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 $1,212 per month in Roatan vs $1,259 in Playa del Carmen, rent included.

A couple spends around $1,980 per month in Roatan vs $2,177 in Playa del Carmen, rent included.

A family of three spends $2,749 per month in Roatan vs $3,095 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 9% lower, Playa del Carmen 6% lower.

Meal at Budget Restaurant

$7.35 HNL 197

$11.95 MX$209

-38.49%

Three-Course Dinner for Two, Mid-Range

$40.22 HNL 1,076

$41.94 MX$734

-4.10%

Fast Food Meal (McDonalds, etc)

$8.89 HNL 238

$10.42 MX$182

-14.68%

Cappuccino

$3.69 HNL 98.8

$3.51 MX$61.5

5.13%

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

$1.24 HNL 33.19

$1.52 MX$26.53

-18.42%

Water (0.33 liter bottle)

$0.70 HNL 18.74

$0.91 MX$15.93

-23.08%

Local Beer (0.5 liter draught)

$2.22 HNL 59.5

$3.04 MX$53.2

-26.97%

Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$4.12 HNL 110

$4.37 MX$76.5

-5.72%

Milk (1 liter)

$1.30 HNL 34.79

$1.42 MX$24.86

-8.45%

White Bread (500g)

$3.24 HNL 86.7

$1.83 MX$32.03

77.05%

Rice (white) (1kg)

$2.14 HNL 57.3

$1.63 MX$28.60

31.29%

Eggs

$1.98 HNL 53.0

$2.54 MX$44.43

-22.05%

Local Cheese (1kg)

$10.82 HNL 289

$8.57 MX$150

26.25%

Chicken Fillets (1kg)

$6.77 HNL 181

$8.49 MX$149

-20.26%

Beef Round Steak (1kg)

$17.97 HNL 481

$10.80 MX$189

66.39%

Apples (1kg)

$2.75 MX$48.19

Banana (1kg)

$1.13 HNL 30.11

$1.44 MX$25.13

-21.53%

Oranges (1kg)

$1.09 HNL 29.10

$1.89 MX$33.00

-42.33%

Tomato (1kg)

$0.58 HNL 15.38

$2.17 MX$37.96

-73.27%

Potato (1kg)

$1.07 HNL 28.56

$1.78 MX$31.13

-39.89%

Onion (1kg)

$1.08 HNL 28.86

$2.22 MX$38.91

-51.35%

Lettuce (1 head)

$1.02 HNL 27.41

$1.07 MX$18.70

-4.67%

Water (1.5 liter bottle)

$2.94 HNL 78.8

$1.08 MX$18.89

172.22%

Cigarettes 20 Pack (Marlboro, Camel)

$2.98 HNL 79.6

$4.15 MX$72.5

-28.19%

Wine (Bottle)

$7.54 HNL 202

$10.45 MX$183

-27.85%

Local Beer (0.5 liter bottle)

$1.74 MX$30.50

Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$4.10 HNL 110

$2.58 MX$45.16

58.91%

One-way Ticket (Public Transport)

$0.51 MX$8.98

Public Transport Monthly Pass (Regular Price)

$25.94 MX$454

Taxi Start (Normal Tariff)

$2.04 HNL 54.5

$3.21 MX$56.2

-36.45%

Taxi (Normal Tariff) (1km)

$2.50 MX$43.78

Taxi 1hour Waiting (Normal Tariff)

$9.91 HNL 265

$3.19 MX$55.7

210.66%

Gasoline (1 liter)

$1.05 HNL 28.10

$1.26 MX$21.98

-16.67%

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

$29.7K MX$519.3K

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

$30.3K HNL 809.8K

$23.7K MX$414.3K

27.83%

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

$82.0 MX$1,435

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

$22.73 MX$398

Internet (50+ Mbps, Unlimited Data)

$98.4 HNL 2,633

$29.42 MX$515

234.53%

Gym Membership (Monthly)

$60.4 HNL 1,614

$52.2 MX$913

15.65%

Tennis Court (1 Hour on Weekend)

$18.45 MX$323

Cinema Ticket

$4.93 MX$86.3

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

$425 HNL 11.4K

$202 MX$3,530

110.61%

International Primary School, 1 Child (Yearly)

$4,118 HNL 110.1K

$5,217 MX$91.3K

-21.06%

Jeans (Levis 501 Or Similar)

$40.11 HNL 1,073

$35.93 MX$629

11.63%

Summer Dress (H&M, Zara, etc)

$20.18 HNL 540

$40.33 MX$706

-49.96%

Sport Shoes (Adidas, Nike)

$39.47 HNL 1,056

$79.9 MX$1,397

-50.59%

Men's Leather Business Shoes

$50.9 HNL 1,361

$89.3 MX$1,562

-43.03%

1-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)

$844 HNL 22.6K

$948 MX$16.6K

-11.00%

1-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)

$550 HNL 14.7K

$465 MX$8,140

18.15%

3-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)

$741 HNL 19.8K

$1,630 MX$28.5K

-54.56%

3-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)

$1,248 HNL 33.4K

$1,193 MX$20.9K

4.59%

Buy Apartment in City Center (m2)

$1,873 HNL 50.1K

$3,933 MX$68.8K

-52.38%

Buy Apartment Outside City Center (m2)

$1,335 HNL 35.7K

$6,428 MX$112.4K

-79.23%

Average Monthly Net Salary (After Tax)

$492 HNL 13.2K

$658 MX$11.5K

-25.24%

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: July 19, 2026

Last update for Playa del Carmen: July 20, 2026

Cost Breakdown

A central one-bedroom costs $844 in Roatan versus $948 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 34% 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 $40.00 in Roatan versus $42.00 in Playa del Carmen. Groceries tell a different story – $264 in Roatan vs $252 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 $1,818 per month in Roatan and $1,888 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 $1,212 in Roatan and $1,259 in Playa del Carmen. The difference isn't just one category – it shows up across housing, food, transport, and services.

Kindergarten costs $425 per month in Roatan and $202 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 $1,212, than in Playa del Carmen at $1,259. 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.