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 $1,266 per month in Playa del Carmen vs $947 in Roman, rent included.

A couple spends around $2,279 per month in Playa del Carmen vs $1,553 in Roman, rent included.

A family of three spends $3,292 per month in Playa del Carmen vs $2,158 in Roman, rent included.

Playa del Carmen costs about 34% more than Roman, driven mainly by Groceries & Markets.

Both Playa del Carmen and Roman are more affordable than the global median – Playa del Carmen 7% lower, Roman 31% lower.

Meal at Budget Restaurant

$11.60 MX$200

$12.12 RON 55.5

-4.29%

Three-Course Dinner for Two, Mid-Range

$47.11 MX$811

$35.46 RON 162

32.85%

Fast Food Meal (McDonalds, etc)

$11.88 MX$205

$7.93 RON 36.30

49.81%

Cappuccino

$3.98 MX$68.5

$2.85 RON 13.05

39.65%

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

$1.43 MX$24.57

$1.48 RON 6.78

-3.38%

Water (0.33 liter bottle)

$0.82 MX$14.20

$1.13 RON 5.19

-27.43%

Local Beer (0.5 liter draught)

$3.19 MX$54.9

$3.30 RON 15.10

-3.33%

Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$6.79 MX$117

$2.38 RON 10.92

185.29%

Milk (1 liter)

$1.68 MX$28.85

$1.59 RON 7.26

5.66%

White Bread (500g)

$2.20 MX$37.83

$0.92 RON 4.21

139.13%

Rice (white) (1kg)

$1.71 MX$29.41

$1.50 RON 6.87

14.00%

Eggs

$2.74 MX$47.20

$2.93 RON 13.42

-6.48%

Local Cheese (1kg)

$9.58 MX$165

$9.26 RON 42.44

3.46%

Chicken Fillets (1kg)

$9.01 MX$155

$6.76 RON 30.97

33.28%

Beef Round Steak (1kg)

$12.81 MX$221

$9.76 RON 44.71

31.25%

Apples (1kg)

$2.89 MX$49.74

$1.09 RON 5.00

165.14%

Banana (1kg)

$1.50 MX$25.78

$1.59 RON 7.26

-5.66%

Oranges (1kg)

$2.15 MX$36.98

$1.49 RON 6.83

44.30%

Tomato (1kg)

$2.26 MX$38.91

$2.26 RON 10.34

Potato (1kg)

$1.98 MX$34.10

$0.78 RON 3.56

153.85%

Onion (1kg)

$1.99 MX$34.26

$0.86 RON 3.95

131.40%

Lettuce (1 head)

$1.23 MX$21.25

$0.91 RON 4.17

35.16%

Water (1.5 liter bottle)

$1.20 MX$20.60

$0.84 RON 3.86

42.86%

Cigarettes 20 Pack (Marlboro, Camel)

$4.55 MX$78.3

$5.65 RON 25.90

-19.47%

Wine (Bottle)

$10.37 MX$179

$6.74 RON 30.90

53.86%

Local Beer (0.5 liter bottle)

$1.62 MX$27.88

$1.19 RON 5.46

36.13%

Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$2.88 MX$49.60

$1.72 RON 7.90

67.44%

One-way Ticket (Public Transport)

$0.60 MX$10.34

$0.80 RON 3.69

-25.00%

Public Transport Monthly Pass (Regular Price)

$28.80 MX$496

$23.11 RON 106

24.62%

Taxi Start (Normal Tariff)

$5.39 MX$92.8

$0.63 RON 2.88

755.56%

Taxi (Normal Tariff) (1km)

$3.73 MX$64.2

$0.69 RON 3.17

440.58%

Taxi 1hour Waiting (Normal Tariff)

$5.77 MX$99.3

$6.94 RON 31.79

-16.86%

Gasoline (1 liter)

$1.54 MX$26.45

$1.85 RON 8.45

-16.76%

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

$22.5K MX$388.3K

$30.2K RON 138.2K

-25.28%

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

$26.1K MX$448.7K

$27.5K RON 126.0K

-5.28%

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

$91.4 MX$1,573

$186 RON 851

-50.79%

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

$25.20 MX$434

$7.27 RON 33.30

246.63%

Internet (50+ Mbps, Unlimited Data)

$31.24 MX$538

$8.83 RON 40.44

253.79%

Gym Membership (Monthly)

$67.2 MX$1,157

$39.94 RON 183

68.25%

Tennis Court (1 Hour on Weekend)

$29.11 MX$501

$21.48 RON 98.4

35.52%

Cinema Ticket

$4.86 MX$83.7

$9.77 RON 44.77

-50.26%

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

$224 MX$3,851

$309 RON 1,416

-27.64%

International Primary School, 1 Child (Yearly)

$4,229 MX$72.8K

$7,275 RON 33.3K

-41.87%

Jeans (Levis 501 Or Similar)

$47.10 MX$811

$55.5 RON 254

-15.17%

Summer Dress (H&M, Zara, etc)

$44.29 MX$763

$27.21 RON 125

62.77%

Sport Shoes (Adidas, Nike)

$80.1 MX$1,379

$79.4 RON 364

0.95%

Men's Leather Business Shoes

$92.7 MX$1,596

$61.3 RON 281

51.06%

1-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)

$1,063 MX$18.3K

$225 RON 1,032

371.57%

1-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)

$390 MX$6,719

$168 RON 772

131.61%

3-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)

$2,149 MX$37.0K

$642 RON 2,941

234.75%

3-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)

$1,272 MX$21.9K

$462 RON 2,116

175.45%

Buy Apartment in City Center (m2)

$4,001 MX$68.9K

$1,940 RON 8,889

106.22%

Buy Apartment Outside City Center (m2)

$6,502 MX$112.0K

$1,381 RON 6,327

370.77%

Average Monthly Net Salary (After Tax)

$758 MX$13.1K

$866 RON 3,967

-12.45%

20-Year Fixed Mortgage Interest Rate (Annual %)

11.45

7.2

59.03%

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 Roman: September 12, 2026

Cost Breakdown

A central one-bedroom costs $1,063 in Playa del Carmen versus $225 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 14% 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 $47.00 in Playa del Carmen versus $35.00 in Roman. Monthly groceries follow the same trend: $276 vs $207 – 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 34%, and the gap shows up most in Groceries & Markets. 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 $1,421 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 $1,266 in Playa del Carmen and $947 in Roman. The difference isn't just one category – it shows up across housing, food, transport, and services.

Public transport costs about 25% 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 $947, than in Playa del Carmen at $1,266. 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.