Cost of Living Comparison Between Grand Bois and Playa del Carmen Cost of Living Comparison Between Grand Bois and Playa del Carmen

Monthly Cost of Living

A single person spends $1,044 per month in Grand Bois vs $1,260 in Playa del Carmen, rent included.

A couple spends around $1,720 per month in Grand Bois vs $2,125 in Playa del Carmen, rent included.

A family of three spends $2,397 per month in Grand Bois vs $2,990 in Playa del Carmen, rent included.

Grand Bois is about 17% cheaper than Playa del Carmen, driven mainly by Eating Out.

Both Grand Bois and Playa del Carmen are more affordable than the global median – Grand Bois 22% lower, Playa del Carmen 5% lower.

Meal at Budget Restaurant

$6.57 MUR 310

$11.72 MX$204

-43.94%

Three-Course Dinner for Two, Mid-Range

$44.46 MUR 2,099

$41.89 MX$731

6.14%

Fast Food Meal (McDonalds, etc)

$7.28 MUR 344

$10.51 MX$183

-30.73%

Cappuccino

$2.59 MUR 122

$3.59 MX$62.5

-27.86%

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

$1.03 MUR 48.70

$1.51 MX$26.31

-31.79%

Water (0.33 liter bottle)

$0.56 MUR 26.41

$0.92 MX$15.96

-39.13%

Local Beer (0.5 liter draught)

$2.22 MUR 105

$2.96 MX$51.6

-25.00%

Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$3.23 MUR 153

$4.41 MX$76.9

-26.76%

Milk (1 liter)

$1.64 MUR 77.3

$1.40 MX$24.35

17.14%

White Bread (500g)

$0.70 MUR 33.23

$1.88 MX$32.87

-62.77%

Rice (white) (1kg)

$1.32 MUR 62.5

$1.56 MX$27.19

-15.38%

Eggs

$2.26 MUR 107

$2.61 MX$45.50

-13.41%

Local Cheese (1kg)

$11.66 MUR 551

$8.32 MX$145

40.14%

Chicken Fillets (1kg)

$6.01 MUR 284

$8.35 MX$146

-28.02%

Beef Round Steak (1kg)

$12.54 MUR 592

$10.86 MX$189

15.47%

Apples (1kg)

$2.04 MUR 96.4

$2.71 MX$47.31

-24.72%

Banana (1kg)

$2.01 MUR 95.1

$1.51 MX$26.25

33.11%

Oranges (1kg)

$1.50 MUR 70.7

$1.87 MX$32.67

-19.79%

Tomato (1kg)

$2.75 MUR 130

$2.19 MX$38.19

25.57%

Potato (1kg)

$1.04 MUR 48.89

$1.86 MX$32.40

-44.09%

Onion (1kg)

$1.01 MUR 47.84

$2.23 MX$38.90

-54.71%

Lettuce (1 head)

$0.85 MUR 40.01

$1.07 MX$18.63

-20.56%

Water (1.5 liter bottle)

$0.82 MUR 38.66

$1.09 MX$18.94

-24.77%

Cigarettes 20 Pack (Marlboro, Camel)

$6.67 MUR 315

$4.19 MX$73.0

59.19%

Wine (Bottle)

$8.42 MUR 398

$10.43 MX$182

-19.27%

Local Beer (0.5 liter bottle)

$1.73 MUR 81.6

$1.66 MX$28.91

4.22%

Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$2.24 MUR 106

$2.61 MX$45.56

-14.18%

One-way Ticket (Public Transport)

$1.00 MUR 47.13

$0.54 MX$9.45

85.19%

Public Transport Monthly Pass (Regular Price)

$26.16 MX$456

Taxi Start (Normal Tariff)

$4.29 MUR 203

$3.08 MX$53.7

39.29%

Taxi (Normal Tariff) (1km)

$2.66 MUR 126

$2.40 MX$41.94

10.83%

Taxi 1hour Waiting (Normal Tariff)

$19.75 MUR 932

$3.13 MX$54.5

530.99%

Gasoline (1 liter)

$1.40 MUR 65.9

$1.31 MX$22.87

6.87%

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

$35.4K MUR 1.7M

$29.8K MX$519.9K

18.78%

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

$29.2K MUR 1.4M

$23.3K MX$406.8K

25.37%

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

$50.4 MUR 2,381

$81.3 MX$1,418

-37.96%

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

$18.29 MUR 864

$22.56 MX$393

-18.93%

Internet (50+ Mbps, Unlimited Data)

$34.01 MUR 1,606

$30.05 MX$524

13.18%

Gym Membership (Monthly)

$37.58 MUR 1,775

$52.9 MX$923

-28.97%

Tennis Court (1 Hour on Weekend)

$18.39 MX$321

Cinema Ticket

$6.22 MUR 294

$4.92 MX$85.8

26.42%

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

$156 MUR 7,349

$201 MX$3,502

-22.50%

International Primary School, 1 Child (Yearly)

$3,915 MUR 184.8K

$5,175 MX$90.2K

-24.35%

Jeans (Levis 501 Or Similar)

$85.7 MUR 4,048

$35.92 MX$627

138.67%

Summer Dress (H&M, Zara, etc)

$80.1 MUR 3,780

$40.13 MX$700

99.50%

Sport Shoes (Adidas, Nike)

$130 MUR 6,127

$79.7 MX$1,390

62.81%

Men's Leather Business Shoes

$95.5 MUR 4,508

$86.5 MX$1,508

10.41%

1-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)

$522 MUR 24.7K

$978 MX$17.1K

-46.59%

1-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)

$358 MUR 16.9K

$470 MX$8,206

-23.97%

3-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)

$966 MUR 45.6K

$1,651 MX$28.8K

-41.48%

3-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)

$730 MUR 34.5K

$1,203 MX$21.0K

-39.31%

Buy Apartment in City Center (m2)

$3,953 MX$69.0K

Buy Apartment Outside City Center (m2)

$6,607 MX$115.2K

Average Monthly Net Salary (After Tax)

$677 MX$11.8K

20-Year Fixed Mortgage Interest Rate (Annual %)

6.67

11.42

-41.59%

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

Last update for Grand Bois: July 26, 2026

Last update for Playa del Carmen: July 27, 2026

Cost Breakdown

A central one-bedroom costs $522 in Grand Bois versus $978 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 Grand Bois versus $42.00 in Playa del Carmen. Groceries tell a different story – $231 in Grand Bois vs $252 in Playa del Carmen – so Grand Bois 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

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

Yes – Playa del Carmen is pricier by about 21%, and the gap shows up most in Eating Out. It's not just housing either; the difference applies across most spending categories.

For a comfortable life, plan on about $1,566 per month in Grand Bois and $1,890 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 Grand Bois, 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 $1,044 in Grand Bois and $1,260 in Playa del Carmen. The difference isn't just one category – it shows up across housing, food, transport, and services.

Kindergarten costs $156 per month in Grand Bois and $201 in Playa del Carmen. For families with young kids, this one expense can tip the scales when choosing between the two cities.

A $1,500 monthly budget goes further in Grand Bois, where all-in costs run around $1,044, than in Playa del Carmen at $1,260. In Grand Bois it covers expenses comfortably, while in Playa del Carmen it requires careful planning or may not stretch far enough.

Families tend to lean toward Grand Bois – lower housing and cheaper childcare make a real difference, especially on a single income or when paying for private education.

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 Grand Bois. 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.