Cost of Living Comparison Between Playa del Carmen and Terre Rouge Cost of Living Comparison Between Playa del Carmen and Terre Rouge

Monthly Cost of Living

A single person spends $1,271 per month in Playa del Carmen vs $996 in Terre Rouge, rent included.

A couple spends around $2,126 per month in Playa del Carmen vs $1,594 in Terre Rouge, rent included.

A family of three spends $2,980 per month in Playa del Carmen vs $2,193 in Terre Rouge, rent included.

Playa del Carmen costs about 28% 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 Carmen 5% lower, Terre Rouge 26% lower.

Currency
🍽 Eating Out
Playa del Carmen
Terre Rouge
Difference
Meal at Budget Restaurant
$11.87 MX$204
$6.66 MUR 314
78.23%
Three-Course Dinner for Two, Mid-Range
$42.90 MX$736
$43.97 MUR 2,070
-2.43%
Fast Food Meal (McDonalds, etc)
$10.65 MX$183
$6.55 MUR 308
62.60%
Cappuccino
$3.45 MX$59.2
$2.59 MUR 122
33.20%
Coke/Pepsi/Fanta/Sprite (0.33 liter bottle)
$1.50 MX$25.81
$1.04 MUR 48.84
44.23%
Water (0.33 liter bottle)
$0.95 MX$16.28
$0.59 MUR 27.90
61.02%
Local Beer (0.5 liter draught)
$3.03 MX$51.9
$2.14 MUR 101
41.59%
Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)
$4.61 MX$79.1
$2.76 MUR 130
67.03%
🛒 Groceries & Markets
Playa del Carmen
Terre Rouge
Difference
Milk (1 liter)
$1.38 MX$23.61
$1.46 MUR 68.7
-5.48%
White Bread (500g)
$1.85 MX$31.70
$0.66 MUR 31.20
180.30%
Rice (white) (1kg)
$1.61 MX$27.65
$1.29 MUR 60.5
24.81%
Eggs
$2.59 MX$44.51
$2.31 MUR 109
12.12%
Local Cheese (1kg)
$8.26 MX$142
$9.96 MUR 469
-17.07%
Chicken Fillets (1kg)
$8.37 MX$144
$6.08 MUR 286
37.66%
Beef Round Steak (1kg)
$10.66 MX$183
$10.49 MUR 494
1.62%
Apples (1kg)
$2.63 MX$45.12
$2.07 MUR 97.4
27.05%
Banana (1kg)
$1.49 MX$25.53
$1.90 MUR 89.3
-21.58%
Oranges (1kg)
$1.92 MX$32.94
$1.49 MUR 70.0
28.86%
Tomato (1kg)
$2.09 MX$35.81
$2.73 MUR 129
-23.44%
Potato (1kg)
$1.86 MX$31.88
$0.98 MUR 46.24
89.80%
Onion (1kg)
$2.26 MX$38.81
$0.94 MUR 44.07
140.43%
Lettuce (1 head)
$1.06 MX$18.23
$0.85 MUR 39.88
24.71%
Water (1.5 liter bottle)
$1.09 MX$18.67
$0.57 MUR 26.83
91.23%
Cigarettes 20 Pack (Marlboro, Camel)
$4.15 MX$71.2
$5.98 MUR 282
-30.60%
Wine (Bottle)
$10.39 MX$178
$9.38 MUR 442
10.77%
Local Beer (0.5 liter bottle)
$1.72 MX$29.59
$1.80 MUR 84.9
-4.44%
Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)
$2.61 MX$44.85
$2.12 MUR 99.6
23.11%
🚌 Getting Around
Playa del Carmen
Terre Rouge
Difference
One-way Ticket (Public Transport)
$0.54 MX$9.30
$1.04 MUR 48.75
-48.08%
Public Transport Monthly Pass (Regular Price)
$26.94 MX$462
-
-
Taxi Start (Normal Tariff)
$3.13 MX$53.7
$4.42 MUR 208
-29.19%
Taxi (Normal Tariff) (1km)
$2.51 MX$43.09
$2.71 MUR 128
-7.38%
Taxi 1hour Waiting (Normal Tariff)
$3.15 MX$54.1
$15.63 MUR 736
-79.85%
Gasoline (1 liter)
$1.27 MX$21.88
$1.44 MUR 68.0
-11.81%
Midsize Hatchback 1.4l (Volkswagen Golf, Toyota Prius, Honda Civic, etc)
