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 $996 per month in Roman vs $1,271 in Playa del Carmen, rent included.

A couple spends around $1,472 per month in Roman vs $2,126 in Playa del Carmen, rent included.

A family of three spends $1,949 per month in Roman vs $2,980 in Playa del Carmen, rent included.

Roman is about 22% 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 26% lower, Playa del Carmen 5% lower.

Meal at Budget Restaurant

$12.39 RON 56.1

$11.87 MX$204

4.38%

Three-Course Dinner for Two, Mid-Range

$28.00 RON 127

$42.90 MX$736

-34.73%

Fast Food Meal (McDonalds, etc)

$7.84 RON 35.48

$10.65 MX$183

-26.38%

Cappuccino

$3.36 RON 15.21

$3.45 MX$59.2

-2.61%

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

$1.12 RON 5.07

$1.50 MX$25.81

-25.33%

Water (0.33 liter bottle)

$2.09 RON 9.44

$0.95 MX$16.28

120.00%

Local Beer (0.5 liter draught)

$3.15 RON 14.26

$3.03 MX$51.9

3.96%

Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$2.35 RON 10.63

$4.61 MX$79.1

-49.02%

Milk (1 liter)

$1.48 RON 6.71

$1.38 MX$23.61

7.25%

White Bread (500g)

$0.95 RON 4.29

$1.85 MX$31.70

-48.65%

Rice (white) (1kg)

$1.64 RON 7.44

$1.61 MX$27.65

1.86%

Eggs

$3.02 RON 13.68

$2.59 MX$44.51

16.60%

Local Cheese (1kg)

$8.71 RON 39.42

$8.26 MX$142

5.45%

Chicken Fillets (1kg)

$6.82 RON 30.86

$8.37 MX$144

-18.52%

Beef Round Steak (1kg)

$11.29 RON 51.1

$10.66 MX$183

5.91%

Apples (1kg)

$0.95 RON 4.32

$2.63 MX$45.12

-63.88%

Banana (1kg)

$1.48 RON 6.69

$1.49 MX$25.53

-0.67%

Oranges (1kg)

$1.48 RON 6.70

$1.92 MX$32.94

-22.92%

Tomato (1kg)

$2.22 RON 10.06

$2.09 MX$35.81

6.22%

Potato (1kg)

$0.77 RON 3.49

$1.86 MX$31.88

-58.60%

Onion (1kg)

$1.03 RON 4.65

$2.26 MX$38.81

-54.42%

Lettuce (1 head)

$0.93 RON 4.21

$1.06 MX$18.23

-12.26%

Water (1.5 liter bottle)

$0.85 RON 3.82

$1.09 MX$18.67

-22.02%

Cigarettes 20 Pack (Marlboro, Camel)

$5.74 RON 25.95

$4.15 MX$71.2

38.31%

Wine (Bottle)

$6.66 RON 30.12

$10.39 MX$178

-35.90%

Local Beer (0.5 liter bottle)

$1.14 RON 5.18

$1.72 MX$29.59

-33.72%

Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$1.64 RON 7.43

$2.61 MX$44.85

-37.16%

One-way Ticket (Public Transport)

$0.72 RON 3.27

$0.54 MX$9.30

33.33%

Public Transport Monthly Pass (Regular Price)

$19.68 RON 89.0

$26.94 MX$462

-26.95%

Taxi Start (Normal Tariff)

$0.72 RON 3.24

$3.13 MX$53.7

-77.00%

Taxi (Normal Tariff) (1km)

$0.66 RON 2.97

$2.51 MX$43.09

-73.71%

Taxi 1hour Waiting (Normal Tariff)

$6.74 RON 30.48

$3.15 MX$54.1

113.97%

Gasoline (1 liter)

$1.68 RON 7.58

$1.27 MX$21.88

32.28%

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

$28.3K RON 128.1K

$30.4K MX$521.3K

-6.73%

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

$28.0K RON 126.4K

$23.6K MX$404.5K

18.62%

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

$90.6 RON 410

$83.0 MX$1,425

9.17%

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

$3.47 RON 15.70

$22.71 MX$390

-84.72%

Internet (50+ Mbps, Unlimited Data)

$5.69 RON 25.76

$29.46 MX$506

-80.69%

Gym Membership (Monthly)

$41.72 RON 189

$51.0 MX$875

-18.20%

Tennis Court (1 Hour on Weekend)

$18.99 RON 85.9

$18.33 MX$315

3.60%

Cinema Ticket

$10.76 RON 48.66

$4.93 MX$84.5

118.26%

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

$328 RON 1,482

$197 MX$3,386

66.04%

International Primary School, 1 Child (Yearly)

$6,627 RON 30.0K

$5,280 MX$90.6K

25.52%

Jeans (Levis 501 Or Similar)

$67.3 RON 305

$36.90 MX$633

82.44%

Summer Dress (H&M, Zara, etc)

$17.09 RON 77.3

$39.89 MX$685

-57.16%

Sport Shoes (Adidas, Nike)

$96.6 RON 437

$80.0 MX$1,373

20.77%

Men's Leather Business Shoes

$34.85 RON 158

$89.5 MX$1,536

-61.05%

1-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)

$387 RON 1,749

$956 MX$16.4K

-59.58%

1-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)

$286 RON 1,293

$477 MX$8,189

-40.10%

3-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)

$577 RON 2,608

$1,646 MX$28.3K

-64.97%

3-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)

$441 RON 1,993

$1,225 MX$21.0K

-64.02%

Buy Apartment in City Center (m2)

$2,070 RON 9,365

$3,918 MX$67.2K

-47.16%

Buy Apartment Outside City Center (m2)

$1,266 RON 5,725

$6,459 MX$110.9K

-80.40%

Average Monthly Net Salary (After Tax)

$854 RON 3,863

$667 MX$11.4K

28.03%

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: June 9, 2026

Last update for Playa del Carmen: June 7, 2026

Cost Breakdown

A central one-bedroom costs $387 in Roman 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 28% 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 $43.00 in Playa del Carmen. Monthly groceries follow the same trend: $208 vs $250 – 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 28%, 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 $1,494 per month in Roman 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 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 $996 in Roman and $1,271 in Playa del Carmen. The difference isn't just one category – it shows up across housing, food, transport, and services.

Public transport costs about 37% 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 $996, than in Playa del Carmen at $1,271. 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.