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

Monthly Cost of Living

A single person spends $1,297 per month in Playa del Carmen vs $817 in Rosario, rent included.

A couple spends around $2,181 per month in Playa del Carmen vs $1,345 in Rosario, rent included.

A family of three spends $3,065 per month in Playa del Carmen vs $1,872 in Rosario, rent included.

Playa del Carmen costs about 59% more than Rosario, driven mainly by Eating Out.

Both Playa del Carmen and Rosario are more affordable than the global median – Playa del Carmen 3% lower, Rosario 39% lower.

Meal at Budget Restaurant

$11.73 MX$203

$9.19 ARS 13.1K

27.64%

Three-Course Dinner for Two, Mid-Range

$41.62 MX$720

$29.56 ARS 42.2K

40.80%

Fast Food Meal (McDonalds, etc)

$10.64 MX$184

$8.85 ARS 12.6K

20.23%

Cappuccino

$3.52 MX$60.9

$1.69 ARS 2,409

108.28%

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

$1.51 MX$26.12

$1.29 ARS 1,839

17.05%

Water (0.33 liter bottle)

$0.97 MX$16.84

$1.14 ARS 1,619

-14.91%

Local Beer (0.5 liter draught)

$2.95 MX$51.0

$1.24 ARS 1,770

137.90%

Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$4.45 MX$77.0

$2.69 ARS 3,843

65.43%

Milk (1 liter)

$1.38 MX$23.93

$1.26 ARS 1,803

9.52%

White Bread (500g)

$1.89 MX$32.72

$1.53 ARS 2,178

23.53%

Rice (white) (1kg)

$1.64 MX$28.32

$1.78 ARS 2,543

-7.87%

Eggs

$2.51 MX$43.34

$2.23 ARS 3,187

12.56%

Local Cheese (1kg)

$8.34 MX$144

$12.25 ARS 17.5K

-31.92%

Chicken Fillets (1kg)

$8.34 MX$144

$5.90 ARS 8,420

41.36%

Beef Round Steak (1kg)

$10.73 MX$186

$9.15 ARS 13.1K

17.27%

Apples (1kg)

$2.60 MX$45.04

$1.87 ARS 2,670

39.04%

Banana (1kg)

$1.46 MX$25.20

$2.02 ARS 2,878

-27.72%

Oranges (1kg)

$1.90 MX$32.87

$1.00 ARS 1,424

90.00%

Tomato (1kg)

$2.08 MX$35.91

$2.55 ARS 3,642

-18.43%

Potato (1kg)

$1.78 MX$30.71

$1.43 ARS 2,045

24.48%

Onion (1kg)

$2.19 MX$37.80

$1.37 ARS 1,961

59.85%

Lettuce (1 head)

$1.04 MX$17.99

$0.89 ARS 1,268

16.85%

Water (1.5 liter bottle)

$1.08 MX$18.62

$1.50 ARS 2,134

-28.00%

Cigarettes 20 Pack (Marlboro, Camel)

$4.08 MX$70.6

$3.18 ARS 4,531

28.30%

Wine (Bottle)

$10.32 MX$178

$4.72 ARS 6,727

118.64%

Local Beer (0.5 liter bottle)

$1.71 MX$29.61

$1.28 ARS 1,828

33.59%

Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$2.58 MX$44.54

$3.20 ARS 4,568

-19.38%

One-way Ticket (Public Transport)

$0.51 MX$8.81

$0.84 ARS 1,193

-39.29%

Public Transport Monthly Pass (Regular Price)

$26.46 MX$458

Taxi Start (Normal Tariff)

$3.26 MX$56.4

$1.58 ARS 2,254

106.33%

Taxi (Normal Tariff) (1km)

$2.49 MX$43.09

$0.90 ARS 1,284

176.67%

Taxi 1hour Waiting (Normal Tariff)

$3.25 MX$56.2

$6.07 ARS 8,652

-46.46%

Gasoline (1 liter)

