๐A single person spends $1,271 per month in Playa del Carmen vs $1,376 in Roลพลava, rent included.
๐A couple spends around $2,126 per month in Playa del Carmen vs $1,949 in Roลพลava, rent included.
๐A family of three spends $2,980 per month in Playa del Carmen vs $2,521 in Roลพลava, rent included.
๐Playa del Carmen is about 8% cheaper than Roลพลava, driven mainly by Eating Out.
๐Playa del Carmen sits 5% below the global median, while Roลพลava is 2% above โ they fall on opposite sides of the world average.
Currency
๐ฝ Eating Out
Playa del Carmen
Roลพลava
Difference
Meal at Budget Restaurant
$11.87MX$204
$9.52โฌ8.20
24.68%
Three-Course Dinner for Two, Mid-Range
$42.90MX$736
$28.45โฌ24.51
50.79%
Fast Food Meal(McDonalds, etc)
$10.65MX$183
$9.12โฌ7.86
16.78%
Cappuccino
$3.45MX$59.2
$1.14โฌ0.98
202.63%
Coke/Pepsi/Fanta/Sprite(0.33 liter bottle)
$1.50MX$25.81
$1.98โฌ1.70
-24.24%
Water(0.33 liter bottle)
$0.95MX$16.28
$1.62โฌ1.40
-41.36%
Local Beer(0.5 liter draught)
$3.03MX$51.9
$2.30โฌ1.98
31.74%
Imported Beer(0.33 liter bottle)
$4.61MX$79.1
$2.10โฌ1.81
119.52%
๐ Groceries & Markets
Playa del Carmen
Roลพลava
Difference
Milk(1 liter)
$1.38MX$23.61
$1.09โฌ0.94
26.61%
White Bread(500g)
$1.85MX$31.70
$0.95โฌ0.82
94.74%
Rice(white)(1kg)
$1.61MX$27.65
$2.28โฌ1.97
-29.39%
Eggs
$2.59MX$44.51
$3.44โฌ2.96
-24.71%
Local Cheese(1kg)
$8.26MX$142
$9.20โฌ7.93
-10.22%
Chicken Fillets(1kg)
$8.37MX$144
$7.43โฌ6.40
12.65%
Beef Round Steak(1kg)
$10.66MX$183
$11.46โฌ9.87
-6.98%
Apples(1kg)
$2.63MX$45.12
$1.19โฌ1.03
121.01%
Banana(1kg)
$1.49MX$25.53
$1.46โฌ1.26
2.05%
Oranges(1kg)
$1.92MX$32.94
$2.30โฌ1.98
-16.52%
Tomato(1kg)
$2.09MX$35.81
$4.00โฌ3.45
-47.75%
Potato(1kg)
$1.86MX$31.88
$0.71โฌ0.62
161.97%
Onion(1kg)
$2.26MX$38.81
$0.72โฌ0.62
213.89%
Lettuce(1 head)
$1.06MX$18.23
$1.40โฌ1.21
-24.29%
Water(1.5 liter bottle)
$1.09MX$18.67
$0.71โฌ0.61
53.52%
Cigarettes 20 Pack(Marlboro, Camel)
$4.15MX$71.2
$5.73โฌ4.94
-27.57%
Wine(Bottle)
$10.39MX$178
$3.55โฌ3.06
192.68%
Local Beer(0.5 liter bottle)
$1.72MX$29.59
$0.67โฌ0.58
156.72%
Imported Beer(0.33 liter bottle)
$2.61MX$44.85
$1.40โฌ1.21
86.43%
๐ Getting Around
Playa del Carmen
Roลพลava
Difference
One-way Ticket(Public Transport)
$0.54MX$9.30
$1.18โฌ1.02
-54.24%
Public Transport Monthly Pass(Regular Price)
$26.94MX$462
$29.20โฌ25.16
-7.74%
Taxi Start(Normal Tariff)
$3.13MX$53.7
$2.36โฌ2.03
32.63%
Taxi(Normal Tariff)(1km)
$2.51MX$43.09
$0.85โฌ0.73
195.29%
Taxi 1hour Waiting(Normal Tariff)
$3.15MX$54.1
$14.14โฌ12.18
-77.72%
Gasoline(1 liter)
$1.27MX$21.88
$1.83โฌ1.57
-30.60%
Midsize Hatchback 1.4l(Volkswagen Golf, Toyota Prius, Honda Civic, etc)
$30.4KMX$521.3K
$24.9Kโฌ21.4K
22.17%
Compact Sedan 1.6l(Toyota Corolla, Mazda3, Kia K4, Hyundai Elantra, etc)
$23.6KMX$404.5K
$25.5Kโฌ21.9K
-7.47%
๐งพ Monthly Utilities & Internet
Playa del Carmen
Roลพลava
Difference
Utilities for 2 People in 2-bedroom Apartment(Heating, Electricity, Gas, Water, Garbage)(85m2)
$83.0MX$1,425
$229โฌ197
-63.73%
SIM Card Monthly Plan(Calls and 10GB+ Data)
$22.71MX$390
$28.45โฌ24.51
-20.18%
Internet(50+ Mbps, Unlimited Data)
$29.46MX$506
$22.81โฌ19.65
29.15%
๐ Sport & Entertainment
Playa del Carmen
Roลพลava
Difference
Gym Membership(Monthly)
$51.0MX$875
$42.75โฌ36.83
19.30%
Tennis Court(1 Hour on Weekend)
$18.33MX$315
$17.16โฌ14.79
6.82%
Cinema Ticket
$4.93MX$84.5
$8.58โฌ7.39
-42.54%
๐งธ Childcare & Education
Playa del Carmen
Roลพลava
Difference
Preschool or Kindergarten, Full Day, Private, 1 Child(Monthly)
$197MX$3,386
$458โฌ394
-56.89%
