😐A single person spends $1,287 per month in Playa del Carmen vs $1,067 in Rose Belle, rent included.
😐A couple spends around $2,184 per month in Playa del Carmen vs $1,667 in Rose Belle, rent included.
😐A family of three spends $3,082 per month in Playa del Carmen vs $2,268 in Rose Belle, rent included.
😐Playa del Carmen costs about 21% 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 Carmen4% lower, Rose Belle20% lower.
Currency
🍽 Eating Out
Playa del Carmen
Rose Belle
Difference
Meal at Budget Restaurant
$11.94MX$209
$6.61MUR 309
80.64%
Three-Course Dinner for Two, Mid-Range
$42.75MX$748
$23.22MUR 1,086
84.11%
Fast Food Meal(McDonalds, etc)
$10.59MX$185
$6.98MUR 326
51.72%
Cappuccino
$3.62MX$63.4
$1.42MUR 66.4
154.93%
Coke/Pepsi/Fanta/Sprite(0.33 liter bottle)
$1.47MX$25.69
$0.98MUR 45.82
50.00%
Water(0.33 liter bottle)
$0.94MX$16.51
$0.41MUR 19.20
129.27%
Local Beer(0.5 liter draught)
$3.09MX$54.1
$2.23MUR 104
38.57%
Imported Beer(0.33 liter bottle)
$4.46MX$78.0
$3.33MUR 156
33.93%
🛒 Groceries & Markets
Playa del Carmen
Rose Belle
Difference
Milk(1 liter)
$1.43MX$24.94
$1.65MUR 77.2
-13.33%
White Bread(500g)
$1.88MX$32.97
$0.70MUR 32.91
168.57%
Rice(white)(1kg)
$1.63MX$28.50
$1.34MUR 62.6
21.64%
Eggs
$2.64MX$46.26
$2.35MUR 110
12.34%
Local Cheese(1kg)
$8.21MX$144
$11.66MUR 546
-29.59%
Chicken Fillets(1kg)
$8.29MX$145
$6.22MUR 291
33.28%
Beef Round Steak(1kg)
$11.10MX$194
$12.57MUR 588
-11.69%
Apples(1kg)
$2.65MX$46.40
$2.01MUR 93.9
31.84%
Banana(1kg)
$1.50MX$26.26
$2.04MUR 95.3
-26.47%
Oranges(1kg)
$1.99MX$34.79
$1.45MUR 67.6
37.24%
Tomato(1kg)
$2.08MX$36.33
$2.65MUR 124
-21.51%
Potato(1kg)
$1.79MX$31.29
$1.03MUR 48.32
73.79%
Onion(1kg)
$2.18MX$38.09
$0.92MUR 43.12
136.96%
Lettuce(1 head)
$1.08MX$18.84
$0.79MUR 37.07
36.71%
Water(1.5 liter bottle)
$1.04MX$18.15
$0.81MUR 38.00
28.40%
Cigarettes 20 Pack(Marlboro, Camel)
$3.97MX$69.5
$6.72MUR 315
-40.92%
Wine(Bottle)
$10.20MX$179
$8.37MUR 392
21.86%
Local Beer(0.5 liter bottle)
$1.73MX$30.22
$1.72MUR 80.4
0.58%
Imported Beer(0.33 liter bottle)
$2.50MX$43.71
$2.18MUR 102
14.68%
🚌 Getting Around
Playa del Carmen
Rose Belle
Difference
One-way Ticket(Public Transport)
$0.52MX$9.07
$1.01MUR 47.10
-48.51%
Public Transport Monthly Pass(Regular Price)
$26.97MX$472
-
-
Taxi Start(Normal Tariff)
$3.14MX$55.0
$4.50MUR 211
-30.22%
Taxi(Normal Tariff)(1km)
$2.40MX$42.04
$2.69MUR 126
-10.78%
Taxi 1hour Waiting(Normal Tariff)
$3.09MX$54.0
$19.63MUR 919
-84.26%
Gasoline(1 liter)
$1.27MX$22.28
$1.45MUR 68.0
-12.41%
Midsize Hatchback 1.4l(Volkswagen Golf, Toyota Prius, Honda Civic, etc)
$30.9KMX$540.4K
$35.5KMUR 1.7M
-12.99%
Compact Sedan 1.6l(Toyota Corolla, Mazda3, Kia K4, Hyundai Elantra, etc)
$23.3KMX$408.0K
$28.5KMUR 1.3M
-18.22%
🧾 Monthly Utilities & Internet
Playa del Carmen
Rose Belle
Difference
Utilities for 2 People in 2-bedroom Apartment(Heating, Electricity, Gas, Water, Garbage)(85m2)
$82.0MX$1,435
$49.32MUR 2,308
66.28%
SIM Card Monthly Plan(Calls and 10GB+ Data)
$22.45MX$393
$18.12MUR 848
23.90%
Internet(50+ Mbps, Unlimited Data)
$29.66MX$519
