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 $947 per month in Roman vs $1,266 in Playa del Carmen, rent included.

A couple spends around $1,553 per month in Roman vs $2,279 in Playa del Carmen, rent included.

A family of three spends $2,158 per month in Roman vs $3,292 in Playa del Carmen, rent included.

Roman is about 25% cheaper than Playa del Carmen, driven mainly by Groceries & Markets.

Both Roman and Playa del Carmen are more affordable than the global median – Roman 31% lower, Playa del Carmen 7% lower.

Meal at Budget Restaurant

$12.12 RON 55.5

$11.60 MX$200

4.48%

Three-Course Dinner for Two, Mid-Range

$35.46 RON 162

$47.11 MX$811

-24.73%

Fast Food Meal (McDonalds, etc)

$7.93 RON 36.30

$11.88 MX$205

-33.25%

Cappuccino

$2.85 RON 13.05

$3.98 MX$68.5

-28.39%

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

$1.48 RON 6.78

$1.43 MX$24.57

3.50%

Water (0.33 liter bottle)

$1.13 RON 5.19

$0.82 MX$14.20

37.80%

Local Beer (0.5 liter draught)

$3.30 RON 15.10

$3.19 MX$54.9

3.45%

Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$2.38 RON 10.92

$6.79 MX$117

-64.95%

Milk (1 liter)

$1.59 RON 7.26

$1.68 MX$28.85

-5.36%

White Bread (500g)

$0.92 RON 4.21

$2.20 MX$37.83

-58.18%

Rice (white) (1kg)

$1.50 RON 6.87

$1.71 MX$29.41

-12.28%

Eggs

$2.93 RON 13.42

$2.74 MX$47.20

6.93%

Local Cheese (1kg)

$9.26 RON 42.44

$9.58 MX$165

-3.34%

Chicken Fillets (1kg)

$6.76 RON 30.97

$9.01 MX$155

-24.97%

Beef Round Steak (1kg)

$9.76 RON 44.71

$12.81 MX$221

-23.81%

Apples (1kg)

$1.09 RON 5.00

$2.89 MX$49.74

-62.28%

Banana (1kg)

$1.59 RON 7.26

$1.50 MX$25.78

6.00%

Oranges (1kg)

$1.49 RON 6.83

$2.15 MX$36.98

-30.70%

Tomato (1kg)

$2.26 RON 10.34

$2.26 MX$38.91

Potato (1kg)

$0.78 RON 3.56

$1.98 MX$34.10

-60.61%

Onion (1kg)

$0.86 RON 3.95

$1.99 MX$34.26

-56.78%

Lettuce (1 head)

$0.91 RON 4.17

$1.23 MX$21.25

-26.02%

Water (1.5 liter bottle)

$0.84 RON 3.86

$1.20 MX$20.60

-30.00%

Cigarettes 20 Pack (Marlboro, Camel)

$5.65 RON 25.90

$4.55 MX$78.3

24.18%

Wine (Bottle)

$6.74 RON 30.90

$10.37 MX$179

-35.00%

Local Beer (0.5 liter bottle)

$1.19 RON 5.46

$1.62 MX$27.88

-26.54%

Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$1.72 RON 7.90

$2.88 MX$49.60

-40.28%

One-way Ticket (Public Transport)

$0.80 RON 3.69

$0.60 MX$10.34

33.33%

Public Transport Monthly Pass (Regular Price)

$23.11 RON 106

$28.80 MX$496

-19.76%

Taxi Start (Normal Tariff)

$0.63 RON 2.88

$5.39 MX$92.8

-88.31%

Taxi (Normal Tariff) (1km)

$0.69 RON 3.17

$3.73 MX$64.2

-81.50%

Taxi 1hour Waiting (Normal Tariff)

$6.94 RON 31.79

$5.77 MX$99.3

20.28%

Gasoline (1 liter)

$1.85 RON 8.45

$1.54 MX$26.45

20.13%

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

$30.2K RON 138.2K

$22.5K MX$388.3K

33.84%

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

$27.5K RON 126.0K

$26.1K MX$448.7K

5.57%

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

$186 RON 851

$91.4 MX$1,573

103.21%

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

$7.27 RON 33.30

$25.20 MX$434

-71.15%

Internet (50+ Mbps, Unlimited Data)

$8.83 RON 40.44

$31.24 MX$538

-71.73%

Gym Membership (Monthly)

$39.94 RON 183

$67.2 MX$1,157

-40.57%

Tennis Court (1 Hour on Weekend)

$21.48 RON 98.4

$29.11 MX$501

-26.21%

Cinema Ticket

$9.77 RON 44.77

$4.86 MX$83.7

101.03%

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

$309 RON 1,416

$224 MX$3,851

38.19%

International Primary School, 1 Child (Yearly)

$7,275 RON 33.3K

$4,229 MX$72.8K

72.04%

Jeans (Levis 501 Or Similar)

$55.5 RON 254

$47.10 MX$811

17.88%

Summer Dress (H&M, Zara, etc)

$27.21 RON 125

$44.29 MX$763

-38.56%

Sport Shoes (Adidas, Nike)

$79.4 RON 364

$80.1 MX$1,379

-0.94%

Men's Leather Business Shoes

$61.3 RON 281

$92.7 MX$1,596

-33.80%

1-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)

$225 RON 1,032

$1,063 MX$18.3K

-78.79%

1-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)

$168 RON 772

$390 MX$6,719

-56.82%

3-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)

$642 RON 2,941

$2,149 MX$37.0K

-70.13%

3-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)

$462 RON 2,116

$1,272 MX$21.9K

-63.70%

Buy Apartment in City Center (m2)

$1,940 RON 8,889

$4,001 MX$68.9K

-51.51%

Buy Apartment Outside City Center (m2)

$1,381 RON 6,327

$6,502 MX$112.0K

-78.76%

Average Monthly Net Salary (After Tax)

$866 RON 3,967

$758 MX$13.1K

14.22%

20-Year Fixed Mortgage Interest Rate (Annual %)

7.2

11.45

-37.12%

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

Last update for Roman: September 12, 2026

Last update for Playa del Carmen: September 12, 2026

Cost Breakdown

A central one-bedroom costs $225 in Roman versus $1,063 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 14% 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 $35.00 in Roman versus $47.00 in Playa del Carmen. Monthly groceries follow the same trend: $207 vs $276 – 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 34%, and the gap shows up most in Groceries & Markets. It's not just housing either; the difference applies across most spending categories.

For a comfortable life, plan on about $1,421 per month in Roman and $1,899 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 $947 in Roman and $1,266 in Playa del Carmen. The difference isn't just one category – it shows up across housing, food, transport, and services.

Public transport costs about 25% 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 $947, than in Playa del Carmen at $1,266. 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.