Cost of Living Comparison Between Terre Rouge and Playa del Carmen Cost of Living Comparison Between Terre Rouge and Playa del Carmen

Monthly Cost of Living

A single person spends $983 per month in Terre Rouge vs $1,287 in Playa del Carmen, rent included.

A couple spends around $1,613 per month in Terre Rouge vs $2,184 in Playa del Carmen, rent included.

A family of three spends $2,243 per month in Terre Rouge vs $3,082 in Playa del Carmen, rent included.

Terre Rouge is about 24% cheaper than Playa del Carmen, driven mainly by Eating Out.

Both Terre Rouge and Playa del Carmen are more affordable than the global median – Terre Rouge 27% lower, Playa del Carmen 4% lower.

Currency
🍽 Eating Out
Terre Rouge
Playa del Carmen
Difference
Meal at Budget Restaurant
$6.61 MUR 309
$11.94 MX$208
-44.64%
Three-Course Dinner for Two, Mid-Range
$43.97 MUR 2,056
$42.75 MX$744
2.85%
Fast Food Meal (McDonalds, etc)
$6.65 MUR 311
$10.59 MX$184
-37.20%
Cappuccino
$2.54 MUR 119
$3.62 MX$63.0
-29.83%
Coke/Pepsi/Fanta/Sprite (0.33 liter bottle)
$1.03 MUR 48.24
$1.47 MX$25.54
-29.93%
Water (0.33 liter bottle)
$0.56 MUR 26.27
$0.94 MX$16.41
-40.43%
Local Beer (0.5 liter draught)
$2.09 MUR 97.9
$3.09 MX$53.8
-32.36%
Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)
$2.76 MUR 129
$4.46 MX$77.6
-38.12%
🛒 Groceries & Markets
Terre Rouge
Playa del Carmen
Difference
Milk (1 liter)
$1.49 MUR 69.7
$1.43 MX$24.80
4.20%
White Bread (500g)
$0.66 MUR 30.80
$1.88 MX$32.79
-64.89%
Rice (white) (1kg)
$1.28 MUR 59.8
$1.63 MX$28.34
-21.47%
Eggs
$2.24 MUR 105
$2.64 MX$45.99
-15.15%
Local Cheese (1kg)
$9.63 MUR 450
$8.21 MX$143
17.30%
Chicken Fillets (1kg)
$6.04 MUR 282
$8.29 MX$144
-27.14%
Beef Round Steak (1kg)
$10.42 MUR 487
$11.10 MX$193
-6.13%
Apples (1kg)
$1.98 MUR 92.4
$2.65 MX$46.14
-25.28%
Banana (1kg)
$1.90 MUR 88.7
$1.50 MX$26.11
26.67%
Oranges (1kg)
$1.44 MUR 67.1
$1.99 MX$34.59
-27.64%
Tomato (1kg)
$2.61 MUR 122
$2.08 MX$36.13
25.48%
Potato (1kg)
$1.01 MUR 47.44
$1.79 MX$31.11
-43.58%
Onion (1kg)
$0.99 MUR 46.40
$2.18 MX$37.87
-54.59%
Lettuce (1 head)
$0.81 MUR 37.75
$1.08 MX$18.73
-25.00%
Water (1.5 liter bottle)
$0.53 MUR 24.64
$1.04 MX$18.04
-49.04%
Cigarettes 20 Pack (Marlboro, Camel)
$6.00 MUR 280
$3.97 MX$69.1
51.13%
Wine (Bottle)
$8.96 MUR 419
$10.20 MX$178
-12.16%
Local Beer (0.5 liter bottle)
$1.80 MUR 84.2
$1.73 MX$30.04
4.05%
Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)
$2.15 MUR 101
$2.50 MX$43.46
-14.00%
🚌 Getting Around
Terre Rouge
Playa del Carmen
Difference
One-way Ticket (Public Transport)
$1.04 MUR 48.55
$0.52 MX$9.02
100.00%
Public Transport Monthly Pass (Regular Price)
-
$26.97 MX$469
-
Taxi Start (Normal Tariff)
$4.32 MUR 202
$3.14 MX$54.7
37.58%
Taxi (Normal Tariff) (1km)
$2.72 MUR 127
$2.40 MX$41.80
13.33%
Taxi 1hour Waiting (Normal Tariff)
$15.11 MUR 706
$3.09 MX$53.7
389.00%
Gasoline (1 liter)
$1.46 MUR 68.1
$1.27 MX$22.16
14.96%
Midsize Hatchback 1.4l (Volkswagen Golf, Toyota Prius, Honda Civic, etc)
$35.6K MUR 1.7M
$30.9K MX$537.3K
15.18%
Compact Sedan 1.6l (Toyota Corolla, Mazda3, Kia K4, Hyundai Elantra, etc)
$29.2K MUR 1.4M
$23.3K MX$405.7K
25.38%
🧾 Monthly Utilities & Internet
Terre Rouge
Playa del Carmen
Difference
Utilities for 2 People in 2-bedroom Apartment (Heating, Electricity, Gas, Water, Garbage) (85m2)
$49.62 MUR 2,320
$82.0 MX$1,427
-39.50%
SIM Card Monthly Plan (Calls and 10GB+ Data)
$18.40 MUR 860
$22.45 MX$391
-18.04%
Internet (50+ Mbps, Unlimited Data)
$32.79 MUR 1,533
$29.66 MX$516
10.55%
🎉 Sport & Entertainment
Terre Rouge
Playa del Carmen
Difference
Gym Membership (Monthly)
$38.87 MUR 1,817
$51.9 MX$903
-25.06%
Tennis Court (1 Hour on Weekend)
-
$18.67 MX$325
-
Cinema Ticket
$6.02 MUR 281
$4.97 MX$86.5
21.13%
🧸 Childcare & Education
Terre Rouge
Playa del Carmen
Difference
Preschool or Kindergarten, Full Day, Private, 1 Child (Monthly)
$151 MUR 7,067
$198 MX$3,442
-23.58%
International Primary School, 1 Child (Yearly)
$3,961 MUR 185.2K
$5,273 MX$91.7K
-24.87%
👕👟 Clothing & Footwear
Terre Rouge
Playa del Carmen
Difference
Jeans (Levis 501 Or Similar)
$51.3 MUR 2,396
$36.34 MX$632
41.03%
Summer Dress (H&M, Zara, etc)
$43.69 MUR 2,042
$40.05 MX$697
9.09%
Sport Shoes (Adidas, Nike)
$83.2 MUR 3,888
$79.9 MX$1,390
4.11%
Men's Leather Business Shoes
$79.6 MUR 3,722
$88.9 MX$1,547
-10.43%
🏠 Accommodation & Living
Terre Rouge
Playa del Carmen
Difference
1-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)
$520 MUR 24.3K
$963 MX$16.8K
-46.06%
1-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)
$346 MUR 16.2K
$465 MX$8,086
-25.45%
3-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)
$939 MUR 43.9K
$1,596 MX$27.8K
-41.19%
3-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)
$730 MUR 34.1K
$1,209 MX$21.0K
-39.64%
Buy Apartment in City Center (m2)
-
$3,942 MX$68.6K
-
Buy Apartment Outside City Center (m2)
-
$6,448 MX$112.2K
-
💵 Salaries & Financials
Terre Rouge
Playa del Carmen
Difference
Average Monthly Net Salary (After Tax)
-
$720 MX$12.5K
-
20-Year Fixed Mortgage Interest Rate (Annual %)
6.25
11.42
-45.27%

