😐A single person spends $1,266 per month in Playa del Carmen vs $612 in Rose Belle, rent included.
😐A couple spends around $2,279 per month in Playa del Carmen vs $1,009 in Rose Belle, rent included.
😐A family of three spends $3,292 per month in Playa del Carmen vs $1,406 in Rose Belle, rent included.
😐Playa del Carmen costs about 107% more than Rose Belle, driven mainly by Eating Out.
📊Both Playa del Carmen and Rose Belle are more affordable than the global median – Playa del Carmen7% lower, Rose Belle55% lower.
Currency
🍽 Eating Out
Playa del Carmen
Rose Belle
Difference
Meal at Budget Restaurant
$11.60MX$199
$5.82MUR 277
99.31%
Three-Course Dinner for Two, Mid-Range
$47.11MX$809
$25.14MUR 1,194
87.39%
Fast Food Meal(McDonalds, etc)
$11.88MX$204
$7.38MUR 351
60.98%
Cappuccino
$3.98MX$68.2
$1.61MUR 76.4
147.20%
Coke/Pepsi/Fanta/Sprite(0.33 liter bottle)
$1.43MX$24.49
$1.09MUR 51.6
31.19%
Water(0.33 liter bottle)
$0.82MX$14.16
$0.50MUR 23.76
64.00%
Local Beer(0.5 liter draught)
$3.19MX$54.7
$2.51MUR 119
27.09%
Imported Beer(0.33 liter bottle)
$6.79MX$117
$4.88MUR 232
39.14%
🛒 Groceries & Markets
Playa del Carmen
Rose Belle
Difference
Milk(1 liter)
$1.68MX$28.76
$1.55MUR 73.8
8.39%
White Bread(500g)
$2.20MX$37.71
$0.79MUR 37.40
178.48%
Rice(white)(1kg)
$1.71MX$29.32
$1.14MUR 54.3
50.00%
Eggs
$2.74MX$47.05
$2.70MUR 128
1.48%
Local Cheese(1kg)
$9.58MX$164
$5.16MUR 245
85.66%
Chicken Fillets(1kg)
$9.01MX$155
$6.48MUR 308
39.04%
Beef Round Steak(1kg)
$12.81MX$220
$11.35MUR 539
12.86%
Apples(1kg)
$2.89MX$49.58
$2.77MUR 132
4.33%
Banana(1kg)
$1.50MX$25.70
$2.63MUR 125
-42.97%
Oranges(1kg)
$2.15MX$36.87
$1.40MUR 66.6
53.57%
Tomato(1kg)
$2.26MX$38.79
$2.89MUR 137
-21.80%
Potato(1kg)
$1.98MX$34.00
$0.96MUR 45.78
106.25%
Onion(1kg)
$1.99MX$34.15
$1.01MUR 47.98
97.03%
Lettuce(1 head)
$1.23MX$21.18
$0.71MUR 33.54
73.24%
Water(1.5 liter bottle)
$1.20MX$20.54
$0.91MUR 43.02
31.87%
Cigarettes 20 Pack(Marlboro, Camel)
$4.55MX$78.1
$6.63MUR 315
-31.37%
Wine(Bottle)
$10.37MX$178
$8.37MUR 398
23.89%
Local Beer(0.5 liter bottle)
$1.62MX$27.79
$1.63MUR 77.4
-0.61%
Imported Beer(0.33 liter bottle)
$2.88MX$49.44
$2.38MUR 113
21.01%
🚌 Getting Around
Playa del Carmen
Rose Belle
Difference
One-way Ticket(Public Transport)
$0.60MX$10.30
$0.95MUR 45.17
-36.84%
Public Transport Monthly Pass(Regular Price)
$28.80MX$494
-
-
Taxi Start(Normal Tariff)
$5.39MX$92.5
$4.35MUR 207
23.91%
Taxi(Normal Tariff)(1km)
$3.73MX$64.0
$3.20MUR 152
16.56%
Taxi 1hour Waiting(Normal Tariff)
$5.77MX$99.0
$21.44MUR 1,018
-73.09%
Gasoline(1 liter)
$1.54MX$26.37
$1.33MUR 63.1
15.79%
Midsize Hatchback 1.4l(Volkswagen Golf, Toyota Prius, Honda Civic, etc)
$22.5KMX$387.0K
$36.2KMUR 1.7M
-37.63%
Compact Sedan 1.6l(Toyota Corolla, Mazda3, Kia K4, Hyundai Elantra, etc)
$26.1KMX$447.3K
$31.5KMUR 1.5M
-17.17%
🧾 Monthly Utilities & Internet
Playa del Carmen
Rose Belle
Difference
Utilities for 2 People in 2-bedroom Apartment(Heating, Electricity, Gas, Water, Garbage)(85m2)
$91.4MX$1,569
$45.09MUR 2,142
102.66%
SIM Card Monthly Plan(Calls and 10GB+ Data)
$25.20MX$433
$10.40MUR 494
142.31%
Internet(50+ Mbps, Unlimited Data)
$31.24MX$536
$28.66MUR 1,361
9.00%
🎉 Sport & Entertainment
Playa del Carmen
Rose Belle
Difference
Gym Membership(Monthly)
$67.2MX$1,154
-
-
Tennis Court(1 Hour on Weekend)
$29.11MX$500
-
-
Cinema Ticket
$4.86MX$83.5
$6.24MUR 296
-22.12%
🧸 Childcare & Education
