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

Monthly Cost of Living

A single person spends $1,266 per month in Playa del Carmen vs $1,141 in Roodepoort, rent included.

A couple spends around $2,279 per month in Playa del Carmen vs $1,764 in Roodepoort, rent included.

A family of three spends $3,292 per month in Playa del Carmen vs $2,386 in Roodepoort, rent included.

Playa del Carmen costs about 11% more than Roodepoort, driven mainly by Groceries & Markets.

Both Playa del Carmen and Roodepoort are more affordable than the global median – Playa del Carmen 7% lower, Roodepoort 17% lower.

Meal at Budget Restaurant

$11.60 MX$199

$12.49 R 203

-7.13%

Three-Course Dinner for Two, Mid-Range

$47.11 MX$809

$46.93 R 763

0.38%

Fast Food Meal (McDonalds, etc)

$11.88 MX$204

$7.58 R 123

56.73%

Cappuccino

$3.98 MX$68.2

$2.44 R 39.74

63.11%

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

$1.43 MX$24.49

$1.23 R 19.93

16.26%

Water (0.33 liter bottle)

$0.82 MX$14.16

$0.93 R 15.19

-11.83%

Local Beer (0.5 liter draught)

$3.19 MX$54.7

$2.33 R 37.87

36.91%

Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$6.79 MX$117

$2.94 R 47.72

130.95%

Milk (1 liter)

$1.68 MX$28.76

$1.24 R 20.11

35.48%

White Bread (500g)

$2.20 MX$37.71

$1.15 R 18.70

91.30%

Rice (white) (1kg)

$1.71 MX$29.32

$1.80 R 29.34

-5.00%

Eggs

$2.74 MX$47.05

$2.71 R 44.12

1.11%

Local Cheese (1kg)

$9.58 MX$164

$8.57 R 139

11.79%

Chicken Fillets (1kg)

$9.01 MX$155

$5.55 R 90.3

62.34%

Beef Round Steak (1kg)

$12.81 MX$220

$8.71 R 142

47.07%

Apples (1kg)

$2.89 MX$49.58

$2.17 R 35.28

33.18%

Banana (1kg)

$1.50 MX$25.70

$1.70 R 27.65

-11.76%

Oranges (1kg)

$2.15 MX$36.87

$1.75 R 28.44

22.86%

Tomato (1kg)

$2.26 MX$38.79

$2.05 R 33.40

10.24%

Potato (1kg)

$1.98 MX$34.00

$1.72 R 27.93

15.12%

Onion (1kg)

$1.99 MX$34.15

$1.71 R 27.73

16.37%

Lettuce (1 head)

$1.23 MX$21.18

$1.20 R 19.51

2.50%

Water (1.5 liter bottle)

$1.20 MX$20.54

$1.34 R 21.80

-10.45%

Cigarettes 20 Pack (Marlboro, Camel)

$4.55 MX$78.1

$3.43 R 55.7

32.65%

Wine (Bottle)

$10.37 MX$178

$6.02 R 97.8

72.26%

Local Beer (0.5 liter bottle)

$1.62 MX$27.79

$1.58 R 25.70

2.53%

Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$2.88 MX$49.44

$2.00 R 32.59

44.00%

One-way Ticket (Public Transport)

$0.60 MX$10.30

$0.90 R 14.58

-33.33%

Public Transport Monthly Pass (Regular Price)

$28.80 MX$494

Taxi Start (Normal Tariff)

$5.39 MX$92.5

$0.99 R 16.14

444.44%

Taxi (Normal Tariff) (1km)

$3.73 MX$64.0

$0.90 R 14.63

314.44%

Taxi 1hour Waiting (Normal Tariff)

$5.77 MX$99.0

$14.71 R 239

-60.77%

Gasoline (1 liter)

$1.54 MX$26.37

$1.53 R 24.92

0.65%

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

$22.5K MX$387.0K

$35.8K R 581.3K

-36.94%

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

$26.1K MX$447.3K

$34.6K R 561.9K

-24.61%

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

$91.4 MX$1,569

$221 R 3,595

-58.68%

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

$25.20 MX$433

$38.04 R 618

-33.75%

Internet (50+ Mbps, Unlimited Data)

$31.24 MX$536

$37.34 R 607

-16.34%

Gym Membership (Monthly)

$67.2 MX$1,154

$48.96 R 796

37.25%

Tennis Court (1 Hour on Weekend)

$29.11 MX$500

Cinema Ticket

$4.86 MX$83.5

$7.25 R 118

-32.97%

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

$224 MX$3,839

$247 R 4,017

-9.49%

International Primary School, 1 Child (Yearly)

$4,229 MX$72.6K

$5,591 R 90.9K

-24.36%

Jeans (Levis 501 Or Similar)

$47.10 MX$808

$54.5 R 885

-13.50%

Summer Dress (H&M, Zara, etc)

$44.29 MX$760

$33.23 R 540

33.28%

Sport Shoes (Adidas, Nike)

$80.1 MX$1,375

$108 R 1,762

-26.10%

Men's Leather Business Shoes

$92.7 MX$1,591

$92.8 R 1,508

-0.14%

1-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)

$1,063 MX$18.2K

$623 R 10.1K

70.43%

1-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)

$390 MX$6,698

$249 R 4,054

56.48%

3-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)

$2,149 MX$36.9K

$1,569 R 25.5K

36.98%

3-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)

$1,272 MX$21.8K

$538 R 8,751

136.31%

Buy Apartment in City Center (m2)

$4,001 MX$68.7K

Buy Apartment Outside City Center (m2)

$6,502 MX$111.6K

Average Monthly Net Salary (After Tax)

$758 MX$13.0K

$1,528 R 24.8K

-50.38%

20-Year Fixed Mortgage Interest Rate (Annual %)

11.45

11.25

1.78%

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 Roodepoort: September 13, 2026

Cost Breakdown

A central one-bedroom costs $1,063 in Playa del Carmen versus $623 in Roodepoort. 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 102% higher in Roodepoort, 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 $47.00 in Roodepoort. Groceries tell a different story – $276 in Playa del Carmen vs $213 in Roodepoort – so Roodepoort 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 Roodepoort: Cost of Living - Frequently Asked Questions

Yes – Playa del Carmen is pricier by about 11%, 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 $1,712 in Roodepoort. That covers rent, food, utilities, transport, and enough left over to feel settled – not just surviving.

Rent is clearly cheaper in Roodepoort, 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 $1,141 in Roodepoort. The difference isn't just one category – it shows up across housing, food, transport, and services.

Kindergarten costs $224 per month in Playa del Carmen and $247 in Roodepoort. For families with young kids, this one expense can tip the scales when choosing between the two cities.

A $1,500 monthly budget goes further in Roodepoort, where all-in costs run around $1,141, than in Playa del Carmen at $1,266. In Roodepoort it covers expenses comfortably, while in Playa del Carmen it requires careful planning or may not stretch far enough.

Families tend to lean toward Roodepoort – 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 Roodepoort. 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.