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

Monthly Cost of Living

A single person spends $1,541 per month in Santa Teresa vs $1,287 in Playa del Carmen, rent included.

A couple spends around $2,320 per month in Santa Teresa vs $2,184 in Playa del Carmen, rent included.

A family of three spends $3,099 per month in Santa Teresa vs $3,082 in Playa del Carmen, rent included.

Santa Teresa costs about 20% more than Playa del Carmen, driven mainly by Groceries & Markets.

Santa Teresa sits 15% above the global median, while Playa del Carmen is 4% below – they fall on opposite sides of the world average.

Meal at Budget Restaurant

$10.20 ₡4,645

$11.94 MX$208

-14.57%

Three-Course Dinner for Two, Mid-Range

$42.87 ₡19.5K

$42.75 MX$744

0.28%

Fast Food Meal (McDonalds, etc)

$9.30 ₡4,236

$10.59 MX$184

-12.18%

Cappuccino

$3.87 ₡1,765

$3.62 MX$63.0

6.91%

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

$2.05 ₡934

$1.47 MX$25.54

39.46%

Water (0.33 liter bottle)

$1.64 ₡747

$0.94 MX$16.41

74.47%

Local Beer (0.5 liter draught)

$2.97 ₡1,352

$3.09 MX$53.8

-3.88%

Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$4.63 ₡2,107

$4.46 MX$77.6

3.81%

Milk (1 liter)

$2.06 ₡937

$1.43 MX$24.80

44.06%

White Bread (500g)

$2.86 ₡1,301

$1.88 MX$32.79

52.13%

Rice (white) (1kg)

$2.17 ₡987

$1.63 MX$28.34

33.13%

Eggs

$3.00 ₡1,368

$2.64 MX$45.99

13.64%

Local Cheese (1kg)

$9.85 ₡4,488

$8.21 MX$143

19.98%

Chicken Fillets (1kg)

$9.20 ₡4,193

$8.29 MX$144

10.98%

Beef Round Steak (1kg)

$13.43 ₡6,116

$11.10 MX$193

20.99%

Apples (1kg)

$4.58 ₡2,087

$2.65 MX$46.14

72.83%

Banana (1kg)

$1.52 ₡693

$1.50 MX$26.11

1.33%

Oranges (1kg)

$4.07 ₡1,855

$1.99 MX$34.59

104.52%

Tomato (1kg)

$3.17 ₡1,444

$2.08 MX$36.13

52.40%

Potato (1kg)

$3.26 ₡1,483

$1.79 MX$31.11

82.12%

Onion (1kg)

$2.55 ₡1,161

$2.18 MX$37.87

16.97%

Lettuce (1 head)

$1.04 ₡472

$1.08 MX$18.73

-3.70%

Water (1.5 liter bottle)

$2.81 ₡1,278

$1.04 MX$18.04

170.19%

Cigarettes 20 Pack (Marlboro, Camel)

$5.08 ₡2,314

$3.97 MX$69.1

27.96%

Wine (Bottle)

$14.18 ₡6,462

$10.20 MX$178

39.02%

Local Beer (0.5 liter bottle)

$2.33 ₡1,060

$1.73 MX$30.04

34.68%

Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$2.53 ₡1,151

$2.50 MX$43.46

1.20%

One-way Ticket (Public Transport)

$1.03 ₡469

$0.52 MX$9.02

98.08%

Public Transport Monthly Pass (Regular Price)

$26.97 MX$469

Taxi Start (Normal Tariff)

$1.80 ₡818

$3.14 MX$54.7

-42.68%

Taxi (Normal Tariff) (1km)

$1.78 ₡810

$2.40 MX$41.80

-25.83%

Taxi 1hour Waiting (Normal Tariff)

$8.05 ₡3,666

$3.09 MX$53.7

160.52%

Gasoline (1 liter)

$1.44 ₡657

$1.27 MX$22.16

13.39%

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

$37.9K ₡17.3M

$30.9K MX$537.3K

22.79%

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

$32.5K ₡14.8M

$23.3K MX$405.7K

39.58%

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

$82.4 ₡37.5K

$82.0 MX$1,427

0.49%

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

$25.54 ₡11.6K

$22.45 MX$391

13.76%

Internet (50+ Mbps, Unlimited Data)

$49.55 ₡22.6K

$29.66 MX$516

67.06%

Gym Membership (Monthly)

$49.39 ₡22.5K

$51.9 MX$903

-4.78%

Tennis Court (1 Hour on Weekend)

$23.62 ₡10.8K

$18.67 MX$325

26.51%

Cinema Ticket

$9.08 ₡4,138

$4.97 MX$86.5

82.70%

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

$563 ₡256.7K

$198 MX$3,442

184.86%

International Primary School, 1 Child (Yearly)

$12.8K ₡5.8M

$5,273 MX$91.7K

141.95%

Jeans (Levis 501 Or Similar)

$62.2 ₡28.4K

$36.34 MX$632

71.27%

Summer Dress (H&M, Zara, etc)

$51.0 ₡23.2K

$40.05 MX$697

27.32%

Sport Shoes (Adidas, Nike)

$125 ₡56.9K

$79.9 MX$1,390

56.46%

Men's Leather Business Shoes

$108 ₡49.1K

$88.9 MX$1,547

21.37%

1-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)

$684 ₡311.7K

$963 MX$16.8K

-28.96%

1-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)

$599 ₡272.7K

$465 MX$8,086

28.83%

3-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)

$1,437 ₡654.5K

$1,596 MX$27.8K

-10.00%

3-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)

$977 ₡444.9K

$1,209 MX$21.0K

-19.20%

Buy Apartment in City Center (m2)

$3,942 MX$68.6K

Buy Apartment Outside City Center (m2)

$6,448 MX$112.2K

Average Monthly Net Salary (After Tax)

$720 MX$12.5K

20-Year Fixed Mortgage Interest Rate (Annual %)

10.17

11.42

-10.95%

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

Last update for Santa Teresa: April 27, 2026

Last update for Playa del Carmen: April 25, 2026

Cost Breakdown

A central one-bedroom costs $684 in Santa Teresa versus $963 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 $43.00 in Santa Teresa versus $43.00 in Playa del Carmen. Groceries tell a different story – $348 in Santa Teresa vs $251 in Playa del Carmen – so Playa del Carmen 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 Teresa vs Playa del Carmen: Cost of Living - Frequently Asked Questions

Yes – Santa Teresa is pricier by about 20%, and the gap shows up most in Groceries & Markets. It's not just housing either; the difference applies across most spending categories.

For a comfortable life, plan on about $2,311 per month in Santa Teresa and $1,930 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.

Monthly expenses with rent come to $1,541 in Santa Teresa and $1,287 in Playa del Carmen. The difference isn't just one category – it shows up across housing, food, transport, and services.

Kindergarten costs $563 per month in Santa Teresa and $198 in Playa del Carmen. For families with young kids, this one expense can tip the scales when choosing between the two cities.

A $1,500 monthly budget goes further in Playa del Carmen, where all-in costs run around $1,287, than in Santa Teresa at $1,541. In Playa del Carmen it covers expenses comfortably, while in Santa Teresa 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 Teresa makes more sense. Both are solid long-term options with distinct trade-offs.