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

Monthly Cost of Living

A single person spends $1,297 per month in Playa del Carmen vs $1,434 in Rumia, rent included.

A couple spends around $2,181 per month in Playa del Carmen vs $2,109 in Rumia, rent included.

A family of three spends $3,065 per month in Playa del Carmen vs $2,784 in Rumia, rent included.

Playa del Carmen is about 10% cheaper than Rumia, driven mainly by Clothing & Footwear.

Playa del Carmen sits 3% below the global median, while Rumia is 7% above – they fall on opposite sides of the world average.

Meal at Budget Restaurant

$11.73 MX$203

$13.13 zł 47.88

-10.66%

Three-Course Dinner for Two, Mid-Range

$41.62 MX$719

$41.65 zł 152

-0.07%

Fast Food Meal (McDonalds, etc)

$10.64 MX$184

$6.72 zł 24.52

58.33%

Cappuccino

$3.52 MX$60.8

$3.52 zł 12.85

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

$1.51 MX$26.09

$1.92 zł 7.02

-21.35%

Water (0.33 liter bottle)

$0.97 MX$16.82

$1.68 zł 6.12

-42.26%

Local Beer (0.5 liter draught)

$2.95 MX$51.0

$3.18 zł 11.59

-7.23%

Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$4.45 MX$77.0

$3.60 zł 13.12

23.61%

Milk (1 liter)

$1.38 MX$23.90

$1.08 zł 3.93

27.78%

White Bread (500g)

$1.89 MX$32.69

$1.37 zł 4.98

37.96%

Rice (white) (1kg)

$1.64 MX$28.29

$1.38 zł 5.01

18.84%

Eggs

$2.51 MX$43.30

$3.96 zł 14.45

-36.62%

Local Cheese (1kg)

$8.34 MX$144

$9.28 zł 33.83

-10.13%

Chicken Fillets (1kg)

$8.34 MX$144

$6.68 zł 24.36

24.85%

Beef Round Steak (1kg)

$10.73 MX$185

$10.62 zł 38.73

1.04%

Apples (1kg)

$2.60 MX$45.00

$1.08 zł 3.94

140.74%

Banana (1kg)

$1.46 MX$25.18

$1.71 zł 6.23

-14.62%

Oranges (1kg)

$1.90 MX$32.84

$1.70 zł 6.21

11.76%

Tomato (1kg)

$2.08 MX$35.88

$2.85 zł 10.38

-27.02%

Potato (1kg)

$1.78 MX$30.68

$0.89 zł 3.26

100.00%

Onion (1kg)

$2.19 MX$37.76

$1.08 zł 3.94

102.78%

Lettuce (1 head)

$1.04 MX$17.97

$1.25 zł 4.54

-16.80%

Water (1.5 liter bottle)

$1.08 MX$18.60

$1.06 zł 3.88

1.89%

Cigarettes 20 Pack (Marlboro, Camel)

$4.08 MX$70.5

$5.00 zł 18.25

-18.40%

Wine (Bottle)

$10.32 MX$178

$6.94 zł 25.29

48.70%

Local Beer (0.5 liter bottle)

$1.71 MX$29.59

$1.13 zł 4.11

51.33%

Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$2.58 MX$44.50

$1.65 zł 6.03

56.36%

One-way Ticket (Public Transport)

$0.51 MX$8.81

$1.34 zł 4.89

-61.94%

Public Transport Monthly Pass (Regular Price)

$26.46 MX$457

$34.33 zł 125

-22.92%

Taxi Start (Normal Tariff)

$3.26 MX$56.4

$2.19 zł 7.97

48.86%

Taxi (Normal Tariff) (1km)

$2.49 MX$43.05

$0.74 zł 2.69

236.49%

Taxi 1hour Waiting (Normal Tariff)

$3.25 MX$56.1

$10.70 zł 39.02

-69.63%

Gasoline (1 liter)

$1.31 MX$22.59

$1.77 zł 6.46

-25.99%

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

$30.3K MX$523.2K

$33.5K zł 122.3K

-9.73%

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

$23.4K MX$404.9K

$30.0K zł 109.2K

-21.79%

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

$82.9 MX$1,432

$272 zł 993

-69.57%

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

$22.22 MX$384

$8.52 zł 31.08

160.80%

Internet (50+ Mbps, Unlimited Data)

$29.34 MX$507

$16.64 zł 60.7

76.32%

Gym Membership (Monthly)

$51.6 MX$892

$36.66 zł 134

40.83%

Tennis Court (1 Hour on Weekend)

$18.32 MX$317

$19.45 zł 70.9

-5.81%

Cinema Ticket

$5.07 MX$87.5

$7.60 zł 27.69

-33.29%

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

$201 MX$3,470

$344 zł 1,256

-41.70%

International Primary School, 1 Child (Yearly)

$5,212 MX$90.1K

$7,987 zł 29.1K

-34.75%

Jeans (Levis 501 Or Similar)

$36.92 MX$638

$89.8 zł 328

-58.90%

Summer Dress (H&M, Zara, etc)

$39.79 MX$688

$43.44 zł 158

-8.40%

Sport Shoes (Adidas, Nike)

$78.5 MX$1,356

$82.7 zł 301

-5.08%

Men's Leather Business Shoes

$87.1 MX$1,505

$94.1 zł 343

-7.46%

1-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)

$973 MX$16.8K

$637 zł 2,322

52.71%

1-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)

$468 MX$8,082

$492 zł 1,795

-5.00%

3-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)

$1,641 MX$28.4K

$986 zł 3,594

66.51%

3-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)

$1,221 MX$21.1K

$804 zł 2,930

51.91%

Buy Apartment in City Center (m2)

$3,946 MX$68.2K

$3,504 zł 12.8K

12.61%

Buy Apartment Outside City Center (m2)

$6,498 MX$112.3K

$2,431 zł 8,866

167.25%

Average Monthly Net Salary (After Tax)

$664 MX$11.5K

$1,549 zł 5,649

-57.14%

20-Year Fixed Mortgage Interest Rate (Annual %)

11.42

6.75

69.19%

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 Rumia: June 1, 2026

Cost Breakdown

A central one-bedroom costs $973 in Playa del Carmen versus $637 in Rumia. 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 133% higher in Rumia, 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 $42.00 in Rumia. Groceries tell a different story – $249 in Playa del Carmen vs $221 in Rumia – so Rumia wins on supermarket bills even if dining out costs more.

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 Rumia: Cost of Living - Frequently Asked Questions

Yes – Rumia is pricier by about 11%, and the gap shows up most in Clothing & Footwear. 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 $2,151 in Rumia. That covers rent, food, utilities, transport, and enough left over to feel settled – not just surviving.

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.

Monthly expenses with rent come to $1,297 in Playa del Carmen and $1,434 in Rumia. The difference isn't just one category – it shows up across housing, food, transport, and services.

Public transport costs about 30% less in Playa del Carmen. For daily commuters, that gap adds up to noticeable savings over a year.

A $1,500 monthly budget goes further in Playa del Carmen, where all-in costs run around $1,297, than in Rumia at $1,434. In Playa del Carmen it covers expenses comfortably, while in Rumia it requires careful planning or may not stretch far enough.

Families tend to lean toward Playa del Carmen – 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 Playa del Carmen. If higher salaries, better infrastructure, or specific career opportunities are the priority, Rumia makes more sense. Both are solid long-term options with distinct trade-offs.