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: $894 in Green Island versus $1,259 in Playa del Carmen.

Estimated couple costs with rent: $1,450 in Green Island versus $2,177 in Playa del Carmen.

Monthly costs for a family of three with rent: $2,006 in Green Island versus $3,095 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 6% lower.

Meal at Budget Restaurant

$7.45 JMD 1,174

$11.95 MX$208

-37.66%

Three-Course Dinner for Two, Mid-Range

$63.7 JMD 10.0K

$41.94 MX$731

51.86%

Fast Food Meal (McDonalds, etc)

$8.68 JMD 1,367

$10.42 MX$182

-16.70%

Cappuccino

$4.40 JMD 694

$3.51 MX$61.3

25.36%

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

$1.36 JMD 214

$1.52 MX$26.44

-10.53%

Water (0.33 liter bottle)

$0.71 JMD 112

$0.91 MX$15.88

-21.98%

Local Beer (0.5 liter draught)

$2.44 JMD 384

$3.04 MX$53.0

-19.74%

Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$3.10 JMD 487

$4.37 MX$76.2

-29.06%

Milk (1 liter)

$4.29 JMD 676

$1.42 MX$24.78

202.11%

White Bread (500g)

$3.63 JMD 572

$1.83 MX$31.93

98.36%

Rice (white) (1kg)

$1.63 JMD 257

$1.63 MX$28.51

Eggs

$3.58 JMD 564

$2.54 MX$44.29

40.94%

Local Cheese (1kg)

$11.13 JMD 1,752

$8.57 MX$149

29.87%

Chicken Fillets (1kg)

$6.18 JMD 973

$8.49 MX$148

-27.21%

Beef Round Steak (1kg)

$7.47 JMD 1,176

$10.80 MX$188

-30.83%

Apples (1kg)

$5.88 JMD 925

$2.75 MX$48.04

113.82%

Banana (1kg)

$3.05 JMD 480

$1.44 MX$25.05

111.81%

Oranges (1kg)

$4.27 JMD 673

$1.89 MX$32.90

125.93%

Tomato (1kg)

$2.93 JMD 461

$2.17 MX$37.84

35.02%

Potato (1kg)

$2.01 JMD 317

$1.78 MX$31.03

12.92%

Onion (1kg)

$2.02 JMD 317

$2.22 MX$38.79

-9.01%

Lettuce (1 head)

$3.01 JMD 474

$1.07 MX$18.64

181.31%

Water (1.5 liter bottle)

$1.48 JMD 233

$1.08 MX$18.83

37.04%

Cigarettes 20 Pack (Marlboro, Camel)

$8.58 JMD 1,351

$4.15 MX$72.3

106.75%

Wine (Bottle)

$11.54 JMD 1,818

$10.45 MX$182

10.43%

Local Beer (0.5 liter bottle)

$2.78 JMD 438

$1.74 MX$30.40

59.77%

Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$3.22 JMD 506

$2.58 MX$45.01

24.81%

One-way Ticket (Public Transport)

$0.51 MX$8.95

Public Transport Monthly Pass (Regular Price)

$25.94 MX$452

Taxi Start (Normal Tariff)

$1.11 JMD 175

$3.21 MX$56.0

-65.42%

Taxi (Normal Tariff) (1km)

$3.25 JMD 512

$2.50 MX$43.64

30.00%

Taxi 1hour Waiting (Normal Tariff)

$6.34 JMD 999

$3.19 MX$55.6

98.75%

Gasoline (1 liter)

$1.23 JMD 193

$1.26 MX$21.91

-2.38%

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

$43.2K JMD 6.8M

$29.7K MX$517.7K

45.44%

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

$33.6K JMD 5.3M

$23.7K MX$413.0K

42.04%

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

$164 JMD 25.8K

$82.0 MX$1,430

99.90%

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

$22.27 JMD 3,506

$22.73 MX$396

-2.02%

Internet (50+ Mbps, Unlimited Data)

$51.6 JMD 8,123

$29.42 MX$513

75.32%

Gym Membership (Monthly)

$52.2 MX$910

Tennis Court (1 Hour on Weekend)

$18.45 MX$322

Cinema Ticket

$13.28 JMD 2,091

$4.93 MX$86.0

169.37%

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

$226 JMD 35.6K

$202 MX$3,519

11.90%

International Primary School, 1 Child (Yearly)

$2,522 JMD 397.2K

$5,217 MX$91.0K

-51.65%

Jeans (Levis 501 Or Similar)

$25.71 JMD 4,048

$35.93 MX$627

-28.44%

Summer Dress (H&M, Zara, etc)

$25.41 JMD 4,001

$40.33 MX$703

-36.99%

Sport Shoes (Adidas, Nike)

$71.3 JMD 11.2K

$79.9 MX$1,393

-10.74%

Men's Leather Business Shoes

$76.3 JMD 12.0K

$89.3 MX$1,557

-14.62%

1-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)

$948 MX$16.5K

1-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)

$465 MX$8,114

3-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)

$1,630 MX$28.4K

3-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)

$1,193 MX$20.8K

Buy Apartment in City Center (m2)

$3,933 MX$68.6K

Buy Apartment Outside City Center (m2)

$6,428 MX$112.1K

Average Monthly Net Salary (After Tax)

$658 MX$11.5K

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: July 19, 2026

Last update for Playa del Carmen: July 20, 2026

Cost Breakdown

Dining out: $64.0 in Green Island vs $42.00 in Playa del Carmen for a mid-range dinner for two. Groceries echo the gap at $349 vs $252 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 ($894 vs $1,259 including rent). Green Island is meaningfully more affordable – a gap that matters a lot on a fixed or modest income.

You'd need roughly $1,341 in Green Island and $1,888 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 38% less for everyday groceries. It's an unusual reversal that partly offsets higher costs elsewhere.

All in, you'll spend $894 per month in Green Island versus $1,259 in Playa del Carmen – a 41% gap that adds up to real savings over time for anyone picking the cheaper option.

At $894 in Green Island versus $1,259 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.