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 $1,260 per month in Playa del Carmen vs $963 in Terre Rouge, rent included.

A couple spends around $2,125 per month in Playa del Carmen vs $1,599 in Terre Rouge, rent included.

A family of three spends $2,990 per month in Playa del Carmen vs $2,235 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 5% lower, Terre Rouge 28% lower.

Currency
🍽 Eating Out
Playa del Carmen
Terre Rouge
Difference
Meal at Budget Restaurant
$11.72 MX$204
$6.52 MUR 308
79.75%
Three-Course Dinner for Two, Mid-Range
$41.89 MX$731
$43.42 MUR 2,050
-3.52%
Fast Food Meal (McDonalds, etc)
$10.51 MX$183
$6.53 MUR 308
60.95%
Cappuccino
$3.59 MX$62.5
$2.60 MUR 123
38.08%
Coke/Pepsi/Fanta/Sprite (0.33 liter bottle)
$1.51 MX$26.31
$0.95 MUR 44.71
58.95%
Water (0.33 liter bottle)
$0.92 MX$15.96
$0.55 MUR 26.13
67.27%
Local Beer (0.5 liter draught)
$2.96 MX$51.6
$2.07 MUR 97.9
43.00%
Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)
$4.41 MX$76.9
$2.80 MUR 132
57.50%
🛒 Groceries & Markets
Playa del Carmen
Terre Rouge
Difference
Milk (1 liter)
$1.40 MX$24.35
$1.49 MUR 70.5
-6.04%
White Bread (500g)
$1.88 MX$32.87
$0.65 MUR 30.75
189.23%
Rice (white) (1kg)
$1.56 MX$27.19
$1.29 MUR 60.7
20.93%
Eggs
$2.61 MX$45.50
$2.36 MUR 111
10.59%
Local Cheese (1kg)
$8.32 MX$145
$9.67 MUR 457
-13.96%
Chicken Fillets (1kg)
$8.35 MX$146
$6.24 MUR 294
33.81%
Beef Round Steak (1kg)
$10.86 MX$189
$10.51 MUR 496
3.33%
Apples (1kg)
$2.71 MX$47.31
$1.96 MUR 92.7
38.27%
Banana (1kg)
$1.51 MX$26.25
$2.00 MUR 94.6
-24.50%
Oranges (1kg)
$1.87 MX$32.67
$1.44 MUR 67.8
29.86%
Tomato (1kg)
$2.19 MX$38.19
$2.70 MUR 127
-18.89%
Potato (1kg)
$1.86 MX$32.40
$1.02 MUR 48.30
82.35%
Onion (1kg)
$2.23 MX$38.90
$0.95 MUR 44.79
134.74%
Lettuce (1 head)
$1.07 MX$18.63
$0.83 MUR 39.33
28.92%
Water (1.5 liter bottle)
$1.09 MX$18.94
$0.53 MUR 24.97
105.66%
Cigarettes 20 Pack (Marlboro, Camel)
$4.19 MX$73.0
$6.15 MUR 290
-31.87%
Wine (Bottle)
$10.43 MX$182
$8.37 MUR 395
24.61%
Local Beer (0.5 liter bottle)
$1.66 MX$28.91
$1.72 MUR 81.1
-3.49%
Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)
$2.61 MX$45.56
$2.11 MUR 99.7
23.70%
🚌 Getting Around
Playa del Carmen
Terre Rouge
Difference
One-way Ticket (Public Transport)
$0.54 MX$9.45
$1.00 MUR 47.08
-46.00%
Public Transport Monthly Pass (Regular Price)
$26.16 MX$456
-
-
Taxi Start (Normal Tariff)
$3.08 MX$53.7
$4.28 MUR 202
-28.04%
Taxi (Normal Tariff) (1km)
$2.40 MX$41.94
$2.69 MUR 127
-10.78%
Taxi 1hour Waiting (Normal Tariff)
$3.13 MX$54.5
$15.24 MUR 720
-79.46%
Gasoline (1 liter)
$1.31 MX$22.87
$1.46 MUR 69.2
-10.27%
Midsize Hatchback 1.4l (Volkswagen Golf, Toyota Prius, Honda Civic, etc)
$29.8K MX$519.9K
$36.0K MUR 1.7M
-17.25%
Compact Sedan 1.6l (Toyota Corolla, Mazda3, Kia K4, Hyundai Elantra, etc)
$23.3K MX$406.8K
$28.5K MUR 1.3M
-18.06%
🧾 Monthly Utilities & Internet
Playa del Carmen
Terre Rouge
Difference
Utilities for 2 People in 2-bedroom Apartment (Heating, Electricity, Gas, Water, Garbage) (85m2)
$81.3 MX$1,418
$48.79 MUR 2,304
66.59%
SIM Card Monthly Plan (Calls and 10GB+ Data)
$22.56 MX$393
$18.53 MUR 875
21.75%
Internet (50+ Mbps, Unlimited Data)
$30.05 MX$524
$32.11 MUR 1,516
-6.42%
🎉 Sport & Entertainment
Playa del Carmen
Terre Rouge
Difference
Gym Membership (Monthly)
$52.9 MX$923
$38.47 MUR 1,816
37.54%
Tennis Court (1 Hour on Weekend)
$18.39 MX$321
-
-
Cinema Ticket
$4.92 MX$85.8
$6.02 MUR 285
-18.27%
🧸 Childcare & Education
Playa del Carmen
Terre Rouge
Difference
Preschool or Kindergarten, Full Day, Private, 1 Child (Monthly)
$201 MX$3,502
$154 MUR 7,252
30.76%
International Primary School, 1 Child (Yearly)
$5,175 MX$90.2K
$3,941 MUR 186.1K
31.29%
👕👟 Clothing & Footwear
Playa del Carmen
Terre Rouge
Difference
Jeans (Levis 501 Or Similar)
$35.92 MX$627
$49.76 MUR 2,350
-27.81%
Summer Dress (H&M, Zara, etc)
$40.13 MX$700
$44.60 MUR 2,106
-10.02%
Sport Shoes (Adidas, Nike)
$79.7 MX$1,390
$82.0 MUR 3,872
-2.80%
Men's Leather Business Shoes
$86.5 MX$1,508
$78.6 MUR 3,709
10.07%
🏠 Accommodation & Living
Playa del Carmen
Terre Rouge
Difference
1-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)
$978 MX$17.1K
$508 MUR 24.0K
92.63%
1-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)
$470 MX$8,206
$358 MUR 16.9K
31.31%
3-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)
$1,651 MX$28.8K
$964 MUR 45.5K
71.31%
3-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)
$1,203 MX$21.0K
$734 MUR 34.7K
63.87%
Buy Apartment in City Center (m2)
$3,953 MX$69.0K
-
-
Buy Apartment Outside City Center (m2)
$6,607 MX$115.2K
-
-
💵 Salaries & Financials
Playa del Carmen
Terre Rouge
Difference
Average Monthly Net Salary (After Tax)
$677 MX$11.8K
-
-
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: July 27, 2026

Last update for Terre Rouge: July 26, 2026

Cost Breakdown

A central one-bedroom costs $978 in Playa del Carmen versus $508 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 $42.00 in Playa del Carmen versus $43.00 in Terre Rouge. Groceries tell a different story – $252 in Playa del Carmen vs $213 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 $1,890 per month in Playa del Carmen and $1,444 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 $1,260 in Playa del Carmen and $963 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 $201 per month in Playa del Carmen and $154 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 $963, than in Playa del Carmen at $1,260. 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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