International Primary School, 1 Child(Yearly)
$5,280MX$90.6K
$7,320โฌ6,307
-27.87%
๐๐ Clothing & Footwear
Playa del Carmen
Roลพลava
Difference
Jeans(Levis 501 Or Similar)
$36.90MX$633
$61.1โฌ52.6
-39.56%
Summer Dress(H&M, Zara, etc)
$39.89MX$685
$31.53โฌ27.17
26.51%
Sport Shoes(Adidas, Nike)
$80.0MX$1,373
$82.3โฌ70.9
-2.72%
Men's Leather Business Shoes
$89.5MX$1,536
$103โฌ88.9
-13.31%
๐ Accommodation & Living
Playa del Carmen
Roลพลava
Difference
1-bedroom Apartment, City Center(Monthly)
$956MX$16.4K
$586โฌ505
63.20%
1-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center(Monthly)
$477MX$8,189
$487โฌ420
-2.10%
3-bedroom Apartment, City Center(Monthly)
$1,646MX$28.3K
$963โฌ830
70.88%
3-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center(Monthly)
$1,225MX$21.0K
$753โฌ649
62.56%
Buy Apartment in City Center(m2)
$3,918MX$67.2K
-
-
Buy Apartment Outside City Center(m2)
$6,459MX$110.9K
-
-
๐ต Salaries & Financials
Playa del Carmen
Roลพลava
Difference
Average Monthly Net Salary(After Tax)
$667MX$11.4K
-
-
20-Year Fixed Mortgage Interest Rate(Annual %)
11.42
4.16
174.52%
CityCost data is based on AI and user input โ minor inaccuracies may occur.
Last update for Playa del Carmen: June 7, 2026
Last update for Roลพลava: June 9, 2026
Cost Breakdown
๐ A central one-bedroom costs $956 in Playa del Carmen versus $586 in Roลพลava. Rent is usually the largest line item in a monthly budget, so the gap here sets the tone for the overall comparison.
๐A mid-range dinner for two costs $43.00 in Playa del Carmen versus $28.00 in Roลพลava. Monthly groceries follow the same trend: $250 vs $217 โ making Roลพลava 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 Roลพลava: Cost of Living - Frequently Asked Questions
Is Roลพลava cheaper than Playa del Carmen?
Yes โ Roลพลava is pricier by about 8%, 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 $2,064 in Roลพลava. That covers rent, food, utilities, transport, and enough left over to feel settled โ not just surviving.
Which city has lower housing costs?
Rent is clearly cheaper in Playa del Carmen, 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 Roลพลava?
Monthly expenses with rent come to $1,271 in Playa del Carmen and $1,376 in Roลพลava. The difference isn't just one category โ it shows up across housing, food, transport, and services.
Which city has cheaper public transport?
Public transport costs about 8% less in Playa del Carmen. For daily commuters, that gap adds up to noticeable savings over a year.
Is $1,500 a realistic budget for Playa del Carmen or Roลพลava?
A $1,500 monthly budget goes further in Playa del Carmen, where all-in costs run around $1,271, than in Roลพลava at $1,376. In Playa del Carmen it covers expenses comfortably, while in Roลพลava it requires careful planning or may not stretch far enough.
Is Playa del Carmen or Roลพลava more family-friendly?
Families tend to lean toward Playa del Carmen โ 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 Roลพลava?
Both have safer and rougher neighborhoods, but overall safety is comparable to other large cities. Neighborhood choice matters more than the city-level comparison โ central, well-trafficked areas feel secure in both.
Which city is the better choice to relocate to?
If budget matters most, go with Playa del Carmen. If higher salaries, better infrastructure, or specific career opportunities are the priority, Roลพลava makes more sense. Both are solid long-term options with distinct trade-offs.
Playa del Carmen vs other spots: cost of living compared