Cost of Living Comparison Between Playa del Carmen and Roman Cost of Living Comparison Between Playa del Carmen and Roman

Monthly Cost of Living

A single person spends $1,271 per month in Playa del Carmen vs $996 in Roman, rent included.

A couple spends around $2,126 per month in Playa del Carmen vs $1,472 in Roman, rent included.

A family of three spends $2,980 per month in Playa del Carmen vs $1,949 in Roman, rent included.

Playa del Carmen costs about 28% more than Roman, driven mainly by Monthly Utilities & Internet.

Both Playa del Carmen and Roman are more affordable than the global median – Playa del Carmen 5% lower, Roman 26% lower.

Meal at Budget Restaurant

$11.87 MX$204

$12.39 RON 56.1

-4.20%

Three-Course Dinner for Two, Mid-Range

$42.90 MX$736

$28.00 RON 127

53.21%

Fast Food Meal (McDonalds, etc)

$10.65 MX$183

$7.84 RON 35.48

35.84%

Cappuccino

$3.45 MX$59.2

$3.36 RON 15.21

2.68%

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

$1.50 MX$25.81

$1.12 RON 5.07

33.93%

Water (0.33 liter bottle)

$0.95 MX$16.28

$2.09 RON 9.44

-54.55%

Local Beer (0.5 liter draught)

$3.03 MX$51.9

$3.15 RON 14.26

-3.81%

Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$4.61 MX$79.1

$2.35 RON 10.63

96.17%

Milk (1 liter)

$1.38 MX$23.61

$1.48 RON 6.71

-6.76%

White Bread (500g)

$1.85 MX$31.70

$0.95 RON 4.29

94.74%

Rice (white) (1kg)

$1.61 MX$27.65

$1.64 RON 7.44

-1.83%

Eggs

$2.59 MX$44.51

$3.02 RON 13.68

-14.24%

Local Cheese (1kg)

$8.26 MX$142

$8.71 RON 39.42

-5.17%

Chicken Fillets (1kg)

$8.37 MX$144

$6.82 RON 30.86

22.73%

Beef Round Steak (1kg)

$10.66 MX$183

$11.29 RON 51.1

-5.58%

Apples (1kg)

$2.63 MX$45.12

$0.95 RON 4.32

176.84%

Banana (1kg)

$1.49 MX$25.53

$1.48 RON 6.69

0.68%

Oranges (1kg)

$1.92 MX$32.94

$1.48 RON 6.70

29.73%

Tomato (1kg)

$2.09 MX$35.81

$2.22 RON 10.06

-5.86%

Potato (1kg)

$1.86 MX$31.88

$0.77 RON 3.49

141.56%

Onion (1kg)

$2.26 MX$38.81

$1.03 RON 4.65

119.42%

Lettuce (1 head)

$1.06 MX$18.23

$0.93 RON 4.21

13.98%

Water (1.5 liter bottle)

$1.09 MX$18.67

$0.85 RON 3.82

28.24%

Cigarettes 20 Pack (Marlboro, Camel)

$4.15 MX$71.2

$5.74 RON 25.95

-27.70%

Wine (Bottle)

$10.39 MX$178

$6.66 RON 30.12

56.01%

Local Beer (0.5 liter bottle)

$1.72 MX$29.59

$1.14 RON 5.18

50.88%

Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$2.61 MX$44.85

$1.64 RON 7.43

59.15%

One-way Ticket (Public Transport)

$0.54 MX$9.30

$0.72 RON 3.27

-25.00%

Public Transport Monthly Pass (Regular Price)

$26.94 MX$462

$19.68 RON 89.0

36.89%

Taxi Start (Normal Tariff)

$3.13 MX$53.7

$0.72 RON 3.24

334.72%

Taxi (Normal Tariff) (1km)

$2.51 MX$43.09

$0.66 RON 2.97

280.30%

Taxi 1hour Waiting (Normal Tariff)

$3.15 MX$54.1

$6.74 RON 30.48

-53.26%

Gasoline (1 liter)

$1.27 MX$21.88

$1.68 RON 7.58

-24.40%

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

$30.4K MX$521.3K

$28.3K RON 128.1K

7.22%

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

$23.6K MX$404.5K

$28.0K RON 126.4K

-15.70%

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

$83.0 MX$1,425

$90.6 RON 410

-8.40%

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

$22.71 MX$390

$3.47 RON 15.70

554.47%

Internet (50+ Mbps, Unlimited Data)

$29.46 MX$506

$5.69 RON 25.76

417.75%

Gym Membership (Monthly)

$51.0 MX$875

$41.72 RON 189

22.24%

Tennis Court (1 Hour on Weekend)

$18.33 MX$315

$18.99 RON 85.9

-3.48%

Cinema Ticket

$4.93 MX$84.5

$10.76 RON 48.66

-54.18%

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

$197 MX$3,386

$328 RON 1,482

-39.77%

International Primary School, 1 Child (Yearly)

$5,280 MX$90.6K

$6,627 RON 30.0K

-20.33%

Jeans (Levis 501 Or Similar)

$36.90 MX$633

$67.3 RON 305

-45.19%

Summer Dress (H&M, Zara, etc)

$39.89 MX$685

$17.09 RON 77.3

133.41%

Sport Shoes (Adidas, Nike)

$80.0 MX$1,373

$96.6 RON 437

-17.20%

Men's Leather Business Shoes

$89.5 MX$1,536

$34.85 RON 158

156.73%

1-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)

$956 MX$16.4K

$387 RON 1,749

147.38%

1-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)

$477 MX$8,189

$286 RON 1,293

66.94%

3-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)

$1,646 MX$28.3K

$577 RON 2,608

185.46%

3-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)

$1,225 MX$21.0K

$441 RON 1,993

177.96%

Buy Apartment in City Center (m2)

$3,918 MX$67.2K

$2,070 RON 9,365

89.25%

Buy Apartment Outside City Center (m2)

$6,459 MX$110.9K

$1,266 RON 5,725

410.32%

Average Monthly Net Salary (After Tax)

$667 MX$11.4K

$854 RON 3,863

-21.89%

20-Year Fixed Mortgage Interest Rate (Annual %)

11.42

7.7

48.31%

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

Last update for Playa del Carmen: June 7, 2026

Last update for Roman: June 9, 2026

Cost Breakdown

A central one-bedroom costs $956 in Playa del Carmen versus $387 in Roman. 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 28% higher in Roman, 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 $28.00 in Roman. Monthly groceries follow the same trend: $250 vs $208 – making Roman 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 Roman: Cost of Living - Frequently Asked Questions

Yes – Playa del Carmen is pricier by about 28%, and the gap shows up most in Monthly Utilities & Internet. It's not just housing either; the difference applies across most spending categories.

For a comfortable life, plan on about $1,906 per month in Playa del Carmen and $1,494 in Roman. That covers rent, food, utilities, transport, and enough left over to feel settled – not just surviving.

Rent is clearly cheaper in Roman, 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 $1,271 in Playa del Carmen and $996 in Roman. The difference isn't just one category – it shows up across housing, food, transport, and services.

Public transport costs about 37% less in Roman. For daily commuters, that gap adds up to noticeable savings over a year.

A $1,500 monthly budget goes further in Roman, where all-in costs run around $996, than in Playa del Carmen at $1,271. In Roman it covers expenses comfortably, while in Playa del Carmen it requires careful planning or may not stretch far enough.

Families tend to lean toward Roman – lower housing and cheaper childcare make a real difference, especially on a single income or when paying for private education.

If budget matters most, go with Roman. 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.