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

Monthly Cost of Living

A single person spends $804 per month in Granada vs $1,271 in Playa del Carmen, rent included.

A couple spends around $1,203 per month in Granada vs $2,126 in Playa del Carmen, rent included.

A family of three spends $1,602 per month in Granada vs $2,980 in Playa del Carmen, rent included.

Granada is about 37% cheaper than Playa del Carmen, driven mainly by Eating Out.

Both Granada and Playa del Carmen are more affordable than the global median – Granada 40% lower, Playa del Carmen 5% lower.

Meal at Budget Restaurant

$4.36 NIO 160

$11.87 MX$204

-63.27%

Three-Course Dinner for Two, Mid-Range

$32.69 NIO 1,197

$42.90 MX$736

-23.80%

Fast Food Meal (McDonalds, etc)

$6.82 NIO 250

$10.65 MX$183

-35.96%

Cappuccino

$2.01 NIO 73.8

$3.45 MX$59.2

-41.74%

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

$0.84 NIO 30.82

$1.50 MX$25.81

-44.00%

Water (0.33 liter bottle)

$0.63 NIO 22.97

$0.95 MX$16.28

-33.68%

Local Beer (0.5 liter draught)

$1.33 NIO 48.85

$3.03 MX$51.9

-56.11%

Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$1.98 NIO 72.6

$4.61 MX$79.1

-57.05%

Milk (1 liter)

$1.14 NIO 41.63

$1.38 MX$23.61

-17.39%

White Bread (500g)

$1.23 NIO 44.98

$1.85 MX$31.70

-33.51%

Rice (white) (1kg)

$0.74 NIO 27.20

$1.61 MX$27.65

-54.04%

Eggs

$1.44 NIO 52.9

$2.59 MX$44.51

-44.40%

Local Cheese (1kg)

$3.83 NIO 140

$8.26 MX$142

-53.63%

Chicken Fillets (1kg)

$4.86 NIO 178

$8.37 MX$144

-41.94%

Beef Round Steak (1kg)

$8.16 NIO 299

$10.66 MX$183

-23.45%

Apples (1kg)

$3.89 NIO 142

$2.63 MX$45.12

47.91%

Banana (1kg)

$0.84 NIO 30.84

$1.49 MX$25.53

-43.62%

Oranges (1kg)

$1.81 NIO 66.4

$1.92 MX$32.94

-5.73%

Tomato (1kg)

$0.92 NIO 33.60

$2.09 MX$35.81

-55.98%

Potato (1kg)

$2.30 NIO 84.2

$1.86 MX$31.88

23.66%

Onion (1kg)

$1.09 NIO 39.84

$2.26 MX$38.81

-51.77%

Lettuce (1 head)

$1.01 NIO 37.12

$1.06 MX$18.23

-4.72%

Water (1.5 liter bottle)

$1.01 NIO 36.98

$1.09 MX$18.67

-7.34%

Cigarettes 20 Pack (Marlboro, Camel)

$2.74 NIO 100

$4.15 MX$71.2

-33.98%

Wine (Bottle)

$10.13 NIO 371

$10.39 MX$178

-2.50%

Local Beer (0.5 liter bottle)

$1.46 NIO 53.5

$1.72 MX$29.59

-15.12%

Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$1.58 NIO 58.0

$2.61 MX$44.85

-39.46%

One-way Ticket (Public Transport)

$0.11 NIO 3.89

$0.54 MX$9.30

-79.63%

Public Transport Monthly Pass (Regular Price)

$4.09 NIO 150

$26.94 MX$462

-84.82%

Taxi Start (Normal Tariff)

$0.58 NIO 21.27

$3.13 MX$53.7

-81.47%

Taxi (Normal Tariff) (1km)

$0.58 NIO 21.20

$2.51 MX$43.09

-76.89%

Taxi 1hour Waiting (Normal Tariff)

$6.83 NIO 250

$3.15 MX$54.1

116.83%

Gasoline (1 liter)

$1.26 NIO 46.07

$1.27 MX$21.88

-0.79%

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

$22.9K NIO 839.7K

$30.4K MX$521.3K

-24.51%

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

$25.9K NIO 950.0K

$23.6K MX$404.5K

10.07%

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

$98.5 NIO 3,608

$83.0 MX$1,425

18.70%

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

$16.72 NIO 612

$22.71 MX$390

-26.38%

Internet (50+ Mbps, Unlimited Data)

$36.72 NIO 1,345

$29.46 MX$506

24.64%

Gym Membership (Monthly)

$35.06 NIO 1,284

$51.0 MX$875

-31.25%

Tennis Court (1 Hour on Weekend)

$18.33 MX$315

Cinema Ticket

$8.19 NIO 300

$4.93 MX$84.5

66.13%

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

$126 NIO 4,625

$197 MX$3,386

-35.99%

International Primary School, 1 Child (Yearly)

$6,021 NIO 220.5K

$5,280 MX$90.6K

14.03%

Jeans (Levis 501 Or Similar)

$14.79 NIO 542

$36.90 MX$633

-59.92%

Summer Dress (H&M, Zara, etc)

$30.31 NIO 1,110

$39.89 MX$685

-24.02%

Sport Shoes (Adidas, Nike)

$35.57 NIO 1,303

$80.0 MX$1,373

-55.54%

Men's Leather Business Shoes

$35.87 NIO 1,314

$89.5 MX$1,536

-59.91%

1-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)

$380 NIO 13.9K

$956 MX$16.4K

-60.27%

1-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)

$277 NIO 10.1K

$477 MX$8,189

-41.96%

3-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)

$609 NIO 22.3K

$1,646 MX$28.3K

-63.01%

3-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)

$451 NIO 16.5K

$1,225 MX$21.0K

-63.20%

Buy Apartment in City Center (m2)

$3,918 MX$67.2K

Buy Apartment Outside City Center (m2)

$6,459 MX$110.9K

Average Monthly Net Salary (After Tax)

$171 NIO 6,246

$667 MX$11.4K

-74.43%

20-Year Fixed Mortgage Interest Rate (Annual %)

10.25

11.42

-10.25%

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

Last update for Granada: June 8, 2026

Last update for Playa del Carmen: June 7, 2026

Cost Breakdown

A central one-bedroom costs $380 in Granada 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 291% higher in Playa del Carmen, 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 $33.00 in Granada versus $43.00 in Playa del Carmen. Monthly groceries follow the same trend: $185 vs $250 – making Granada 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

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

Monthly costs with rent: $804 in Granada, $1,271 in Playa del Carmen – roughly 58% apart. Playa del Carmen costs more across the board, with Eating Out showing the biggest gap.

For a comfortable life, plan on about $1,206 per month in Granada 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 Granada, especially for central apartments. Housing is actually the single biggest factor behind the overall cost gap between these two cities.

Public transport costs about 559% less in Granada. For daily commuters, that gap adds up to noticeable savings over a year.

Kindergarten costs $126 per month in Granada and $197 in Playa del Carmen. For families with young kids, this one expense can tip the scales when choosing between the two cities.

A $2,000 monthly budget goes further in Granada, where all-in costs run around $804, than in Playa del Carmen at $1,271. In Granada it covers expenses comfortably, while in Playa del Carmen it requires careful planning or may not stretch far enough.

It depends on your priorities. Playa del Carmen has an edge in some lifestyle areas, with costs from $804 in Granada to $1,271 in Playa del Carmen. Climate, culture, job market, and personal taste all factor in.

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.

If budget matters most, go with Granada. 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.