Cost of Living Comparison Between Playa del Carmen and Roseau Cost of Living Comparison Between Playa del Carmen and Roseau

Monthly Cost of Living

A single person spends $1,297 per month in Playa del Carmen vs $1,199 in Roseau, rent included.

A couple spends around $2,181 per month in Playa del Carmen vs $2,043 in Roseau, rent included.

A family of three spends $3,065 per month in Playa del Carmen vs $2,887 in Roseau, rent included.

Playa del Carmen costs about 8% more than Roseau, driven mainly by Groceries & Markets.

Both Playa del Carmen and Roseau are more affordable than the global median – Playa del Carmen 3% lower, Roseau 11% lower.

Meal at Budget Restaurant

$11.73 MX$203

$7.35 EC$19.84

59.59%

Three-Course Dinner for Two, Mid-Range

$41.62 MX$720

$54.7 EC$148

-23.91%

Fast Food Meal (McDonalds, etc)

$10.64 MX$184

$6.64 EC$17.94

60.24%

Cappuccino

$3.52 MX$60.9

$4.06 EC$10.96

-13.30%

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

$1.51 MX$26.12

$2.46 EC$6.64

-38.62%

Water (0.33 liter bottle)

$0.97 MX$16.84

$2.24 EC$6.05

-56.70%

Local Beer (0.5 liter draught)

$2.95 MX$51.0

$1.81 EC$4.89

62.98%

Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$4.45 MX$77.0

$2.57 EC$6.95

73.15%

Milk (1 liter)

$1.38 MX$23.93

$3.02 EC$8.17

-54.30%

White Bread (500g)

$1.89 MX$32.72

$1.73 EC$4.67

9.25%

Rice (white) (1kg)

$1.64 MX$28.32

$0.89 EC$2.40

84.27%

Eggs

$2.51 MX$43.34

$5.42 EC$14.64

-53.69%

Local Cheese (1kg)

$8.34 MX$144

$2.24 EC$6.04

272.32%

Chicken Fillets (1kg)

$8.34 MX$144

$10.27 EC$27.73

-18.79%

Beef Round Steak (1kg)

$10.73 MX$186

$12.20 EC$32.94

-12.05%

Apples (1kg)

$2.60 MX$45.04

$6.35 EC$17.13

-59.06%

Banana (1kg)

$1.46 MX$25.20

$2.20 EC$5.95

-33.64%

Oranges (1kg)

$1.90 MX$32.87

$4.81 EC$12.98

-60.50%

Tomato (1kg)

$2.08 MX$35.91

$5.26 EC$14.21

-60.46%

Potato (1kg)

$1.78 MX$30.71

$3.28 EC$8.85

-45.73%

Onion (1kg)

$2.19 MX$37.80

$3.10 EC$8.38

-29.35%

Lettuce (1 head)

$1.04 MX$17.99

$2.14 EC$5.79

-51.40%

Water (1.5 liter bottle)

$1.08 MX$18.62

$2.82 EC$7.61

-61.70%

Cigarettes 20 Pack (Marlboro, Camel)

$4.08 MX$70.6

Wine (Bottle)

$10.32 MX$178

$11.21 EC$30.26

-7.94%

Local Beer (0.5 liter bottle)

$1.71 MX$29.61

$2.78 EC$7.50

-38.49%

Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$2.58 MX$44.54

$2.95 EC$7.96

-12.54%

One-way Ticket (Public Transport)

$0.51 MX$8.81

Public Transport Monthly Pass (Regular Price)

$26.46 MX$458

$32.06 EC$86.6

-17.47%

Taxi Start (Normal Tariff)

$3.26 MX$56.4

$3.64 EC$9.83

-10.44%

Taxi (Normal Tariff) (1km)

$2.49 MX$43.09

$3.74 EC$10.10

-33.42%

Taxi 1hour Waiting (Normal Tariff)

$3.25 MX$56.2

$10.43 EC$28.16

-68.84%

Gasoline (1 liter)

$1.31 MX$22.61

$1.35 EC$3.64

-2.96%

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

$30.3K MX$523.7K

$33.5K EC$90.6K

-9.73%

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

$23.4K MX$405.3K

$29.8K EC$80.4K

-21.34%

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

$82.9 MX$1,433

$140 EC$377

-40.63%

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

$22.22 MX$384

$41.84 EC$113

-46.89%

Internet (50+ Mbps, Unlimited Data)

$29.34 MX$507

$56.9 EC$154

-48.40%

Gym Membership (Monthly)

$51.6 MX$893

$46.52 EC$126

10.98%

Tennis Court (1 Hour on Weekend)

$18.32 MX$317

$23.13 EC$62.5

-20.80%

Cinema Ticket

$5.07 MX$87.6

$8.41 EC$22.71

-39.71%

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

$201 MX$3,473

$109 EC$294

84.45%

International Primary School, 1 Child (Yearly)

$5,212 MX$90.1K

$3,278 EC$8,850

58.99%

Jeans (Levis 501 Or Similar)

$36.92 MX$639

$78.7 EC$212

-53.08%

Summer Dress (H&M, Zara, etc)

$39.79 MX$688

$46.74 EC$126

-14.87%

Sport Shoes (Adidas, Nike)

$78.5 MX$1,357

$97.4 EC$263

-19.44%

Men's Leather Business Shoes

$87.1 MX$1,506

$90.8 EC$245

-4.04%

1-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)

$973 MX$16.8K

$281 EC$759

245.81%

1-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)

$468 MX$8,090

$200 EC$539

134.16%

3-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)

$1,641 MX$28.4K

$901 EC$2,432

82.19%

3-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)

$1,221 MX$21.1K

$622 EC$1,679

96.29%

Buy Apartment in City Center (m2)

$3,946 MX$68.3K

$123 EC$331

3115.49%

Buy Apartment Outside City Center (m2)

$6,498 MX$112.4K

$57.3 EC$155

11246.05%

Average Monthly Net Salary (After Tax)

$664 MX$11.5K

$485 EC$1,311

36.78%

20-Year Fixed Mortgage Interest Rate (Annual %)

11.42

7.6

50.26%

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

Last update for Playa del Carmen: June 2, 2026

Last update for Roseau: June 1, 2026

Cost Breakdown

A central one-bedroom costs $973 in Playa del Carmen versus $281 in Roseau. 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 37% 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 $42.00 in Playa del Carmen versus $55.0 in Roseau. Monthly groceries follow the same trend: $249 vs $359 – making Playa del Carmen 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 Roseau: Cost of Living - Frequently Asked Questions

Yes – Playa del Carmen is pricier by about 8%, and the gap shows up most in Groceries & Markets. It's not just housing either; the difference applies across most spending categories.

For a comfortable life, plan on about $1,945 per month in Playa del Carmen and $1,799 in Roseau. That covers rent, food, utilities, transport, and enough left over to feel settled – not just surviving.

Rent is clearly cheaper in Roseau, 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 $1,297 in Playa del Carmen and $1,199 in Roseau. The difference isn't just one category – it shows up across housing, food, transport, and services.

Public transport costs about 21% less in Roseau. For daily commuters, that gap adds up to noticeable savings over a year.

A $1,000 monthly budget goes further in Roseau, where all-in costs run around $1,199, than in Playa del Carmen at $1,297. In Roseau it covers expenses comfortably, while in Playa del Carmen it requires careful planning or may not stretch far enough.

Families tend to lean toward Roseau – 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 Roseau. 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.