Cost of Living Comparison Between Playa del Carmen and Belle Rose Cost of Living Comparison Between Playa del Carmen and Belle Rose

Monthly Cost of Living

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 Carmen 4% lower, Belle Rose 26% lower.

Currency
🍽 Eating Out
Playa del Carmen
Belle Rose
Difference
Meal at Budget Restaurant
$11.94 MX$208
$6.45 MUR 302
85.12%
Three-Course Dinner for Two, Mid-Range
$42.75 MX$743
$43.38 MUR 2,030
-1.45%
Fast Food Meal (McDonalds, etc)
$10.59 MX$184
$6.73 MUR 315
57.36%
Cappuccino
$3.62 MX$63.0
$2.58 MUR 121
40.31%
Coke/Pepsi/Fanta/Sprite (0.33 liter bottle)
$1.47 MX$25.51
$1.04 MUR 48.59
41.35%
Water (0.33 liter bottle)
$0.94 MX$16.39
$0.60 MUR 27.85
56.67%
Local Beer (0.5 liter draught)
$3.09 MX$53.8
$2.14 MUR 100
44.39%
Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)
$4.46 MX$77.5
$2.75 MUR 129
62.18%
🛒 Groceries & Markets
Playa del Carmen
Belle Rose
Difference
Milk (1 liter)
$1.43 MX$24.77
$1.49 MUR 69.7
-4.03%
White Bread (500g)
$1.88 MX$32.75
$0.66 MUR 31.03
184.85%
Rice (white) (1kg)
$1.63 MX$28.31
$1.32 MUR 61.6
23.48%
Eggs
$2.64 MX$45.94
$2.24 MUR 105
17.86%
Local Cheese (1kg)
$8.21 MX$143
$9.83 MUR 460
-16.48%
Chicken Fillets (1kg)
$8.29 MX$144
$6.22 MUR 291
33.28%
Beef Round Steak (1kg)
$11.10 MX$193
$10.50 MUR 491
5.71%
Apples (1kg)
$2.65 MX$46.08
$1.98 MUR 92.7
33.84%
Banana (1kg)
$1.50 MX$26.08
$2.00 MUR 93.6
-25.00%
Oranges (1kg)
$1.99 MX$34.55
$1.50 MUR 70.1
32.67%
Tomato (1kg)
$2.08 MX$36.09
$2.73 MUR 128
-23.81%
Potato (1kg)
$1.79 MX$31.08
$0.98 MUR 46.04
82.65%
Onion (1kg)
$2.18 MX$37.83
$1.00 MUR 46.93
118.00%
Lettuce (1 head)
$1.08 MX$18.71
$0.85 MUR 39.93
27.06%
Water (1.5 liter bottle)
$1.04 MX$18.02
$0.53 MUR 25.00
96.23%
Cigarettes 20 Pack (Marlboro, Camel)
$3.97 MX$69.0
$6.13 MUR 287
-35.24%
Wine (Bottle)
$10.20 MX$177
$8.82 MUR 413
15.65%
Local Beer (0.5 liter bottle)
$1.73 MX$30.01
$1.72 MUR 80.6
0.58%
Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)
$2.50 MX$43.41
$2.12 MUR 99.3
17.92%
🚌 Getting Around
Playa del Carmen
Belle Rose
Difference
One-way Ticket (Public Transport)
$0.52 MX$9.01
$1.04 MUR 48.59
-50.00%
Public Transport Monthly Pass (Regular Price)
$26.97 MX$469
-
-
Taxi Start (Normal Tariff)
$3.14 MX$54.6
$4.37 MUR 204
-28.15%
Taxi (Normal Tariff) (1km)
$2.40 MX$41.75
$2.70 MUR 127
-11.11%
Taxi 1hour Waiting (Normal Tariff)
$3.09 MX$53.6
$15.66 MUR 733
-80.27%
Gasoline (1 liter)
$1.27 MX$22.13
$1.45 MUR 67.9
-12.41%
Midsize Hatchback 1.4l (Volkswagen Golf, Toyota Prius, Honda Civic, etc)
$30.9K MX$536.7K
$35.1K MUR 1.6M
-12.06%
Compact Sedan 1.6l (Toyota Corolla, Mazda3, Kia K4, Hyundai Elantra, etc)
$23.3K MX$405.2K
$28.8K MUR 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)
$82.0 MX$1,425
$49.38 MUR 2,311
66.08%
SIM Card Monthly Plan (Calls and 10GB+ Data)
$22.45 MX$390
$18.51 MUR 866
21.29%
Internet (50+ Mbps, Unlimited Data)
$29.66 MX$515
$32.02 MUR 1,499
-7.37%
🎉 Sport & Entertainment
Playa del Carmen
Belle Rose
Difference
Gym Membership (Monthly)
$51.9 MX$901
$38.88 MUR 1,820
33.41%
Tennis Court (1 Hour on Weekend)
$18.67 MX$324
-
-
Cinema Ticket
$4.97 MX$86.4
$6.15 MUR 288
-19.19%
🧸 Childcare & Education
Playa del Carmen
Belle Rose
Difference
Preschool or Kindergarten, Full Day, Private, 1 Child (Monthly)
$198 MX$3,438
$152 MUR 7,098
30.43%
International Primary School, 1 Child (Yearly)
$5,273 MX$91.6K
$3,944 MUR 184.6K
33.68%
👕👟 Clothing & Footwear
Playa del Carmen
Belle Rose
Difference
Jeans (Levis 501 Or Similar)
$36.34 MX$632
$49.97 MUR 2,339
-27.28%
Summer Dress (H&M, Zara, etc)
$40.05 MX$696
$43.78 MUR 2,049
-8.52%
Sport Shoes (Adidas, Nike)
$79.9 MX$1,388
$82.2 MUR 3,845
-2.78%
Men's Leather Business Shoes
$88.9 MX$1,545
$77.7 MUR 3,637
14.39%
🏠 Accommodation & Living
Playa del Carmen
Belle Rose
Difference
1-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)
$963 MX$16.7K
$518 MUR 24.2K
85.97%
1-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)
$465 MX$8,077
$359 MUR 16.8K
29.51%
3-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)
$1,596 MX$27.7K
$951 MUR 44.5K
67.83%
3-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)
$1,209 MX$21.0K
$732 MUR 34.3K
65.04%
Buy Apartment in City Center (m2)
$3,942 MX$68.5K
-
-
Buy Apartment Outside City Center (m2)
$6,448 MX$112.1K
-
-
💵 Salaries & Financials
Playa del Carmen
Belle Rose
Difference
Average Monthly Net Salary (After Tax)
$720 MX$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.

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