$1.31 MX$22.61

$1.04 ARS 1,480

25.96%

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

$30.3K MX$523.7K

$23.9K ARS 34.0M

26.95%

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

$23.4K MX$405.3K

$26.5K ARS 37.8M

-11.57%

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

$82.9 MX$1,433

$54.4 ARS 77.7K

52.22%

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

$22.22 MX$384

$18.61 ARS 26.6K

19.40%

Internet (50+ Mbps, Unlimited Data)

$29.34 MX$507

$14.56 ARS 20.8K

101.51%

Gym Membership (Monthly)

$51.6 MX$893

$24.79 ARS 35.4K

108.27%

Tennis Court (1 Hour on Weekend)

$18.32 MX$317

$6.03 ARS 8,598

203.81%

Cinema Ticket

$5.07 MX$87.6

$5.14 ARS 7,335

-1.36%

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

$201 MX$3,473

$334 ARS 476.0K

-39.81%

International Primary School, 1 Child (Yearly)

$5,212 MX$90.1K

$1,078 ARS 1.5M

383.38%

Jeans (Levis 501 Or Similar)

$36.92 MX$639

$62.5 ARS 89.1K

-40.90%

Summer Dress (H&M, Zara, etc)

$39.79 MX$688

$60.5 ARS 86.3K

-34.23%

Sport Shoes (Adidas, Nike)

$78.5 MX$1,357

$109 ARS 156.0K

-28.26%

Men's Leather Business Shoes

$87.1 MX$1,506

$96.8 ARS 138.1K

-10.07%

1-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)

$973 MX$16.8K

$198 ARS 282.7K

390.78%

1-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)

$468 MX$8,090

$183 ARS 260.6K

156.07%

3-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)

$1,641 MX$28.4K

$511 ARS 729.1K

221.13%

3-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)

$1,221 MX$21.1K

$393 ARS 560.4K

210.78%

Buy Apartment in City Center (m2)

$3,946 MX$68.3K

$2,103 ARS 3.0M

87.64%

Buy Apartment Outside City Center (m2)

$6,498 MX$112.4K

Average Monthly Net Salary (After Tax)

$664 MX$11.5K

$705 ARS 1.0M

-5.82%

20-Year Fixed Mortgage Interest Rate (Annual %)

11.42

52.71

-78.33%

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

Last update for Playa del Carmen: June 2, 2026

Last update for Rosario: May 30, 2026

Cost Breakdown

A central one-bedroom costs $973 in Playa del Carmen versus $198 in Rosario. 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 6% higher in Rosario, 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 $30.00 in Rosario. Monthly groceries follow the same trend: $249 vs $227 – making Rosario 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 Rosario: Cost of Living - Frequently Asked Questions

Yes – Playa del Carmen is pricier by about 59%, and the gap shows up most in Eating Out. It's not just housing either; the difference applies across most spending categories.

For a comfortable life, plan on about $1,945 per month in Playa del Carmen and $1,226 in Rosario. That covers rent, food, utilities, transport, and enough left over to feel settled – not just surviving.

Rent is clearly cheaper in Rosario, 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 $1,297 in Playa del Carmen and $817 in Rosario. The difference isn't just one category – it shows up across housing, food, transport, and services.

Kindergarten costs $201 per month in Playa del Carmen and $334 in Rosario. For families with young kids, this one expense can tip the scales when choosing between the two cities.

A $2,000 monthly budget goes further in Rosario, where all-in costs run around $817, than in Playa del Carmen at $1,297. In Rosario it covers expenses comfortably, while in Playa del Carmen it requires careful planning or may not stretch far enough.

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

Both have safer and rougher neighborhoods, but overall safety is comparable to other large cities. Neighborhood choice matters more than the city-level comparison – central, well-trafficked areas feel secure in both.

If budget matters most, go with Rosario. 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.