Cost of Living Comparison Between Grants Pass, OR and Playa del Carmen Cost of Living Comparison Between Grants Pass, OR and Playa del Carmen

Monthly Cost of Living

Monthly costs for one person with rent: $2,557 in Grants Pass, OR versus $1,256 in Playa del Carmen.

Estimated couple costs with rent: $3,556 in Grants Pass, OR versus $2,137 in Playa del Carmen.

Monthly costs for a family of three with rent: $4,555 in Grants Pass, OR versus $3,017 in Playa del Carmen.

Living in Grants Pass, OR is roughly 104% more expensive than in Playa del Carmen, driven mainly by Monthly Utilities & Internet.

The two cities straddle the global median: Grants Pass, OR is 91% above, Playa del Carmen is 6% below.

Currency
🍽 Eating Out
Grants Pass, OR
Playa del Carmen
Difference
Meal at Budget Restaurant
$14.80 $14.80
$11.99 MX$209
23.44%
Three-Course Dinner for Two, Mid-Range
$45.29 $45.29
$41.78 MX$728
8.40%
Fast Food Meal (McDonalds, etc)
$8.90 $8.90
$10.75 MX$187
-17.21%
Cappuccino
$3.97 $3.97
$3.50 MX$60.9
13.43%
Coke/Pepsi/Fanta/Sprite (0.33 liter bottle)
$1.96 $1.96
$1.45 MX$25.22
35.17%
Water (0.33 liter bottle)
$1.02 $1.02
$0.88 MX$15.41
15.91%
Local Beer (0.5 liter draught)
$4.87 $4.87
$2.95 MX$51.3
65.08%
Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)
$4.04 $4.04
$4.51 MX$78.6
-10.42%
🛒 Groceries & Markets
Grants Pass, OR
Playa del Carmen
Difference
Milk (1 liter)
$1.06 $1.06
$1.43 MX$24.94
-25.87%
White Bread (500g)
$3.03 $3.03
$1.84 MX$31.99
64.67%
Rice (white) (1kg)
$3.71 $3.71
$1.57 MX$27.31
136.31%
Eggs
$4.10 $4.10
$2.51 MX$43.74
63.35%
Local Cheese (1kg)
$14.61 $14.61
$8.28 MX$144
76.45%
Chicken Fillets (1kg)
$5.48 $5.48
$8.43 MX$147
-34.99%
Beef Round Steak (1kg)
$13.05 $13.05
$10.68 MX$186
22.19%
Apples (1kg)
$4.24 $4.24
$2.61 MX$45.43
62.45%
Banana (1kg)
$1.32 $1.32
$1.44 MX$25.04
-8.33%
Oranges (1kg)
$3.65 $3.65
$1.96 MX$34.16
86.22%
Tomato (1kg)
$3.86 $3.86
$2.09 MX$36.47
84.69%
Potato (1kg)
$1.98 $1.98
$1.85 MX$32.24
7.03%
Onion (1kg)
$1.94 $1.94
$2.17 MX$37.74
-10.60%
Lettuce (1 head)
$1.99 $1.99
$1.03 MX$17.96
93.20%
Water (1.5 liter bottle)
$1.71 $1.71
$1.07 MX$18.70
59.81%
Cigarettes 20 Pack (Marlboro, Camel)
$10.52 $10.52
$4.10 MX$71.4
156.59%
Wine (Bottle)
$7.09 $7.09
$10.17 MX$177
-30.29%
Local Beer (0.5 liter bottle)
$1.67 $1.67
$1.68 MX$29.17
-0.60%
Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)
$2.99 $2.99
$2.53 MX$43.98
18.18%
🚌 Getting Around
Grants Pass, OR
Playa del Carmen
Difference
One-way Ticket (Public Transport)
$1.99 $1.99
$0.51 MX$8.87
290.20%
Public Transport Monthly Pass (Regular Price)
-
$26.04 MX$453
-
Taxi Start (Normal Tariff)
$3.53 $3.53
$3.23 MX$56.3
9.29%
Taxi (Normal Tariff) (1km)
$1.27 $1.27
$2.41 MX$41.88
-47.30%
Taxi 1hour Waiting (Normal Tariff)
$40.43 $40.43
$3.23 MX$56.2
1151.70%
Gasoline (1 liter)
$0.94 $0.94
$1.32 MX$23.00
-28.79%
Midsize Hatchback 1.4l (Volkswagen Golf, Toyota Prius, Honda Civic, etc)
$28.5K $28.5K
$29.7K MX$517.1K
-4.01%
Compact Sedan 1.6l (Toyota Corolla, Mazda3, Kia K4, Hyundai Elantra, etc)
$24.7K $24.7K
$23.7K MX$412.0K
4.50%
🧾 Monthly Utilities & Internet
Grants Pass, OR
Playa del Carmen
Difference
Utilities for 2 People in 2-bedroom Apartment (Heating, Electricity, Gas, Water, Garbage) (85m2)
$273 $273
$82.0 MX$1,428
232.73%
SIM Card Monthly Plan (Calls and 10GB+ Data)
$55.4 $55.4
$22.95 MX$400
141.57%
Internet (50+ Mbps, Unlimited Data)
$76.3 $76.3
$30.11 MX$524
153.54%
🎉 Sport & Entertainment
Grants Pass, OR
Playa del Carmen
Difference
Gym Membership (Monthly)
$42.24 $42.24
$52.0 MX$905
-18.72%
Tennis Court (1 Hour on Weekend)
-
$18.53 MX$323
-
Cinema Ticket
$7.78 $7.78
$4.98 MX$86.6
56.22%
🧸 Childcare & Education
Grants Pass, OR
Playa del Carmen
Difference
Preschool or Kindergarten, Full Day, Private, 1 Child (Monthly)
$1,292 $1,292
$197 MX$3,438
554.56%
International Primary School, 1 Child (Yearly)
$23.0K $23.0K
$5,336 MX$92.9K
331.50%
👕👟 Clothing & Footwear
Grants Pass, OR
Playa del Carmen
Difference
Jeans (Levis 501 Or Similar)
$46.92 $46.92
$35.60 MX$620
31.80%
Summer Dress (H&M, Zara, etc)
$51.8 $51.8
$40.33 MX$702
28.44%
Sport Shoes (Adidas, Nike)
$87.8 $87.8
$78.8 MX$1,371
11.52%
Men's Leather Business Shoes
$79.9 $79.9
$88.9 MX$1,549
-10.14%
🏠 Accommodation & Living
Grants Pass, OR
Playa del Carmen
Difference
1-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)
$1,614 $1,614
$947 MX$16.5K
70.46%
1-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)
$1,347 $1,347
$474 MX$8,254
184.27%
3-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)
$2,682 $2,682
$1,644 MX$28.6K
63.16%
3-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)
$2,218 $2,218
$1,211 MX$21.1K
83.22%
Buy Apartment in City Center (m2)
$2,953 $2,953
$4,056 MX$70.6K
-27.20%
Buy Apartment Outside City Center (m2)
$2,894 $2,894
$6,470 MX$112.7K
-55.27%
💵 Salaries & Financials
Grants Pass, OR
Playa del Carmen
Difference
Average Monthly Net Salary (After Tax)
$2,443 $2,443
$654 MX$11.4K
273.62%
20-Year Fixed Mortgage Interest Rate (Annual %)
6.55
11.42
-42.64%

