Cost of Living Comparison Between Roatan and Playa del Carmen Cost of Living Comparison Between Roatan and Playa del Carmen

Monthly Cost of Living

A single person spends $1,213 per month in Roatan vs $1,262 in Playa del Carmen, rent included.

A couple spends around $1,999 per month in Roatan vs $2,158 in Playa del Carmen, rent included.

A family of three spends $2,786 per month in Roatan vs $3,054 in Playa del Carmen, rent included.

Roatan is about 4% cheaper than Playa del Carmen, driven mainly by Monthly Utilities & Internet.

Both Roatan and Playa del Carmen are more affordable than the global median – Roatan 10% lower, Playa del Carmen 6% lower.

Meal at Budget Restaurant

$7.66 HNL 204

$11.61 MX$201

-34.02%

Three-Course Dinner for Two, Mid-Range

$40.15 HNL 1,066

$42.75 MX$742

-6.08%

Fast Food Meal (McDonalds, etc)

$8.93 HNL 237

$10.60 MX$184

-15.75%

Cappuccino

$3.77 HNL 100

$3.59 MX$62.3

5.01%

Coke/Pepsi/Fanta/Sprite (0.33 liter bottle)

$1.20 HNL 31.91

$1.45 MX$25.21

-17.24%

Water (0.33 liter bottle)

$0.75 HNL 19.91

$0.90 MX$15.58

-16.67%

Local Beer (0.5 liter draught)

$2.29 HNL 60.9

$3.03 MX$52.6

-24.42%

Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$3.94 HNL 105

$4.56 MX$79.2

-13.60%

Milk (1 liter)

$1.31 HNL 34.71

$1.45 MX$25.20

-9.66%

White Bread (500g)

$3.38 HNL 89.8

$1.83 MX$31.72

84.70%

Rice (white) (1kg)

$2.24 HNL 59.5

$1.61 MX$27.92

39.13%

Eggs

$1.98 HNL 52.6

$2.54 MX$44.05

-22.05%

Local Cheese (1kg)

$10.91 HNL 290

$8.54 MX$148

27.75%

Chicken Fillets (1kg)

$6.63 HNL 176

$8.47 MX$147

-21.72%

Beef Round Steak (1kg)

$17.91 HNL 476

$10.86 MX$189

64.92%

Apples (1kg)

$2.73 MX$47.37

Banana (1kg)

$1.08 HNL 28.56

$1.49 MX$25.91

-27.52%

Oranges (1kg)

$1.08 HNL 28.63

$1.94 MX$33.73

-44.33%

Tomato (1kg)

$0.57 HNL 15.08

$2.16 MX$37.57

-73.61%

Potato (1kg)

$1.08 HNL 28.62

$1.85 MX$32.05

-41.62%

Onion (1kg)

$1.11 HNL 29.61

$2.19 MX$38.00

-49.32%

Lettuce (1 head)

$0.99 HNL 26.24

$1.07 MX$18.62

-7.48%

Water (1.5 liter bottle)

$2.95 HNL 78.3

$1.08 MX$18.81

173.15%

Cigarettes 20 Pack (Marlboro, Camel)

$2.95 HNL 78.3

$4.06 MX$70.5

-27.34%

Wine (Bottle)

$7.60 HNL 202

$10.46 MX$182

-27.34%

Local Beer (0.5 liter bottle)

$1.65 MX$28.71

Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$3.94 HNL 105

$2.55 MX$44.23

54.51%

One-way Ticket (Public Transport)

$0.56 MX$9.65

Public Transport Monthly Pass (Regular Price)

$26.20 MX$455

Taxi Start (Normal Tariff)

$1.97 HNL 52.4

$3.14 MX$54.5

-37.26%

Taxi (Normal Tariff) (1km)

$2.37 MX$41.17

Taxi 1hour Waiting (Normal Tariff)

$9.86 HNL 262

$3.24 MX$56.2

204.32%

Gasoline (1 liter)

$1.06 HNL 28.13

$1.31 MX$22.81

-19.08%

Midsize Hatchback 1.4l (Volkswagen Golf, Toyota Prius, Honda Civic, etc)

$30.5K MX$530.2K

Compact Sedan 1.6l (Toyota Corolla, Mazda3, Kia K4, Hyundai Elantra, etc)

