Cost of Living Comparison Between Playa del Carmen and Roche Terre Cost of Living Comparison Between Playa del Carmen and Roche Terre

Monthly Cost of Living

A single person spends $1,287 per month in Playa del Carmen vs $1,052 in Roche Terre, rent included.

A couple spends around $2,184 per month in Playa del Carmen vs $1,744 in Roche Terre, rent included.

A family of three spends $3,082 per month in Playa del Carmen vs $2,436 in Roche Terre, rent included.

Playa del Carmen costs about 22% more than Roche Terre, driven mainly by Eating Out.

Both Playa del Carmen and Roche Terre are more affordable than the global median – Playa del Carmen 4% lower, Roche Terre 21% lower.

Currency
🍽 Eating Out
Playa del Carmen
Roche Terre
Difference
Meal at Budget Restaurant
$11.94 MX$209
$6.57 MUR 307
81.74%
Three-Course Dinner for Two, Mid-Range
$42.75 MX$748
$44.63 MUR 2,088
-4.21%
Fast Food Meal (McDonalds, etc)
$10.59 MX$185
$7.09 MUR 332
49.37%
Cappuccino
$3.62 MX$63.4
$2.55 MUR 119
41.96%
Coke/Pepsi/Fanta/Sprite (0.33 liter bottle)
$1.47 MX$25.69
$1.02 MUR 47.73
44.12%
Water (0.33 liter bottle)
$0.94 MX$16.51
$0.57 MUR 26.57
64.91%
Local Beer (0.5 liter draught)
$3.09 MX$54.1
$2.24 MUR 105
37.95%
Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)
$4.46 MX$78.0
$3.34 MUR 156
33.53%
🛒 Groceries & Markets
Playa del Carmen
Roche Terre
Difference
Milk (1 liter)
$1.43 MX$24.94
$1.64 MUR 76.6
-12.80%
White Bread (500g)
$1.88 MX$32.97
$0.71 MUR 33.39
164.79%
Rice (white) (1kg)
$1.63 MX$28.50
$1.28 MUR 60.0
27.34%
Eggs
$2.64 MX$46.26
$2.24 MUR 105
17.86%
Local Cheese (1kg)
$8.21 MX$144
$11.77 MUR 551
-30.25%
Chicken Fillets (1kg)
$8.29 MX$145
$6.35 MUR 297
30.55%
Beef Round Steak (1kg)
$11.10 MX$194
$12.43 MUR 582
-10.70%
Apples (1kg)
$2.65 MX$46.40
$2.03 MUR 95.2
30.54%
Banana (1kg)
$1.50 MX$26.26
$2.01 MUR 93.9
-25.37%
Oranges (1kg)
$1.99 MX$34.79
$1.51 MUR 70.6
31.79%
Tomato (1kg)
$2.08 MX$36.33
$2.71 MUR 127
-23.25%
Potato (1kg)
$1.79 MX$31.29
$0.99 MUR 46.48
80.81%
Onion (1kg)
$2.18 MX$38.09
$1.02 MUR 47.54
113.73%
Lettuce (1 head)
$1.08 MX$18.84
$0.84 MUR 39.37
28.57%
Water (1.5 liter bottle)
$1.04 MX$18.15
$0.82 MUR 38.17
26.83%
Cigarettes 20 Pack (Marlboro, Camel)
$3.97 MX$69.5
$6.69 MUR 313
-40.66%
Wine (Bottle)
$10.20 MX$179
$8.80 MUR 412
15.91%
Local Beer (0.5 liter bottle)
$1.73 MX$30.22
$1.72 MUR 80.3
0.58%
Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)
$2.50 MX$43.71
$2.19 MUR 102
14.16%
🚌 Getting Around
Playa del Carmen
Roche Terre
Difference
One-way Ticket (Public Transport)
$0.52 MX$9.07
$1.04 MUR 48.70
-50.00%
Public Transport Monthly Pass (Regular Price)
$26.97 MX$472
-
-
Taxi Start (Normal Tariff)
$3.14 MX$55.0
$4.42 MUR 207
-28.96%
Taxi (Normal Tariff) (1km)
$2.40 MX$42.04
$2.68 MUR 126
-10.45%
Taxi 1hour Waiting (Normal Tariff)
$3.09 MX$54.0
$19.53 MUR 914
-84.18%
Gasoline (1 liter)
$1.27 MX$22.28
$1.41 MUR 66.0
-9.93%
Midsize Hatchback 1.4l (Volkswagen Golf, Toyota Prius, Honda Civic, etc)
$30.9K MX$540.4K
$35.5K MUR 1.7M
-12.92%
Compact Sedan 1.6l (Toyota Corolla, Mazda3, Kia K4, Hyundai Elantra, etc)
$23.3K MX$408.0K
$29.3K MUR 1.4M
-20.35%
🧾 Monthly Utilities & Internet
Playa del Carmen
Roche Terre
Difference
Utilities for 2 People in 2-bedroom Apartment (Heating, Electricity, Gas, Water, Garbage) (85m2)
$82.0 MX$1,435
$49.39 MUR 2,311
66.05%
SIM Card Monthly Plan (Calls and 10GB+ Data)
$22.45 MX$393
$18.04 MUR 844
24.45%
Internet (50+ Mbps, Unlimited Data)
$29.66 MX$519
$33.60 MUR 1,572
-11.73%
🎉 Sport & Entertainment
Playa del Carmen
Roche Terre
Difference
Gym Membership (Monthly)
$51.9 MX$908
$38.92 MUR 1,821
33.27%
Tennis Court (1 Hour on Weekend)
$18.67 MX$327
-
-
Cinema Ticket
$4.97 MX$87.0
$5.92 MUR 277
-16.05%
🧸 Childcare & Education
Playa del Carmen
Roche Terre
Difference
Preschool or Kindergarten, Full Day, Private, 1 Child (Monthly)
$198 MX$3,462
$157 MUR 7,322
26.40%
International Primary School, 1 Child (Yearly)
$5,273 MX$92.3K
$3,900 MUR 182.5K
35.20%
👕👟 Clothing & Footwear
Playa del Carmen
Roche Terre
Difference
Jeans (Levis 501 Or Similar)
$36.34 MX$636
$83.6 MUR 3,914
-56.55%
Summer Dress (H&M, Zara, etc)
$40.05 MX$701
$79.5 MUR 3,718
-49.60%
Sport Shoes (Adidas, Nike)
$79.9 MX$1,398
$132 MUR 6,178
-39.50%
Men's Leather Business Shoes
$88.9 MX$1,555
$95.0 MUR 4,444
-6.42%
🏠 Accommodation & Living
Playa del Carmen
Roche Terre
Difference
1-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)
$963 MX$16.9K
$517 MUR 24.2K
86.50%
1-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)
$465 MX$8,133
$349 MUR 16.3K
33.25%
3-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)
$1,596 MX$27.9K
$934 MUR 43.7K
70.98%
3-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)
$1,209 MX$21.2K
$720 MUR 33.7K
67.97%
Buy Apartment in City Center (m2)
$3,942 MX$69.0K
-
-
Buy Apartment Outside City Center (m2)
$6,448 MX$112.8K
-
-
💵 Salaries & Financials
Playa del Carmen
Roche Terre
Difference
Average Monthly Net Salary (After Tax)
$720 MX$12.6K
-
-
20-Year Fixed Mortgage Interest Rate (Annual %)
11.42
6.67
71.21%