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

Last update for Grants Pass, OR: July 13, 2026

Last update for Playa del Carmen: July 13, 2026

Cost Breakdown

A one-bedroom apartment in the center runs $1,614 in Grants Pass, OR and $947 in Playa del Carmen. Housing cost is often the main lever when comparing two cities.

Grants Pass, OR pays 274% more on average. The extra income cushions the higher costs, though housing choices and lifestyle decide how much of the gap is truly closed.

Dining out: $45.00 in Grants Pass, OR vs $42.00 in Playa del Carmen for a mid-range dinner for two. Groceries echo the gap at $312 vs $249 per month, with Playa del Carmen cheaper across the board.

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
Grants Pass, OR vs Playa del Carmen: Cost of Living - Frequently Asked Questions
What is the total cost difference between living in Grants Pass, OR and in Playa del Carmen?
Grants Pass, OR and Playa del Carmen differ by about 104% in total monthly costs ($2,557 vs $1,256 including rent). Playa del Carmen is meaningfully more affordable – a gap that matters a lot on a fixed or modest income.
Which city pays better: Grants Pass, OR or Playa del Carmen?
Average pay runs 274% higher in Grants Pass, OR, which matters when comparing affordability. Whether that higher income actually nets you more depends on your spending habits and housing choices.
How do apartment prices compare in Grants Pass, OR and in Playa del Carmen?
Rent for a central apartment: $1,614 in Grants Pass, OR versus $947 in Playa del Carmen. Housing is usually the single largest factor when comparing overall living costs between the two.
Which city has cheaper grocery shopping?
Supermarket bills run roughly 26% higher in Grants Pass, OR. For households that cook at home regularly, that difference adds up over a month.
Which city is more expensive overall: Grants Pass, OR or Playa del Carmen?
All in, you'll spend $2,557 per month in Grants Pass, OR versus $1,256 in Playa del Carmen – a 104% gap that adds up to real savings over time for anyone picking the cheaper option.
Which city is more doable on $1,500 per month?
At $1,256 in Playa del Carmen versus $2,557 in Grants Pass, OR, a $1,500 budget is realistic in Playa del Carmen but tight or insufficient in Grants Pass, OR. The gap between the two cities makes Playa del Carmen the clear choice for anyone on this budget.
How does quality of life compare between Grants Pass, OR and Playa del Carmen?
Both cities offer a good standard of living with different trade-offs. Neither is objectively better – the right pick depends on what matters most: affordability, career, cultural scene, or climate.
Where should expats move: Grants Pass, OR or Playa del Carmen?
Expats usually find Playa del Carmen gentler on the wallet – expenses run 104% less than in Grants Pass, OR. Beyond cost, consider language, visa policies, and how big the international community is in each city.

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