😐A single person spends $1,271 per month in Playa del Carmen vs $1,060 in Rose Belle, rent included.
😐A couple spends around $2,126 per month in Playa del Carmen vs $1,657 in Rose Belle, rent included.
😐A family of three spends $2,980 per month in Playa del Carmen vs $2,254 in Rose Belle, rent included.
😐Playa del Carmen costs about 20% 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
$11.87MX$204
$6.45MUR 304
84.03%
Three-Course Dinner for Two, Mid-Range
$42.90MX$736
$23.27MUR 1,096
84.36%
Fast Food Meal(McDonalds, etc)
$10.65MX$183
$7.20MUR 339
47.92%
Cappuccino
$3.45MX$59.2
$1.41MUR 66.4
144.68%
Coke/Pepsi/Fanta/Sprite(0.33 liter bottle)
$1.50MX$25.81
$1.03MUR 48.68
45.63%
Water(0.33 liter bottle)
$0.95MX$16.28
$0.44MUR 20.78
115.91%
Local Beer(0.5 liter draught)
$3.03MX$51.9
$2.17MUR 102
39.63%
Imported Beer(0.33 liter bottle)
$4.61MX$79.1
$3.27MUR 154
40.98%
🛒 Groceries & Markets
Playa del Carmen
Rose Belle
Difference
Milk(1 liter)
$1.38MX$23.61
$1.62MUR 76.4
-14.81%
White Bread(500g)
$1.85MX$31.70
$0.65MUR 30.46
184.62%
Rice(white)(1kg)
$1.61MX$27.65
$1.28MUR 60.4
25.78%
Eggs
$2.59MX$44.51
$2.32MUR 109
11.64%
Local Cheese(1kg)
$8.26MX$142
$11.78MUR 555
-29.88%
Chicken Fillets(1kg)
$8.37MX$144
$6.12MUR 288
36.76%
Beef Round Steak(1kg)
$10.66MX$183
$12.60MUR 593
-15.40%
Apples(1kg)
$2.63MX$45.12
$1.97MUR 92.8
33.50%
Banana(1kg)
$1.49MX$25.53
$1.95MUR 91.8
-23.59%
Oranges(1kg)
$1.92MX$32.94
$1.45MUR 68.1
32.41%
Tomato(1kg)
$2.09MX$35.81
$2.66MUR 125
-21.43%
Potato(1kg)
$1.86MX$31.88
$0.99MUR 46.71
87.88%
Onion(1kg)
$2.26MX$38.81
$1.01MUR 47.39
123.76%
Lettuce(1 head)
$1.06MX$18.23
$0.80MUR 37.80
32.50%
Water(1.5 liter bottle)
$1.09MX$18.67
$0.76MUR 35.70
43.42%
Cigarettes 20 Pack(Marlboro, Camel)
$4.15MX$71.2
$6.53MUR 308
-36.45%
Wine(Bottle)
$10.39MX$178
$8.18MUR 385
27.02%
Local Beer(0.5 liter bottle)
$1.72MX$29.59
$1.81MUR 85.3
-4.97%
Imported Beer(0.33 liter bottle)
$2.61MX$44.85
$2.15MUR 101
21.40%
🚌 Getting Around
Playa del Carmen
Rose Belle
Difference
One-way Ticket(Public Transport)
$0.54MX$9.30
$1.04MUR 49.15
-48.08%
Public Transport Monthly Pass(Regular Price)
$26.94MX$462
-
-
Taxi Start(Normal Tariff)
$3.13MX$53.7
$4.39MUR 207
-28.70%
Taxi(Normal Tariff)(1km)
$2.51MX$43.09
$2.70MUR 127
-7.04%
Taxi 1hour Waiting(Normal Tariff)
$3.15MX$54.1
$20.15MUR 949
-84.37%
Gasoline(1 liter)
$1.27MX$21.88
$1.45MUR 68.1
-12.41%
Midsize Hatchback 1.4l(Volkswagen Golf, Toyota Prius, Honda Civic, etc)
$30.4KMX$521.3K
$36.0KMUR 1.7M
-15.65%
Compact Sedan 1.6l(Toyota Corolla, Mazda3, Kia K4, Hyundai Elantra, etc)
$23.6KMX$404.5K
$28.3KMUR 1.3M
-16.78%
🧾 Monthly Utilities & Internet
Playa del Carmen
Rose Belle
Difference
Utilities for 2 People in 2-bedroom Apartment(Heating, Electricity, Gas, Water, Garbage)(85m2)
$83.0MX$1,425
$50.3MUR 2,368
65.08%
SIM Card Monthly Plan(Calls and 10GB+ Data)
$22.71MX$390
$18.24MUR 859
24.51%
Internet(50+ Mbps, Unlimited Data)
$29.46MX$506
$33.08MUR 1,558
-10.94%
🎉 Sport & Entertainment
Playa del Carmen
Rose Belle
Difference
Gym Membership(Monthly)
$51.0MX$875
$38.13MUR 1,796
33.75%
Tennis Court(1 Hour on Weekend)
$18.33MX$315
-
-
Cinema Ticket
$4.93MX$84.5
$6.13MUR 289
-19.58%
🧸 Childcare & Education
Playa del Carmen
Rose Belle
Difference
Preschool or Kindergarten, Full Day, Private, 1 Child(Monthly)
$197MX$3,386
$155MUR 7,283
27.57%
International Primary School, 1 Child(Yearly)
$5,280MX$90.6K
$3,904MUR 183.8K
35.25%
👕👟 Clothing & Footwear
Playa del Carmen
Rose Belle
Difference
Jeans(Levis 501 Or Similar)
$36.90MX$633
$86.5MUR 4,074
-57.35%
Summer Dress(H&M, Zara, etc)
$39.89MX$685
$80.8MUR 3,806
-50.64%
Sport Shoes(Adidas, Nike)
$80.0MX$1,373
$130MUR 6,116
-38.40%
Men's Leather Business Shoes
$89.5MX$1,536
$94.8MUR 4,465
-5.63%
🏠 Accommodation & Living
Playa del Carmen
Rose Belle
Difference
1-bedroom Apartment, City Center(Monthly)
$956MX$16.4K
$517MUR 24.3K
85.10%
1-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center(Monthly)
$477MX$8,189
$351MUR 16.5K
35.93%
3-bedroom Apartment, City Center(Monthly)
$1,646MX$28.3K
$960MUR 45.2K
71.44%
3-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center(Monthly)
$1,225MX$21.0K
$718MUR 33.8K
70.47%
Buy Apartment in City Center(m2)
$3,918MX$67.2K
-
-
Buy Apartment Outside City Center(m2)
$6,459MX$110.9K
-
-
💵 Salaries & Financials
Playa del Carmen
Rose Belle
Difference
Average Monthly Net Salary(After Tax)
$667MX$11.4K
-
-
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: June 7, 2026
Last update for Rose Belle: June 8, 2026
Cost Breakdown
🏠A central one-bedroom costs $956 in Playa del Carmen versus $517 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: $250 vs $228 – 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 20%, 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 $1,906 per month in Playa del Carmen and $1,590 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 $1,271 in Playa del Carmen and $1,060 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 $197 per month in Playa del Carmen and $155 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 $1,060, than in Playa del Carmen at $1,271. 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