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 Roche Terre: April 27, 2026

Cost Breakdown

A central one-bedroom costs $963 in Playa del Carmen versus $517 in Roche Terre. 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 $43.00 in Playa del Carmen versus $45.00 in Roche Terre. Groceries tell a different story – $251 in Playa del Carmen vs $232 in Roche Terre – so Roche Terre 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 Roche Terre: Cost of Living - Frequently Asked Questions
Is Roche Terre cheaper than Playa del Carmen?
Yes – Playa del Carmen is pricier by about 22%, 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 $1,578 in Roche Terre. 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 Roche Terre, 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 Roche Terre?
Monthly expenses with rent come to $1,287 in Playa del Carmen and $1,052 in Roche Terre. The difference isn't just one category – it shows up across housing, food, transport, and services.
Which city has cheaper kindergarten?
Kindergarten costs $198 per month in Playa del Carmen and $157 in Roche Terre. For families with young kids, this one expense can tip the scales when choosing between the two cities.
Is $1,500 a realistic budget for Playa del Carmen or Roche Terre?
A $1,500 monthly budget goes further in Roche Terre, where all-in costs run around $1,052, than in Playa del Carmen at $1,287. In Roche Terre it covers expenses comfortably, while in Playa del Carmen it requires careful planning or may not stretch far enough.
Is Playa del Carmen or Roche Terre more family-friendly?
Families tend to lean toward Roche Terre – 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 Roche Terre?
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 Roche Terre. 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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