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 $1,287 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 Carmen 4% lower, Terre Rouge 27% lower.

Currency
🍽 Eating Out
Playa del Carmen
Terre Rouge
Difference
Meal at Budget Restaurant
$11.94 MX$208
$6.61 MUR 309
80.64%
Three-Course Dinner for Two, Mid-Range
$42.75 MX$744
$43.97 MUR 2,056
-2.77%
Fast Food Meal (McDonalds, etc)
$10.59 MX$184
$6.65 MUR 311
59.25%
Cappuccino
$3.62 MX$63.0
$2.54 MUR 119
42.52%
Coke/Pepsi/Fanta/Sprite (0.33 liter bottle)
$1.47 MX$25.54
$1.03 MUR 48.24
42.72%
Water (0.33 liter bottle)
$0.94 MX$16.41
$0.56 MUR 26.27
67.86%
Local Beer (0.5 liter draught)
$3.09 MX$53.8
$2.09 MUR 97.9
47.85%
Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)
$4.46 MX$77.6
$2.76 MUR 129
61.59%
🛒 Groceries & Markets
Playa del Carmen
Terre Rouge
Difference
Milk (1 liter)
$1.43 MX$24.80
$1.49 MUR 69.7
-4.03%
White Bread (500g)
$1.88 MX$32.79
$0.66 MUR 30.80
184.85%
Rice (white) (1kg)
$1.63 MX$28.34
$1.28 MUR 59.8
27.34%
Eggs
$2.64 MX$45.99
$2.24 MUR 105
17.86%
Local Cheese (1kg)
$8.21 MX$143
$9.63 MUR 450
-14.75%
Chicken Fillets (1kg)
$8.29 MX$144
$6.04 MUR 282
37.25%
Beef Round Steak (1kg)
$11.10 MX$193
$10.42 MUR 487
6.53%
Apples (1kg)
$2.65 MX$46.14
$1.98 MUR 92.4
33.84%
Banana (1kg)
$1.50 MX$26.11
$1.90 MUR 88.7
-21.05%
Oranges (1kg)
$1.99 MX$34.59
$1.44 MUR 67.1
38.19%
Tomato (1kg)
$2.08 MX$36.13
$2.61 MUR 122
-20.31%
Potato (1kg)
$1.79 MX$31.11
$1.01 MUR 47.44
77.23%
Onion (1kg)
$2.18 MX$37.87
$0.99 MUR 46.40
120.20%
Lettuce (1 head)
$1.08 MX$18.73
$0.81 MUR 37.75
33.33%
Water (1.5 liter bottle)
$1.04 MX$18.04
$0.53 MUR 24.64
96.23%
Cigarettes 20 Pack (Marlboro, Camel)
$3.97 MX$69.1
$6.00 MUR 280
-33.83%
Wine (Bottle)
$10.20 MX$178
$8.96 MUR 419
13.84%
Local Beer (0.5 liter bottle)
$1.73 MX$30.04
$1.80 MUR 84.2
-3.89%
Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)
$2.50 MX$43.46
$2.15 MUR 101
16.28%
🚌 Getting Around
Playa del Carmen
Terre Rouge
Difference
One-way Ticket (Public Transport)
$0.52 MX$9.02
$1.04 MUR 48.55
-50.00%
Public Transport Monthly Pass (Regular Price)
$26.97 MX$469
-
-
Taxi Start (Normal Tariff)
$3.14 MX$54.7
$4.32 MUR 202
-27.31%
Taxi (Normal Tariff) (1km)
$2.40 MX$41.80
$2.72 MUR 127
-11.76%
Taxi 1hour Waiting (Normal Tariff)
$3.09 MX$53.7
$15.11 MUR 706
-79.55%
Gasoline (1 liter)
$1.27 MX$22.16
$1.46 MUR 68.1
-13.01%
Midsize Hatchback 1.4l (Volkswagen Golf, Toyota Prius, Honda Civic, etc)
$30.9K MX$537.3K
$35.6K MUR 1.7M
-13.18%
Compact Sedan 1.6l (Toyota Corolla, Mazda3, Kia K4, Hyundai Elantra, etc)
$23.3K MX$405.7K
$29.2K MUR 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)
$82.0 MX$1,427
$49.62 MUR 2,320
65.28%
SIM Card Monthly Plan (Calls and 10GB+ Data)
$22.45 MX$391
$18.40 MUR 860
22.01%
Internet (50+ Mbps, Unlimited Data)
$29.66 MX$516
$32.79 MUR 1,533
-9.55%
🎉 Sport & Entertainment
Playa del Carmen
Terre Rouge
Difference
Gym Membership (Monthly)
$51.9 MX$903
$38.87 MUR 1,817
33.44%
Tennis Court (1 Hour on Weekend)
$18.67 MX$325
-
-
Cinema Ticket
$4.97 MX$86.5
$6.02 MUR 281
-17.44%
🧸 Childcare & Education
Playa del Carmen
Terre Rouge
Difference
Preschool or Kindergarten, Full Day, Private, 1 Child (Monthly)
$198 MX$3,442
$151 MUR 7,067
30.85%
International Primary School, 1 Child (Yearly)
$5,273 MX$91.7K
$3,961 MUR 185.2K
33.11%
👕👟 Clothing & Footwear
Playa del Carmen
Terre Rouge
Difference
Jeans (Levis 501 Or Similar)
$36.34 MX$632
$51.3 MUR 2,396
-29.09%
Summer Dress (H&M, Zara, etc)
$40.05 MX$697
$43.69 MUR 2,042
-8.33%
Sport Shoes (Adidas, Nike)
$79.9 MX$1,390
$83.2 MUR 3,888
-3.94%
Men's Leather Business Shoes
$88.9 MX$1,547
$79.6 MUR 3,722
11.64%
🏠 Accommodation & Living
Playa del Carmen
Terre Rouge
Difference
1-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)
$963 MX$16.8K
$520 MUR 24.3K
85.39%
1-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)
$465 MX$8,086
$346 MUR 16.2K
34.14%
3-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)
$1,596 MX$27.8K
$939 MUR 43.9K
70.05%
3-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)
$1,209 MX$21.0K
$730 MUR 34.1K
65.68%
Buy Apartment in City Center (m2)
$3,942 MX$68.6K
-
-
Buy Apartment Outside City Center (m2)
$6,448 MX$112.2K
-
-
💵 Salaries & Financials
Playa del Carmen
Terre Rouge
Difference
Average Monthly Net Salary (After Tax)
$720 MX$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.

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