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 $1,305 per month in Playa del Carmen vs $941 in Rosario, rent included.

A couple spends around $2,334 per month in Playa del Carmen vs $1,657 in Rosario, rent included.

A family of three spends $3,362 per month in Playa del Carmen vs $2,374 in Rosario, rent included.

Playa del Carmen costs about 39% more than Rosario, driven mainly by Clothing & Footwear.

Both Playa del Carmen and Rosario are more affordable than the global median – Playa del Carmen 5% lower, Rosario 32% lower.

Meal at Budget Restaurant

$11.96 MX$203

$10.02 ARS 15.1K

19.36%

Three-Course Dinner for Two, Mid-Range

$47.38 MX$804

$36.83 ARS 55.6K

28.65%

Fast Food Meal (McDonalds, etc)

$11.75 MX$199

$11.47 ARS 17.3K

2.44%

Cappuccino

$4.12 MX$70.0

$2.96 ARS 4,469

39.19%

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

$1.40 MX$23.74

$1.71 ARS 2,578

-18.13%

Water (0.33 liter bottle)

$0.91 MX$15.48

$1.71 ARS 2,578

-46.78%

Local Beer (0.5 liter draught)

$3.21 MX$54.4

$3.78 ARS 5,695

-15.08%

Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$7.07 MX$120

$2.18 ARS 3,296

224.31%

Milk (1 liter)

$1.68 MX$28.44

$1.27 ARS 1,910

32.28%

White Bread (500g)

$2.15 MX$36.48

$1.65 ARS 2,486

30.30%

Rice (white) (1kg)

$1.77 MX$30.10

$1.52 ARS 2,290

16.45%

Eggs

$2.82 MX$47.76

$2.23 ARS 3,370

26.46%

Local Cheese (1kg)

$9.20 MX$156

$8.22 ARS 12.4K

11.92%

Chicken Fillets (1kg)

$9.23 MX$157

$5.81 ARS 8,757

58.86%

Beef Round Steak (1kg)

$12.64 MX$214

$10.55 ARS 15.9K

19.81%

Apples (1kg)

$2.95 MX$50.1

$1.97 ARS 2,965

49.75%

Banana (1kg)

$1.58 MX$26.79

$1.54 ARS 2,322

2.60%

Oranges (1kg)

$2.22 MX$37.70

$1.01 ARS 1,524

119.80%

Tomato (1kg)

$2.36 MX$40.09

$2.11 ARS 3,179

11.85%

Potato (1kg)

$1.99 MX$33.81

$0.92 ARS 1,393

116.30%

Onion (1kg)

$1.98 MX$33.58

$0.69 ARS 1,034

186.96%

Lettuce (1 head)

$1.24 MX$21.04

$1.46 ARS 2,208

-15.07%

Water (1.5 liter bottle)

$1.21 MX$20.55

$1.72 ARS 2,599

-29.65%

Cigarettes 20 Pack (Marlboro, Camel)

$4.60 MX$78.1

$3.31 ARS 5,000

38.97%

Wine (Bottle)

$10.52 MX$178

$4.86 ARS 7,338

116.46%

Local Beer (0.5 liter bottle)

$1.69 MX$28.70

$1.21 ARS 1,831

39.67%

Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$2.77 MX$47.06

$2.81 ARS 4,244

-1.42%

One-way Ticket (Public Transport)

$0.60 MX$10.22

$1.02 ARS 1,538

-41.18%

Public Transport Monthly Pass (Regular Price)

$29.70 MX$504

Taxi Start (Normal Tariff)

$5.24 MX$88.8

$1.64 ARS 2,472

219.51%

Taxi (Normal Tariff) (1km)

$3.65 MX$61.9

$0.99 ARS 1,491

268.69%

Taxi 1hour Waiting (Normal Tariff)

$5.78 MX$98.1

$7.54 ARS 11.4K

-23.34%

Gasoline (1 liter)

$1.54 MX$26.09

$1.09 ARS 1,644

41.28%

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

$22.8K MX$386.8K

$27.9K ARS 42.1M

-18.22%

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

$25.8K MX$437.9K

$30.3K ARS 45.7M

-14.74%

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

$90.7 MX$1,538

$61.1 ARS 92.2K

48.30%

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

$25.19 MX$427

$20.20 ARS 30.5K

24.70%

Internet (50+ Mbps, Unlimited Data)

$31.75 MX$539

$27.17 ARS 41.0K

16.86%

Gym Membership (Monthly)

$68.8 MX$1,167

$29.37 ARS 44.3K

134.22%

Tennis Court (1 Hour on Weekend)

$29.37 MX$498

Cinema Ticket

$4.86 MX$82.5

$4.70 ARS 7,083

3.40%

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

$226 MX$3,828

$470 ARS 708.2K

-51.93%

International Primary School, 1 Child (Yearly)

$4,194 MX$71.1K

$9,063 ARS 13.7M

-53.73%

Jeans (Levis 501 Or Similar)

$47.38 MX$804

$90.7 ARS 136.8K

-47.74%

Summer Dress (H&M, Zara, etc)

$43.45 MX$737

$59.8 ARS 90.2K

-27.32%

Sport Shoes (Adidas, Nike)

$80.2 MX$1,361

$118 ARS 178.3K

-32.13%

Men's Leather Business Shoes

$91.4 MX$1,550

$135 ARS 203.9K

-32.38%

1-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)

$1,086 MX$18.4K

$247 ARS 373.2K

338.81%

1-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)

$409 MX$6,933

$206 ARS 311.3K

98.01%

3-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)

$1,972 MX$33.5K

$717 ARS 1.1M

175.22%

3-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)

$1,281 MX$21.7K

$675 ARS 1.0M

89.96%

Buy Apartment in City Center (m2)

$4,046 MX$68.6K

$2,063 ARS 3.1M

96.17%

Buy Apartment Outside City Center (m2)

$6,704 MX$113.7K

Average Monthly Net Salary (After Tax)

$773 MX$13.1K

$708 ARS 1.1M

9.18%

20-Year Fixed Mortgage Interest Rate (Annual %)

11.45

56.56

-79.76%

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

Last update for Playa del Carmen: September 7, 2026

Last update for Rosario: September 7, 2026

Cost Breakdown

A central one-bedroom costs $1,086 in Playa del Carmen versus $247 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 9% higher in Playa del Carmen, which partly offsets the higher cost of living there. Purchasing power depends on which expenses matter most to you.

A mid-range dinner for two costs $47.00 in Playa del Carmen versus $37.00 in Rosario. Monthly groceries follow the same trend: $278 vs $215 – 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 39%, and the gap shows up most in Clothing & Footwear. It's not just housing either; the difference applies across most spending categories.

For a comfortable life, plan on about $1,958 per month in Playa del Carmen and $1,411 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 $1,305 in Playa del Carmen and $941 in Rosario. The difference isn't just one category – it shows up across housing, food, transport, and services.

Kindergarten costs $226 per month in Playa del Carmen and $470 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 $941, than in Playa del Carmen at $1,305. 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.