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 $1,256 per month in Playa del Carmen vs $844 in Rosario, rent included.

A couple spends around $2,137 per month in Playa del Carmen vs $1,363 in Rosario, rent included.

A family of three spends $3,017 per month in Playa del Carmen vs $1,882 in Rosario, rent included.

Playa del Carmen costs about 49% more than Rosario, driven mainly by Eating Out.

Both Playa del Carmen and Rosario are more affordable than the global median – Playa del Carmen 6% lower, Rosario 37% lower.

Meal at Budget Restaurant

$11.99 MX$210

$9.25 ARS 13.7K

29.62%

Three-Course Dinner for Two, Mid-Range

$41.78 MX$733

$30.40 ARS 44.9K

37.43%

Fast Food Meal (McDonalds, etc)

$10.75 MX$189

$8.73 ARS 12.9K

23.14%

Cappuccino

$3.50 MX$61.3

$1.69 ARS 2,503

107.10%

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

$1.45 MX$25.41

$1.29 ARS 1,905

12.40%

Water (0.33 liter bottle)

$0.88 MX$15.52

$1.17 ARS 1,732

-24.79%

Local Beer (0.5 liter draught)

$2.95 MX$51.7

$1.20 ARS 1,777

145.83%

Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$4.51 MX$79.1

$2.67 ARS 3,949

68.91%

Milk (1 liter)

$1.43 MX$25.12

$1.27 ARS 1,872

12.60%

White Bread (500g)

$1.84 MX$32.23

$1.59 ARS 2,343

15.72%

Rice (white) (1kg)

$1.57 MX$27.51

$1.79 ARS 2,648

-12.29%

Eggs

$2.51 MX$44.06

$2.17 ARS 3,210

15.67%

Local Cheese (1kg)

$8.28 MX$145

$12.12 ARS 17.9K

-31.68%

Chicken Fillets (1kg)

$8.43 MX$148

$6.00 ARS 8,866

40.50%

Beef Round Steak (1kg)

$10.68 MX$187

$9.21 ARS 13.6K

15.96%

Apples (1kg)

$2.61 MX$45.76

$1.80 ARS 2,658

45.00%

Banana (1kg)

$1.44 MX$25.22

$2.02 ARS 2,983

-28.71%

Oranges (1kg)

$1.96 MX$34.41

$0.92 ARS 1,364

113.04%

Tomato (1kg)

$2.09 MX$36.74

$2.64 ARS 3,903

-20.83%

Potato (1kg)

$1.85 MX$32.47

$1.50 ARS 2,216

23.33%

Onion (1kg)

$2.17 MX$38.02

$1.42 ARS 2,101

52.82%

Lettuce (1 head)

$1.03 MX$18.09

$0.86 ARS 1,270

19.77%

Water (1.5 liter bottle)

$1.07 MX$18.84

$1.43 ARS 2,118

-25.17%

Cigarettes 20 Pack (Marlboro, Camel)

$4.10 MX$72.0

$3.30 ARS 4,873

24.24%

Wine (Bottle)

$10.17 MX$178

$4.67 ARS 6,895

117.77%

Local Beer (0.5 liter bottle)

$1.68 MX$29.38

$1.23 ARS 1,823

36.59%

Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$2.53 MX$44.31

$3.07 ARS 4,534

-17.59%

One-way Ticket (Public Transport)

$0.51 MX$8.93

$0.87 ARS 1,292

-41.38%

Public Transport Monthly Pass (Regular Price)

$26.04 MX$457

Taxi Start (Normal Tariff)

$3.23 MX$56.7

$1.58 ARS 2,335

104.43%

Taxi (Normal Tariff) (1km)

$2.41 MX$42.19

$0.93 ARS 1,380

159.14%

Taxi 1hour Waiting (Normal Tariff)

$3.23 MX$56.6

$5.86 ARS 8,659

-44.88%

Gasoline (1 liter)

$1.32 MX$23.17

$1.08 ARS 1,598

22.22%

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

$29.7K MX$520.9K

$24.1K ARS 35.7M

23.10%

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

$23.7K MX$415.0K

$26.0K ARS 38.5M

-9.06%

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

$82.0 MX$1,439

$56.1 ARS 82.9K

46.26%

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

$22.95 MX$403

$18.38 ARS 27.2K

24.86%

Internet (50+ Mbps, Unlimited Data)

$30.11 MX$528

$14.68 ARS 21.7K

105.11%

Gym Membership (Monthly)

$52.0 MX$912

$24.75 ARS 36.6K

109.98%

Tennis Court (1 Hour on Weekend)

$18.53 MX$325

$6.01 ARS 8,888

208.32%

Cinema Ticket

$4.98 MX$87.3

$4.88 ARS 7,209

2.05%

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

$197 MX$3,463

$333 ARS 492.8K

-40.78%

International Primary School, 1 Child (Yearly)

$5,336 MX$93.6K

$1,091 ARS 1.6M

389.02%

Jeans (Levis 501 Or Similar)

$35.60 MX$624

$62.5 ARS 92.4K

-43.07%

Summer Dress (H&M, Zara, etc)

$40.33 MX$707

$58.9 ARS 87.1K

-31.53%

Sport Shoes (Adidas, Nike)

$78.8 MX$1,381

$106 ARS 156.3K

-25.54%

Men's Leather Business Shoes

$88.9 MX$1,560

$94.4 ARS 139.5K

-5.79%

1-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)

$947 MX$16.6K

$201 ARS 297.6K

370.30%

1-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)

$474 MX$8,314

$181 ARS 267.5K

161.89%

3-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)

$1,644 MX$28.8K

$521 ARS 770.1K

215.49%

3-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)

$1,211 MX$21.2K

$397 ARS 586.1K

205.27%

Buy Apartment in City Center (m2)

$4,056 MX$71.1K

$2,033 ARS 3.0M

99.50%

Buy Apartment Outside City Center (m2)

$6,470 MX$113.5K

Average Monthly Net Salary (After Tax)

$654 MX$11.5K

$699 ARS 1.0M

-6.45%

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: July 13, 2026

Last update for Rosario: July 14, 2026

Cost Breakdown

A central one-bedroom costs $947 in Playa del Carmen versus $201 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 7% 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 $226 – 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 49%, 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 $1,884 per month in Playa del Carmen and $1,266 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 $1,256 in Playa del Carmen and $844 in Rosario. The difference isn't just one category – it shows up across housing, food, transport, and services.

Kindergarten costs $197 per month in Playa del Carmen and $333 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 $844, than in Playa del Carmen at $1,256. 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.