$30.4K MX$521.3K
$35.6K MUR 1.7M
-14.67%
Compact Sedan 1.6l (Toyota Corolla, Mazda3, Kia K4, Hyundai Elantra, etc)
$23.6K MX$404.5K
$29.4K MUR 1.4M
-19.79%
🧾 Monthly Utilities & Internet
Playa del Carmen
Terre Rouge
Difference
Utilities for 2 People in 2-bedroom Apartment (Heating, Electricity, Gas, Water, Garbage) (85m2)
$83.0 MX$1,425
$50.3 MUR 2,371
64.88%
SIM Card Monthly Plan (Calls and 10GB+ Data)
$22.71 MX$390
$18.51 MUR 872
22.69%
Internet (50+ Mbps, Unlimited Data)
$29.46 MX$506
$32.06 MUR 1,510
-8.11%
🎉 Sport & Entertainment
Playa del Carmen
Terre Rouge
Difference
Gym Membership (Monthly)
$51.0 MX$875
$37.89 MUR 1,784
34.60%
Tennis Court (1 Hour on Weekend)
$18.33 MX$315
-
-
Cinema Ticket
$4.93 MX$84.5
$5.88 MUR 277
-16.16%
🧸 Childcare & Education
Playa del Carmen
Terre Rouge
Difference
Preschool or Kindergarten, Full Day, Private, 1 Child (Monthly)
$197 MX$3,386
$153 MUR 7,191
29.21%
International Primary School, 1 Child (Yearly)
$5,280 MX$90.6K
$3,948 MUR 185.9K
33.74%
👕👟 Clothing & Footwear
Playa del Carmen
Terre Rouge
Difference
Jeans (Levis 501 Or Similar)
$36.90 MX$633
$51.3 MUR 2,415
-28.06%
Summer Dress (H&M, Zara, etc)
$39.89 MX$685
$43.34 MUR 2,041
-7.96%
Sport Shoes (Adidas, Nike)
$80.0 MX$1,373
$83.4 MUR 3,927
-4.04%
Men's Leather Business Shoes
$89.5 MX$1,536
$77.3 MUR 3,640
15.76%
🏠 Accommodation & Living
Playa del Carmen
Terre Rouge
Difference
1-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)
$956 MX$16.4K
$513 MUR 24.2K
86.45%
1-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)
$477 MX$8,189
$347 MUR 16.3K
37.51%
3-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)
$1,646 MX$28.3K
$945 MUR 44.5K
74.15%
3-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)
$1,225 MX$21.0K
$715 MUR 33.6K
71.38%
Buy Apartment in City Center (m2)
$3,918 MX$67.2K
-
-
Buy Apartment Outside City Center (m2)
$6,459 MX$110.9K
-
-
💵 Salaries & Financials
Playa del Carmen
Terre Rouge
Difference
Average Monthly Net Salary (After Tax)
$667 MX$11.4K
-
-
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: June 7, 2026

Last update for Terre Rouge: June 7, 2026

Cost Breakdown

A central one-bedroom costs $956 in Playa del Carmen versus $513 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 – $250 in Playa del Carmen vs $216 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 28%, 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 $1,494 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 $1,271 in Playa del Carmen and $996 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 $197 per month in Playa del Carmen and $153 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 $996, than in Playa del Carmen at $1,271. 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.

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