%

International Primary School, 1 Child (Yearly)

$4,259 ARS 6.4M

$4,194 MX$71.1K

1.55%

Jeans (Levis 501 Or Similar)

$107 ARS 162.1K

$47.38 MX$804

126.83%

Summer Dress (H&M, Zara, etc)

$76.8 ARS 115.9K

$43.45 MX$737

76.80%

Sport Shoes (Adidas, Nike)

$116 ARS 175.2K

$80.2 MX$1,361

44.81%

Men's Leather Business Shoes

$126 ARS 190.6K

$91.4 MX$1,550

38.30%

1-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)

$486 ARS 732.8K

$1,086 MX$18.4K

-55.25%

1-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)

$307 ARS 463.2K

$409 MX$6,933

-24.87%

3-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)

$1,005 ARS 1.5M

$1,972 MX$33.5K

-49.06%

3-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)

$766 ARS 1.2M

$1,281 MX$21.7K

-40.26%

Buy Apartment in City Center (m2)

$2,372 ARS 3.6M

$4,046 MX$68.6K

-41.39%

Buy Apartment Outside City Center (m2)

$6,704 MX$113.7K

Average Monthly Net Salary (After Tax)

$773 MX$13.1K

20-Year Fixed Mortgage Interest Rate (Annual %)

56.56

11.45

393.97%

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

Last update for Santa Rosa: September 6, 2026

Last update for Playa del Carmen: September 7, 2026

Cost Breakdown

A central one-bedroom costs $486 in Santa Rosa versus $1,086 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 $53.0 in Santa Rosa versus $47.00 in Playa del Carmen. Groceries tell a different story – $249 in Santa Rosa vs $278 in Playa del Carmen – so Santa Rosa wins on supermarket bills even if dining out costs more.

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 12%, 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 $1,743 per month in Santa Rosa and $1,958 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 $1,162 in Santa Rosa and $1,305 in Playa del Carmen. The difference isn't just one category – it shows up across housing, food, transport, and services.

Kindergarten costs $304 per month in Santa Rosa and $226 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 $1,162, than in Playa del Carmen at $1,305. 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.