Cost of Living Comparison Between Mariano Roque Alonso and Playa del Carmen Cost of Living Comparison Between Mariano Roque Alonso and Playa del Carmen

Monthly Cost of Living

Monthly costs for one person with rent: $544 in Mariano Roque Alonso versus $1,256 in Playa del Carmen.

Estimated couple costs with rent: $747 in Mariano Roque Alonso versus $2,137 in Playa del Carmen.

Monthly costs for a family of three with rent: $950 in Mariano Roque Alonso versus $3,017 in Playa del Carmen.

Living in Mariano Roque Alonso costs roughly 57% less than in Playa del Carmen, driven mainly by Groceries & Markets.

Both cities sit below the global median: Mariano Roque Alonso 59% lower, Playa del Carmen 6% lower.

Meal at Budget Restaurant

$4.50 ₲27.1K

$11.99 MX$210

-62.47%

Three-Course Dinner for Two, Mid-Range

$22.41 ₲135.2K

$41.78 MX$733

-46.36%

Fast Food Meal (McDonalds, etc)

$3.59 ₲21.7K

$10.75 MX$189

-66.60%

Cappuccino

$1.49 ₲9,013

$3.50 MX$61.3

-57.43%

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

$0.68 ₲4,103

$1.45 MX$25.41

-53.10%

Water (0.33 liter bottle)

$0.38 ₲2,279

$0.88 MX$15.52

-56.82%

Local Beer (0.5 liter draught)

$1.41 ₲8,501

$2.95 MX$51.7

-52.20%

Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$0.72 ₲4,343

$4.51 MX$79.1

-84.04%

Milk (1 liter)

$0.74 ₲4,448

$1.43 MX$25.12

-48.25%

White Bread (500g)

$0.90 ₲5,452

$1.84 MX$32.23

-51.09%

Rice (white) (1kg)

$0.81 ₲4,913

$1.57 MX$27.51

-48.41%

Eggs

$1.65 ₲9,962

$2.51 MX$44.06

-34.26%

Local Cheese (1kg)

$5.13 ₲31.0K

$8.28 MX$145

-38.04%

Chicken Fillets (1kg)

$3.12 ₲18.8K

$8.43 MX$148

-62.99%

Beef Round Steak (1kg)

$5.38 ₲32.5K

$10.68 MX$187

-49.63%

Apples (1kg)

$1.54 ₲9,265

$2.61 MX$45.76

-41.00%

Banana (1kg)

$0.51 ₲3,086

$1.44 MX$25.22

-64.58%

Oranges (1kg)

$0.65 ₲3,943

$1.96 MX$34.41

-66.84%

Tomato (1kg)

$1.60 ₲9,635

$2.09 MX$36.74

-23.44%

Potato (1kg)

$1.10 ₲6,642

$1.85 MX$32.47

-40.54%

Onion (1kg)

$0.52 ₲3,133

$2.17 MX$38.02

-76.04%

Lettuce (1 head)

$0.53 ₲3,183

$1.03 MX$18.09

-48.54%

Water (1.5 liter bottle)

$0.39 ₲2,383

$1.07 MX$18.84

-63.55%

Cigarettes 20 Pack (Marlboro, Camel)

$1.36 ₲8,201

$4.10 MX$72.0

-66.83%

Wine (Bottle)

$3.93 ₲23.7K

$10.17 MX$178

-61.36%

Local Beer (0.5 liter bottle)

$0.66 ₲3,954

$1.68 MX$29.38

-60.71%

Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$0.84 ₲5,059

$2.53 MX$44.31

-66.80%

One-way Ticket (Public Transport)

$0.45 ₲2,715

$0.51 MX$8.93

-11.76%

Public Transport Monthly Pass (Regular Price)

$38.93 ₲234.8K

$26.04 MX$457

49.50%

Taxi Start (Normal Tariff)

$0.65 ₲3,893

$3.23 MX$56.7

-79.88%

Taxi (Normal Tariff) (1km)

$0.72 ₲4,372

$2.41 MX$42.19

-70.12%

Taxi 1hour Waiting (Normal Tariff)

$8.59 ₲51.8K

$3.23 MX$56.6

165.94%

Gasoline (1 liter)

