Cost of Living Comparison Between Playa del Carmen and Roatan Cost of Living Comparison Between Playa del Carmen and Roatan

Monthly Cost of Living

A single person spends $1,262 per month in Playa del Carmen vs $1,213 in Roatan, rent included.

A couple spends around $2,158 per month in Playa del Carmen vs $1,999 in Roatan, rent included.

A family of three spends $3,054 per month in Playa del Carmen vs $2,786 in Roatan, rent included.

Playa del Carmen costs about 4% more than Roatan, driven mainly by Monthly Utilities & Internet.

Both Playa del Carmen and Roatan are more affordable than the global median – Playa del Carmen 6% lower, Roatan 10% lower.

Meal at Budget Restaurant

$11.61 MX$201

$7.66 HNL 204

51.57%

Three-Course Dinner for Two, Mid-Range

$42.75 MX$742

$40.15 HNL 1,066

6.48%

Fast Food Meal (McDonalds, etc)

$10.60 MX$184

$8.93 HNL 237

18.70%

Cappuccino

$3.59 MX$62.3

$3.77 HNL 100

-4.77%

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

$1.45 MX$25.21

$1.20 HNL 31.91

20.83%

Water (0.33 liter bottle)

$0.90 MX$15.58

$0.75 HNL 19.91

20.00%

Local Beer (0.5 liter draught)

$3.03 MX$52.6

$2.29 HNL 60.9

32.31%

Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$4.56 MX$79.2

$3.94 HNL 105

15.74%

Milk (1 liter)

$1.45 MX$25.20

$1.31 HNL 34.71

10.69%

White Bread (500g)

$1.83 MX$31.72

$3.38 HNL 89.8

-45.86%

Rice (white) (1kg)

$1.61 MX$27.92

$2.24 HNL 59.5

-28.13%

Eggs

$2.54 MX$44.05

$1.98 HNL 52.6

28.28%

Local Cheese (1kg)

$8.54 MX$148

$10.91 HNL 290

-21.72%

Chicken Fillets (1kg)

$8.47 MX$147

$6.63 HNL 176

27.75%

Beef Round Steak (1kg)

$10.86 MX$189

$17.91 HNL 476

-39.36%

Apples (1kg)

$2.73 MX$47.37

Banana (1kg)

$1.49 MX$25.91

$1.08 HNL 28.56

37.96%

Oranges (1kg)

$1.94 MX$33.73

$1.08 HNL 28.63

79.63%

Tomato (1kg)

$2.16 MX$37.57

$0.57 HNL 15.08

278.95%

Potato (1kg)

$1.85 MX$32.05

$1.08 HNL 28.62

71.30%

Onion (1kg)

$2.19 MX$38.00

$1.11 HNL 29.61

97.30%

Lettuce (1 head)

$1.07 MX$18.62

$0.99 HNL 26.24

8.08%

Water (1.5 liter bottle)

$1.08 MX$18.81

$2.95 HNL 78.3

-63.39%

Cigarettes 20 Pack (Marlboro, Camel)

$4.06 MX$70.5

$2.95 HNL 78.3

37.63%

Wine (Bottle)

$10.46 MX$182

$7.60 HNL 202

37.63%

Local Beer (0.5 liter bottle)

$1.65 MX$28.71

Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$2.55 MX$44.23

$3.94 HNL 105

-35.28%

One-way Ticket (Public Transport)

$0.56 MX$9.65

Public Transport Monthly Pass (Regular Price)

$26.20 MX$455

Taxi Start (Normal Tariff)

$3.14 MX$54.5

$1.97 HNL 52.4

59.39%

Taxi (Normal Tariff) (1km)

$2.37 MX$41.17

Taxi 1hour Waiting (Normal Tariff)

$3.24 MX$56.2

$9.86 HNL 262

-67.14%

Gasoline (1 liter)

