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

Monthly Cost of Living

A single person spends $1,271 per month in Playa del Carmen vs $615 in Roxas, rent included.

A couple spends around $2,126 per month in Playa del Carmen vs $968 in Roxas, rent included.

A family of three spends $2,980 per month in Playa del Carmen vs $1,322 in Roxas, rent included.

Playa del Carmen costs about 107% more than Roxas, driven mainly by Eating Out.

Both Playa del Carmen and Roxas are more affordable than the global median – Playa del Carmen 5% lower, Roxas 54% lower.

Meal at Budget Restaurant

$11.87 MX$204

$2.74 ₱166

333.21%

Three-Course Dinner for Two, Mid-Range

$42.90 MX$736

$21.55 ₱1,309

99.07%

Fast Food Meal (McDonalds, etc)

$10.65 MX$183

$3.52 ₱214

202.56%

Cappuccino

$3.45 MX$59.2

$1.97 ₱119

75.13%

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

$1.50 MX$25.81

$0.56 ₱34.23

167.86%

Water (0.33 liter bottle)

$0.95 MX$16.28

$0.21 ₱12.95

352.38%

Local Beer (0.5 liter draught)

$3.03 MX$51.9

$0.95 ₱57.9

218.95%

Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$4.61 MX$79.1

$1.80 ₱109

156.11%

Milk (1 liter)

$1.38 MX$23.61

$1.18 ₱71.5

16.95%

White Bread (500g)

$1.85 MX$31.70

$1.07 ₱64.8

72.90%

Rice (white) (1kg)

$1.61 MX$27.65

$0.80 ₱48.46

101.25%

Eggs

$2.59 MX$44.51

$2.24 ₱136

15.62%

Local Cheese (1kg)

$8.26 MX$142

$5.93 ₱360

39.29%

Chicken Fillets (1kg)

$8.37 MX$144

$1.92 ₱116

335.94%

Beef Round Steak (1kg)

$10.66 MX$183

$6.82 ₱414

56.30%

Apples (1kg)

$2.63 MX$45.12

$1.30 ₱78.8

102.31%

Banana (1kg)

$1.49 MX$25.53

$1.12 ₱68.2

33.04%

Oranges (1kg)

$1.92 MX$32.94

$1.41 ₱85.4

36.17%

Tomato (1kg)

$2.09 MX$35.81

$1.12 ₱68.0

86.61%

Potato (1kg)

$1.86 MX$31.88

$1.04 ₱63.2

78.85%

Onion (1kg)

$2.26 MX$38.81

$0.82 ₱50.0

175.61%

Lettuce (1 head)

$1.06 MX$18.23

$1.06 ₱64.5

Water (1.5 liter bottle)

$1.09 MX$18.67

$0.45 ₱27.50

142.22%

Cigarettes 20 Pack (Marlboro, Camel)

$4.15 MX$71.2

$2.99 ₱181

38.80%

Wine (Bottle)

$10.39 MX$178

$5.57 ₱338

86.54%

Local Beer (0.5 liter bottle)

$1.72 MX$29.59

$1.26 ₱76.4

36.51%

Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$2.61 MX$44.85

$1.43 ₱86.9

82.52%

One-way Ticket (Public Transport)

$0.54 MX$9.30

$0.28 ₱17.14

92.86%

Public Transport Monthly Pass (Regular Price)

$26.94 MX$462

Taxi Start (Normal Tariff)

$3.13 MX$53.7

$0.68 ₱41.17

360.29%

Taxi (Normal Tariff) (1km)

$2.51 MX$43.09

$0.24 ₱14.62

945.83%

Taxi 1hour Waiting (Normal Tariff)

$3.15 MX$54.1

$2.58 ₱157

22.09%

Gasoline (1 liter)

$1.27 MX$21.88

$1.14 ₱69.0

11.40%

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

$30.4K MX$521.3K

$23.6K ₱1.4M

28.74%

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

$23.6K MX$404.5K

$19.9K ₱1.2M

18.64%

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

$83.0 MX$1,425

$64.9 ₱3,941

27.89%

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

$22.71 MX$390

$9.09 ₱552

149.83%

Internet (50+ Mbps, Unlimited Data)

$29.46 MX$506

$28.50 ₱1,730

3.37%

Gym Membership (Monthly)

$51.0 MX$875

$33.61 ₱2,041

51.74%

Tennis Court (1 Hour on Weekend)

$18.33 MX$315

$4.35 ₱264

321.38%

Cinema Ticket

$4.93 MX$84.5

$5.47 ₱332

-9.87%

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

$197 MX$3,386

$34.93 ₱2,121

464.84%

International Primary School, 1 Child (Yearly)

$5,280 MX$90.6K

$4,368 ₱265.2K

20.88%

Jeans (Levis 501 Or Similar)

$36.90 MX$633

$45.86 ₱2,784

-19.54%

Summer Dress (H&M, Zara, etc)

$39.89 MX$685

$22.66 ₱1,376

76.04%

Sport Shoes (Adidas, Nike)

$80.0 MX$1,373

$62.5 ₱3,794

28.04%

Men's Leather Business Shoes

$89.5 MX$1,536

$26.72 ₱1,623

234.84%

1-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)

$956 MX$16.4K

$359 ₱21.8K

166.32%

1-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)

$477 MX$8,189

$175 ₱10.6K

173.34%

3-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)

$1,646 MX$28.3K

$576 ₱35.0K

185.55%

3-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)

$1,225 MX$21.0K

$392 ₱23.8K

212.36%

Buy Apartment in City Center (m2)

$3,918 MX$67.2K

Buy Apartment Outside City Center (m2)

$6,459 MX$110.9K

Average Monthly Net Salary (After Tax)

$667 MX$11.4K

$586 ₱35.6K

13.77%

20-Year Fixed Mortgage Interest Rate (Annual %)

11.42

42.75%

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 Roxas: June 8, 2026

Cost Breakdown

A central one-bedroom costs $956 in Playa del Carmen versus $359 in Roxas. 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 14% 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 $43.00 in Playa del Carmen versus $22.00 in Roxas. Monthly groceries follow the same trend: $250 vs $142 – making Roxas 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 Roxas: Cost of Living - Frequently Asked Questions

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.

For a comfortable life, plan on about $1,906 per month in Playa del Carmen and $923 in Roxas. That covers rent, food, utilities, transport, and enough left over to feel settled – not just surviving.

Rent is clearly cheaper in Roxas, 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 $1,271 in Playa del Carmen and $615 in Roxas. The difference isn't just one category – it shows up across housing, food, transport, and services.

Kindergarten costs $197 per month in Playa del Carmen and $34.93 in Roxas. For families with young kids, this one expense can tip the scales when choosing between the two cities.

A $2,000 monthly budget goes further in Roxas, where all-in costs run around $615, than in Playa del Carmen at $1,271. In Roxas it covers expenses comfortably, while in Playa del Carmen it requires careful planning or may not stretch far enough.

Families tend to lean toward Roxas – 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 Roxas. 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.