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 $1,266 per month in Playa del Carmen vs $621 in Roche Terre, rent included.

A couple spends around $2,279 per month in Playa del Carmen vs $1,047 in Roche Terre, rent included.

A family of three spends $3,292 per month in Playa del Carmen vs $1,473 in Roche Terre, rent included.

Playa del Carmen costs about 104% 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 7% lower, Roche Terre 55% lower.

Currency
🍽 Eating Out
Playa del Carmen
Roche Terre
Difference
Meal at Budget Restaurant
$11.60 MX$199
$5.95 MUR 283
94.96%
Three-Course Dinner for Two, Mid-Range
$47.11 MX$809
$38.77 MUR 1,842
21.51%
Fast Food Meal (McDonalds, etc)
$11.88 MX$204
$7.57 MUR 360
56.94%
Cappuccino
$3.98 MX$68.2
$2.58 MUR 122
54.26%
Coke/Pepsi/Fanta/Sprite (0.33 liter bottle)
$1.43 MX$24.49
$1.17 MUR 55.7
22.22%
Water (0.33 liter bottle)
$0.82 MX$14.16
$0.67 MUR 31.70
22.39%
Local Beer (0.5 liter draught)
$3.19 MX$54.7
$2.59 MUR 123
23.17%
Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)
$6.79 MX$117
$4.74 MUR 225
43.25%
🛒 Groceries & Markets
Playa del Carmen
Roche Terre
Difference
Milk (1 liter)
$1.68 MX$28.76
$1.55 MUR 73.8
8.39%
White Bread (500g)
$2.20 MX$37.71
$0.80 MUR 37.88
175.00%
Rice (white) (1kg)
$1.71 MX$29.32
$1.15 MUR 54.8
48.70%
Eggs
$2.74 MX$47.05
$2.59 MUR 123
5.79%
Local Cheese (1kg)
$9.58 MX$164
$5.35 MUR 254
79.07%
Chicken Fillets (1kg)
$9.01 MX$155
$6.45 MUR 306
39.69%
Beef Round Steak (1kg)
$12.81 MX$220
$11.51 MUR 547
11.29%
Apples (1kg)
$2.89 MX$49.58
$2.87 MUR 136
0.70%
Banana (1kg)
$1.50 MX$25.70
$2.59 MUR 123
-42.08%
Oranges (1kg)
$2.15 MX$36.87
$1.44 MUR 68.2
49.31%
Tomato (1kg)
$2.26 MX$38.79
$3.01 MUR 143
-24.92%
Potato (1kg)
$1.98 MX$34.00
$0.99 MUR 47.18
100.00%
Onion (1kg)
$1.99 MX$34.15
$0.94 MUR 44.52
111.70%
Lettuce (1 head)
$1.23 MX$21.18
$0.69 MUR 32.94
78.26%
Water (1.5 liter bottle)
$1.20 MX$20.54
$0.85 MUR 40.42
41.18%
Cigarettes 20 Pack (Marlboro, Camel)
$4.55 MX$78.1
$6.66 MUR 316
-31.68%
Wine (Bottle)
$10.37 MX$178
$8.27 MUR 393
25.39%
Local Beer (0.5 liter bottle)
$1.62 MX$27.79
$1.64 MUR 78.0
-1.22%
Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)
$2.88 MX$49.44
$2.28 MUR 108
26.32%
🚌 Getting Around
Playa del Carmen
Roche Terre
Difference
One-way Ticket (Public Transport)
$0.60 MX$10.30
-
-
Public Transport Monthly Pass (Regular Price)
$28.80 MX$494
-
-
Taxi Start (Normal Tariff)
$5.39 MX$92.5
$4.28 MUR 203
25.93%
Taxi (Normal Tariff) (1km)
$3.73 MX$64.0
$3.10 MUR 147
20.32%
Taxi 1hour Waiting (Normal Tariff)
$5.77 MX$99.0
$20.82 MUR 989
-72.29%
Gasoline (1 liter)
$1.54 MX$26.37
$1.39 MUR 65.8
10.79%
Midsize Hatchback 1.4l (Volkswagen Golf, Toyota Prius, Honda Civic, etc)
$22.5K MX$387.0K
$36.9K MUR 1.8M
-38.87%
Compact Sedan 1.6l (Toyota Corolla, Mazda3, Kia K4, Hyundai Elantra, etc)
$26.1K MX$447.3K
$31.3K MUR 1.5M
-16.86%
🧾 Monthly Utilities & Internet
Playa del Carmen
Roche Terre
Difference
Utilities for 2 People in 2-bedroom Apartment (Heating, Electricity, Gas, Water, Garbage) (85m2)
