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 $1,305 per month in Playa del Carmen vs $1,041 in Terre Rouge, rent included.

A couple spends around $2,334 per month in Playa del Carmen vs $1,713 in Terre Rouge, rent included.

A family of three spends $3,362 per month in Playa del Carmen vs $2,386 in Terre Rouge, rent included.

Playa del Carmen costs about 25% 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 25% lower.

Currency
🍽 Eating Out
Playa del Carmen
Terre Rouge
Difference
Meal at Budget Restaurant
$11.96 MX$203
$5.73 MUR 268
108.73%
Three-Course Dinner for Two, Mid-Range
$47.38 MX$804
$37.99 MUR 1,778
24.72%
Fast Food Meal (McDonalds, etc)
$11.75 MX$199
$7.30 MUR 342
60.96%
Cappuccino
$4.12 MX$70.0
$2.73 MUR 128
50.92%
Coke/Pepsi/Fanta/Sprite (0.33 liter bottle)
$1.40 MX$23.74
$1.18 MUR 55.2
18.64%
Water (0.33 liter bottle)
$0.91 MX$15.48
$0.63 MUR 29.38
44.44%
Local Beer (0.5 liter draught)
$3.21 MX$54.4
$2.58 MUR 121
24.42%
Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)
$7.07 MX$120
$3.91 MUR 183
80.82%
🛒 Groceries & Markets
Playa del Carmen
Terre Rouge
Difference
Milk (1 liter)
$1.68 MX$28.44
$1.42 MUR 66.7
18.31%
White Bread (500g)
$2.15 MX$36.48
$0.77 MUR 36.19
179.22%
Rice (white) (1kg)
$1.77 MX$30.10
$1.14 MUR 53.5
55.26%
Eggs
$2.82 MX$47.76
$2.31 MUR 108
22.08%
Local Cheese (1kg)
$9.20 MX$156
$5.36 MUR 251
71.64%
Chicken Fillets (1kg)
$9.23 MX$157
$6.47 MUR 303
42.66%
Beef Round Steak (1kg)
$12.64 MX$214
$11.25 MUR 527
12.36%
Apples (1kg)
$2.95 MX$50.1
$2.17 MUR 101
35.94%
Banana (1kg)
$1.58 MX$26.79
$2.42 MUR 113
-34.71%
Oranges (1kg)
$2.22 MX$37.70
$1.44 MUR 67.4
54.17%
Tomato (1kg)
$2.36 MX$40.09
$2.91 MUR 136
-18.90%
Potato (1kg)
$1.99 MX$33.81
$0.93 MUR 43.72
113.98%
Onion (1kg)
$1.98 MX$33.58
$1.00 MUR 46.98
98.00%
Lettuce (1 head)
$1.24 MX$21.04
$0.74 MUR 34.70
67.57%
Water (1.5 liter bottle)
$1.21 MX$20.55
$0.89 MUR 41.80
35.96%
Cigarettes 20 Pack (Marlboro, Camel)
$4.60 MX$78.1
$6.32 MUR 296
-27.22%
Wine (Bottle)
$10.52 MX$178
$8.59 MUR 402
22.47%
Local Beer (0.5 liter bottle)
$1.69 MX$28.70
$1.70 MUR 79.5
-0.59%
Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)
$2.77 MX$47.06
$2.30 MUR 107
20.43%
🚌 Getting Around
Playa del Carmen
Terre Rouge
Difference
One-way Ticket (Public Transport)
$0.60 MX$10.22
-
-
Public Transport Monthly Pass (Regular Price)
$29.70 MX$504
-
-
Taxi Start (Normal Tariff)
$5.24 MX$88.8
$4.22 MUR 197
24.17%
Taxi (Normal Tariff) (1km)
$3.65 MX$61.9
$3.20 MUR 150
14.06%
Taxi 1hour Waiting (Normal Tariff)
$5.78 MX$98.1
$21.08 MUR 987
-72.58%
Gasoline (1 liter)
$1.54 MX$26.09
$1.32 MUR 61.9
16.67%
Midsize Hatchback 1.4l (Volkswagen Golf, Toyota Prius, Honda Civic, etc)
$22.8K MX$386.8K
$32.6K MUR 1.5M
-30.08%
Compact Sedan 1.6l (Toyota Corolla, Mazda3, Kia K4, Hyundai Elantra, etc)
$25.8K MX$437.9K
$31.1K MUR 1.5M
-17.13%
🧾 Monthly Utilities & Internet
Playa del Carmen
Terre Rouge
Difference
Utilities for 2 People in 2-bedroom Apartment (Heating, Electricity, Gas, Water, Garbage) (85m2)
$90.7 MX$1,538
$45.98 MUR 2,152
97.19%
