😐A single person spends $1,287 per month in Playa del Carmen vs $983 in Terre Rouge, rent included.
😐A couple spends around $2,184 per month in Playa del Carmen vs $1,613 in Terre Rouge, rent included.
😐A family of three spends $3,082 per month in Playa del Carmen vs $2,243 in Terre Rouge, rent included.
😐Playa del Carmen costs about 31% more than Terre Rouge, driven mainly by Eating Out.
📊Both Playa del Carmen and Terre Rouge are more affordable than the global median – Playa del Carmen4% lower, Terre Rouge27% lower.
Currency
🍽 Eating Out
Playa del Carmen
Terre Rouge
Difference
Meal at Budget Restaurant
$11.94MX$208
$6.61MUR 309
80.64%
Three-Course Dinner for Two, Mid-Range
$42.75MX$744
$43.97MUR 2,056
-2.77%
Fast Food Meal(McDonalds, etc)
$10.59MX$184
$6.65MUR 311
59.25%
Cappuccino
$3.62MX$63.0
$2.54MUR 119
42.52%
Coke/Pepsi/Fanta/Sprite(0.33 liter bottle)
$1.47MX$25.54
$1.03MUR 48.24
42.72%
Water(0.33 liter bottle)
$0.94MX$16.41
$0.56MUR 26.27
67.86%
Local Beer(0.5 liter draught)
$3.09MX$53.8
$2.09MUR 97.9
47.85%
Imported Beer(0.33 liter bottle)
$4.46MX$77.6
$2.76MUR 129
61.59%
🛒 Groceries & Markets
Playa del Carmen
Terre Rouge
Difference
Milk(1 liter)
$1.43MX$24.80
$1.49MUR 69.7
-4.03%
White Bread(500g)
$1.88MX$32.79
$0.66MUR 30.80
184.85%
Rice(white)(1kg)
$1.63MX$28.34
$1.28MUR 59.8
27.34%
Eggs
$2.64MX$45.99
$2.24MUR 105
17.86%
Local Cheese(1kg)
$8.21MX$143
$9.63MUR 450
-14.75%
Chicken Fillets(1kg)
$8.29MX$144
$6.04MUR 282
37.25%
Beef Round Steak(1kg)
$11.10MX$193
$10.42MUR 487
6.53%
Apples(1kg)
$2.65MX$46.14
$1.98MUR 92.4
33.84%
Banana(1kg)
$1.50MX$26.11
$1.90MUR 88.7
-21.05%
Oranges(1kg)
$1.99MX$34.59
$1.44MUR 67.1
38.19%
Tomato(1kg)
$2.08MX$36.13
$2.61MUR 122
-20.31%
Potato(1kg)
$1.79MX$31.11
$1.01MUR 47.44
77.23%
Onion(1kg)
$2.18MX$37.87
$0.99MUR 46.40
120.20%
Lettuce(1 head)
$1.08MX$18.73
$0.81MUR 37.75
33.33%
Water(1.5 liter bottle)
$1.04MX$18.04
$0.53MUR 24.64
96.23%
Cigarettes 20 Pack(Marlboro, Camel)
$3.97MX$69.1
$6.00MUR 280
-33.83%
Wine(Bottle)
$10.20MX$178
$8.96MUR 419
13.84%
Local Beer(0.5 liter bottle)
$1.73MX$30.04
$1.80MUR 84.2
-3.89%
Imported Beer(0.33 liter bottle)
$2.50MX$43.46
$2.15MUR 101
16.28%
🚌 Getting Around
Playa del Carmen
Terre Rouge
Difference
One-way Ticket(Public Transport)
$0.52MX$9.02
$1.04MUR 48.55
-50.00%
Public Transport Monthly Pass(Regular Price)
$26.97MX$469
-
-
Taxi Start(Normal Tariff)
$3.14MX$54.7
$4.32MUR 202
-27.31%
Taxi(Normal Tariff)(1km)
$2.40MX$41.80
$2.72MUR 127
-11.76%
Taxi 1hour Waiting(Normal Tariff)
$3.09MX$53.7
$15.11MUR 706
-79.55%
Gasoline(1 liter)
$1.27MX$22.16
$1.46MUR 68.1
-13.01%
Midsize Hatchback 1.4l(Volkswagen Golf, Toyota Prius, Honda Civic, etc)
$30.9KMX$537.3K
$35.6KMUR 1.7M
-13.18%
Compact Sedan 1.6l(Toyota Corolla, Mazda3, Kia K4, Hyundai Elantra, etc)
$23.3KMX$405.7K
$29.2KMUR 1.4M
-20.24%
🧾 Monthly Utilities & Internet
Playa del Carmen
Terre Rouge
Difference
Utilities for 2 People in 2-bedroom Apartment(Heating, Electricity, Gas, Water, Garbage)(85m2)
$82.0MX$1,427
$49.62MUR 2,320
65.28%
SIM Card Monthly Plan(Calls and 10GB+ Data)
$22.45MX$391
$18.40MUR 860
22.01%
Internet(50+ Mbps, Unlimited Data)
$29.66MX$516
$32.79MUR 1,533
-9.55%
🎉 Sport & Entertainment
Playa del Carmen
Terre Rouge
Difference
Gym Membership(Monthly)
$51.9MX$903
$38.87MUR 1,817
33.44%
Tennis Court(1 Hour on Weekend)
$18.67MX$325
-
-
Cinema Ticket
$4.97MX$86.5
$6.02MUR 281
-17.44%
🧸 Childcare & Education
Playa del Carmen
Terre Rouge
Difference
