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 $1,287 per month in Playa del Carmen vs $644 in Roi Et, rent included.

A couple spends around $2,184 per month in Playa del Carmen vs $1,068 in Roi Et, rent included.

A family of three spends $3,082 per month in Playa del Carmen vs $1,492 in Roi Et, rent included.

Playa del Carmen costs about 100% 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 4% lower, Roi Et 52% lower.

Meal at Budget Restaurant

$11.94 MX$209

$2.05 ฿66.9

482.44%

Three-Course Dinner for Two, Mid-Range

$42.75 MX$748

$15.27 ฿499

179.96%

Fast Food Meal (McDonalds, etc)

$10.59 MX$185

$4.25 ฿139

149.18%

Cappuccino

$3.62 MX$63.4

$1.75 ฿57.2

106.86%

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

$1.47 MX$25.69

$0.72 ฿23.39

104.17%

Water (0.33 liter bottle)

$0.94 MX$16.51

$0.27 ฿8.76

248.15%

Local Beer (0.5 liter draught)

$3.09 MX$54.1

$1.51 ฿49.24

104.64%

Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$4.46 MX$78.0

$2.48 ฿81.2

79.84%

Milk (1 liter)

$1.43 MX$24.94

$2.07 ฿67.6

-30.92%

White Bread (500g)

$1.88 MX$32.97

$1.11 ฿36.36

69.37%

Rice (white) (1kg)

$1.63 MX$28.50

$2.82 ฿92.4

-42.20%

Eggs

$2.64 MX$46.26

$2.19 ฿71.6

20.55%

Local Cheese (1kg)

$8.21 MX$144

$16.04 ฿524

-48.82%

Chicken Fillets (1kg)

$8.29 MX$145

$4.63 ฿151

79.05%

Beef Round Steak (1kg)

$11.10 MX$194

$10.95 ฿358

1.37%

Apples (1kg)

$2.65 MX$46.40

$4.42 ฿145

-40.05%

Banana (1kg)

$1.50 MX$26.26

$1.60 ฿52.5

-6.25%

Oranges (1kg)

$1.99 MX$34.79

$2.96 ฿96.9

-32.77%

Tomato (1kg)

$2.08 MX$36.33

$1.96 ฿64.0

6.12%

Potato (1kg)

$1.79 MX$31.29

$1.82 ฿59.6

-1.65%

Onion (1kg)

$2.18 MX$38.09

$1.64 ฿53.6

32.93%

Lettuce (1 head)

$1.08 MX$18.84

$0.76 ฿24.84

42.11%

Water (1.5 liter bottle)

$1.04 MX$18.15

$0.53 ฿17.46

96.23%

Cigarettes 20 Pack (Marlboro, Camel)

$3.97 MX$69.5

$4.29 ฿140

-7.46%

Wine (Bottle)

$10.20 MX$179

$11.78 ฿385

-13.41%

Local Beer (0.5 liter bottle)

$1.73 MX$30.22

$2.21 ฿72.2

-21.72%

Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$2.50 MX$43.71

$2.91 ฿95.3

-14.09%

One-way Ticket (Public Transport)

$0.52 MX$9.07

$0.88 ฿28.70

-40.91%

Public Transport Monthly Pass (Regular Price)

$26.97 MX$472

Taxi Start (Normal Tariff)

$3.14 MX$55.0

$1.06 ฿34.54

196.23%

Taxi (Normal Tariff) (1km)

$2.40 MX$42.04

$1.14 ฿37.34

110.53%

Taxi 1hour Waiting (Normal Tariff)

$3.09 MX$54.0

$6.18 ฿202

-50.00%

Gasoline (1 liter)

$1.27 MX$22.28

$1.26 ฿41.29

0.79%

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

$30.9K MX$540.4K

$27.2K ฿889.6K

13.51%

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

$23.3K MX$408.0K

$25.0K ฿818.5K

-6.85%

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

$82.0 MX$1,435

$51.8 ฿1,693

58.41%

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

$22.45 MX$393

$13.58 ฿444

65.32%

Internet (50+ Mbps, Unlimited Data)

$29.66 MX$519

$14.34 ฿469

106.83%

Gym Membership (Monthly)

$51.9 MX$908

$39.01 ฿1,276

32.97%

Tennis Court (1 Hour on Weekend)

$18.67 MX$327

$12.33 ฿403

51.42%

Cinema Ticket

$4.97 MX$87.0

$7.26 ฿237

-31.54%

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

$198 MX$3,462

$299 ฿9,769

-33.79%

International Primary School, 1 Child (Yearly)

$5,273 MX$92.3K

$11.4K ฿373.6K

-53.84%

Jeans (Levis 501 Or Similar)

$36.34 MX$636

$37.46 ฿1,225

-2.99%

Summer Dress (H&M, Zara, etc)

$40.05 MX$701

$34.62 ฿1,132

15.68%

Sport Shoes (Adidas, Nike)

$79.9 MX$1,398

$52.8 ฿1,726

51.37%

Men's Leather Business Shoes

$88.9 MX$1,555

$48.09 ฿1,573

84.82%

1-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)

$963 MX$16.9K

$421 ฿13.8K

128.92%

1-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)

$465 MX$8,133

$77.7 ฿2,539

498.51%

3-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)

$1,596 MX$27.9K

$243 ฿7,954

556.26%

3-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)

$1,209 MX$21.2K

$262 ฿8,576

360.93%

Buy Apartment in City Center (m2)

$3,942 MX$69.0K

$2,124 ฿69.5K

85.55%

Buy Apartment Outside City Center (m2)

$6,448 MX$112.8K

$1,722 ฿56.3K

274.47%

Average Monthly Net Salary (After Tax)

$720 MX$12.6K

$849 ฿27.8K

-15.18%

20-Year Fixed Mortgage Interest Rate (Annual %)

11.42

5.45

109.54%

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 Roi Et: April 27, 2026

Cost Breakdown

A central one-bedroom costs $963 in Playa del Carmen versus $421 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 $43.00 in Playa del Carmen versus $15.00 in Roi Et. Groceries tell a different story – $251 in Playa del Carmen vs $268 in Roi Et – 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 Roi Et: Cost of Living - Frequently Asked Questions

Yes – Playa del Carmen is pricier by about 100%, 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 $1,930 per month in Playa del Carmen and $966 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 $1,287 in Playa del Carmen and $644 in Roi Et. The difference isn't just one category – it shows up across housing, food, transport, and services.

Kindergarten costs $198 per month in Playa del Carmen and $299 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 $644, than in Playa del Carmen at $1,287. 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.