😐A single person spends $1,287 per month in Playa del Carmen vs $988 in Belle Rose, rent included.
😐A couple spends around $2,184 per month in Playa del Carmen vs $1,583 in Belle Rose, rent included.
😐A family of three spends $3,082 per month in Playa del Carmen vs $2,178 in Belle Rose, rent included.
😐Playa del Carmen costs about 30% more than Belle Rose, driven mainly by Eating Out.
📊Both Playa del Carmen and Belle Rose are more affordable than the global median – Playa del Carmen4% lower, Belle Rose26% lower.
Currency
🍽 Eating Out
Playa del Carmen
Belle Rose
Difference
Meal at Budget Restaurant
$11.94MX$208
$6.45MUR 302
85.12%
Three-Course Dinner for Two, Mid-Range
$42.75MX$743
$43.38MUR 2,030
-1.45%
Fast Food Meal(McDonalds, etc)
$10.59MX$184
$6.73MUR 315
57.36%
Cappuccino
$3.62MX$63.0
$2.58MUR 121
40.31%
Coke/Pepsi/Fanta/Sprite(0.33 liter bottle)
$1.47MX$25.51
$1.04MUR 48.59
41.35%
Water(0.33 liter bottle)
$0.94MX$16.39
$0.60MUR 27.85
56.67%
Local Beer(0.5 liter draught)
$3.09MX$53.8
$2.14MUR 100
44.39%
Imported Beer(0.33 liter bottle)
$4.46MX$77.5
$2.75MUR 129
62.18%
🛒 Groceries & Markets
Playa del Carmen
Belle Rose
Difference
Milk(1 liter)
$1.43MX$24.77
$1.49MUR 69.7
-4.03%
White Bread(500g)
$1.88MX$32.75
$0.66MUR 31.03
184.85%
Rice(white)(1kg)
$1.63MX$28.31
$1.32MUR 61.6
23.48%
Eggs
$2.64MX$45.94
$2.24MUR 105
17.86%
Local Cheese(1kg)
$8.21MX$143
$9.83MUR 460
-16.48%
Chicken Fillets(1kg)
$8.29MX$144
$6.22MUR 291
33.28%
Beef Round Steak(1kg)
$11.10MX$193
$10.50MUR 491
5.71%
Apples(1kg)
$2.65MX$46.08
$1.98MUR 92.7
33.84%
Banana(1kg)
$1.50MX$26.08
$2.00MUR 93.6
-25.00%
Oranges(1kg)
$1.99MX$34.55
$1.50MUR 70.1
32.67%
Tomato(1kg)
$2.08MX$36.09
$2.73MUR 128
-23.81%
Potato(1kg)
$1.79MX$31.08
$0.98MUR 46.04
82.65%
Onion(1kg)
$2.18MX$37.83
$1.00MUR 46.93
118.00%
Lettuce(1 head)
$1.08MX$18.71
$0.85MUR 39.93
27.06%
Water(1.5 liter bottle)
$1.04MX$18.02
$0.53MUR 25.00
96.23%
Cigarettes 20 Pack(Marlboro, Camel)
$3.97MX$69.0
$6.13MUR 287
-35.24%
Wine(Bottle)
$10.20MX$177
$8.82MUR 413
15.65%
Local Beer(0.5 liter bottle)
$1.73MX$30.01
$1.72MUR 80.6
0.58%
Imported Beer(0.33 liter bottle)
$2.50MX$43.41
$2.12MUR 99.3
17.92%
🚌 Getting Around
Playa del Carmen
Belle Rose
Difference
One-way Ticket(Public Transport)
$0.52MX$9.01
$1.04MUR 48.59
-50.00%
Public Transport Monthly Pass(Regular Price)
$26.97MX$469
-
-
Taxi Start(Normal Tariff)
$3.14MX$54.6
$4.37MUR 204
-28.15%
Taxi(Normal Tariff)(1km)
$2.40MX$41.75
$2.70MUR 127
-11.11%
Taxi 1hour Waiting(Normal Tariff)
$3.09MX$53.6
$15.66MUR 733
-80.27%
Gasoline(1 liter)
$1.27MX$22.13
$1.45MUR 67.9
-12.41%
Midsize Hatchback 1.4l(Volkswagen Golf, Toyota Prius, Honda Civic, etc)
$30.9KMX$536.7K
$35.1KMUR 1.6M
-12.06%
Compact Sedan 1.6l(Toyota Corolla, Mazda3, Kia K4, Hyundai Elantra, etc)
$23.3KMX$405.2K
$28.8KMUR 1.3M
-18.94%
🧾 Monthly Utilities & Internet
Playa del Carmen
Belle Rose
Difference
Utilities for 2 People in 2-bedroom Apartment(Heating, Electricity, Gas, Water, Garbage)(85m2)
$82.0MX$1,425
$49.38MUR 2,311
66.08%
SIM Card Monthly Plan(Calls and 10GB+ Data)
$22.45MX$390
$18.51MUR 866
21.29%
Internet(50+ Mbps, Unlimited Data)
$29.66MX$515
$32.02MUR 1,499
-7.37%
🎉 Sport & Entertainment
Playa del Carmen
Belle Rose
Difference
Gym Membership(Monthly)
$51.9MX$901
$38.88MUR 1,820
33.41%
Tennis Court(1 Hour on Weekend)
$18.67MX$324
-
-
Cinema Ticket
$4.97MX$86.4
$6.15MUR 288
-19.19%
🧸 Childcare & Education
Playa del Carmen
Belle Rose
Difference
Preschool or Kindergarten, Full Day, Private, 1 Child(Monthly)
$198MX$3,438
$152MUR 7,098
30.43%
International Primary School, 1 Child(Yearly)
