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 $1,260 per month in Playa del Carmen vs $994 in Roman, rent included.

A couple spends around $2,125 per month in Playa del Carmen vs $1,472 in Roman, rent included.

A family of three spends $2,990 per month in Playa del Carmen vs $1,950 in Roman, rent included.

Playa del Carmen costs about 27% 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 25% lower.

Meal at Budget Restaurant

$11.72 MX$203

$12.34 RON 56.1

-5.02%

Three-Course Dinner for Two, Mid-Range

$41.89 MX$725

$27.51 RON 125

52.27%

Fast Food Meal (McDonalds, etc)

$10.51 MX$182

$7.96 RON 36.20

32.04%

Cappuccino

$3.59 MX$62.0

$3.35 RON 15.24

7.16%

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

$1.51 MX$26.10

$1.14 RON 5.18

32.46%

Water (0.33 liter bottle)

$0.92 MX$15.83

$2.08 RON 9.45

-55.77%

Local Beer (0.5 liter draught)

$2.96 MX$51.2

$3.20 RON 14.53

-7.50%

Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$4.41 MX$76.3

$2.32 RON 10.53

90.09%

Milk (1 liter)

$1.40 MX$24.16

$1.50 RON 6.81

-6.67%

White Bread (500g)

$1.88 MX$32.60

$0.89 RON 4.05

111.24%

Rice (white) (1kg)

$1.56 MX$26.97

$1.59 RON 7.22

-1.89%

Eggs

$2.61 MX$45.14

$2.97 RON 13.48

-12.12%

Local Cheese (1kg)

$8.32 MX$144

$8.90 RON 40.45

-6.52%

Chicken Fillets (1kg)

$8.35 MX$145

$6.87 RON 31.24

21.54%

Beef Round Steak (1kg)

$10.86 MX$188

$11.32 RON 51.5

-4.06%

Apples (1kg)

$2.71 MX$46.93

$0.91 RON 4.12

197.80%

Banana (1kg)

$1.51 MX$26.04

$1.54 RON 7.02

-1.95%

Oranges (1kg)

$1.87 MX$32.41

$1.48 RON 6.72

26.35%

Tomato (1kg)

$2.19 MX$37.89

$2.23 RON 10.13

-1.79%

Potato (1kg)

$1.86 MX$32.14

$0.80 RON 3.63

132.50%

Onion (1kg)

$2.23 MX$38.59

$1.01 RON 4.60

120.79%

Lettuce (1 head)

$1.07 MX$18.48

$0.94 RON 4.26

13.83%

Water (1.5 liter bottle)

$1.09 MX$18.79

$0.85 RON 3.86

28.24%

Cigarettes 20 Pack (Marlboro, Camel)

$4.19 MX$72.4

$5.79 RON 26.31

-27.63%

Wine (Bottle)

$10.43 MX$180

$6.54 RON 29.73

59.48%

Local Beer (0.5 liter bottle)

$1.66 MX$28.68

$1.15 RON 5.22

44.35%

Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$2.61 MX$45.19

$1.71 RON 7.76

52.63%

One-way Ticket (Public Transport)

$0.54 MX$9.37

$0.70 RON 3.20

-22.86%

Public Transport Monthly Pass (Regular Price)

$26.16 MX$453

$19.96 RON 90.7

31.06%

Taxi Start (Normal Tariff)

$3.08 MX$53.3

$0.67 RON 3.04

359.70%

Taxi (Normal Tariff) (1km)

$2.40 MX$41.61

$0.61 RON 2.75

293.44%

Taxi 1hour Waiting (Normal Tariff)

$3.13 MX$54.1

$6.88 RON 31.28

-54.51%

Gasoline (1 liter)

$1.31 MX$22.69

$1.66 RON 7.53

-21.08%

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

$29.8K MX$515.7K

$28.1K RON 127.9K

5.93%

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

$23.3K MX$403.5K

$27.4K RON 124.7K

-14.97%

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

$81.3 MX$1,406

$93.4 RON 425

-13.01%

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

$22.56 MX$390

$3.40 RON 15.46

563.53%

Internet (50+ Mbps, Unlimited Data)

$30.05 MX$520

$5.60 RON 25.47

436.61%

Gym Membership (Monthly)

$52.9 MX$915

$40.66 RON 185

30.13%

Tennis Court (1 Hour on Weekend)

$18.39 MX$318

$19.35 RON 88.0

-4.96%

Cinema Ticket

$4.92 MX$85.1

$10.99 RON 49.94

-55.23%

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

$201 MX$3,474

$325 RON 1,477

-38.18%

International Primary School, 1 Child (Yearly)

$5,175 MX$89.5K

$6,589 RON 30.0K

-21.47%

Jeans (Levis 501 Or Similar)

$35.92 MX$622

$67.6 RON 307

-46.86%

Summer Dress (H&M, Zara, etc)

$40.13 MX$694

$17.61 RON 80.1

127.88%

Sport Shoes (Adidas, Nike)

$79.7 MX$1,379

$95.9 RON 436

-16.88%

Men's Leather Business Shoes

$86.5 MX$1,496

$33.92 RON 154

154.89%

1-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)

$978 MX$16.9K

$388 RON 1,765

151.97%

1-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)

$470 MX$8,140

$290 RON 1,320

62.05%

3-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)

$1,651 MX$28.6K

$581 RON 2,643

184.10%

3-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)

$1,203 MX$20.8K

$444 RON 2,017

171.27%

Buy Apartment in City Center (m2)

$3,953 MX$68.4K

$2,229 RON 10.1K

77.37%

Buy Apartment Outside City Center (m2)

$6,607 MX$114.3K

$1,357 RON 6,168

387.04%

Average Monthly Net Salary (After Tax)

$677 MX$11.7K

$859 RON 3,907

-21.26%

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: July 27, 2026

Last update for Roman: July 27, 2026

Cost Breakdown

A central one-bedroom costs $978 in Playa del Carmen versus $388 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 27% 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 $42.00 in Playa del Carmen versus $28.00 in Roman. Monthly groceries follow the same trend: $252 vs $209 – 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 27%, 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 $1,890 per month in Playa del Carmen and $1,490 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 $1,260 in Playa del Carmen and $994 in Roman. The difference isn't just one category – it shows up across housing, food, transport, and services.

Public transport costs about 31% 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 $994, than in Playa del Carmen at $1,260. 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.