$91.4 MX$1,569
$44.31 MUR 2,105
106.23%
SIM Card Monthly Plan (Calls and 10GB+ Data)
$25.20 MX$433
$10.52 MUR 500
139.54%
Internet (50+ Mbps, Unlimited Data)
$31.24 MX$536
$29.73 MUR 1,412
5.08%
🎉 Sport & Entertainment
Playa del Carmen
Roche Terre
Difference
Gym Membership (Monthly)
$67.2 MX$1,154
-
-
Tennis Court (1 Hour on Weekend)
$29.11 MX$500
-
-
Cinema Ticket
$4.86 MX$83.5
$6.31 MUR 300
-22.98%
🧸 Childcare & Education
Playa del Carmen
Roche Terre
Difference
Preschool or Kindergarten, Full Day, Private, 1 Child (Monthly)
$224 MX$3,839
$129 MUR 6,125
73.42%
International Primary School, 1 Child (Yearly)
$4,229 MX$72.6K
$7,653 MUR 363.5K
-44.74%
👕👟 Clothing & Footwear
Playa del Carmen
Roche Terre
Difference
Jeans (Levis 501 Or Similar)
$47.10 MX$808
$79.1 MUR 3,756
-40.44%
Summer Dress (H&M, Zara, etc)
$44.29 MX$760
$75.7 MUR 3,596
-41.49%
Sport Shoes (Adidas, Nike)
$80.1 MX$1,375
$120 MUR 5,690
-33.13%
Men's Leather Business Shoes
$92.7 MX$1,591
$79.0 MUR 3,752
17.32%
🏠 Accommodation & Living
Playa del Carmen
Roche Terre
Difference
1-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)
$1,063 MX$18.2K
-
-
1-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)
$390 MX$6,698
-
-
3-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)
$2,149 MX$36.9K
-
-
3-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)
$1,272 MX$21.8K
-
-
Buy Apartment in City Center (m2)
$4,001 MX$68.7K
-
-
Buy Apartment Outside City Center (m2)
$6,502 MX$111.6K
-
-
💵 Salaries & Financials
Playa del Carmen
Roche Terre
Difference
Average Monthly Net Salary (After Tax)
$758 MX$13.0K
-
-
20-Year Fixed Mortgage Interest Rate (Annual %)
11.45
6.67
71.66%

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

Last update for Playa del Carmen: September 12, 2026

Last update for Roche Terre: September 15, 2026

Cost Breakdown

A mid-range dinner for two costs $47.00 in Playa del Carmen versus $39.00 in Roche Terre. Monthly groceries follow the same trend: $276 vs $219 – making Roche Terre 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 Roche Terre: Cost of Living - Frequently Asked Questions
Is Roche Terre cheaper than Playa del Carmen?
Yes – Playa del Carmen is pricier by about 104%, 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 $1,899 per month in Playa del Carmen and $931 in Roche Terre. That covers rent, food, utilities, transport, and enough left over to feel settled – not just surviving.
What are total monthly expenses in Playa del Carmen and in Roche Terre?
Monthly expenses with rent come to $1,266 in Playa del Carmen and $621 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 $224 per month in Playa del Carmen and $129 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 living in Playa del Carmen or in Roche Terre?
A $1,500 monthly budget goes further in Roche Terre, where all-in costs run around $621, than in Playa del Carmen at $1,266. 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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