Cost of Living Comparison Between Playa del Carmen and Roi Et Cost of Living Comparison Between Playa del Carmen and Roi Et

Monthly Cost of Living

A single person spends $1,266 per month in Playa del Carmen vs $925 in Roi Et, rent included.

A couple spends around $2,279 per month in Playa del Carmen vs $1,493 in Roi Et, rent included.

A family of three spends $3,292 per month in Playa del Carmen vs $2,060 in Roi Et, rent included.

Playa del Carmen costs about 37% more than Roi Et, driven mainly by Eating Out.

Both Playa del Carmen and Roi Et are more affordable than the global median – Playa del Carmen 7% lower, Roi Et 32% lower.

Meal at Budget Restaurant

$11.60 MX$199

$1.93 ฿64.3

501.04%

Three-Course Dinner for Two, Mid-Range

$47.11 MX$809

$18.29 ฿608

157.57%

Fast Food Meal (McDonalds, etc)

$11.88 MX$204

$7.84 ฿261

51.53%

Cappuccino

$3.98 MX$68.2

$2.10 ฿69.8

89.52%

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

$1.43 MX$24.49

$0.78 ฿25.95

83.33%

Water (0.33 liter bottle)

$0.82 MX$14.16

$0.26 ฿8.54

215.38%

Local Beer (0.5 liter draught)

$3.19 MX$54.7

$2.10 ฿69.7

51.90%

Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$6.79 MX$117

$3.10 ฿103

119.03%

Milk (1 liter)

$1.68 MX$28.76

$1.66 ฿55.3

1.20%

White Bread (500g)

$2.20 MX$37.71

$1.52 ฿50.6

44.74%

Rice (white) (1kg)

$1.71 MX$29.32

$1.25 ฿41.62

36.80%

Eggs

$2.74 MX$47.05

$1.99 ฿66.0

37.69%

Local Cheese (1kg)

$9.58 MX$164

$16.22 ฿539

-40.94%

Chicken Fillets (1kg)

$9.01 MX$155

$2.25 ฿74.9

300.44%

Beef Round Steak (1kg)

$12.81 MX$220

$10.43 ฿347

22.82%

Apples (1kg)

$2.89 MX$49.58

$3.20 ฿106

-9.69%

Banana (1kg)

$1.50 MX$25.70

$1.11 ฿37.00

35.14%

Oranges (1kg)

$2.15 MX$36.87

$1.86 ฿61.8

15.59%

Tomato (1kg)

$2.26 MX$38.79

$1.60 ฿53.2

41.25%

Potato (1kg)

$1.98 MX$34.00

$1.33 ฿44.13

48.87%

Onion (1kg)

$1.99 MX$34.15

$0.98 ฿32.62

103.06%

Lettuce (1 head)

$1.23 MX$21.18

$1.14 ฿37.91

7.89%

Water (1.5 liter bottle)

$1.20 MX$20.54

$0.53 ฿17.61

126.42%

Cigarettes 20 Pack (Marlboro, Camel)

$4.55 MX$78.1

$4.39 ฿146

3.64%

Wine (Bottle)

$10.37 MX$178

$15.45 ฿514

-32.88%

Local Beer (0.5 liter bottle)

$1.62 MX$27.79

$1.64 ฿54.4

-1.22%

Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$2.88 MX$49.44

$2.85 ฿94.7

1.05%

One-way Ticket (Public Transport)

$0.60 MX$10.30

$0.88 ฿29.22

-31.82%

Public Transport Monthly Pass (Regular Price)

$28.80 MX$494

Taxi Start (Normal Tariff)

$5.39 MX$92.5

$1.29 ฿42.83

317.83%

Taxi (Normal Tariff) (1km)

$3.73 MX$64.0

$1.11 ฿36.92

236.04%

Taxi 1hour Waiting (Normal Tariff)

$5.77 MX$99.0

$3.81 ฿127

51.44%

Gasoline (1 liter)

$1.54 MX$26.37

$1.24 ฿41.15

24.19%

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

$22.5K MX$387.0K

$27.2K ฿902.8K

-16.96%

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

$26.1K MX$447.3K

$27.2K ฿903.6K

-4.12%

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

$91.4 MX$1,569

$82.8 ฿2,752

10.43%

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

$25.20 MX$433

$11.67 ฿388

115.94%

Internet (50+ Mbps, Unlimited Data)

$31.24 MX$536

$19.51 ฿649

60.12%

Gym Membership (Monthly)

$67.2 MX$1,154

$48.32 ฿1,607

39.07%

Tennis Court (1 Hour on Weekend)

$29.11 MX$500

$14.02 ฿466

107.63%

Cinema Ticket

$4.86 MX$83.5

$6.87 ฿228

-29.26%

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

$224 MX$3,839

$569 ฿18.9K

-60.71%

International Primary School, 1 Child (Yearly)

$4,229 MX$72.6K

$11.3K ฿375.2K

-62.52%

Jeans (Levis 501 Or Similar)

$47.10 MX$808

$67.9 ฿2,258

-30.63%

Summer Dress (H&M, Zara, etc)

$44.29 MX$760

$30.30 ฿1,008

46.17%

Sport Shoes (Adidas, Nike)

$80.1 MX$1,375

$61.6 ฿2,049

29.99%

Men's Leather Business Shoes

$92.7 MX$1,591

$76.8 ฿2,553

20.68%

1-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)

$1,063 MX$18.2K

$460 ฿15.3K

130.84%

1-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)

$390 MX$6,698

$303 ฿10.1K

28.62%

3-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)

$2,149 MX$36.9K

$1,435 ฿47.7K

49.74%

3-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)

$1,272 MX$21.8K

$750 ฿24.9K

69.65%

Buy Apartment in City Center (m2)

$4,001 MX$68.7K

$1,956 ฿65.0K

104.60%

Buy Apartment Outside City Center (m2)

$6,502 MX$111.6K

$1,580 ฿52.5K

311.50%

Average Monthly Net Salary (After Tax)

$758 MX$13.0K

$896 ฿29.8K

-15.39%

20-Year Fixed Mortgage Interest Rate (Annual %)

11.45

5.57

105.57%

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 Roi Et: September 15, 2026

Cost Breakdown

A central one-bedroom costs $1,063 in Playa del Carmen versus $460 in Roi Et. 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 18% higher in Roi Et, which reinforces the cost advantage – you earn more and spend less. Purchasing power leans clearly in its favor.

A mid-range dinner for two costs $47.00 in Playa del Carmen versus $18.00 in Roi Et. Monthly groceries follow the same trend: $276 vs $236 – making Roi Et 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 Roi Et: Cost of Living - Frequently Asked Questions

Yes – Playa del Carmen is pricier by about 37%, and the gap shows up most in Eating Out. It's not just housing either; the difference applies across most spending categories.

For a comfortable life, plan on about $1,899 per month in Playa del Carmen and $1,388 in Roi Et. That covers rent, food, utilities, transport, and enough left over to feel settled – not just surviving.

Rent is clearly cheaper in Roi Et, 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 $1,266 in Playa del Carmen and $925 in Roi Et. The difference isn't just one category – it shows up across housing, food, transport, and services.

Kindergarten costs $224 per month in Playa del Carmen and $569 in Roi Et. For families with young kids, this one expense can tip the scales when choosing between the two cities.

A $1,000 monthly budget goes further in Roi Et, where all-in costs run around $925, than in Playa del Carmen at $1,266. In Roi Et it covers expenses comfortably, while in Playa del Carmen it requires careful planning or may not stretch far enough.

Families tend to lean toward Roi Et – 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 Roi Et. 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.