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

Last update for Terre Rouge: April 26, 2026

Last update for Playa del Carmen: April 25, 2026

Cost Breakdown

A central one-bedroom costs $520 in Terre Rouge versus $963 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 $44.00 in Terre Rouge versus $43.00 in Playa del Carmen. Groceries tell a different story – $212 in Terre Rouge vs $251 in Playa del Carmen – so Terre Rouge 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
Terre Rouge vs Playa del Carmen: Cost of Living - Frequently Asked Questions
Is Playa del Carmen cheaper than Terre Rouge?
Yes – Playa del Carmen is pricier by about 31%, 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 $1,475 per month in Terre Rouge and $1,930 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 Terre Rouge, 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 Terre Rouge vs Playa del Carmen?
Monthly expenses with rent come to $983 in Terre Rouge and $1,287 in Playa del Carmen. The difference isn't just one category – it shows up across housing, food, transport, and services.
Which city has cheaper kindergarten?
Kindergarten costs $151 per month in Terre Rouge and $198 in Playa del Carmen. For families with young kids, this one expense can tip the scales when choosing between the two cities.
Is $1,000 a realistic budget for Terre Rouge or Playa del Carmen?
A $1,000 monthly budget goes further in Terre Rouge, where all-in costs run around $983, than in Playa del Carmen at $1,287. In Terre Rouge it covers expenses comfortably, while in Playa del Carmen it requires careful planning or may not stretch far enough.
Is Terre Rouge or Playa del Carmen more family-friendly?
Families tend to lean toward Terre Rouge – lower housing and cheaper childcare make a real difference, especially on a single income or when paying for private education.
Which city is safer, Terre Rouge 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 Terre Rouge. 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.

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