$33.44MUR 1,564
-11.30%
🎉 Sport & Entertainment
Playa del Carmen
Rose Belle
Difference
Gym Membership(Monthly)
$51.9MX$908
$38.32MUR 1,793
35.36%
Tennis Court(1 Hour on Weekend)
$18.67MX$327
-
-
Cinema Ticket
$4.97MX$87.0
$6.12MUR 286
-18.79%
🧸 Childcare & Education
Playa del Carmen
Rose Belle
Difference
Preschool or Kindergarten, Full Day, Private, 1 Child(Monthly)
$198MX$3,462
$152MUR 7,131
29.79%
International Primary School, 1 Child(Yearly)
$5,273MX$92.3K
$4,029MUR 188.5K
30.86%
👕👟 Clothing & Footwear
Playa del Carmen
Rose Belle
Difference
Jeans(Levis 501 Or Similar)
$36.34MX$636
$86.9MUR 4,064
-58.16%
Summer Dress(H&M, Zara, etc)
$40.05MX$701
$78.9MUR 3,691
-49.23%
Sport Shoes(Adidas, Nike)
$79.9MX$1,398
$133MUR 6,204
-39.75%
Men's Leather Business Shoes
$88.9MX$1,555
$95.5MUR 4,467
-6.89%
🏠 Accommodation & Living
Playa del Carmen
Rose Belle
Difference
1-bedroom Apartment, City Center(Monthly)
$963MX$16.9K
$513MUR 24.0K
87.83%
1-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center(Monthly)
$465MX$8,133
$357MUR 16.7K
30.31%
3-bedroom Apartment, City Center(Monthly)
$1,596MX$27.9K
$967MUR 45.3K
65.00%
3-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center(Monthly)
$1,209MX$21.2K
$714MUR 33.4K
69.21%
Buy Apartment in City Center(m2)
$3,942MX$69.0K
-
-
Buy Apartment Outside City Center(m2)
$6,448MX$112.8K
-
-
💵 Salaries & Financials
Playa del Carmen
Rose Belle
Difference
Average Monthly Net Salary(After Tax)
$720MX$12.6K
-
-
20-Year Fixed Mortgage Interest Rate(Annual %)
11.42
6.67
71.21%
CityCost data is based on AI and user input – minor inaccuracies may occur.
Last update for Playa del Carmen: April 25, 2026
Last update for Rose Belle: April 26, 2026
Cost Breakdown
🏠A central one-bedroom costs $963 in Playa del Carmen versus $513 in Rose Belle. Rent is usually the largest line item in a monthly budget, so the gap here sets the tone for the overall comparison.
🛒A mid-range dinner for two costs $43.00 in Playa del Carmen versus $23.00 in Rose Belle. Monthly groceries follow the same trend: $251 vs $231 – 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 21%, 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 $1,930 per month in Playa del Carmen and $1,601 in Rose Belle. That covers rent, food, utilities, transport, and enough left over to feel settled – not just surviving.
Which city has lower housing costs?
Rent is clearly cheaper in Rose Belle, especially for central apartments. Housing is actually the single biggest factor behind the overall cost gap between these two cities.
What are total monthly expenses in Playa del Carmen vs Rose Belle?
Monthly expenses with rent come to $1,287 in Playa del Carmen and $1,067 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 $198 per month in Playa del Carmen and $152 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 Playa del Carmen or Rose Belle?
A $1,500 monthly budget goes further in Rose Belle, where all-in costs run around $1,067, than in Playa del Carmen at $1,287. 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