😐A single person spends $1,260 per month in Playa del Carmen vs $1,066 in Roche Terre, rent included.
😐A couple spends around $2,125 per month in Playa del Carmen vs $1,720 in Roche Terre, rent included.
😐A family of three spends $2,990 per month in Playa del Carmen vs $2,375 in Roche Terre, rent included.
😐Playa del Carmen costs about 18% 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 Carmen5% lower, Roche Terre20% lower.
Currency
🍽 Eating Out
Playa del Carmen
Roche Terre
Difference
Meal at Budget Restaurant
$11.72MX$203
$6.51MUR 305
80.03%
Three-Course Dinner for Two, Mid-Range
$41.89MX$725
$44.47MUR 2,083
-5.80%
Fast Food Meal(McDonalds, etc)
$10.51MX$182
$7.21MUR 338
45.77%
Cappuccino
$3.59MX$62.0
$2.55MUR 119
40.78%
Coke/Pepsi/Fanta/Sprite(0.33 liter bottle)
$1.51MX$26.10
$0.96MUR 44.87
57.29%
Water(0.33 liter bottle)
$0.92MX$15.83
$0.60MUR 28.28
53.33%
Local Beer(0.5 liter draught)
$2.96MX$51.2
$2.18MUR 102
35.78%
Imported Beer(0.33 liter bottle)
$4.41MX$76.3
$3.28MUR 154
34.45%
🛒 Groceries & Markets
Playa del Carmen
Roche Terre
Difference
Milk(1 liter)
$1.40MX$24.16
$1.64MUR 76.8
-14.63%
White Bread(500g)
$1.88MX$32.60
$0.66MUR 30.70
184.85%
Rice(white)(1kg)
$1.56MX$26.97
$1.26MUR 59.2
23.81%
Eggs
$2.61MX$45.14
$2.28MUR 107
14.47%
Local Cheese(1kg)
$8.32MX$144
$11.80MUR 553
-29.49%
Chicken Fillets(1kg)
$8.35MX$145
$6.10MUR 286
36.89%
Beef Round Steak(1kg)
$10.86MX$188
$12.82MUR 601
-15.29%
Apples(1kg)
$2.71MX$46.93
$1.98MUR 92.8
36.87%
Banana(1kg)
$1.51MX$26.04
$1.99MUR 93.3
-24.12%
Oranges(1kg)
$1.87MX$32.41
$1.48MUR 69.5
26.35%
Tomato(1kg)
$2.19MX$37.89
$2.73MUR 128
-19.78%
Potato(1kg)
$1.86MX$32.14
$1.03MUR 48.12
80.58%
Onion(1kg)
$2.23MX$38.59
$0.98MUR 46.13
127.55%
Lettuce(1 head)
$1.07MX$18.48
$0.79MUR 37.15
35.44%
Water(1.5 liter bottle)
$1.09MX$18.79
$0.79MUR 37.23
37.97%
Cigarettes 20 Pack(Marlboro, Camel)
$4.19MX$72.4
$6.63MUR 311
-36.80%
Wine(Bottle)
$10.43MX$180
$8.70MUR 407
19.89%
Local Beer(0.5 liter bottle)
$1.66MX$28.68
$1.81MUR 84.9
-8.29%
Imported Beer(0.33 liter bottle)
$2.61MX$45.19
$2.14MUR 100
21.96%
🚌 Getting Around
Playa del Carmen
Roche Terre
Difference
One-way Ticket(Public Transport)
$0.54MX$9.37
$1.04MUR 48.60
-48.08%
Public Transport Monthly Pass(Regular Price)
$26.16MX$453
-
-
Taxi Start(Normal Tariff)
$3.08MX$53.3
$4.42MUR 207
-30.32%
Taxi(Normal Tariff)(1km)
$2.40MX$41.61
$2.71MUR 127
-11.44%
Taxi 1hour Waiting(Normal Tariff)
$3.13MX$54.1
$19.73MUR 924
-84.14%
Gasoline(1 liter)
$1.31MX$22.69
$1.46MUR 68.5
-10.27%
Midsize Hatchback 1.4l(Volkswagen Golf, Toyota Prius, Honda Civic, etc)
$29.8KMX$515.7K
$35.9KMUR 1.7M
-16.96%
Compact Sedan 1.6l(Toyota Corolla, Mazda3, Kia K4, Hyundai Elantra, etc)
$23.3KMX$403.5K
$28.3KMUR 1.3M
-17.69%
🧾 Monthly Utilities & Internet
Playa del Carmen
Roche Terre
Difference
Utilities for 2 People in 2-bedroom Apartment(Heating, Electricity, Gas, Water, Garbage)(85m2)
$81.3MX$1,406
$50.2MUR 2,352
61.85%
SIM Card Monthly Plan(Calls and 10GB+ Data)
$22.56MX$390
$18.12MUR 849
24.50%
Internet(50+ Mbps, Unlimited Data)
$30.05MX$520
$34.18MUR 1,601
-12.08%
🎉 Sport & Entertainment
Playa del Carmen
Roche Terre
Difference
Gym Membership(Monthly)
$52.9MX$915
$38.86MUR 1,820
36.16%
Tennis Court(1 Hour on Weekend)
$18.39MX$318
-
-
Cinema Ticket
$4.92MX$85.1
$5.92MUR 277
-16.89%
🧸 Childcare & Education
Playa del Carmen
Roche Terre
Difference
Preschool or Kindergarten, Full Day, Private, 1 Child(Monthly)
$201MX$3,474
$152MUR 7,111
32.27%
International Primary School, 1 Child(Yearly)
$5,175MX$89.5K
$3,980MUR 186.4K
30.02%
👕👟 Clothing & Footwear
Playa del Carmen
Roche Terre
Difference
Jeans(Levis 501 Or Similar)
$35.92MX$622
$83.9MUR 3,931
-57.20%
Summer Dress(H&M, Zara, etc)
$40.13MX$694
$79.9MUR 3,744
-49.80%
Sport Shoes(Adidas, Nike)
$79.7MX$1,379
$133MUR 6,209
-39.87%
Men's Leather Business Shoes
$86.5MX$1,496
$95.8MUR 4,488
-9.77%
🏠 Accommodation & Living
Playa del Carmen
Roche Terre
Difference
1-bedroom Apartment, City Center(Monthly)
$978MX$16.9K
$504MUR 23.6K
94.02%
1-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center(Monthly)
$470MX$8,140
$350MUR 16.4K
34.31%
3-bedroom Apartment, City Center(Monthly)
$1,651MX$28.6K
$952MUR 44.6K
73.46%
3-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center(Monthly)
$1,203MX$20.8K
$708MUR 33.2K
69.95%
Buy Apartment in City Center(m2)
$3,953MX$68.4K
-
-
Buy Apartment Outside City Center(m2)
$6,607MX$114.3K
-
-
💵 Salaries & Financials
Playa del Carmen
Roche Terre
Difference
Average Monthly Net Salary(After Tax)
$677MX$11.7K
-
-
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: July 27, 2026
Last update for Roche Terre: July 27, 2026
Cost Breakdown
🏠A central one-bedroom costs $978 in Playa del Carmen versus $504 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 $42.00 in Playa del Carmen versus $44.00 in Roche Terre. Groceries tell a different story – $252 in Playa del Carmen vs $231 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 18%, 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 $1,599 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 and in Roche Terre?
Monthly expenses with rent come to $1,260 in Playa del Carmen and $1,066 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 $201 per month in Playa del Carmen and $152 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 $1,066, than in Playa del Carmen at $1,260. 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.
Playa del Carmen vs other spots: cost of living compared