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

Monthly Cost of Living

A single person spends $1,247 per month in Rosarito vs $1,330 in Playa del Carmen, rent included.

A couple spends around $1,978 per month in Rosarito vs $2,336 in Playa del Carmen, rent included.

A family of three spends $2,708 per month in Rosarito vs $3,341 in Playa del Carmen, rent included.

Rosarito is about 6% cheaper than Playa del Carmen, driven mainly by Getting Around.

Both Rosarito and Playa del Carmen are more affordable than the global median – Rosarito 9% lower, Playa del Carmen 3% lower.

Meal at Budget Restaurant

$12.57 MX$213

$13.02 MX$221

-3.46%

Three-Course Dinner for Two, Mid-Range

$37.03 MX$628

$46.25 MX$784

-19.94%

Fast Food Meal (McDonalds, etc)

$10.38 MX$176

$12.59 MX$213

-17.55%

Cappuccino

$4.50 MX$76.3

$4.00 MX$67.9

12.50%

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

$1.45 MX$24.65

$1.42 MX$24.08

2.11%

Water (0.33 liter bottle)

$1.31 MX$22.20

$0.81 MX$13.73

61.73%

Local Beer (0.5 liter draught)

$3.51 MX$59.4

$3.05 MX$51.7

15.08%

Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$7.15 MX$121

$6.82 MX$116

4.84%

Milk (1 liter)

$1.86 MX$31.56

$1.71 MX$29.04

8.77%

White Bread (500g)

$3.03 MX$51.3

$2.22 MX$37.62

36.49%

Rice (white) (1kg)

$1.84 MX$31.11

$1.72 MX$29.13

6.98%

Eggs

$3.33 MX$56.4

$2.71 MX$45.99

22.88%

Local Cheese (1kg)

$8.53 MX$145

$9.37 MX$159

-8.96%

Chicken Fillets (1kg)

$7.54 MX$128

$8.86 MX$150

-14.90%

Beef Round Steak (1kg)

$12.82 MX$217

$12.78 MX$217

0.31%

Apples (1kg)

$3.14 MX$53.2

$3.13 MX$53.0

0.32%

Banana (1kg)

$1.73 MX$29.32

$1.55 MX$26.24

11.61%

Oranges (1kg)

$2.08 MX$35.24

$2.15 MX$36.51

-3.26%

Tomato (1kg)

$1.74 MX$29.41

$2.35 MX$39.89

-25.96%

Potato (1kg)

$1.62 MX$27.38

$2.02 MX$34.23

-19.80%

Onion (1kg)

$1.99 MX$33.68

$1.99 MX$33.67

Lettuce (1 head)

$1.65 MX$27.88

$1.24 MX$21.09

33.06%

Water (1.5 liter bottle)

$1.13 MX$19.15

$1.19 MX$20.21

-5.04%

Cigarettes 20 Pack (Marlboro, Camel)

$4.76 MX$80.6

$4.65 MX$78.8

2.37%

Wine (Bottle)

$8.88 MX$150

$10.47 MX$177

-15.19%

Local Beer (0.5 liter bottle)

$2.41 MX$40.81

$1.58 MX$26.82

52.53%

Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$4.32 MX$73.2

$2.92 MX$49.48

47.95%

One-way Ticket (Public Transport)

$0.68 MX$11.54

$0.56 MX$9.53

21.43%

Public Transport Monthly Pass (Regular Price)

$29.76 MX$504

Taxi Start (Normal Tariff)

$3.05 MX$51.6

$5.32 MX$90.2

-42.67%

Taxi (Normal Tariff) (1km)

$2.29 MX$38.73

$3.72 MX$63.0

-38.44%

Taxi 1hour Waiting (Normal Tariff)

$11.79 MX$200

$5.78 MX$97.9

103.98%

Gasoline (1 liter)

$1.39 MX$23.60

$1.55 MX$26.27

-10.32%

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

$22.9K MX$388.8K

$22.4K MX$379.1K

2.55%

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

$26.1K MX$441.6K

$25.6K MX$433.3K

1.89%

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

$51.3 MX$869

$89.3 MX$1,513

-42.57%

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

$35.87 MX$608

$23.30 MX$395

53.95%

Internet (50+ Mbps, Unlimited Data)

$31.96 MX$542

$31.72 MX$538

0.76%

Gym Membership (Monthly)

$36.70 MX$622

$68.8 MX$1,165

-46.63%

Tennis Court (1 Hour on Weekend)

$20.51 MX$348

$29.40 MX$498

-30.24%

Cinema Ticket

$7.03 MX$119

$5.06 MX$85.7

38.93%

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

$219 MX$3,708

$222 MX$3,765

-1.49%

International Primary School, 1 Child (Yearly)

$4,917 MX$83.3K

$4,293 MX$72.7K

14.54%

Jeans (Levis 501 Or Similar)

$57.1 MX$967

$46.21 MX$783

23.52%

Summer Dress (H&M, Zara, etc)

$49.75 MX$843

$44.43 MX$753

11.97%

Sport Shoes (Adidas, Nike)

$111 MX$1,882

$95.5 MX$1,618

16.36%

Men's Leather Business Shoes

$73.9 MX$1,252

$92.5 MX$1,568

-20.18%

1-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)

$647 MX$11.0K

$1,069 MX$18.1K

-39.47%

1-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)

$440 MX$7,456

$393 MX$6,663

11.89%

3-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)

$1,002 MX$17.0K

$1,988 MX$33.7K

-49.63%

3-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)

$944 MX$16.0K

$1,304 MX$22.1K

-27.59%

Buy Apartment in City Center (m2)

$1,732 MX$29.4K

$4,037 MX$68.4K

-57.09%

Buy Apartment Outside City Center (m2)

$1,376 MX$23.3K

$6,627 MX$112.3K

-79.24%

Average Monthly Net Salary (After Tax)

$747 MX$12.7K

20-Year Fixed Mortgage Interest Rate (Annual %)

12.07

11.6

4.05%

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

Last update for Rosarito: August 16, 2026

Last update for Playa del Carmen: August 18, 2026

Cost Breakdown

A central one-bedroom costs $647 in Rosarito versus $1,069 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.

A mid-range dinner for two costs $37.00 in Rosarito versus $46.00 in Playa del Carmen. Groceries tell a different story – $282 in Rosarito vs $277 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

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

Yes – Playa del Carmen is pricier by about 7%, 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 $1,871 per month in Rosarito and $1,995 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 Rosarito, 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 $1,247 in Rosarito and $1,330 in Playa del Carmen. The difference isn't just one category – it shows up across housing, food, transport, and services.

Kindergarten costs $219 per month in Rosarito and $222 in Playa del Carmen. For families with young kids, this one expense can tip the scales when choosing between the two cities.

A $1,000 monthly budget goes further in Rosarito, where all-in costs run around $1,247, than in Playa del Carmen at $1,330. In Rosarito it covers expenses comfortably, while in Playa del Carmen it requires careful planning or may not stretch far enough.

Families tend to lean toward Rosarito – 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 Rosarito. 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.