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 $1,287 per month in Playa del Carmen vs $983 in Roman, rent included.

A couple spends around $2,184 per month in Playa del Carmen vs $1,490 in Roman, rent included.

A family of three spends $3,082 per month in Playa del Carmen vs $1,998 in Roman, rent included.

Playa del Carmen costs about 31% 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 4% lower, Roman 27% lower.

Meal at Budget Restaurant

$11.94 MX$209

$12.10 RON 52.7

-1.32%

Three-Course Dinner for Two, Mid-Range

$42.75 MX$748

$27.98 RON 122

52.79%

Fast Food Meal (McDonalds, etc)

$10.59 MX$185

$7.90 RON 34.44

34.05%

Cappuccino

$3.62 MX$63.4

$3.51 RON 15.29

3.13%

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

$1.47 MX$25.69

$1.18 RON 5.13

24.58%

Water (0.33 liter bottle)

$0.94 MX$16.51

$2.08 RON 9.06

-54.81%

Local Beer (0.5 liter draught)

$3.09 MX$54.1

$3.16 RON 13.80

-2.22%

Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$4.46 MX$78.0

$2.32 RON 10.10

92.24%

Milk (1 liter)

$1.43 MX$24.94

$1.53 RON 6.69

-6.54%

White Bread (500g)

$1.88 MX$32.97

$0.90 RON 3.91

108.89%

Rice (white) (1kg)

$1.63 MX$28.50

$1.59 RON 6.94

2.52%

Eggs

$2.64 MX$46.26

$3.13 RON 13.63

-15.65%

Local Cheese (1kg)

$8.21 MX$144

$8.68 RON 37.83

-5.41%

Chicken Fillets (1kg)

$8.29 MX$145

$7.16 RON 31.23

15.78%

Beef Round Steak (1kg)

$11.10 MX$194

$11.70 RON 51.0

-5.13%

Apples (1kg)

$2.65 MX$46.40

$0.96 RON 4.19

176.04%

Banana (1kg)

$1.50 MX$26.26

$1.54 RON 6.73

-2.60%

Oranges (1kg)

$1.99 MX$34.79

$1.52 RON 6.63

30.92%

Tomato (1kg)

$2.08 MX$36.33

$2.25 RON 9.82

-7.56%

Potato (1kg)

$1.79 MX$31.29

$0.84 RON 3.68

113.10%

Onion (1kg)

$2.18 MX$38.09

$1.02 RON 4.43

113.73%

Lettuce (1 head)

$1.08 MX$18.84

$0.88 RON 3.84

22.73%

Water (1.5 liter bottle)

$1.04 MX$18.15

$0.78 RON 3.41

33.33%

Cigarettes 20 Pack (Marlboro, Camel)

$3.97 MX$69.5

$5.74 RON 25.03

-30.84%

Wine (Bottle)

$10.20 MX$179

$6.86 RON 29.89

48.69%

Local Beer (0.5 liter bottle)

$1.73 MX$30.22

$1.09 RON 4.76

58.72%

Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$2.50 MX$43.71

$1.73 RON 7.56

44.51%

One-way Ticket (Public Transport)

$0.52 MX$9.07

$0.72 RON 3.12

-27.78%

Public Transport Monthly Pass (Regular Price)

$26.97 MX$472

$20.13 RON 87.8

33.98%

Taxi Start (Normal Tariff)

$3.14 MX$55.0

$0.70 RON 3.07

348.57%

Taxi (Normal Tariff) (1km)

$2.40 MX$42.04

$0.60 RON 2.61

300.00%

Taxi 1hour Waiting (Normal Tariff)

$3.09 MX$54.0

$6.80 RON 29.64

-54.56%

Gasoline (1 liter)

$1.27 MX$22.28

$1.67 RON 7.27

-23.95%

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

$30.9K MX$540.4K

$28.3K RON 123.4K

9.09%

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

$23.3K MX$408.0K

$27.6K RON 120.3K

-15.50%

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

$82.0 MX$1,435

$93.4 RON 407

-12.16%

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

$22.45 MX$393

$3.55 RON 15.47

532.39%

Internet (50+ Mbps, Unlimited Data)

$29.66 MX$519

$5.82 RON 25.35

409.62%

Gym Membership (Monthly)

$51.9 MX$908

$41.67 RON 182

24.48%

Tennis Court (1 Hour on Weekend)

$18.67 MX$327

$19.16 RON 83.6

-2.56%

Cinema Ticket

$4.97 MX$87.0

$11.12 RON 48.47

-55.31%

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

$198 MX$3,462

$327 RON 1,428

-39.59%

International Primary School, 1 Child (Yearly)

$5,273 MX$92.3K

$6,466 RON 28.2K

-18.45%

Jeans (Levis 501 Or Similar)

$36.34 MX$636

$68.1 RON 297

-46.61%

Summer Dress (H&M, Zara, etc)

$40.05 MX$701

$17.31 RON 75.5

131.37%

Sport Shoes (Adidas, Nike)

$79.9 MX$1,398

$96.0 RON 419

-16.78%

Men's Leather Business Shoes

$88.9 MX$1,555

$34.81 RON 152

155.33%

1-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)

$963 MX$16.9K

$382 RON 1,666

152.10%

1-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)

$465 MX$8,133

$291 RON 1,268

59.83%

3-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)

$1,596 MX$27.9K

$587 RON 2,559

171.92%

3-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)

$1,209 MX$21.2K

$430 RON 1,873

181.37%

Buy Apartment in City Center (m2)

$3,942 MX$69.0K

$1,672 RON 7,289

135.79%

Buy Apartment Outside City Center (m2)

$6,448 MX$112.8K

$1,534 RON 6,689

320.30%

Average Monthly Net Salary (After Tax)

$720 MX$12.6K

$911 RON 3,973

-20.94%

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: April 25, 2026

Last update for Roman: April 27, 2026

Cost Breakdown

A central one-bedroom costs $963 in Playa del Carmen versus $382 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 26% 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: $251 vs $212 – 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 31%, 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 $1,930 per month in Playa del Carmen and $1,474 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 $1,287 in Playa del Carmen and $983 in Roman. The difference isn't just one category – it shows up across housing, food, transport, and services.

Public transport costs about 34% 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 $983, than in Playa del Carmen at $1,287. 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.