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 $1,260 per month in Playa del Carmen vs $995 in Belle Rose, rent included.

A couple spends around $2,125 per month in Playa del Carmen vs $1,617 in Belle Rose, rent included.

A family of three spends $2,990 per month in Playa del Carmen vs $2,240 in Belle Rose, rent included.

Playa del Carmen costs about 27% 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 5% lower, Belle Rose 25% lower.

Currency
🍽 Eating Out
Playa del Carmen
Belle Rose
Difference
Meal at Budget Restaurant
$11.72 MX$204
$6.51 MUR 307
80.03%
Three-Course Dinner for Two, Mid-Range
$41.89 MX$731
$44.41 MUR 2,097
-5.67%
Fast Food Meal (McDonalds, etc)
$10.51 MX$183
$6.44 MUR 304
63.20%
Cappuccino
$3.59 MX$62.5
$2.63 MUR 124
36.50%
Coke/Pepsi/Fanta/Sprite (0.33 liter bottle)
$1.51 MX$26.31
$0.96 MUR 45.36
57.29%
Water (0.33 liter bottle)
$0.92 MX$15.96
$0.55 MUR 26.12
67.27%
Local Beer (0.5 liter draught)
$2.96 MX$51.6
$2.06 MUR 97.1
43.69%
Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)
$4.41 MX$76.9
$2.65 MUR 125
66.42%
🛒 Groceries & Markets
Playa del Carmen
Belle Rose
Difference
Milk (1 liter)
$1.40 MX$24.35
$1.44 MUR 68.0
-2.78%
White Bread (500g)
$1.88 MX$32.87
$0.70 MUR 32.86
168.57%
Rice (white) (1kg)
$1.56 MX$27.19
$1.33 MUR 63.0
17.29%
Eggs
$2.61 MX$45.50
$2.33 MUR 110
12.02%
Local Cheese (1kg)
$8.32 MX$145
$10.07 MUR 475
-17.38%
Chicken Fillets (1kg)
$8.35 MX$146
$6.21 MUR 293
34.46%
Beef Round Steak (1kg)
$10.86 MX$189
$10.24 MUR 484
6.05%
Apples (1kg)
$2.71 MX$47.31
$2.08 MUR 98.2
30.29%
Banana (1kg)
$1.51 MX$26.25
$1.90 MUR 89.8
-20.53%
Oranges (1kg)
$1.87 MX$32.67
$1.51 MUR 71.3
23.84%
Tomato (1kg)
$2.19 MX$38.19
$2.63 MUR 124
-16.73%
Potato (1kg)
$1.86 MX$32.40
$1.02 MUR 48.06
82.35%
Onion (1kg)
$2.23 MX$38.90
$0.92 MUR 43.58
142.39%
Lettuce (1 head)
$1.07 MX$18.63
$0.86 MUR 40.45
24.42%
Water (1.5 liter bottle)
$1.09 MX$18.94
$0.54 MUR 25.35
101.85%
Cigarettes 20 Pack (Marlboro, Camel)
$4.19 MX$73.0
$5.94 MUR 280
-29.46%
Wine (Bottle)
$10.43 MX$182
$7.36 MUR 348
41.71%
Local Beer (0.5 liter bottle)
$1.66 MX$28.91
$1.72 MUR 81.4
-3.49%
Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)
$2.61 MX$45.56
$2.16 MUR 102
20.83%
🚌 Getting Around
Playa del Carmen
Belle Rose
Difference
One-way Ticket (Public Transport)
$0.54 MX$9.45
$1.01 MUR 47.50
-46.53%
Public Transport Monthly Pass (Regular Price)
$26.16 MX$456
-
-
Taxi Start (Normal Tariff)
$3.08 MX$53.7
$4.45 MUR 210
-30.79%
Taxi (Normal Tariff) (1km)
$2.40 MX$41.94
$2.64 MUR 125
-9.09%
Taxi 1hour Waiting (Normal Tariff)
$3.13 MX$54.5
$15.38 MUR 726
-79.65%
Gasoline (1 liter)
$1.31 MX$22.87
$1.39 MUR 65.8
-5.76%
Midsize Hatchback 1.4l (Volkswagen Golf, Toyota Prius, Honda Civic, etc)
$29.8K MX$519.9K
$35.1K MUR 1.7M
-15.05%
Compact Sedan 1.6l (Toyota Corolla, Mazda3, Kia K4, Hyundai Elantra, etc)
$23.3K MX$406.8K
$29.0K MUR 1.4M
-19.55%
🧾 Monthly Utilities & Internet
