Cost of Living Comparison Between Green Island and Playa del Carmen Cost of Living Comparison Between Green Island and Playa del Carmen

Monthly Cost of Living

Monthly costs for one person with rent: $899 in Green Island versus $1,271 in Playa del Carmen.

Estimated couple costs with rent: $1,446 in Green Island versus $2,126 in Playa del Carmen.

Monthly costs for a family of three with rent: $1,994 in Green Island versus $2,980 in Playa del Carmen.

Living in Green Island costs roughly 29% less than in Playa del Carmen, driven mainly by Groceries & Markets.

Both cities sit below the global median: Green Island 33% lower, Playa del Carmen 5% lower.

Meal at Budget Restaurant

$7.68 JMD 1,208

$11.87 MX$207

-35.30%

Three-Course Dinner for Two, Mid-Range

$62.8 JMD 9,878

$42.90 MX$749

46.39%

Fast Food Meal (McDonalds, etc)

$8.72 JMD 1,372

$10.65 MX$186

-18.12%

Cappuccino

$4.42 JMD 695

$3.45 MX$60.2

28.12%

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

$1.31 JMD 207

$1.50 MX$26.24

-12.67%

Water (0.33 liter bottle)

$0.76 JMD 119

$0.95 MX$16.56

-20.00%

Local Beer (0.5 liter draught)

$2.49 JMD 391

$3.03 MX$52.8

-17.82%

Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$3.20 JMD 504

$4.61 MX$80.4

-30.59%

Milk (1 liter)

$4.36 JMD 686

$1.38 MX$24.01

215.94%

White Bread (500g)

$3.67 JMD 577

$1.85 MX$32.24

98.38%

Rice (white) (1kg)

$1.55 JMD 244

$1.61 MX$28.11

-3.73%

Eggs

$3.57 JMD 562

$2.59 MX$45.26

37.84%

Local Cheese (1kg)

$11.26 JMD 1,771

$8.26 MX$144

36.32%

Chicken Fillets (1kg)

$6.44 JMD 1,013

$8.37 MX$146

-23.06%

Beef Round Steak (1kg)

$7.67 JMD 1,206

$10.66 MX$186

-28.05%

Apples (1kg)

$5.89 JMD 927

$2.63 MX$45.89

123.95%

Banana (1kg)

$3.09 JMD 486

$1.49 MX$25.96

107.38%

Oranges (1kg)

$4.21 JMD 662

$1.92 MX$33.50

119.27%

Tomato (1kg)

$2.89 JMD 455

$2.09 MX$36.41

38.28%

Potato (1kg)

$2.10 JMD 331

$1.86 MX$32.42

12.90%

Onion (1kg)

$2.01 JMD 317

$2.26 MX$39.47

-11.06%

Lettuce (1 head)

$3.13 JMD 493

$1.06 MX$18.54

195.28%

Water (1.5 liter bottle)

$1.45 JMD 228

$1.09 MX$18.98

33.03%

Cigarettes 20 Pack (Marlboro, Camel)

$8.83 JMD 1,389

$4.15 MX$72.4

112.77%

Wine (Bottle)

$11.34 JMD 1,784

$10.39 MX$181

9.14%

Local Beer (0.5 liter bottle)

$2.78 JMD 437

$1.72 MX$30.09

61.63%

Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$3.05 JMD 480

$2.61 MX$45.60

16.86%

One-way Ticket (Public Transport)

$0.54 MX$9.46

Public Transport Monthly Pass (Regular Price)

$26.94 MX$470

Taxi Start (Normal Tariff)

$1.07 JMD 168

$3.13 MX$54.6

-65.81%

Taxi (Normal Tariff) (1km)

$3.25 JMD 512

$2.51 MX$43.82

29.48%

Taxi 1hour Waiting (Normal Tariff)

$6.17 JMD 970

$3.15 MX$55.0

95.87%

Gasoline (1 liter)

$1.29 JMD 203

$1.27 MX$22.25

1.57%

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

$42.3K JMD 6.7M

$30.4K MX$530.1K

39.28%

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

$33.3K JMD 5.2M

$23.6K MX$411.3K

41.15%

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

$165 JMD 25.9K

$83.0 MX$1,449

98.59%

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

$22.16 JMD 3,486

$22.71 MX$396

-2.42%

Internet (50+ Mbps, Unlimited Data)

$49.98 JMD 7,862

$29.46 MX$514

69.65%

Gym Membership (Monthly)

$51.0 MX$890

Tennis Court (1 Hour on Weekend)

$18.33 MX$320

Cinema Ticket

$13.07 JMD 2,055

$4.93 MX$86.0

165.11%

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

$224 JMD 35.3K

$197 MX$3,444

13.73%

International Primary School, 1 Child (Yearly)

$2,478 JMD 389.7K

$5,280 MX$92.1K

-53.08%

Jeans (Levis 501 Or Similar)

$26.45 JMD 4,160

$36.90 MX$644

-28.32%

Summer Dress (H&M, Zara, etc)

$25.69 JMD 4,041

$39.89 MX$696

-35.60%

Sport Shoes (Adidas, Nike)

$69.9 JMD 11.0K

$80.0 MX$1,396

-12.70%

Men's Leather Business Shoes

$75.3 JMD 11.8K

$89.5 MX$1,561

-15.83%

1-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)

$956 MX$16.7K

1-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)

$477 MX$8,327

3-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)

$1,646 MX$28.7K

3-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)

$1,225 MX$21.4K

Buy Apartment in City Center (m2)

$3,918 MX$68.4K

Buy Apartment Outside City Center (m2)

$6,459 MX$112.7K

Average Monthly Net Salary (After Tax)

$667 MX$11.6K

20-Year Fixed Mortgage Interest Rate (Annual %)

9.15

11.42

-19.88%

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

Last update for Green Island: June 9, 2026

Last update for Playa del Carmen: June 7, 2026

Cost Breakdown

Dining out: $63.0 in Green Island vs $43.00 in Playa del Carmen for a mid-range dinner for two. Groceries echo the gap at $352 vs $250 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

Green Island vs Playa del Carmen: Cost of Living - Frequently Asked Questions

Green Island and Playa del Carmen differ by about 41% in total monthly costs ($899 vs $1,271 including rent). Green Island is meaningfully more affordable – a gap that matters a lot on a fixed or modest income.

You'd need roughly $1,348 in Green Island and $1,906 in Playa del Carmen to live well. The gap comes down to housing and overall price levels. Both cities are liveable on less, but these numbers represent actual comfort.

Shoppers in Playa del Carmen pay roughly 41% less for everyday groceries. It's an unusual reversal that partly offsets higher costs elsewhere.

All in, you'll spend $899 per month in Green Island versus $1,271 in Playa del Carmen – a 41% gap that adds up to real savings over time for anyone picking the cheaper option.

At $899 in Green Island versus $1,271 in Playa del Carmen, a $2,000 budget is realistic in Green Island but tight or insufficient in Playa del Carmen. The gap between the two cities makes Green Island 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 Green Island gentler on the wallet – expenses run 41% less than in Playa del Carmen. Beyond cost, consider language, visa policies, and how big the international community is in each city.