SIM Card Monthly Plan (Calls and 10GB+ Data)
$25.19 MX$427
$10.82 MUR 506
132.81%
Internet (50+ Mbps, Unlimited Data)
$31.75 MX$539
$29.17 MUR 1,365
8.84%
🎉 Sport & Entertainment
Playa del Carmen
Terre Rouge
Difference
Gym Membership (Monthly)
$68.8 MX$1,167
$34.55 MUR 1,617
99.10%
Tennis Court (1 Hour on Weekend)
$29.37 MX$498
-
-
Cinema Ticket
$4.86 MX$82.5
$6.29 MUR 294
-22.73%
🧸 Childcare & Education
Playa del Carmen
Terre Rouge
Difference
Preschool or Kindergarten, Full Day, Private, 1 Child (Monthly)
$226 MX$3,828
$126 MUR 5,909
78.76%
International Primary School, 1 Child (Yearly)
$4,194 MX$71.1K
$7,680 MUR 359.4K
-45.39%
👕👟 Clothing & Footwear
Playa del Carmen
Terre Rouge
Difference
Jeans (Levis 501 Or Similar)
$47.38 MX$804
$68.7 MUR 3,213
-30.98%
Summer Dress (H&M, Zara, etc)
$43.45 MX$737
$70.2 MUR 3,285
-38.10%
Sport Shoes (Adidas, Nike)
$80.2 MX$1,361
$113 MUR 5,266
-28.71%
Men's Leather Business Shoes
$91.4 MX$1,550
$79.2 MUR 3,706
15.41%
🏠 Accommodation & Living
Playa del Carmen
Terre Rouge
Difference
1-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)
$1,086 MX$18.4K
$588 MUR 27.5K
84.63%
1-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)
$409 MX$6,933
$402 MUR 18.8K
1.63%
3-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)
$1,972 MX$33.5K
$1,134 MUR 53.1K
73.88%
3-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)
$1,281 MX$21.7K
$848 MUR 39.7K
51.04%
Buy Apartment in City Center (m2)
$4,046 MX$68.6K
-
-
Buy Apartment Outside City Center (m2)
$6,704 MX$113.7K
-
-
💵 Salaries & Financials
Playa del Carmen
Terre Rouge
Difference
Average Monthly Net Salary (After Tax)
$773 MX$13.1K
-
-
20-Year Fixed Mortgage Interest Rate (Annual %)
11.45
6.34
80.60%

CityCost data is based on AI and user input – minor inaccuracies may occur.

Last update for Playa del Carmen: September 7, 2026

Last update for Terre Rouge: September 7, 2026

Cost Breakdown

A central one-bedroom costs $1,086 in Playa del Carmen versus $588 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 $47.00 in Playa del Carmen versus $38.00 in Terre Rouge. Monthly groceries follow the same trend: $278 vs $212 – making Terre Rouge 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 Terre Rouge: Cost of Living - Frequently Asked Questions
Is Terre Rouge cheaper than Playa del Carmen?
Yes – Playa del Carmen is pricier by about 25%, 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 $1,958 per month in Playa del Carmen and $1,561 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 and in Terre Rouge?
Monthly expenses with rent come to $1,305 in Playa del Carmen and $1,041 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 $226 per month in Playa del Carmen and $126 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 living in Playa del Carmen or in Terre Rouge?
A $1,000 monthly budget goes further in Terre Rouge, where all-in costs run around $1,041, than in Playa del Carmen at $1,305. 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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