๐A single person spends $1,271 per month in Playa del Carmen vs $1,037 in Rรขศnov, rent included.
๐A couple spends around $2,126 per month in Playa del Carmen vs $1,576 in Rรขศnov, rent included.
๐A family of three spends $2,980 per month in Playa del Carmen vs $2,114 in Rรขศnov, rent included.
๐Playa del Carmen costs about 23% more than Rรขศnov, driven mainly by Eating Out.
๐Both Playa del Carmen and Rรขศnov are more affordable than the global median โ Playa del Carmen5% lower, Rรขศnov23% lower.
Currency
๐ฝ Eating Out
Playa del Carmen
Rรขศnov
Difference
Meal at Budget Restaurant
$11.87MX$204
$8.57RONย 38.76
38.51%
Three-Course Dinner for Two, Mid-Range
$42.90MX$736
$40.40RONย 183
6.19%
Fast Food Meal(McDonalds, etc)
$10.65MX$183
$8.05RONย 36.40
32.30%
Cappuccino
$3.45MX$59.2
$2.31RONย 10.46
49.35%
Coke/Pepsi/Fanta/Sprite(0.33 liter bottle)
$1.50MX$25.81
$1.33RONย 6.00
12.78%
Water(0.33 liter bottle)
$0.95MX$16.28
$1.15RONย 5.22
-17.39%
Local Beer(0.5 liter draught)
$3.03MX$51.9
$2.16RONย 9.76
40.28%
Imported Beer(0.33 liter bottle)
$4.61MX$79.1
$2.83RONย 12.80
62.90%
๐ Groceries & Markets
Playa del Carmen
Rรขศnov
Difference
Milk(1 liter)
$1.38MX$23.61
$1.52RONย 6.88
-9.21%
White Bread(500g)
$1.85MX$31.70
$1.17RONย 5.31
58.12%
Rice(white)(1kg)
$1.61MX$27.65
$1.57RONย 7.10
2.55%
Eggs
$2.59MX$44.51
$3.02RONย 13.65
-14.24%
Local Cheese(1kg)
$8.26MX$142
$8.47RONย 38.33
-2.48%
Chicken Fillets(1kg)
$8.37MX$144
$6.98RONย 31.59
19.91%
Beef Round Steak(1kg)
$10.66MX$183
$11.85RONย 53.6
-10.04%
Apples(1kg)
$2.63MX$45.12
$1.01RONย 4.57
160.40%
Banana(1kg)
$1.49MX$25.53
$1.36RONย 6.16
9.56%
Oranges(1kg)
$1.92MX$32.94
$1.52RONย 6.89
26.32%
Tomato(1kg)
$2.09MX$35.81
$1.95RONย 8.80
7.18%
Potato(1kg)
$1.86MX$31.88
$0.90RONย 4.07
106.67%
Onion(1kg)
$2.26MX$38.81
$0.92RONย 4.15
145.65%
Lettuce(1 head)
$1.06MX$18.23
$0.76RONย 3.42
39.47%
Water(1.5 liter bottle)
$1.09MX$18.67
$0.80RONย 3.63
36.25%
Cigarettes 20 Pack(Marlboro, Camel)
$4.15MX$71.2
$6.04RONย 27.31
-31.29%
Wine(Bottle)
$10.39MX$178
$7.50RONย 33.93
38.53%
Local Beer(0.5 liter bottle)
$1.72MX$29.59
$1.07RONย 4.85
60.75%
Imported Beer(0.33 liter bottle)
$2.61MX$44.85
$1.69RONย 7.63
54.44%
๐ Getting Around
Playa del Carmen
Rรขศnov
Difference
One-way Ticket(Public Transport)
$0.54MX$9.30
$0.67RONย 3.05
-19.40%
Public Transport Monthly Pass(Regular Price)
$26.94MX$462
$19.81RONย 89.6
35.99%
Taxi Start(Normal Tariff)
$3.13MX$53.7
$0.71RONย 3.20
340.85%
Taxi(Normal Tariff)(1km)
$2.51MX$43.09
$0.61RONย 2.75
311.48%
Taxi 1hour Waiting(Normal Tariff)
$3.15MX$54.1
$6.80RONย 30.75
-53.68%
Gasoline(1 liter)
$1.27MX$21.88
$1.63RONย 7.36
-22.09%
Midsize Hatchback 1.4l(Volkswagen Golf, Toyota Prius, Honda Civic, etc)
$30.4KMX$521.3K
$27.7KRONย 125.2K
9.74%
Compact Sedan 1.6l(Toyota Corolla, Mazda3, Kia K4, Hyundai Elantra, etc)
$23.6KMX$404.5K
$27.6KRONย 124.7K
-14.53%
๐งพ Monthly Utilities & Internet
Playa del Carmen
Rรขศnov
Difference
Utilities for 2 People in 2-bedroom Apartment(Heating, Electricity, Gas, Water, Garbage)(85m2)
$83.0MX$1,425
$168RONย 758
-50.49%
SIM Card Monthly Plan(Calls and 10GB+ Data)
$22.71MX$390
$8.27RONย 37.39
174.61%
Internet(50+ Mbps, Unlimited Data)
$29.46MX$506
$9.12RONย 41.24
223.03%
๐ Sport & Entertainment
Playa del Carmen
Rรขศnov
Difference
Gym Membership(Monthly)
$51.0MX$875
$41.59RONย 188
22.63%
Tennis Court(1 Hour on Weekend)
$18.33MX$315
$19.03RONย 86.1
-3.68%
Cinema Ticket
$4.93MX$84.5
$5.90RONย 26.68
-16.44%
๐งธ Childcare & Education
Playa del Carmen
Rรขศnov
Difference
Preschool or Kindergarten, Full Day, Private, 1 Child(Monthly)
$197MX$3,386
$445RONย 2,013
-55.67%
