😐A single person spends $1,260 per month in Playa del Carmen vs $1,058 in Rose Belle, rent included.
😐A couple spends around $2,125 per month in Playa del Carmen vs $1,659 in Rose Belle, rent included.
😐A family of three spends $2,990 per month in Playa del Carmen vs $2,261 in Rose Belle, rent included.
😐Playa del Carmen costs about 19% 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 Carmen5% lower, Rose Belle21% lower.
Currency
🍽 Eating Out
Playa del Carmen
Rose Belle
Difference
Meal at Budget Restaurant
$11.72MX$203
$6.69MUR 313
75.19%
Three-Course Dinner for Two, Mid-Range
$41.89MX$725
$22.93MUR 1,074
82.69%
Fast Food Meal(McDonalds, etc)
$10.51MX$182
$6.95MUR 326
51.22%
Cappuccino
$3.59MX$62.0
$1.45MUR 67.8
147.59%
Coke/Pepsi/Fanta/Sprite(0.33 liter bottle)
$1.51MX$26.10
$0.95MUR 44.30
58.95%
Water(0.33 liter bottle)
$0.92MX$15.83
$0.45MUR 21.00
104.44%
Local Beer(0.5 liter draught)
$2.96MX$51.2
$2.24MUR 105
32.14%
Imported Beer(0.33 liter bottle)
$4.41MX$76.3
$3.38MUR 158
30.47%
🛒 Groceries & Markets
Playa del Carmen
Rose Belle
Difference
Milk(1 liter)
$1.40MX$24.16
$1.69MUR 79.2
-17.16%
White Bread(500g)
$1.88MX$32.60
$0.66MUR 30.85
184.85%
Rice(white)(1kg)
$1.56MX$26.97
$1.32MUR 61.8
18.18%
Eggs
$2.61MX$45.14
$2.34MUR 110
11.54%
Local Cheese(1kg)
$8.32MX$144
$11.90MUR 557
-30.08%
Chicken Fillets(1kg)
$8.35MX$145
$6.17MUR 289
35.33%
Beef Round Steak(1kg)
$10.86MX$188
$12.73MUR 596
-14.69%
Apples(1kg)
$2.71MX$46.93
$2.04MUR 95.4
32.84%
Banana(1kg)
$1.51MX$26.04
$2.02MUR 94.8
-25.25%
Oranges(1kg)
$1.87MX$32.41
$1.43MUR 66.8
30.77%
Tomato(1kg)
$2.19MX$37.89
$2.72MUR 128
-19.49%
Potato(1kg)
$1.86MX$32.14
$0.99MUR 46.43
87.88%
Onion(1kg)
$2.23MX$38.59
$1.01MUR 47.29
120.79%
Lettuce(1 head)
$1.07MX$18.48
$0.78MUR 36.53
37.18%
Water(1.5 liter bottle)
$1.09MX$18.79
$0.81MUR 38.01
34.57%
Cigarettes 20 Pack(Marlboro, Camel)
$4.19MX$72.4
$6.78MUR 318
-38.20%
Wine(Bottle)
$10.43MX$180
$8.67MUR 406
20.30%
Local Beer(0.5 liter bottle)
$1.66MX$28.68
$1.81MUR 84.8
-8.29%
Imported Beer(0.33 liter bottle)
$2.61MX$45.19
$2.18MUR 102
19.72%
🚌 Getting Around
Playa del Carmen
Rose Belle
Difference
One-way Ticket(Public Transport)
$0.54MX$9.37
$1.05MUR 49.05
-48.57%
Public Transport Monthly Pass(Regular Price)
$26.16MX$453
-
-
Taxi Start(Normal Tariff)
$3.08MX$53.3
$4.28MUR 200
-28.04%
Taxi(Normal Tariff)(1km)
$2.40MX$41.61
$2.65MUR 124
-9.43%
Taxi 1hour Waiting(Normal Tariff)
$3.13MX$54.1
$19.58MUR 917
-84.01%
Gasoline(1 liter)
$1.31MX$22.69
$1.46MUR 68.5
-10.27%
Midsize Hatchback 1.4l(Volkswagen Golf, Toyota Prius, Honda Civic, etc)
$29.8KMX$515.7K
$35.3KMUR 1.7M
-15.51%
Compact Sedan 1.6l(Toyota Corolla, Mazda3, Kia K4, Hyundai Elantra, etc)
$23.3KMX$403.5K
$28.9KMUR 1.4M
-19.29%
🧾 Monthly Utilities & Internet
Playa del Carmen
Rose Belle
Difference
Utilities for 2 People in 2-bedroom Apartment(Heating, Electricity, Gas, Water, Garbage)(85m2)
$81.3MX$1,406
$49.01MUR 2,296
65.84%
SIM Card Monthly Plan(Calls and 10GB+ Data)
$22.56MX$390
$18.64MUR 873
21.03%
Internet(50+ Mbps, Unlimited Data)
$30.05MX$520
$34.08MUR 1,596
-11.83%
🎉 Sport & Entertainment
Playa del Carmen
Rose Belle
Difference
Gym Membership(Monthly)
$52.9MX$915
$38.80MUR 1,818
36.37%
Tennis Court(1 Hour on Weekend)
$18.39MX$318
-
-
Cinema Ticket
$4.92MX$85.1
$5.98MUR 280
-17.73%
🧸 Childcare & Education
Playa del Carmen
Rose Belle
Difference
Preschool or Kindergarten, Full Day, Private, 1 Child(Monthly)
$201MX$3,474
$152MUR 7,142
31.70%
International Primary School, 1 Child(Yearly)
$5,175MX$89.5K
$3,899MUR 182.6K
32.70%
👕👟 Clothing & Footwear
Playa del Carmen
Rose Belle
Difference
Jeans(Levis 501 Or Similar)
$35.92MX$622
$83.8MUR 3,924
-57.12%
Summer Dress(H&M, Zara, etc)
$40.13MX$694
$80.2MUR 3,754
-49.94%
Sport Shoes(Adidas, Nike)
$79.7MX$1,379
$133MUR 6,215
-39.93%
Men's Leather Business Shoes
$86.5MX$1,496
$95.2MUR 4,458
-9.16%
🏠 Accommodation & Living
Playa del Carmen
Rose Belle
Difference
1-bedroom Apartment, City Center(Monthly)
$978MX$16.9K
$510MUR 23.9K
91.77%
1-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center(Monthly)
$470MX$8,140
$353MUR 16.5K
33.40%
3-bedroom Apartment, City Center(Monthly)
$1,651MX$28.6K
$935MUR 43.8K
76.64%
3-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center(Monthly)
$1,203MX$20.8K
$711MUR 33.3K
69.18%
Buy Apartment in City Center(m2)
$3,953MX$68.4K
-
-
Buy Apartment Outside City Center(m2)
$6,607MX$114.3K
-
-
💵 Salaries & Financials
Playa del Carmen
Rose Belle
Difference
Average Monthly Net Salary(After Tax)
$677MX$11.7K
-
-
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: July 27, 2026
Last update for Rose Belle: July 27, 2026
Cost Breakdown
🏠A central one-bedroom costs $978 in Playa del Carmen versus $510 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 $42.00 in Playa del Carmen versus $23.00 in Rose Belle. Monthly groceries follow the same trend: $252 vs $233 – 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 19%, 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 $1,890 per month in Playa del Carmen and $1,587 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 and in Rose Belle?
Monthly expenses with rent come to $1,260 in Playa del Carmen and $1,058 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 $201 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 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 $1,058, than in Playa del Carmen at $1,260. 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