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

Monthly Cost of Living

A single person spends $2,652 per month in Roskilde vs $1,293 in Playa del Carmen, rent included.

A couple spends around $4,018 per month in Roskilde vs $2,334 in Playa del Carmen, rent included.

A family of three spends $5,384 per month in Roskilde vs $3,374 in Playa del Carmen, rent included.

Roskilde costs about 105% more than Playa del Carmen, driven mainly by Eating Out.

Roskilde sits 93% above the global median, while Playa del Carmen is 6% below – they fall on opposite sides of the world average.

Currency
🍽 Eating Out
Roskilde
Playa del Carmen
Difference
Meal at Budget Restaurant
$18.79 DKK 121
$11.71 MX$199
60.46%
Three-Course Dinner for Two, Mid-Range
$119 DKK 766
$46.59 MX$792
154.95%
Fast Food Meal (McDonalds, etc)
$15.78 DKK 102
$11.65 MX$198
35.45%
Cappuccino
$7.45 DKK 48.05
$4.09 MX$69.6
82.15%
Coke/Pepsi/Fanta/Sprite (0.33 liter bottle)
$4.35 DKK 28.08
$1.37 MX$23.35
217.52%
Water (0.33 liter bottle)
$3.69 DKK 23.78
$0.83 MX$14.17
344.58%
Local Beer (0.5 liter draught)
$8.41 DKK 54.3
$3.35 MX$57.0
151.04%
Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)
$9.00 DKK 58.1
$6.91 MX$117
30.25%
🛒 Groceries & Markets
Roskilde
Playa del Carmen
Difference
Milk (1 liter)
$2.13 DKK 13.71
$1.73 MX$29.35
23.12%
White Bread (500g)
$4.07 DKK 26.26
$2.26 MX$38.41
80.09%
Rice (white) (1kg)
$2.48 DKK 16.00
$1.77 MX$30.07
40.11%
Eggs
$4.85 DKK 31.30
$2.73 MX$46.43
77.66%
Local Cheese (1kg)
$14.73 DKK 95.0
$9.18 MX$156
60.46%
Chicken Fillets (1kg)
$12.05 DKK 77.7
$8.92 MX$152
35.09%
Beef Round Steak (1kg)
$19.30 DKK 124
$12.60 MX$214
53.17%
Apples (1kg)
$2.74 DKK 17.64
$3.02 MX$51.3
-9.27%
Banana (1kg)
$2.79 DKK 18.02
$1.57 MX$26.69
77.71%
Oranges (1kg)
$2.11 DKK 13.62
$2.13 MX$36.12
-0.94%
Tomato (1kg)
$4.22 DKK 27.24
$2.26 MX$38.48
86.73%
Potato (1kg)
$1.74 DKK 11.21
$2.00 MX$34.05
-13.00%
Onion (1kg)
$1.50 DKK 9.70
$2.06 MX$35.08
-27.18%
Lettuce (1 head)
$1.46 DKK 9.41
$1.18 MX$20.05
23.73%
Water (1.5 liter bottle)
$0.68 DKK 4.39
$1.20 MX$20.46
-43.33%
Cigarettes 20 Pack (Marlboro, Camel)
$9.41 DKK 60.7
$4.63 MX$78.8
103.24%
Wine (Bottle)
$7.55 DKK 48.72
$10.69 MX$182
-29.37%
Local Beer (0.5 liter bottle)
$1.98 DKK 12.77
$1.62 MX$27.52
22.22%
Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)
$2.75 DKK 17.75
$2.88 MX$48.96
-4.51%
🚌 Getting Around
Roskilde
Playa del Carmen
Difference
One-way Ticket (Public Transport)
-
$0.57 MX$9.74
-
Public Transport Monthly Pass (Regular Price)
$76.7 DKK 494
$29.83 MX$507
157.02%
Taxi Start (Normal Tariff)
$6.04 DKK 38.96
$5.45 MX$92.6
10.83%
Taxi (Normal Tariff) (1km)
$1.72 DKK 11.10
$3.70 MX$63.0
-53.51%
Taxi 1hour Waiting (Normal Tariff)
$65.5 DKK 422
$5.98 MX$102
994.98%
Gasoline (1 liter)
$2.31 DKK 14.92
$1.55 MX$26.40
49.03%
Midsize Hatchback 1.4l (Volkswagen Golf, Toyota Prius, Honda Civic, etc)
$52.9K DKK 341.5K
$22.3K MX$379.4K
137.13%
Compact Sedan 1.6l (Toyota Corolla, Mazda3, Kia K4, Hyundai Elantra, etc)
$54.8K DKK 353.7K
$25.9K MX$441.0K
111.34%
🧾 Monthly Utilities & Internet
Roskilde
Playa del Carmen
Difference
Utilities for 2 People in 2-bedroom Apartment (Heating, Electricity, Gas, Water, Garbage) (85m2)
$225 DKK 1,449
$89.1 MX$1,515
152.01%
SIM Card Monthly Plan (Calls and 10GB+ Data)
$16.14 DKK 104
$25.04 MX$426
-35.54%
Internet (50+ Mbps, Unlimited Data)
$45.19 DKK 291
$31.50 MX$535
43.46%
🎉 Sport & Entertainment
Roskilde
Playa del Carmen
Difference
Gym Membership (Monthly)
$62.0 DKK 400
$67.8 MX$1,152
-8.53%
Tennis Court (1 Hour on Weekend)
-
$28.92 MX$491
-
Cinema Ticket
$17.01 DKK 110
$5.05 MX$85.8
236.83%
🧸 Childcare & Education
Roskilde
Playa del Carmen
Difference
Preschool or Kindergarten, Full Day, Private, 1 Child (Monthly)
$389 DKK 2,509
$225 MX$3,823
72.94%
International Primary School, 1 Child (Yearly)
$6,119 DKK 39.5K
$4,222 MX$71.8K
44.92%
👕👟 Clothing & Footwear
Roskilde
Playa del Carmen
Difference
Jeans (Levis 501 Or Similar)
$107 DKK 690
$47.44 MX$806
125.55%
Summer Dress (H&M, Zara, etc)
$49.29 DKK 318
$44.98 MX$764
9.58%
Sport Shoes (Adidas, Nike)
$161 DKK 1,040
$82.0 MX$1,393
96.66%
Men's Leather Business Shoes
$197 DKK 1,271
$92.1 MX$1,565
113.97%
🏠 Accommodation & Living
Roskilde
Playa del Carmen
Difference
1-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)
$1,361 DKK 8,775
$1,069 MX$18.2K
27.24%
1-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)
$1,179 DKK 7,603
$405 MX$6,888
190.82%
3-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)
$2,625 DKK 16.9K
$1,935 MX$32.9K
35.65%
3-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)
$2,096 DKK 13.5K
$1,301 MX$22.1K
61.07%
Buy Apartment in City Center (m2)
$6,823 DKK 44.0K
$3,995 MX$67.9K
70.77%
Buy Apartment Outside City Center (m2)
$6,231 DKK 40.2K
$6,626 MX$112.6K
-5.97%
💵 Salaries & Financials
Roskilde
Playa del Carmen
Difference
Average Monthly Net Salary (After Tax)
$4,214 DKK 27.2K
$749 MX$12.7K
462.76%
20-Year Fixed Mortgage Interest Rate (Annual %)
3.7
11.45
-67.69%