$0.81 ₲4,875

$1.32 MX$23.17

-38.64%

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

$13.4K ₲80.8M

$29.7K MX$520.9K

-54.91%

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

$21.6K ₲130.1M

$23.7K MX$415.0K

-8.84%

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

$38.40 ₲231.6K

$82.0 MX$1,439

-53.18%

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

$13.87 ₲83.7K

$22.95 MX$403

-39.56%

Internet (50+ Mbps, Unlimited Data)

$14.82 ₲89.4K

$30.11 MX$528

-50.78%

Gym Membership (Monthly)

$21.05 ₲127.0K

$52.0 MX$912

-59.50%

Tennis Court (1 Hour on Weekend)

$18.53 MX$325

Cinema Ticket

$4.31 ₲26.0K

$4.98 MX$87.3

-13.45%

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

$165 ₲995.1K

$197 MX$3,463

-16.45%

International Primary School, 1 Child (Yearly)

$894 ₲5.4M

$5,336 MX$93.6K

-83.25%

Jeans (Levis 501 Or Similar)

$43.88 ₲264.7K

$35.60 MX$624

23.26%

Summer Dress (H&M, Zara, etc)

$31.71 ₲191.3K

$40.33 MX$707

-21.37%

Sport Shoes (Adidas, Nike)

$63.0 ₲380.2K

$78.8 MX$1,381

-19.97%

Men's Leather Business Shoes

$51.1 ₲308.1K

$88.9 MX$1,560

-42.56%

1-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)

$187 ₲1.1M

$947 MX$16.6K

-80.22%

1-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)

$126 ₲760.0K

$474 MX$8,314

-73.42%

3-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)

$1,644 MX$28.8K

3-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)

$1,211 MX$21.2K

Buy Apartment in City Center (m2)

$4,056 MX$71.1K

Buy Apartment Outside City Center (m2)

$6,470 MX$113.5K

Average Monthly Net Salary (After Tax)

$808 ₲4.9M

$654 MX$11.5K

23.56%

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 Mariano Roque Alonso: July 13, 2026

Last update for Playa del Carmen: July 13, 2026

Cost Breakdown

A one-bedroom apartment in the center runs $187 in Mariano Roque Alonso and $947 in Playa del Carmen. Housing cost is often the main lever when comparing two cities.

Mariano Roque Alonso pays 24% more on average while also being the cheaper of the two. The combined effect is a noticeably stronger local purchasing power.

Dining out: $22.00 in Mariano Roque Alonso vs $42.00 in Playa del Carmen for a mid-range dinner for two. Groceries echo the gap at $119 vs $249 per month, with Mariano Roque Alonso cheaper across the board.

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

Mariano Roque Alonso vs Playa del Carmen: Cost of Living - Frequently Asked Questions

Mariano Roque Alonso wins on cost – living expenses run 131% lower than in Playa del Carmen. Housing and daily spending are where you'll feel the difference most, making Mariano Roque Alonso the obvious pick if budget is a priority.

Average pay runs 24% higher in Mariano Roque Alonso, which matters when comparing affordability. Whether that higher income actually nets you more depends on your spending habits and housing choices.

Rent for a central apartment: $187 in Mariano Roque Alonso versus $947 in Playa del Carmen. Housing is usually the single largest factor when comparing overall living costs between the two.

A monthly transit pass in Mariano Roque Alonso runs roughly 50% less than in Playa del Carmen. Both cities have functional networks, but the price difference matters if you're watching your budget.

Childcare runs $165 in Mariano Roque Alonso versus $197 in Playa del Carmen. Over years of preschool, even a modest monthly gap compounds into a major financial factor for families.

At $544 in Mariano Roque Alonso versus $1,256 in Playa del Carmen, a $1,000 budget is realistic in Mariano Roque Alonso but tight or insufficient in Playa del Carmen. The gap between the two cities makes Mariano Roque Alonso the clear choice for anyone on this budget.

Both work as nomad bases, but Mariano Roque Alonso delivers better value – similar infrastructure at $544 monthly. If stretching your runway or maximizing savings is the goal, the price difference makes Mariano Roque Alonso hard to pass up.

Expats usually find Mariano Roque Alonso gentler on the wallet – expenses run 131% less than in Playa del Carmen. Beyond cost, consider language, visa policies, and how big the international community is in each city.