Last update: Oct 2026

Cost of Living Comparison Between Graz and Playa del Carmen

For one person, living is cheaper in Playa del Carmen: $1,215 a month against $2,204 in Graz, rent and utilities included – about $11,900 less a year. Rent and utilities account for most of the difference.

Graz
🇦🇹 Austria
$2,204
/mo nomad
Playa del Carmen
🇲🇽 Mexico
$1,215
/mo nomad
Monthly Cost of Living

How much you'll spend in Graz and in Playa del Carmen

Real prices from locals and on-the-ground checks – rent, groceries, transit and the daily extras. Here's what a month in Graz and in Playa del Carmen actually costs, broken down by who's living it.

A single person spends $2,204 per month in Graz vs $1,215 in Playa del Carmen, rent included.

  • Graz $2,204
  • Playa del Carmen $1,215

A couple spends around $3,268 per month in Graz vs $2,144 in Playa del Carmen, rent included.

  • Graz $3,268
  • Playa del Carmen $2,144

A family of three spends $4,332 per month in Graz vs $3,072 in Playa del Carmen, rent included.

  • Graz $4,332
  • Playa del Carmen $3,072

Graz costs about 81% more than Playa del Carmen, and outside of rent the biggest gap is in groceries.

Graz sits 64% above the global median, while Playa del Carmen is 9% below – they fall on opposite sides of the world average.