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

Last update for Roskilde: August 31, 2026

Last update for Playa del Carmen: August 29, 2026

Cost Breakdown

A central one-bedroom costs $1,361 in Roskilde 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.

Salaries run about 463% higher in Roskilde, 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 $119 in Roskilde versus $47.00 in Playa del Carmen. Monthly groceries follow the same trend: $366 vs $277 – making Playa del Carmen 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
Roskilde vs Playa del Carmen: Cost of Living - Frequently Asked Questions
Is Playa del Carmen cheaper than Roskilde?
Yes – Roskilde is pricier by about 105%, and the gap shows up most in Eating Out. It's not just housing either; the difference applies across most spending categories.
What income do you need for each city?
For a comfortable life, plan on about $3,978 per month in Roskilde and $1,940 in Playa del Carmen. That covers rent, food, utilities, transport, and enough left over to feel settled – not just surviving.
Which city has lower housing costs?
Rent is clearly cheaper in Playa del Carmen, especially for central apartments. Housing is actually the single biggest factor behind the overall cost gap between these two cities.
What are total monthly expenses in Roskilde and in Playa del Carmen?
Monthly expenses with rent come to $2,652 in Roskilde and $1,293 in Playa del Carmen. The difference isn't just one category – it shows up across housing, food, transport, and services.
Which city has cheaper public transport?
Public transport costs about 157% less in Playa del Carmen. For daily commuters, that gap adds up to noticeable savings over a year.
Is $1,500 a realistic budget for living in Roskilde or in Playa del Carmen?
A $1,500 monthly budget goes further in Playa del Carmen, where all-in costs run around $1,293, than in Roskilde at $2,652. In Playa del Carmen it covers expenses comfortably, while in Roskilde it requires careful planning or may not stretch far enough.
Is Roskilde or Playa del Carmen more family-friendly?
Families tend to lean toward Playa del Carmen – lower housing and cheaper childcare make a real difference, especially on a single income or when paying for private education.
Which city is safer, Roskilde or Playa del Carmen?
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.
Which city is the better choice to relocate to?
If budget matters most, go with Playa del Carmen. If higher salaries, better infrastructure, or specific career opportunities are the priority, Roskilde makes more sense. Both are solid long-term options with distinct trade-offs.

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