Playa del Carmen
Rose Belle
Difference
Preschool or Kindergarten, Full Day, Private, 1 Child(Monthly)
$224MX$3,839
$129MUR 6,149
72.74%
International Primary School, 1 Child(Yearly)
$4,229MX$72.6K
$7,550MUR 358.6K
-43.99%
👕👟 Clothing & Footwear
Playa del Carmen
Rose Belle
Difference
Jeans(Levis 501 Or Similar)
$47.10MX$808
$78.3MUR 3,718
-39.82%
Summer Dress(H&M, Zara, etc)
$44.29MX$760
$73.2MUR 3,475
-39.46%
Sport Shoes(Adidas, Nike)
$80.1MX$1,375
$122MUR 5,816
-34.58%
Men's Leather Business Shoes
$92.7MX$1,591
$79.1MUR 3,758
17.13%
🏠 Accommodation & Living
Playa del Carmen
Rose Belle
Difference
1-bedroom Apartment, City Center(Monthly)
$1,063MX$18.2K
-
-
1-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center(Monthly)
$390MX$6,698
-
-
3-bedroom Apartment, City Center(Monthly)
$2,149MX$36.9K
-
-
3-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center(Monthly)
$1,272MX$21.8K
-
-
Buy Apartment in City Center(m2)
$4,001MX$68.7K
-
-
Buy Apartment Outside City Center(m2)
$6,502MX$111.6K
-
-
💵 Salaries & Financials
Playa del Carmen
Rose Belle
Difference
Average Monthly Net Salary(After Tax)
$758MX$13.0K
-
-
20-Year Fixed Mortgage Interest Rate(Annual %)
11.45
6.67
71.66%
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 Rose Belle: September 14, 2026
Cost Breakdown
🛒A mid-range dinner for two costs $47.00 in Playa del Carmen versus $25.00 in Rose Belle. Monthly groceries follow the same trend: $276 vs $219 – making Rose Belle 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 Rose Belle: Cost of Living - Frequently Asked Questions
Is Rose Belle cheaper than Playa del Carmen?
Yes – Playa del Carmen is pricier by about 107%, and the gap shows up most in Eating Out. It's not just housing either; the difference applies across most spending categories.
What income do you need for each city?
For a comfortable life, plan on about $1,899 per month in Playa del Carmen and $919 in Rose Belle. That covers rent, food, utilities, transport, and enough left over to feel settled – not just surviving.
What are total monthly expenses in Playa del Carmen and in Rose Belle?
Monthly expenses with rent come to $1,266 in Playa del Carmen and $612 in Rose Belle. The difference isn't just one category – it shows up across housing, food, transport, and services.
Which city has cheaper kindergarten?
Kindergarten costs $224 per month in Playa del Carmen and $129 in Rose Belle. For families with young kids, this one expense can tip the scales when choosing between the two cities.
Is $1,500 a realistic budget for living in Playa del Carmen or in Rose Belle?
A $1,500 monthly budget goes further in Rose Belle, where all-in costs run around $612, than in Playa del Carmen at $1,266. In Rose Belle it covers expenses comfortably, while in Playa del Carmen it requires careful planning or may not stretch far enough.
Is Playa del Carmen or Rose Belle more family-friendly?
Families tend to lean toward Rose Belle – lower housing and cheaper childcare make a real difference, especially on a single income or when paying for private education.
Which city is safer, Playa del Carmen or Rose Belle?
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.
Which city is the better choice to relocate to?
If budget matters most, go with Rose Belle. 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.
Playa del Carmen vs other spots: cost of living compared