$5,273MX$91.6K
$3,944MUR 184.6K
33.68%
👕👟 Clothing & Footwear
Playa del Carmen
Belle Rose
Difference
Jeans(Levis 501 Or Similar)
$36.34MX$632
$49.97MUR 2,339
-27.28%
Summer Dress(H&M, Zara, etc)
$40.05MX$696
$43.78MUR 2,049
-8.52%
Sport Shoes(Adidas, Nike)
$79.9MX$1,388
$82.2MUR 3,845
-2.78%
Men's Leather Business Shoes
$88.9MX$1,545
$77.7MUR 3,637
14.39%
🏠 Accommodation & Living
Playa del Carmen
Belle Rose
Difference
1-bedroom Apartment, City Center(Monthly)
$963MX$16.7K
$518MUR 24.2K
85.97%
1-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center(Monthly)
$465MX$8,077
$359MUR 16.8K
29.51%
3-bedroom Apartment, City Center(Monthly)
$1,596MX$27.7K
$951MUR 44.5K
67.83%
3-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center(Monthly)
$1,209MX$21.0K
$732MUR 34.3K
65.04%
Buy Apartment in City Center(m2)
$3,942MX$68.5K
-
-
Buy Apartment Outside City Center(m2)
$6,448MX$112.1K
-
-
💵 Salaries & Financials
Playa del Carmen
Belle Rose
Difference
Average Monthly Net Salary(After Tax)
$720MX$12.5K
-
-
20-Year Fixed Mortgage Interest Rate(Annual %)
11.42
6.25
82.72%
CityCost data is based on AI and user input – minor inaccuracies may occur.
Last update for Playa del Carmen: April 25, 2026
Last update for Belle Rose: April 27, 2026
Cost Breakdown
🏠A central one-bedroom costs $963 in Playa del Carmen versus $518 in Belle Rose. 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 in Playa del Carmen versus $43 in Belle Rose. Groceries tell a different story – $251 in Playa del Carmen vs $215 in Belle Rose – so Belle Rose 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
Playa del Carmen vs Belle Rose: Cost of Living - Frequently Asked Questions
Is Belle Rose cheaper than Playa del Carmen?
Yes – Playa del Carmen is pricier by about 30%, and the gap shows up most in Eating Out. It's not just housing either; the difference applies across most spending categories.
What income do you need for each city?
For a comfortable life, plan on about $1,930 per month in Playa del Carmen and $1,483 in Belle Rose. 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 Belle Rose, especially for central apartments. Housing is actually the single biggest factor behind the overall cost gap between these two cities.
Is eating out cheaper in Playa del Carmen or Belle Rose?
A mid-range dinner for two costs $43.00 in Playa del Carmen and $43.00 in Belle Rose. That's a good indicator of the overall restaurant and café pricing gap between the two cities.
How do food prices compare in Playa del Carmen and Belle Rose?
Groceries cost about 17% more in Playa del Carmen, though it depends on what you buy. Local produce may be comparable; imported and premium items show the biggest price gap.
Is $1,500 a realistic budget for Playa del Carmen or Belle Rose?
A $1,500 monthly budget goes further in Belle Rose, where all-in costs run around $988, than in Playa del Carmen at $1,287. In Belle Rose it covers expenses comfortably, while in Playa del Carmen it requires careful planning or may not stretch far enough.
Is Playa del Carmen or Belle Rose more family-friendly?
Families tend to lean toward Belle Rose – lower housing and cheaper childcare make a real difference, especially on a single income or when paying for private education.
Which city is safer, Playa del Carmen or Belle Rose?
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.
Which city is the better choice to relocate to?
If budget matters most, go with Belle Rose. 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.
Playa del Carmen vs other spots: cost of living compared