Currency
🍽 Eating Out
Graz
Playa del Carmen
Difference
Meal at Budget Restaurant
$16.76 €14.96
$10.97 MX$201
52.78%
Three-Course Dinner for Two, Mid-Range
$59.5 €53.1
$44.85 MX$823
32.58%
Fast Food Meal (McDonalds, etc)
$13.66 €12.19
$11.92 MX$219
14.60%
Cappuccino
$4.32 €3.86
$3.80 MX$69.9
13.68%
Coke/Pepsi/Fanta/Sprite (0.33 liter bottle)
$3.94 €3.52
$1.31 MX$24.08
200.76%
Water (0.33 liter bottle)
$2.77 €2.47
$0.86 MX$15.72
222.09%
Local Beer (0.5 liter draught)
$5.76 €5.14
$3.21 MX$59.0
79.44%
Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)
$5.51 €4.91
$5.01 MX$92.0
9.98%
🛒 Groceries & Markets
Graz
Playa del Carmen
Difference
Milk (1 liter)
$1.78 €1.59
$1.46 MX$26.77
21.92%
White Bread (500g)
$2.86 €2.55
$2.33 MX$42.72
22.75%
Rice (white) (1kg)
$2.83 €2.53
$1.44 MX$26.48
96.53%
Eggs
$5.03 €4.49
$2.46 MX$45.20
104.47%
Local Cheese (1kg)
$24.53 €21.89
$7.70 MX$141
218.57%
Chicken Fillets (1kg)
$15.10 €13.48
$7.89 MX$145
91.38%
Beef Round Steak (1kg)
$23.42 €20.90
$12.80 MX$235
82.97%
Apples (1kg)
$2.92 €2.60
$2.92 MX$53.6
-
Banana (1kg)
$2.47 €2.20
$1.42 MX$26.11
73.94%
Oranges (1kg)
$3.11 €2.78
$2.57 MX$47.10
21.01%
Tomato (1kg)
$3.71 €3.31
$2.14 MX$39.24
73.36%
Potato (1kg)
$1.97 €1.76
$1.95 MX$35.75
1.03%
Onion (1kg)
$2.05 €1.83
$1.94 MX$35.55
5.67%
Lettuce (1 head)
$1.94 €1.74
$1.15 MX$21.13
68.70%
Water (1.5 liter bottle)
$0.95 €0.85
$1.22 MX$22.42
-22.13%
Cigarettes 20 Pack (Marlboro, Camel)
$7.89 €7.04
$4.38 MX$80.3
80.14%
Wine (Bottle)
$9.17 €8.19
$9.85 MX$181
-6.90%
Local Beer (0.5 liter bottle)
$1.58 €1.41
$1.54 MX$28.23
2.60%
Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)
$2.27 €2.03
$2.72 MX$49.86
-16.54%
🚌 Getting Around
Graz
Playa del Carmen
Difference
One-way Ticket (Public Transport)
$3.64 €3.25
$0.52 MX$9.64
600.00%
Public Transport Monthly Pass (Regular Price)
$75.3 €67.2
$27.42 MX$503
174.62%
Taxi Start (Normal Tariff)
$5.39 €4.81
$4.91 MX$90.2
9.78%
Taxi (Normal Tariff) (1km)
$2.64 €2.36
$3.52 MX$64.7
-25.00%
Taxi 1hour Waiting (Normal Tariff)
$35.10 €31.33
$5.69 MX$104
516.87%
Gasoline (1 liter)
$1.99 €1.78
$1.54 MX$28.27
29.22%
Midsize Hatchback 1.4l (Volkswagen Golf, Toyota Prius, Honda Civic, etc)
$29.9K €26.7K
$21.2K MX$389.9K
41.00%
Compact Sedan 1.6l (Toyota Corolla, Mazda3, Kia K4, Hyundai Elantra, etc)
$27.8K €24.8K
$24.5K MX$449.6K
13.40%
🧾 Monthly Utilities & Internet
Graz
Playa del Carmen
Difference
Utilities for 2 People in 2-bedroom Apartment (Heating, Electricity, Gas, Water, Garbage) (85m2)
$376 €336
$83.6 MX$1,535
349.90%
SIM Card Monthly Plan (Calls and 10GB+ Data)
$13.76 €12.28
$24.03 MX$441
-42.74%
Internet (50+ Mbps, Unlimited Data)
$35.59 €31.76
$29.33 MX$539
21.34%
🎉 Sport & Entertainment
Graz
Playa del Carmen
Difference
Gym Membership (Monthly)
$38.86 €34.68
$64.9 MX$1,191
-40.10%
Tennis Court (1 Hour on Weekend)
$21.97 €19.61
$29.46 MX$541
-25.42%
Cinema Ticket
$13.34 €11.91
$5.09 MX$93.4
162.08%
🧸 Childcare & Education
Graz
Playa del Carmen
Difference
Preschool or Kindergarten, Full Day, Private, 1 Child (Monthly)
$519 €463
$208 MX$3,813
149.94%
International Primary School, 1 Child (Yearly)
$5,618 €5,013
$4,045 MX$74.3K
38.87%
👕👟 Clothing & Footwear
Graz
Playa del Carmen
Difference
Jeans (Levis 501 Or Similar)
$105 €94.1
$44.55 MX$818
136.59%
Summer Dress (H&M, Zara, etc)
$42.03 €37.50
$42.06 MX$772
-0.07%
Sport Shoes (Adidas, Nike)
$113 €101
$75.5 MX$1,387
49.32%
Men's Leather Business Shoes
$168 €150
$91.4 MX$1,678
84.26%
🏠 Accommodation & Living
Graz
Playa del Carmen
Difference
1-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)
$831 €742
$986 MX$18.1K
-15.75%
1-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)
$689 €615
$385 MX$7,072
78.81%
3-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)
$1,452 €1,296
$1,713 MX$31.5K
-15.24%
3-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)
$1,164 €1,039
$1,108 MX$20.4K
5.01%
Buy Apartment in City Center (m2)
$5,864 €5,233
$4,016 MX$73.7K
46.03%
Buy Apartment Outside City Center (m2)
$3,250 €2,900
$6,247 MX$114.7K
-47.97%
💵 Salaries & Financials
Graz
Playa del Carmen
Difference
Average Monthly Net Salary (After Tax)
$3,155 €2,815
$758 MX$13.9K
316.20%
20-Year Fixed Mortgage Interest Rate (Annual %)
3.58
11.45
-68.73%