$30.5K HNL 810.6K

$23.8K MX$413.6K

28.11%

Utilities for 2 People in 2-bedroom Apartment (Heating, Electricity, Gas, Water, Garbage) (85m2)

$83.1 MX$1,443

SIM Card Monthly Plan (Calls and 10GB+ Data)

$22.15 MX$385

Internet (50+ Mbps, Unlimited Data)

$102 HNL 2,703

$29.37 MX$510

246.51%

Gym Membership (Monthly)

$60.9 HNL 1,618

$51.2 MX$889

19.05%

Tennis Court (1 Hour on Weekend)

$18.69 MX$324

Cinema Ticket

$4.89 MX$84.9

Preschool or Kindergarten, Full Day, Private, 1 Child (Monthly)

$422 HNL 11.2K

$199 MX$3,449

112.34%

International Primary School, 1 Child (Yearly)

$4,274 HNL 113.5K

$5,207 MX$90.4K

-17.92%

Jeans (Levis 501 Or Similar)

$40.69 HNL 1,081

$35.93 MX$624

13.25%

Summer Dress (H&M, Zara, etc)

$20.38 HNL 541

$39.39 MX$684

-48.26%

Sport Shoes (Adidas, Nike)

$40.69 HNL 1,081

$80.3 MX$1,394

-49.33%

Men's Leather Business Shoes

$49.22 HNL 1,307

$87.6 MX$1,520

-43.79%

1-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)

$838 HNL 22.3K

$963 MX$16.7K

-12.97%

1-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)

$542 HNL 14.4K

$482 MX$8,370

12.34%

3-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)

$729 HNL 19.4K

$1,645 MX$28.6K

-55.71%

3-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)

$1,226 HNL 32.6K

$1,192 MX$20.7K

2.87%

Buy Apartment in City Center (m2)

$1,910 HNL 50.7K

$3,957 MX$68.7K

-51.72%

Buy Apartment Outside City Center (m2)

$1,336 HNL 35.5K

$6,513 MX$113.1K

-79.49%

Average Monthly Net Salary (After Tax)

$507 HNL 13.5K

$726 MX$12.6K

-30.25%

20-Year Fixed Mortgage Interest Rate (Annual %)

11.42

57.62%

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

Last update for Roatan: April 12, 2026

Last update for Playa del Carmen: April 12, 2026

Cost Breakdown

A central one-bedroom costs $838 in Roatan versus $963 in Playa del Carmen. Rent is usually the largest line item in a monthly budget, so the gap here sets the tone for the overall comparison.

Salaries run about 43% higher in Playa del Carmen, which partly offsets the higher cost of living there. Purchasing power depends on which expenses matter most to you.

A mid-range dinner for two costs $40 in Roatan versus $43 in Playa del Carmen. Groceries tell a different story – $265 in Roatan vs $253 in Playa del Carmen – so Playa del Carmen 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

Roatan vs Playa del Carmen: Cost of Living - Frequently Asked Questions

Yes – Playa del Carmen is pricier by about 4%, and the gap shows up most in Monthly Utilities & Internet. It's not just housing either; the difference applies across most spending categories.

For a comfortable life, plan on about $1,819 per month in Roatan and $1,894 in Playa del Carmen. That covers rent, food, utilities, transport, and enough left over to feel settled – not just surviving.

Rent is clearly cheaper in Roatan, especially for central apartments. Housing is actually the single biggest factor behind the overall cost gap between these two cities.

Monthly expenses with rent come to $1,213 in Roatan and $1,262 in Playa del Carmen. The difference isn't just one category – it shows up across housing, food, transport, and services.

Kindergarten costs $422 per month in Roatan and $199 in Playa del Carmen. For families with young kids, this one expense can tip the scales when choosing between the two cities.

A $1,500 monthly budget goes further in Roatan, where all-in costs run around $1,213, than in Playa del Carmen at $1,262. In Roatan it covers expenses comfortably, while in Playa del Carmen it requires careful planning or may not stretch far enough.

Families tend to lean toward Roatan – lower housing and cheaper childcare make a real difference, especially on a single income or when paying for private education.

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.

If budget matters most, go with Roatan. 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.