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 $1,240 per month in Roatan vs $1,305 in Playa del Carmen, rent included.

A couple spends around $2,030 per month in Roatan vs $2,334 in Playa del Carmen, rent included.

A family of three spends $2,820 per month in Roatan vs $3,362 in Playa del Carmen, rent included.

Roatan is about 5% cheaper than Playa del Carmen, driven mainly by Getting Around.

Both Roatan and Playa del Carmen are more affordable than the global median – Roatan 10% lower, Playa del Carmen 5% lower.

Meal at Budget Restaurant

$7.91 HNL 212

$11.96 MX$203

-33.86%

Three-Course Dinner for Two, Mid-Range

$40.62 HNL 1,091

$47.38 MX$804

-14.27%

Fast Food Meal (McDonalds, etc)

$8.73 HNL 234

$11.75 MX$199

-25.70%

Cappuccino

$4.44 HNL 119

$4.12 MX$70.0

7.77%

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

$1.01 HNL 27.04

$1.40 MX$23.74

-27.86%

Water (0.33 liter bottle)

$0.86 HNL 23.22

$0.91 MX$15.48

-5.49%

Local Beer (0.5 liter draught)

$2.51 HNL 67.5

$3.21 MX$54.4

-21.81%

Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$5.11 HNL 137

$7.07 MX$120

-27.72%

Milk (1 liter)

$1.44 HNL 38.68

$1.68 MX$28.44

-14.29%

White Bread (500g)

$3.22 HNL 86.6

$2.15 MX$36.48

49.77%

Rice (white) (1kg)

$2.54 HNL 68.3

$1.77 MX$30.10

43.50%

Eggs

$2.04 HNL 54.7

$2.82 MX$47.76

-27.66%

Local Cheese (1kg)

$11.03 HNL 296

$9.20 MX$156

19.89%

Chicken Fillets (1kg)

$6.44 HNL 173

$9.23 MX$157

-30.23%

Beef Round Steak (1kg)

$17.46 HNL 469

$12.64 MX$214

38.13%

Apples (1kg)

$2.95 MX$50.1

Banana (1kg)

$1.08 HNL 29.12

$1.58 MX$26.79

-31.65%

Oranges (1kg)

$1.09 HNL 29.14

$2.22 MX$37.70

-50.90%

Tomato (1kg)

$0.56 HNL 15.05

$2.36 MX$40.09

-76.27%

Potato (1kg)

$1.64 HNL 44.10

$1.99 MX$33.81

-17.59%

Onion (1kg)

$1.48 HNL 39.86

$1.98 MX$33.58

-25.25%

Lettuce (1 head)

$1.17 HNL 31.45

$1.24 MX$21.04

-5.65%

Water (1.5 liter bottle)

$2.93 HNL 78.8

$1.21 MX$20.55

142.15%

Cigarettes 20 Pack (Marlboro, Camel)

$2.91 HNL 78.2

$4.60 MX$78.1

-36.74%

Wine (Bottle)

$7.83 HNL 210

$10.52 MX$178

-25.57%

Local Beer (0.5 liter bottle)

$1.33 HNL 35.78

$1.69 MX$28.70

-21.30%

Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$2.61 HNL 70.1

$2.77 MX$47.06

-5.78%

One-way Ticket (Public Transport)

$0.60 MX$10.22

Public Transport Monthly Pass (Regular Price)

$29.70 MX$504

Taxi Start (Normal Tariff)

$2.05 HNL 55.0

$5.24 MX$88.8

-60.88%

Taxi (Normal Tariff) (1km)

$3.65 MX$61.9

Taxi 1hour Waiting (Normal Tariff)

$10.12 HNL 272

$5.78 MX$98.1

75.09%

Gasoline (1 liter)

$1.07 HNL 28.85

$1.54 MX$26.09

-30.52%

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

$22.8K MX$386.8K

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

$29.6K HNL 796.0K

$25.8K MX$437.9K

14.84%

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

$90.7 MX$1,538

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

$25.19 MX$427

Internet (50+ Mbps, Unlimited Data)

$98.5 HNL 2,644

$31.75 MX$539

210.17%

Gym Membership (Monthly)

$58.9 HNL 1,580

$68.8 MX$1,167

-14.45%

Tennis Court (1 Hour on Weekend)

$29.37 MX$498

Cinema Ticket

$4.86 MX$82.5

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

$499 HNL 13.4K

$226 MX$3,828

121.21%

International Primary School, 1 Child (Yearly)

$4,194 MX$71.1K

Jeans (Levis 501 Or Similar)

$39.90 HNL 1,072

$47.38 MX$804

-15.79%

Summer Dress (H&M, Zara, etc)

$19.67 HNL 528

$43.45 MX$737

-54.73%

Sport Shoes (Adidas, Nike)

$40.79 HNL 1,095

$80.2 MX$1,361

-49.15%

Men's Leather Business Shoes

$49.65 HNL 1,333

$91.4 MX$1,550

-45.67%

1-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)

$848 HNL 22.8K

$1,086 MX$18.4K

-21.87%

1-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)

$552 HNL 14.8K

$409 MX$6,933

34.96%

3-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)

$1,990 HNL 53.4K

$1,972 MX$33.5K

0.92%

3-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)

$1,229 HNL 33.0K

$1,281 MX$21.7K

-4.06%

Buy Apartment in City Center (m2)

$1,907 HNL 51.2K

$4,046 MX$68.6K

-52.87%

Buy Apartment Outside City Center (m2)

$1,338 HNL 35.9K

$6,704 MX$113.7K

-80.05%

Average Monthly Net Salary (After Tax)

$495 HNL 13.3K

$773 MX$13.1K

-35.96%

20-Year Fixed Mortgage Interest Rate (Annual %)

11.45

57.21%

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

Last update for Roatan: September 7, 2026

Last update for Playa del Carmen: September 7, 2026

Cost Breakdown

A central one-bedroom costs $848 in Roatan versus $1,086 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 56% 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 $41.00 in Roatan versus $47.00 in Playa del Carmen. Monthly groceries follow the same trend: $272 vs $278 – making Roatan 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

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

Yes – Playa del Carmen is pricier by about 5%, and the gap shows up most in Getting Around. It's not just housing either; the difference applies across most spending categories.

For a comfortable life, plan on about $1,859 per month in Roatan and $1,958 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 $1,240 in Roatan and $1,305 in Playa del Carmen. The difference isn't just one category – it shows up across housing, food, transport, and services.

Kindergarten costs $499 per month in Roatan and $226 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 $1,240, than in Playa del Carmen at $1,305. 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.