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

Last update for Graz: October 3, 2026

Last update for Playa del Carmen: October 4, 2026

Monthly budget structure
Share of the monthly basket for one person, rent included.
Accommodation & Living
Graz
$689
Playa del Carmen
$385 44.1% $304
Monthly Utilities & Internet
Graz
$426
Playa del Carmen
$137 67.8% $289
Groceries & Markets
Graz
$418
Playa del Carmen
$260 37.7% $157
Eating Out
Graz
$294
Playa del Carmen
$204 30.5% $90
Clothing & Footwear
Graz
$193
Playa del Carmen
$114 40.8% $79
Getting Around
Graz
$108
Playa del Carmen
$52 52% $56
Sport & Entertainment
Graz
$66
Playa del Carmen
$75 14.5% $9.5

Cost Breakdown

A central one-bedroom costs $831 in Graz versus $986 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 316% higher in Graz, 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 $59.0 in Graz versus $45.00 in Playa del Carmen. Monthly groceries follow the same trend: $418 vs $260 – making Playa del Carmen the more affordable choice for daily food spending.

Good to know
🇦🇹 Graz
🇲🇽 Playa del Carmen
🕒 Local time
09:35 9:35 AM
02:35 2:35 AM
7 h behind Graz
🌤 Weather
👥 Population
331,359
149,923
💱 Currency
Euro EUR €
Exchange rates and currency converter

MXN, USD to EUR – Euro Converter

Euro exchange rates as of October 10, 2026: 1 USD = 0.892 EUR (1 EUR = 1.12 USD).

Mexican Peso exchange rates as of October 10, 2026: 1 USD = 18.36 MXN (100 MXN = 5.45 USD). 1 EUR = 20.59 MXN (100 MXN = 4.86 EUR).

On the map
Between locations
  • Graz Playa del Carmen 9,240 km ≈ 12 h nonstop flight
From you
  • Graz
  • Playa del Carmen

Distances are measured in a straight line. Your location is detected approximately.

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
Graz vs Playa del Carmen: Cost of Living - Frequently Asked Questions
Is Playa del Carmen cheaper than Graz?
Yes – Graz is pricier by about 81%, and outside of rent the gap shows up most in groceries.
What income do you need for each city?
For a comfortable life, plan on about $3,306 per month in Graz and $1,823 in Playa del Carmen. That covers rent, food, utilities, transport, and enough left over to feel settled – not just surviving.
Which city has lower housing costs?
Rent is clearly cheaper in Playa del Carmen, especially for central apartments. Housing is actually the single biggest factor behind the overall cost gap between these two cities.
How do food prices compare in Graz and in Playa del Carmen?
Groceries cost about 60% more in Graz, though it depends on what you buy. Local produce may be comparable; imported and premium items show the biggest price gap.
Is eating out cheaper in Graz or in Playa del Carmen?
A mid-range dinner for two costs $59.0 in Graz and $45.00 in Playa del Carmen. That's a good indicator of the overall restaurant and café pricing gap between the two cities.
Is $1,500 a realistic budget for living in Graz or in Playa del Carmen?
A $1,500 monthly budget goes further in Playa del Carmen, where all-in costs run around $1,215, than in Graz at $2,204. In Playa del Carmen it covers expenses comfortably, while in Graz it requires careful planning or may not stretch far enough.
Is Graz or Playa del Carmen more family-friendly?
Families tend to lean toward Playa del Carmen – lower housing and cheaper childcare make a real difference, especially on a single income or when paying for private education.
Which city is safer, Graz or Playa del Carmen?
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.
Which city is the better choice to relocate to?
If budget matters most, go with Playa del Carmen. If higher salaries, better infrastructure, or specific career opportunities are the priority, Graz makes more sense. Both are solid long-term options with distinct trade-offs.

Graz vs other spots: cost of living compared

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