😐Monthly costs for one person with rent: $2,502 in Grants Pass, OR versus $1,297 in Playa del Carmen.
😐Estimated couple costs with rent: $3,482 in Grants Pass, OR versus $2,181 in Playa del Carmen.
😐Monthly costs for a family of three with rent: $4,461 in Grants Pass, OR versus $3,065 in Playa del Carmen.
😐Living in Grants Pass, OR is roughly 93% more expensive than Playa del Carmen, driven mainly by Monthly Utilities & Internet.
📊The two cities straddle the global median: Grants Pass, OR is 87% above, Playa del Carmen is 3% below.
Currency
🍽 Eating Out
Grants Pass, OR
Playa del Carmen
Difference
Meal at Budget Restaurant
$15.20$15.20
$11.73MX$203
29.58%
Three-Course Dinner for Two, Mid-Range
$44.18$44.18
$41.62MX$720
6.15%
Fast Food Meal(McDonalds, etc)
$9.10$9.10
$10.64MX$184
-14.47%
Cappuccino
$4.11$4.11
$3.52MX$60.9
16.76%
Coke/Pepsi/Fanta/Sprite(0.33 liter bottle)
$2.01$2.01
$1.51MX$26.12
33.11%
Water(0.33 liter bottle)
$1.03$1.03
$0.97MX$16.84
6.19%
Local Beer(0.5 liter draught)
$4.85$4.85
$2.95MX$51.0
64.41%
Imported Beer(0.33 liter bottle)
$4.02$4.02
$4.45MX$77.0
-9.66%
🛒 Groceries & Markets
Grants Pass, OR
Playa del Carmen
Difference
Milk(1 liter)
$1.10$1.10
$1.38MX$23.93
-20.29%
White Bread(500g)
$3.13$3.13
$1.89MX$32.72
65.61%
Rice(white)(1kg)
$3.70$3.70
$1.64MX$28.32
125.61%
Eggs
$4.03$4.03
$2.51MX$43.34
60.56%
Local Cheese(1kg)
$14.48$14.48
$8.34MX$144
73.62%
Chicken Fillets(1kg)
$5.35$5.35
$8.34MX$144
-35.85%
Beef Round Steak(1kg)
$13.01$13.01
$10.73MX$186
21.25%
Apples(1kg)
$4.17$4.17
$2.60MX$45.04
60.38%
Banana(1kg)
$1.27$1.27
$1.46MX$25.20
-13.01%
Oranges(1kg)
$3.66$3.66
$1.90MX$32.87
92.63%
Tomato(1kg)
$3.90$3.90
$2.08MX$35.91
87.50%
Potato(1kg)
$1.88$1.88
$1.78MX$30.71
5.62%
Onion(1kg)
$1.93$1.93
$2.19MX$37.80
-11.87%
Lettuce(1 head)
$1.93$1.93
$1.04MX$17.99
85.58%
Water(1.5 liter bottle)
$1.67$1.67
$1.08MX$18.62
54.63%
Cigarettes 20 Pack(Marlboro, Camel)
$10.63$10.63
$4.08MX$70.6
160.54%
Wine(Bottle)
$7.17$7.17
$10.32MX$178
-30.52%
Local Beer(0.5 liter bottle)
$1.61$1.61
$1.71MX$29.61
-5.85%
Imported Beer(0.33 liter bottle)
$2.99$2.99
$2.58MX$44.54
15.89%
🚌 Getting Around
Grants Pass, OR
Playa del Carmen
Difference
One-way Ticket(Public Transport)
$2.04$2.04
$0.51MX$8.81
300.00%
Public Transport Monthly Pass(Regular Price)
-
$26.46MX$458
-
Taxi Start(Normal Tariff)
$3.45$3.45
$3.26MX$56.4
5.83%
Taxi(Normal Tariff)(1km)
$1.25$1.25
$2.49MX$43.09
-49.80%
Taxi 1hour Waiting(Normal Tariff)
$40.08$40.08
$3.25MX$56.2
1133.23%
Gasoline(1 liter)
$0.89$0.89
$1.31MX$22.61
-32.06%
Midsize Hatchback 1.4l(Volkswagen Golf, Toyota Prius, Honda Civic, etc)
$27.5K$27.5K
$30.3KMX$523.7K
-9.20%
Compact Sedan 1.6l(Toyota Corolla, Mazda3, Kia K4, Hyundai Elantra, etc)
$25.1K$25.1K
$23.4KMX$405.3K
7.13%
🧾 Monthly Utilities & Internet
Grants Pass, OR
Playa del Carmen
Difference
Utilities for 2 People in 2-bedroom Apartment(Heating, Electricity, Gas, Water, Garbage)(85m2)
$279$279
$82.9MX$1,433
237.26%
SIM Card Monthly Plan(Calls and 10GB+ Data)
$55.1$55.1
