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 $1,287 per month in Playa del Carmen vs $621 in Roxas, rent included.

A couple spends around $2,184 per month in Playa del Carmen vs $977 in Roxas, rent included.

A family of three spends $3,082 per month in Playa del Carmen vs $1,333 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 4% lower, Roxas 54% lower.

Meal at Budget Restaurant

$11.94 MX$209

$2.73 ₱169

337.36%

Three-Course Dinner for Two, Mid-Range

$42.75 MX$748

$20.98 ₱1,294

103.77%

Fast Food Meal (McDonalds, etc)

$10.59 MX$185

$3.51 ₱216

201.71%

Cappuccino

$3.62 MX$63.4

$1.96 ₱121

84.69%

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

$1.47 MX$25.69

$0.57 ₱35.23

157.89%

Water (0.33 liter bottle)

$0.94 MX$16.51

$0.17 ₱10.65

452.94%

Local Beer (0.5 liter draught)

$3.09 MX$54.1

$0.94 ₱58.2

228.72%

Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$4.46 MX$78.0

$1.81 ₱112

146.41%

Milk (1 liter)

$1.43 MX$24.94

$1.18 ₱72.8

21.19%

White Bread (500g)

$1.88 MX$32.97

$1.11 ₱68.2

69.37%

Rice (white) (1kg)

$1.63 MX$28.50

$0.85 ₱52.5

91.76%

Eggs

$2.64 MX$46.26

$2.27 ₱140

16.30%

Local Cheese (1kg)

$8.21 MX$144

$6.00 ₱370

36.83%

Chicken Fillets (1kg)

$8.29 MX$145

$1.94 ₱120

327.32%

Beef Round Steak (1kg)

$11.10 MX$194

$6.87 ₱423

61.57%

Apples (1kg)

$2.65 MX$46.40

$1.30 ₱80.3

103.85%

Banana (1kg)

$1.50 MX$26.26

$1.18 ₱73.0

27.12%

Oranges (1kg)

$1.99 MX$34.79

$1.45 ₱89.4

37.24%

Tomato (1kg)

$2.08 MX$36.33

$1.17 ₱72.0

77.78%

Potato (1kg)

$1.79 MX$31.29

$1.05 ₱64.7

70.48%

Onion (1kg)

$2.18 MX$38.09

$0.81 ₱50.1

169.14%

Lettuce (1 head)

$1.08 MX$18.84

$1.11 ₱68.5

-2.70%

Water (1.5 liter bottle)

$1.04 MX$18.15

$0.42 ₱25.94

147.62%

Cigarettes 20 Pack (Marlboro, Camel)

$3.97 MX$69.5

$2.96 ₱182

34.12%

Wine (Bottle)

$10.20 MX$179

$8.31 ₱512

22.74%

Local Beer (0.5 liter bottle)

$1.73 MX$30.22

$1.25 ₱77.2

38.40%

Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$2.50 MX$43.71

$1.39 ₱85.9

79.86%

One-way Ticket (Public Transport)

$0.52 MX$9.07

$0.26 ₱16.00

100.00%

Public Transport Monthly Pass (Regular Price)

$26.97 MX$472

Taxi Start (Normal Tariff)

$3.14 MX$55.0

$0.68 ₱41.91

361.76%

Taxi (Normal Tariff) (1km)

$2.40 MX$42.04

$0.24 ₱14.82

900.00%

Taxi 1hour Waiting (Normal Tariff)

$3.09 MX$54.0

$2.65 ₱163

16.60%

Gasoline (1 liter)

$1.27 MX$22.28

$1.09 ₱67.1

16.51%

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

$30.9K MX$540.4K

$24.3K ₱1.5M

27.15%

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

$23.3K MX$408.0K

$19.4K ₱1.2M

19.96%

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

$82.0 MX$1,435

$66.6 ₱4,108

23.16%

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

$22.45 MX$393

$8.97 ₱553

150.28%

Internet (50+ Mbps, Unlimited Data)

$29.66 MX$519

$28.72 ₱1,772

3.27%

Gym Membership (Monthly)

$51.9 MX$908

$33.41 ₱2,061

55.25%

Tennis Court (1 Hour on Weekend)

$18.67 MX$327

$4.30 ₱265

334.19%

Cinema Ticket

$4.97 MX$87.0

$5.20 ₱321

-4.42%

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

$198 MX$3,462

$35.53 ₱2,191

456.74%

International Primary School, 1 Child (Yearly)

$5,273 MX$92.3K

$4,274 ₱263.6K

23.36%

Jeans (Levis 501 Or Similar)

$36.34 MX$636

$45.05 ₱2,779

-19.33%

Summer Dress (H&M, Zara, etc)

$40.05 MX$701

$23.27 ₱1,435

72.11%

Sport Shoes (Adidas, Nike)

$79.9 MX$1,398

$62.0 ₱3,826

28.80%

Men's Leather Business Shoes

$88.9 MX$1,555

$26.78 ₱1,652

231.89%

1-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)

$963 MX$16.9K

$360 ₱22.2K

167.80%

1-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)

$465 MX$8,133

$175 ₱10.8K

165.41%

3-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)

$1,596 MX$27.9K

$583 ₱36.0K

173.76%

3-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)

$1,209 MX$21.2K

$397 ₱24.5K

204.50%

Buy Apartment in City Center (m2)

$3,942 MX$69.0K

$2,089 ₱128.9K

88.67%

Buy Apartment Outside City Center (m2)

$6,448 MX$112.8K

Average Monthly Net Salary (After Tax)

$720 MX$12.6K

$598 ₱36.9K

20.46%

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: April 25, 2026

Last update for Roxas: April 26, 2026

Cost Breakdown

A central one-bedroom costs $963 in Playa del Carmen versus $360 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 20% 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 $21.00 in Roxas. Monthly groceries follow the same trend: $251 vs $149 – 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 $1,930 per month in Playa del Carmen and $932 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 $1,287 in Playa del Carmen and $621 in Roxas. The difference isn't just one category – it shows up across housing, food, transport, and services.

Kindergarten costs $198 per month in Playa del Carmen and $35.53 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 $621, than in Playa del Carmen at $1,287. 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.