$1.31 MX$22.81

$1.06 HNL 28.13

23.58%

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

$30.5K MX$530.2K

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

$23.8K MX$413.6K

$30.5K HNL 810.6K

-21.94%

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

$83.1 MX$1,443

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

$22.15 MX$385

Internet (50+ Mbps, Unlimited Data)

$29.37 MX$510

$102 HNL 2,703

-71.14%

Gym Membership (Monthly)

$51.2 MX$889

$60.9 HNL 1,618

-16.00%

Tennis Court (1 Hour on Weekend)

$18.69 MX$324

Cinema Ticket

$4.89 MX$84.9

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

$199 MX$3,449

$422 HNL 11.2K

-52.91%

International Primary School, 1 Child (Yearly)

$5,207 MX$90.4K

$4,274 HNL 113.5K

21.83%

Jeans (Levis 501 Or Similar)

$35.93 MX$624

$40.69 HNL 1,081

-11.70%

Summer Dress (H&M, Zara, etc)

$39.39 MX$684

$20.38 HNL 541

93.28%

Sport Shoes (Adidas, Nike)

$80.3 MX$1,394

$40.69 HNL 1,081

97.35%

Men's Leather Business Shoes

$87.6 MX$1,520

$49.22 HNL 1,307

77.90%

1-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)

$963 MX$16.7K

$838 HNL 22.3K

14.90%

1-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)

$482 MX$8,370

$542 HNL 14.4K

-10.99%

3-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)

$1,645 MX$28.6K

$729 HNL 19.4K

125.76%

3-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)

$1,192 MX$20.7K

$1,226 HNL 32.6K

-2.79%

Buy Apartment in City Center (m2)

$3,957 MX$68.7K

$1,910 HNL 50.7K

107.13%

Buy Apartment Outside City Center (m2)

$6,513 MX$113.1K

$1,336 HNL 35.5K

387.51%

Average Monthly Net Salary (After Tax)

$726 MX$12.6K

$507 HNL 13.5K

43.36%

20-Year Fixed Mortgage Interest Rate (Annual %)

11.42

-36.56%

CityCost data is based on AI and user input – minor inaccuracies may occur.

Last update for Playa del Carmen: April 12, 2026

Last update for Roatan: April 12, 2026

Cost Breakdown

A central one-bedroom costs $963 in Playa del Carmen versus $838 in Roatan. Rent is usually the largest line item in a monthly budget, so the gap here sets the tone for the overall comparison.

Salaries run about 43% higher in Playa del Carmen, which partly offsets the higher cost of living there. Purchasing power depends on which expenses matter most to you.

A mid-range dinner for two costs $43 in Playa del Carmen versus $40 in Roatan. Groceries tell a different story – $253 in Playa del Carmen vs $265 in Roatan – so Playa del Carmen 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 Roatan: Cost of Living - Frequently Asked Questions

Yes – Playa del Carmen is pricier by about 4%, and the gap shows up most in Monthly Utilities & Internet. It's not just housing either; the difference applies across most spending categories.

For a comfortable life, plan on about $1,894 per month in Playa del Carmen and $1,819 in Roatan. That covers rent, food, utilities, transport, and enough left over to feel settled – not just surviving.

Rent is clearly cheaper in Roatan, especially for central apartments. Housing is actually the single biggest factor behind the overall cost gap between these two cities.

Monthly expenses with rent come to $1,262 in Playa del Carmen and $1,213 in Roatan. The difference isn't just one category – it shows up across housing, food, transport, and services.

Kindergarten costs $199 per month in Playa del Carmen and $422 in Roatan. For families with young kids, this one expense can tip the scales when choosing between the two cities.

A $1,500 monthly budget goes further in Roatan, where all-in costs run around $1,213, than in Playa del Carmen at $1,262. In Roatan it covers expenses comfortably, while in Playa del Carmen it requires careful planning or may not stretch far enough.

Families tend to lean toward Roatan – lower housing and cheaper childcare make a real difference, especially on a single income or when paying for private education.

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.

If budget matters most, go with Roatan. 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.