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: $2,352 in Grants Pass, OR versus $1,293 in Playa del Carmen.

Estimated couple costs with rent: $3,240 in Grants Pass, OR versus $2,334 in Playa del Carmen.

Monthly costs for a family of three with rent: $4,128 in Grants Pass, OR versus $3,374 in Playa del Carmen.

Living in Grants Pass, OR is roughly 82% more expensive than in Playa del Carmen, driven mainly by Monthly Utilities & Internet.

The two cities straddle the global median: Grants Pass, OR is 71% above, Playa del Carmen is 6% below.

Meal at Budget Restaurant

$15.24 $15.24

$11.71 MX$198

30.15%

Three-Course Dinner for Two, Mid-Range

$44.65 $44.65

$46.59 MX$787

-4.16%

Fast Food Meal (McDonalds, etc)

$8.80 $8.80

$11.65 MX$197

-24.46%

Cappuccino

$4.04 $4.04

$4.09 MX$69.2

-1.22%

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

$1.95 $1.95

$1.37 MX$23.23

42.34%

Water (0.33 liter bottle)

$0.98 $0.98

$0.83 MX$14.09

18.07%

Local Beer (0.5 liter draught)

$4.73 $4.73

$3.35 MX$56.7

41.19%

Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$4.04 $4.04

$6.91 MX$117

-41.53%

Milk (1 liter)

$1.11 $1.11

$1.73 MX$29.19

-35.84%

White Bread (500g)

$3.11 $3.11

$2.26 MX$38.20

37.61%

Rice (white) (1kg)

$4.01 $4.01

$1.77 MX$29.90

126.55%

Eggs

$4.10 $4.10

$2.73 MX$46.18

50.18%

Local Cheese (1kg)

$14.43 $14.43

$9.18 MX$155

57.19%

Chicken Fillets (1kg)

$5.43 $5.43

$8.92 MX$151

-39.13%

Beef Round Steak (1kg)

$13.29 $13.29

$12.60 MX$213

5.48%

Apples (1kg)

$4.78 $4.78

$3.02 MX$51.1

58.28%

Banana (1kg)

$1.27 $1.27

$1.57 MX$26.54

-19.11%

Oranges (1kg)

$3.81 $3.81

$2.13 MX$35.92

78.87%

Tomato (1kg)

$4.03 $4.03

$2.26 MX$38.27

78.32%

Potato (1kg)

$1.91 $1.91

$2.00 MX$33.87

-4.50%

Onion (1kg)

$2.01 $2.01

$2.06 MX$34.89

-2.43%

Lettuce (1 head)

$1.84 $1.84

$1.18 MX$19.94

55.93%

Water (1.5 liter bottle)

$2.11 $2.11

$1.20 MX$20.35

75.83%

Cigarettes 20 Pack (Marlboro, Camel)

$12.43 $12.43

$4.63 MX$78.3

168.47%

Wine (Bottle)

$6.93 $6.93

$10.69 MX$181

-35.17%

Local Beer (0.5 liter bottle)

$1.69 $1.69

$1.62 MX$27.37

4.32%

Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$2.91 $2.91

$2.88 MX$48.69

1.04%

One-way Ticket (Public Transport)

$1.03 $1.03

$0.57 MX$9.69

80.70%

Public Transport Monthly Pass (Regular Price)

$29.83 MX$504

Taxi Start (Normal Tariff)

$3.44 $3.44

$5.45 MX$92.1

-36.88%

Taxi (Normal Tariff) (1km)

$2.14 $2.14

$3.70 MX$62.6

-42.16%

Taxi 1hour Waiting (Normal Tariff)

$50.2 $50.2

$5.98 MX$101

739.30%

Gasoline (1 liter)

$1.11 $1.11

$1.55 MX$26.25

-28.39%

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

$33.4K $33.4K

$22.3K MX$377.3K

49.40%

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

$23.6K $23.6K

$25.9K MX$438.5K

-8.92%

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

$217 $217

$89.1 MX$1,506

143.64%

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

$59.8 $59.8

$25.04 MX$423

138.78%

Internet (50+ Mbps, Unlimited Data)

$80.6 $80.6

$31.50 MX$532

155.90%

Gym Membership (Monthly)

$67.8 MX$1,145

Tennis Court (1 Hour on Weekend)

$28.92 MX$489

Cinema Ticket

$8.13 $8.13

$5.05 MX$85.3

60.99%

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

$1,085 $1,085

$225 MX$3,802

382.37%

International Primary School, 1 Child (Yearly)

$16.5K $16.5K

$4,222 MX$71.4K

291.15%

Jeans (Levis 501 Or Similar)

$56.5 $56.5

$47.44 MX$802

18.99%

Summer Dress (H&M, Zara, etc)

$46.76 $46.76

$44.98 MX$760

3.96%

Sport Shoes (Adidas, Nike)

$84.8 $84.8

$82.0 MX$1,386

3.42%

Men's Leather Business Shoes

$80.6 $80.6

$92.1 MX$1,556

-12.45%

1-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)

$1,239 $1,239

$1,069 MX$18.1K

15.89%

1-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)

$1,321 $1,321

$405 MX$6,850

225.94%

3-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)

$1,982 $1,982

$1,935 MX$32.7K

2.42%

3-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)

$1,825 $1,825

$1,301 MX$22.0K

40.27%

Buy Apartment in City Center (m2)

$2,915 $2,915

$3,995 MX$67.5K

-27.05%

Buy Apartment Outside City Center (m2)

$2,937 $2,937

$6,626 MX$112.0K

-55.68%

Average Monthly Net Salary (After Tax)

$2,438 $2,438

$749 MX$12.7K

225.66%

20-Year Fixed Mortgage Interest Rate (Annual %)

6.07

11.45

-46.99%

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

Last update for Grants Pass, OR: August 30, 2026

Last update for Playa del Carmen: August 29, 2026

Cost Breakdown

A one-bedroom apartment in the center runs $1,239 in Grants Pass, OR and $1,069 in Playa del Carmen. Housing cost is often the main lever when comparing two cities.

Grants Pass, OR pays 226% 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 $47.00 in Playa del Carmen. Groceries flip the comparison at $322 vs $277, with Playa del Carmen cheaper for home cooking.

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

Grants Pass, OR and Playa del Carmen differ by about 82% in total monthly costs ($2,352 vs $1,293 including rent). Playa del Carmen is meaningfully more affordable – a gap that matters a lot on a fixed or modest income.

Average pay runs 226% 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.

Rent for a central apartment: $1,239 in Grants Pass, OR versus $1,069 in Playa del Carmen. Housing is usually the single largest factor when comparing overall living costs between the two.

Supermarket bills run roughly 16% higher in Grants Pass, OR. For households that cook at home regularly, that difference adds up over a month.

All in, you'll spend $2,352 per month in Grants Pass, OR versus $1,293 in Playa del Carmen – a 82% gap that adds up to real savings over time for anyone picking the cheaper option.

At $1,293 in Playa del Carmen versus $2,352 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.

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.

Expats usually find Playa del Carmen gentler on the wallet – expenses run 82% less than in Grants Pass, OR. Beyond cost, consider language, visa policies, and how big the international community is in each city.