Preschool or Kindergarten, Full Day, Private, 1 Child(Monthly)
$198MX$3,442
$151MUR 7,067
30.85%
International Primary School, 1 Child(Yearly)
$5,273MX$91.7K
$3,961MUR 185.2K
33.11%
👕👟 Clothing & Footwear
Playa del Carmen
Terre Rouge
Difference
Jeans(Levis 501 Or Similar)
$36.34MX$632
$51.3MUR 2,396
-29.09%
Summer Dress(H&M, Zara, etc)
$40.05MX$697
$43.69MUR 2,042
-8.33%
Sport Shoes(Adidas, Nike)
$79.9MX$1,390
$83.2MUR 3,888
-3.94%
Men's Leather Business Shoes
$88.9MX$1,547
$79.6MUR 3,722
11.64%
🏠 Accommodation & Living
Playa del Carmen
Terre Rouge
Difference
1-bedroom Apartment, City Center(Monthly)
$963MX$16.8K
$520MUR 24.3K
85.39%
1-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center(Monthly)
$465MX$8,086
$346MUR 16.2K
34.14%
3-bedroom Apartment, City Center(Monthly)
$1,596MX$27.8K
$939MUR 43.9K
70.05%
3-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center(Monthly)
$1,209MX$21.0K
$730MUR 34.1K
65.68%
Buy Apartment in City Center(m2)
$3,942MX$68.6K
-
-
Buy Apartment Outside City Center(m2)
$6,448MX$112.2K
-
-
💵 Salaries & Financials
Playa del Carmen
Terre Rouge
Difference
Average Monthly Net Salary(After Tax)
$720MX$12.5K
-
-
20-Year Fixed Mortgage Interest Rate(Annual %)
11.42
6.25
82.72%
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 Terre Rouge: April 26, 2026
Cost Breakdown
🏠A central one-bedroom costs $963 in Playa del Carmen versus $520 in Terre Rouge. Rent is usually the largest line item in a monthly budget, so the gap here sets the tone for the overall comparison.
🛒A mid-range dinner for two costs $43.00 in Playa del Carmen versus $44.00 in Terre Rouge. Groceries tell a different story – $251 in Playa del Carmen vs $212 in Terre Rouge – so Terre Rouge 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 Terre Rouge: Cost of Living - Frequently Asked Questions
Is Terre Rouge cheaper than Playa del Carmen?
Yes – Playa del Carmen is pricier by about 31%, 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 $1,930 per month in Playa del Carmen and $1,475 in Terre Rouge. That covers rent, food, utilities, transport, and enough left over to feel settled – not just surviving.
Which city has lower housing costs?
Rent is clearly cheaper in Terre Rouge, 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 Terre Rouge?
Monthly expenses with rent come to $1,287 in Playa del Carmen and $983 in Terre Rouge. The difference isn't just one category – it shows up across housing, food, transport, and services.
Which city has cheaper kindergarten?
Kindergarten costs $198 per month in Playa del Carmen and $151 in Terre Rouge. For families with young kids, this one expense can tip the scales when choosing between the two cities.
Is $1,000 a realistic budget for Playa del Carmen or Terre Rouge?
A $1,000 monthly budget goes further in Terre Rouge, where all-in costs run around $983, than in Playa del Carmen at $1,287. In Terre Rouge it covers expenses comfortably, while in Playa del Carmen it requires careful planning or may not stretch far enough.
Is Playa del Carmen or Terre Rouge more family-friendly?
Families tend to lean toward Terre Rouge – 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 Terre Rouge?
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.
Which city is the better choice to relocate to?
If budget matters most, go with Terre Rouge. 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.
Playa del Carmen vs other spots: cost of living compared