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 $1,218 per month in Roatan vs $1,271 in Playa del Carmen, rent included.

A couple spends around $2,007 per month in Roatan vs $2,126 in Playa del Carmen, rent included.

A family of three spends $2,797 per month in Roatan vs $2,980 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 5% lower.

Meal at Budget Restaurant

$7.65 HNL 204

$11.87 MX$207

-35.55%

Three-Course Dinner for Two, Mid-Range

$39.35 HNL 1,049

$42.90 MX$749

-8.28%

Fast Food Meal (McDonalds, etc)

$8.85 HNL 236

$10.65 MX$186

-16.90%

Cappuccino

$3.58 HNL 95.3

$3.45 MX$60.2

3.77%

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

$1.24 HNL 33.03

$1.50 MX$26.27

-17.33%

Water (0.33 liter bottle)

$0.74 HNL 19.74

$0.95 MX$16.57

-22.11%

Local Beer (0.5 liter draught)

$2.18 HNL 58.2

$3.03 MX$52.9

-28.05%

Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$3.93 HNL 105

$4.61 MX$80.5

-14.75%

Milk (1 liter)

$1.31 HNL 34.87

$1.38 MX$24.03

-5.07%

White Bread (500g)

$3.38 HNL 90.0

$1.85 MX$32.27

82.70%

Rice (white) (1kg)

$2.15 HNL 57.2

$1.61 MX$28.14

33.54%

Eggs

$2.03 HNL 54.2

$2.59 MX$45.30

-21.62%

Local Cheese (1kg)

$10.87 HNL 290

$8.26 MX$144

31.60%

Chicken Fillets (1kg)

$6.51 HNL 174

$8.37 MX$146

-22.22%

Beef Round Steak (1kg)

$17.33 HNL 462

$10.66 MX$186

62.57%

Apples (1kg)

$2.63 MX$45.93

Banana (1kg)

$1.11 HNL 29.59

$1.49 MX$25.99

-25.50%

Oranges (1kg)

$1.08 HNL 28.70

$1.92 MX$33.53

-43.75%

Tomato (1kg)

$0.57 HNL 15.10

$2.09 MX$36.44

-72.73%

Potato (1kg)

$1.07 HNL 28.53

$1.86 MX$32.44

-42.47%

Onion (1kg)

$1.08 HNL 28.74

$2.26 MX$39.50

-52.21%

Lettuce (1 head)

$1.02 HNL 27.10

$1.06 MX$18.56

-3.77%

Water (1.5 liter bottle)

$3.07 HNL 81.9

$1.09 MX$19.00

181.65%

Cigarettes 20 Pack (Marlboro, Camel)

$2.99 HNL 79.6

$4.15 MX$72.5

-27.95%

Wine (Bottle)

$7.77 HNL 207

$10.39 MX$182

-25.22%

Local Beer (0.5 liter bottle)

$1.72 MX$30.12

Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$4.08 HNL 109

$2.61 MX$45.64

56.32%

One-way Ticket (Public Transport)

$0.54 MX$9.46

Public Transport Monthly Pass (Regular Price)

$26.94 MX$471

Taxi Start (Normal Tariff)

$1.97 HNL 52.5

$3.13 MX$54.6

-37.06%

Taxi (Normal Tariff) (1km)

$2.51 MX$43.85

Taxi 1hour Waiting (Normal Tariff)

$10.05 HNL 268

$3.15 MX$55.0

219.05%

Gasoline (1 liter)

$1.06 HNL 28.27

$1.27 MX$22.27

-16.54%

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

$30.4K MX$530.6K

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

$30.6K HNL 814.4K

$23.6K MX$411.7K

29.65%

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

$83.0 MX$1,450

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

$22.71 MX$397

Internet (50+ Mbps, Unlimited Data)

$101 HNL 2,698

$29.46 MX$515

243.62%

Gym Membership (Monthly)

$60.1 HNL 1,603

$51.0 MX$891

17.90%

Tennis Court (1 Hour on Weekend)

$18.33 MX$320

Cinema Ticket

$4.93 MX$86.0

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

$422 HNL 11.3K

$197 MX$3,447

114.01%

International Primary School, 1 Child (Yearly)

$4,238 HNL 113.0K

$5,280 MX$92.2K

-19.72%

Jeans (Levis 501 Or Similar)

$39.47 HNL 1,052

$36.90 MX$645

6.96%

Summer Dress (H&M, Zara, etc)

$19.91 HNL 531

$39.89 MX$697

-50.09%

Sport Shoes (Adidas, Nike)

$39.64 HNL 1,057

$80.0 MX$1,398

-50.46%

Men's Leather Business Shoes

$50.3 HNL 1,342

$89.5 MX$1,563

-43.74%

1-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)

$860 HNL 22.9K

$956 MX$16.7K

-10.04%

1-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)

$556 HNL 14.8K

$477 MX$8,334

16.64%

3-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)

$722 HNL 19.3K

$1,646 MX$28.8K

-56.11%

3-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)

$1,264 HNL 33.7K

$1,225 MX$21.4K

3.19%

Buy Apartment in City Center (m2)

$1,878 HNL 50.1K

$3,918 MX$68.4K

-52.06%

Buy Apartment Outside City Center (m2)

$1,346 HNL 35.9K

$6,459 MX$112.8K

-79.16%

Average Monthly Net Salary (After Tax)

$492 HNL 13.1K

$667 MX$11.7K

-26.20%

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: June 7, 2026

Last update for Playa del Carmen: June 7, 2026

Cost Breakdown

A central one-bedroom costs $860 in Roatan versus $956 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 35% 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 $39.00 in Roatan versus $43.00 in Playa del Carmen. Groceries tell a different story – $265 in Roatan vs $250 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 $1,827 per month in Roatan and $1,906 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 $1,218 in Roatan and $1,271 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 $197 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 $1,218, than in Playa del Carmen at $1,271. 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.