International Primary School, 1 Child(Yearly)
$5,280MX$90.6K
$6,566RONย 29.7K
-19.59%
๐๐ Clothing & Footwear
Playa del Carmen
Rรขศnov
Difference
Jeans(Levis 501 Or Similar)
$36.90MX$633
$72.5RONย 328
-49.10%
Summer Dress(H&M, Zara, etc)
$39.89MX$685
$42.20RONย 191
-5.47%
Sport Shoes(Adidas, Nike)
$80.0MX$1,373
$97.0RONย 439
-17.47%
Men's Leather Business Shoes
$89.5MX$1,536
$79.1RONย 358
13.18%
๐ Accommodation & Living
Playa del Carmen
Rรขศnov
Difference
1-bedroom Apartment, City Center(Monthly)
$956MX$16.4K
$392RONย 1,773
143.92%
1-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center(Monthly)
$477MX$8,189
$286RONย 1,294
66.78%
3-bedroom Apartment, City Center(Monthly)
$1,646MX$28.3K
$595RONย 2,693
176.51%
3-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center(Monthly)
$1,225MX$21.0K
$441RONย 1,994
177.84%
Buy Apartment in City Center(m2)
$3,918MX$67.2K
$1,938RONย 8,766
102.19%
Buy Apartment Outside City Center(m2)
$6,459MX$110.9K
$1,395RONย 6,309
363.15%
๐ต Salaries & Financials
Playa del Carmen
Rรขศnov
Difference
Average Monthly Net Salary(After Tax)
$667MX$11.4K
-
-
20-Year Fixed Mortgage Interest Rate(Annual %)
11.42
7.7
48.31%
CityCost data is based on AI and user input โ minor inaccuracies may occur.
Last update for Playa del Carmen: June 7, 2026
Last update for Rรขศnov: June 8, 2026
Cost Breakdown
๐ A central one-bedroom costs $956 in Playa del Carmen versus $392 in Rรขศnov. Rent is usually the largest line item in a monthly budget, so the gap here sets the tone for the overall comparison.
๐A mid-range dinner for two costs $43.00 in Playa del Carmen versus $40.00 in Rรขศnov. Monthly groceries follow the same trend: $250 vs $211 โ making Rรขศnov the more affordable choice for daily food spending.
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 Rรขศnov: Cost of Living - Frequently Asked Questions
Is Rรขศnov cheaper than Playa del Carmen?
Yes โ Playa del Carmen is pricier by about 23%, 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 $1,906 per month in Playa del Carmen and $1,555 in Rรขศnov. That covers rent, food, utilities, transport, and enough left over to feel settled โ not just surviving.
Which city has lower housing costs?
Rent is clearly cheaper in Rรขศnov, especially for central apartments. Housing is actually the single biggest factor behind the overall cost gap between these two cities.
What are total monthly expenses in Playa del Carmen vs Rรขศnov?
Monthly expenses with rent come to $1,271 in Playa del Carmen and $1,037 in Rรขศnov. The difference isn't just one category โ it shows up across housing, food, transport, and services.
Which city has cheaper public transport?
Public transport costs about 36% less in Rรขศnov. For daily commuters, that gap adds up to noticeable savings over a year.
Is $2,000 a realistic budget for Playa del Carmen or Rรขศnov?
A $2,000 monthly budget goes further in Rรขศnov, where all-in costs run around $1,037, than in Playa del Carmen at $1,271. In Rรขศnov it covers expenses comfortably, while in Playa del Carmen it requires careful planning or may not stretch far enough.
Is Playa del Carmen or Rรขศnov more family-friendly?
Families tend to lean toward Rรขศnov โ 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 Rรขศnov?
Both have safer and rougher neighborhoods, but overall safety is comparable to other large cities. Neighborhood choice matters more than the city-level comparison โ central, well-trafficked areas feel secure in both.
Which city is the better choice to relocate to?
If budget matters most, go with Rรขศnov. 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