$22.22MX$384
147.88%
Internet(50+ Mbps, Unlimited Data)
$76.0$76.0
$29.34MX$507
159.03%
🎉 Sport & Entertainment
Grants Pass, OR
Playa del Carmen
Difference
Gym Membership(Monthly)
$43.73$43.73
$51.6MX$893
-15.30%
Tennis Court(1 Hour on Weekend)
-
$18.32MX$317
-
Cinema Ticket
$8.10$8.10
$5.07MX$87.6
59.76%
🧸 Childcare & Education
Grants Pass, OR
Playa del Carmen
Difference
Preschool or Kindergarten, Full Day, Private, 1 Child(Monthly)
$1,312$1,312
$201MX$3,473
553.38%
International Primary School, 1 Child(Yearly)
$23.1K$23.1K
$5,212MX$90.1K
343.91%
👕👟 Clothing & Footwear
Grants Pass, OR
Playa del Carmen
Difference
Jeans(Levis 501 Or Similar)
$45.17$45.17
$36.92MX$639
22.35%
Summer Dress(H&M, Zara, etc)
$51.7$51.7
$39.79MX$688
29.98%
Sport Shoes(Adidas, Nike)
$86.8$86.8
$78.5MX$1,357
10.58%
Men's Leather Business Shoes
$81.4$81.4
$87.1MX$1,506
-6.59%
🏠 Accommodation & Living
Grants Pass, OR
Playa del Carmen
Difference
1-bedroom Apartment, City Center(Monthly)
$1,615$1,615
$973MX$16.8K
66.02%
1-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center(Monthly)
$1,340$1,340
$468MX$8,090
186.54%
3-bedroom Apartment, City Center(Monthly)
$2,615$2,615
$1,641MX$28.4K
59.30%
3-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center(Monthly)
$2,178$2,178
$1,221MX$21.1K
78.40%
Buy Apartment in City Center(m2)
$2,858$2,858
$3,946MX$68.3K
-27.57%
Buy Apartment Outside City Center(m2)
$2,955$2,955
$6,498MX$112.4K
-54.53%
💵 Salaries & Financials
Grants Pass, OR
Playa del Carmen
Difference
Average Monthly Net Salary(After Tax)
$2,441$2,441
$664MX$11.5K
267.71%
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: May 31, 2026
Last update for Playa del Carmen: June 2, 2026
Cost Breakdown
🏠A one-bedroom apartment in the center runs $1,615 in Grants Pass, OR and $973 in Playa del Carmen. Housing cost is often the main lever when comparing two cities.
💰Grants Pass, OR pays 268% 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: $44.00 in Grants Pass, OR vs $42.00 in Playa del Carmen for a mid-range dinner for two. Groceries echo the gap at $311 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 Playa del Carmen?
Grants Pass, OR and Playa del Carmen differ by about 93% in total monthly costs ($2,502 vs $1,297 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?
Grants Pass, OR pays 268% more on average, 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 Playa del Carmen?
Rent for a central apartment: $1,615 in Grants Pass, OR versus $973 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 25% 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 $2,502 per month in Grants Pass, OR versus $1,297 in Playa del Carmen – a 93% 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 $1,297 in Playa del Carmen versus $2,502 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 93% less than in Grants Pass, OR. Beyond cost, consider language, visa policies, and how big the international community is in each city.
Grants Pass, OR vs other spots: cost of living compared