Playa del Carmen
Belle Rose
Difference
Utilities for 2 People in 2-bedroom Apartment (Heating, Electricity, Gas, Water, Garbage) (85m2)
$81.3 MX$1,418
$48.55 MUR 2,293
67.42%
SIM Card Monthly Plan (Calls and 10GB+ Data)
$22.56 MX$393
$18.68 MUR 882
20.77%
Internet (50+ Mbps, Unlimited Data)
$30.05 MX$524
$32.63 MUR 1,541
-7.91%
🎉 Sport & Entertainment
Playa del Carmen
Belle Rose
Difference
Gym Membership (Monthly)
$52.9 MX$923
$38.82 MUR 1,833
36.30%
Tennis Court (1 Hour on Weekend)
$18.39 MX$321
-
-
Cinema Ticket
$4.92 MX$85.8
$6.12 MUR 289
-19.61%
🧸 Childcare & Education
Playa del Carmen
Belle Rose
Difference
Preschool or Kindergarten, Full Day, Private, 1 Child (Monthly)
$201 MX$3,502
$154 MUR 7,260
30.61%
International Primary School, 1 Child (Yearly)
$5,175 MX$90.2K
$4,019 MUR 189.8K
28.76%
👕👟 Clothing & Footwear
Playa del Carmen
Belle Rose
Difference
Jeans (Levis 501 Or Similar)
$35.92 MX$627
$50.7 MUR 2,394
-29.17%
Summer Dress (H&M, Zara, etc)
$40.13 MX$700
$43.78 MUR 2,067
-8.34%
Sport Shoes (Adidas, Nike)
$79.7 MX$1,390
$83.8 MUR 3,959
-4.94%
Men's Leather Business Shoes
$86.5 MX$1,508
$77.6 MUR 3,666
11.36%
🏠 Accommodation & Living
Playa del Carmen
Belle Rose
Difference
1-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)
$978 MX$17.1K
$521 MUR 24.6K
87.68%
1-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)
$470 MX$8,206
$354 MUR 16.7K
32.81%
3-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)
$1,651 MX$28.8K
$941 MUR 44.5K
75.42%
3-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)
$1,203 MX$21.0K
$731 MUR 34.5K
64.65%
Buy Apartment in City Center (m2)
$3,953 MX$69.0K
-
-
Buy Apartment Outside City Center (m2)
$6,607 MX$115.2K
-
-
💵 Salaries & Financials
Playa del Carmen
Belle Rose
Difference
Average Monthly Net Salary (After Tax)
$677 MX$11.8K
-
-
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: July 27, 2026

Last update for Belle Rose: July 27, 2026

Cost Breakdown

A central one-bedroom costs $978 in Playa del Carmen versus $521 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 $42.00 in Playa del Carmen versus $44.00 in Belle Rose. Groceries tell a different story – $252 in Playa del Carmen vs $211 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 27%, 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 $1,890 per month in Playa del Carmen and $1,493 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 in Belle Rose?
A mid-range dinner for two costs $42.00 in Playa del Carmen and $44.00 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 in Belle Rose?
Groceries cost about 19% 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 living in Playa del Carmen or in Belle Rose?
A $1,500 monthly budget goes further in Belle Rose, where all-in costs run around $995, than in Playa del Carmen at $1,260. 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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