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

Monthly Cost of Living

A single person spends $994 per month in Roman vs $1,260 in Playa del Carmen, rent included.

A couple spends around $1,472 per month in Roman vs $2,125 in Playa del Carmen, rent included.

A family of three spends $1,950 per month in Roman vs $2,990 in Playa del Carmen, rent included.

Roman is about 21% cheaper than Playa del Carmen, driven mainly by Monthly Utilities & Internet.

Both Roman and Playa del Carmen are more affordable than the global median – Roman 25% lower, Playa del Carmen 5% lower.

Meal at Budget Restaurant

$12.34 RON 56.1

$11.72 MX$203

5.29%

Three-Course Dinner for Two, Mid-Range

$27.51 RON 125

$41.89 MX$725

-34.33%

Fast Food Meal (McDonalds, etc)

$7.96 RON 36.20

$10.51 MX$182

-24.26%

Cappuccino

$3.35 RON 15.24

$3.59 MX$62.0

-6.69%

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

$1.14 RON 5.18

$1.51 MX$26.10

-24.50%

Water (0.33 liter bottle)

$2.08 RON 9.45

$0.92 MX$15.83

126.09%

Local Beer (0.5 liter draught)

$3.20 RON 14.53

$2.96 MX$51.2

8.11%

Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$2.32 RON 10.53

$4.41 MX$76.3

-47.39%

Milk (1 liter)

$1.50 RON 6.81

$1.40 MX$24.16

7.14%

White Bread (500g)

$0.89 RON 4.05

$1.88 MX$32.60

-52.66%

Rice (white) (1kg)

$1.59 RON 7.22

$1.56 MX$26.97

1.92%

Eggs

$2.97 RON 13.48

$2.61 MX$45.14

13.79%

Local Cheese (1kg)

$8.90 RON 40.45

$8.32 MX$144

6.97%

Chicken Fillets (1kg)

$6.87 RON 31.24

$8.35 MX$145

-17.72%

Beef Round Steak (1kg)

$11.32 RON 51.5

$10.86 MX$188

4.24%

Apples (1kg)

$0.91 RON 4.12

$2.71 MX$46.93

-66.42%

Banana (1kg)

$1.54 RON 7.02

$1.51 MX$26.04

1.99%

Oranges (1kg)

$1.48 RON 6.72

$1.87 MX$32.41

-20.86%

Tomato (1kg)

$2.23 RON 10.13

$2.19 MX$37.89

1.83%

Potato (1kg)

$0.80 RON 3.63

$1.86 MX$32.14

-56.99%

Onion (1kg)

$1.01 RON 4.60

$2.23 MX$38.59

-54.71%

Lettuce (1 head)

$0.94 RON 4.26

$1.07 MX$18.48

-12.15%

Water (1.5 liter bottle)

$0.85 RON 3.86

$1.09 MX$18.79

-22.02%

Cigarettes 20 Pack (Marlboro, Camel)

$5.79 RON 26.31

$4.19 MX$72.4

38.19%

Wine (Bottle)

$6.54 RON 29.73

$10.43 MX$180

-37.30%

Local Beer (0.5 liter bottle)

$1.15 RON 5.22

$1.66 MX$28.68

-30.72%

Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$1.71 RON 7.76

$2.61 MX$45.19

-34.48%

One-way Ticket (Public Transport)

$0.70 RON 3.20

$0.54 MX$9.37

29.63%

Public Transport Monthly Pass (Regular Price)

$19.96 RON 90.7

$26.16 MX$453

-23.70%

Taxi Start (Normal Tariff)

$0.67 RON 3.04

$3.08 MX$53.3

-78.25%

Taxi (Normal Tariff) (1km)

$0.61 RON 2.75

$2.40 MX$41.61

-74.58%

Taxi 1hour Waiting (Normal Tariff)

$6.88 RON 31.28

$3.13 MX$54.1

119.81%

Gasoline (1 liter)

$1.66 RON 7.53

$1.31 MX$22.69

26.72%

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

$28.1K RON 127.9K

$29.8K MX$515.7K

-5.60%

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

$27.4K RON 124.7K

$23.3K MX$403.5K

17.60%

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

$93.4 RON 425

$81.3 MX$1,406

14.96%

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

$3.40 RON 15.46

$22.56 MX$390

-84.93%

Internet (50+ Mbps, Unlimited Data)

$5.60 RON 25.47

$30.05 MX$520

-81.36%

Gym Membership (Monthly)

$40.66 RON 185

$52.9 MX$915

-23.15%

Tennis Court (1 Hour on Weekend)

$19.35 RON 88.0

$18.39 MX$318

5.22%

Cinema Ticket

$10.99 RON 49.94

$4.92 MX$85.1

123.37%

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

$325 RON 1,477

$201 MX$3,474

61.76%

International Primary School, 1 Child (Yearly)

$6,589 RON 30.0K

$5,175 MX$89.5K

27.34%

Jeans (Levis 501 Or Similar)

$67.6 RON 307

$35.92 MX$622

88.20%

Summer Dress (H&M, Zara, etc)

$17.61 RON 80.1

$40.13 MX$694

-56.12%

Sport Shoes (Adidas, Nike)

$95.9 RON 436

$79.7 MX$1,379

20.30%

Men's Leather Business Shoes

$33.92 RON 154

$86.5 MX$1,496

-60.77%

1-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)

$388 RON 1,765

$978 MX$16.9K

-60.31%

1-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)

$290 RON 1,320

$470 MX$8,140

-38.29%

3-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)

$581 RON 2,643

$1,651 MX$28.6K

-64.80%

3-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)

$444 RON 2,017

$1,203 MX$20.8K

-63.14%

Buy Apartment in City Center (m2)

$2,229 RON 10.1K

$3,953 MX$68.4K

-43.62%

Buy Apartment Outside City Center (m2)

$1,357 RON 6,168

$6,607 MX$114.3K

-79.47%

Average Monthly Net Salary (After Tax)

$859 RON 3,907

$677 MX$11.7K

26.99%

20-Year Fixed Mortgage Interest Rate (Annual %)

7.7

11.42

-32.57%

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

Last update for Roman: July 27, 2026

Last update for Playa del Carmen: July 27, 2026

Cost Breakdown

A central one-bedroom costs $388 in Roman versus $978 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 27% higher in Roman, which reinforces the cost advantage – you earn more and spend less. Purchasing power leans clearly in its favor.

A mid-range dinner for two costs $28.00 in Roman versus $42.00 in Playa del Carmen. Monthly groceries follow the same trend: $209 vs $252 – making Roman 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

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

Yes – Playa del Carmen is pricier by about 27%, 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 $1,490 per month in Roman and $1,890 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 Roman, 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 $994 in Roman and $1,260 in Playa del Carmen. The difference isn't just one category – it shows up across housing, food, transport, and services.

Public transport costs about 31% less in Roman. For daily commuters, that gap adds up to noticeable savings over a year.

A $1,500 monthly budget goes further in Roman, where all-in costs run around $994, than in Playa del Carmen at $1,260. In Roman it covers expenses comfortably, while in Playa del Carmen it requires careful planning or may not stretch far enough.

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

If budget matters most, go with Roman. 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.