Cost of Living Comparison Between Grenada and Playa del Carmen Cost of Living Comparison Between Grenada and Playa del Carmen

Monthly Cost of Living

Monthly costs for one person with rent: $1,396 in Grenada versus $1,266 in Playa del Carmen.

Estimated couple costs with rent: $2,036 in Grenada versus $2,279 in Playa del Carmen.

Monthly costs for a family of three with rent: $2,676 in Grenada versus $3,292 in Playa del Carmen.

Living in Grenada is roughly 10% more expensive than in Playa del Carmen, driven mainly by Clothing & Footwear.

The two cities straddle the global median: Grenada is 2% above, Playa del Carmen is 7% below.

Meal at Budget Restaurant

$12.09 EC$32.65

$11.60 MX$200

4.22%

Three-Course Dinner for Two, Mid-Range

$45.19 EC$122

$47.11 MX$812

-4.08%

Fast Food Meal (McDonalds, etc)

$8.40 EC$22.67

$11.88 MX$205

-29.29%

Cappuccino

$2.88 EC$7.77

$3.98 MX$68.6

-27.64%

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

$2.11 EC$5.70

$1.43 MX$24.60

47.55%

Water (0.33 liter bottle)

$1.50 EC$4.04

$0.82 MX$14.22

82.93%

Local Beer (0.5 liter draught)

$1.84 EC$4.96

$3.19 MX$55.0

-42.32%

Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$3.60 EC$9.72

$6.79 MX$117

-46.98%

Milk (1 liter)

$4.42 EC$11.92

$1.68 MX$28.89

163.10%

White Bread (500g)

$1.94 EC$5.23

$2.20 MX$37.88

-11.82%

Rice (white) (1kg)

$2.00 EC$5.39

$1.71 MX$29.45

16.96%

Eggs

$4.09 EC$11.04

$2.74 MX$47.26

49.27%

Local Cheese (1kg)

$9.58 MX$165

Chicken Fillets (1kg)

$9.01 MX$155

Beef Round Steak (1kg)

$20.00 EC$54.0

$12.81 MX$221

56.13%

Apples (1kg)

$2.89 MX$49.81

Banana (1kg)

$1.50 MX$25.81

Oranges (1kg)

$2.15 MX$37.03

Tomato (1kg)

$2.26 MX$38.96

Potato (1kg)

$8.04 EC$21.70

$1.98 MX$34.15

306.06%

Onion (1kg)

$1.99 MX$34.30

Lettuce (1 head)

$1.90 EC$5.13

$1.23 MX$21.28

54.47%

Water (1.5 liter bottle)

$3.80 EC$10.27

$1.20 MX$20.63

216.67%

Cigarettes 20 Pack (Marlboro, Camel)

$5.47 EC$14.77

$4.55 MX$78.5

20.22%

Wine (Bottle)

$11.26 EC$30.40

$10.37 MX$179

8.58%

Local Beer (0.5 liter bottle)

$1.44 EC$3.89

$1.62 MX$27.91

-11.11%

Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$3.03 EC$8.17

$2.88 MX$49.67

5.21%

One-way Ticket (Public Transport)

$1.61 EC$4.34

$0.60 MX$10.35

168.33%

Public Transport Monthly Pass (Regular Price)

$48.34 EC$131

$28.80 MX$497

67.85%

Taxi Start (Normal Tariff)

$6.62 EC$17.86

$5.39 MX$92.9

22.82%

Taxi (Normal Tariff) (1km)

$3.73 MX$64.3

Taxi 1hour Waiting (Normal Tariff)

$9.11 EC$24.60

$5.77 MX$99.5

57.89%

Gasoline (1 liter)

$1.36 EC$3.68

$1.54 MX$26.48

-11.69%

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

$22.5K MX$388.8K

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

$16.5K EC$44.6K

$26.1K MX$449.3K

-36.55%

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

$205 EC$554

$91.4 MX$1,576

124.47%

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

$45.17 EC$122

$25.20 MX$435

79.25%

Internet (50+ Mbps, Unlimited Data)

$48.26 EC$130

$31.24 MX$539

54.48%

Gym Membership (Monthly)

$34.20 EC$92.4

$67.2 MX$1,159

-49.11%

Tennis Court (1 Hour on Weekend)

$17.63 EC$47.60

$29.11 MX$502

-39.44%

Cinema Ticket

$9.52 EC$25.69

$4.86 MX$83.8

95.88%

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

$224 MX$3,856

International Primary School, 1 Child (Yearly)

$4,229 MX$72.9K

Jeans (Levis 501 Or Similar)

$47.10 MX$812

Summer Dress (H&M, Zara, etc)

$44.29 MX$764

Sport Shoes (Adidas, Nike)

$80.1 MX$1,381

Men's Leather Business Shoes

$92.7 MX$1,598

1-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)

$698 EC$1,885

$1,063 MX$18.3K

-34.30%

1-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)

$557 EC$1,505

$390 MX$6,728

42.86%

3-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)

$1,230 EC$3,321

$2,149 MX$37.1K

-42.77%

3-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)

$938 EC$2,532

$1,272 MX$21.9K

-26.28%

Buy Apartment in City Center (m2)

$4,001 MX$69.0K

Buy Apartment Outside City Center (m2)

$6,502 MX$112.1K

Average Monthly Net Salary (After Tax)

$448 EC$1,209

$758 MX$13.1K

-40.95%

20-Year Fixed Mortgage Interest Rate (Annual %)

11.45

-30.13%

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

Last update for Grenada: September 13, 2026

Last update for Playa del Carmen: September 12, 2026

Cost Breakdown

A one-bedroom apartment in the center runs $698 in Grenada and $1,063 in Playa del Carmen. Housing cost is often the main lever when comparing two cities.

Playa del Carmen pays 69% more on average while also being the cheaper of the two. The combined effect is a noticeably stronger local purchasing power.

Dining out: $45.00 in Grenada vs $47.00 in Playa del Carmen for a mid-range dinner for two. Groceries echo the gap at $261 vs $276 per month, with Grenada 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

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

Grenada and Playa del Carmen differ by about 10% in total monthly costs ($1,396 vs $1,266 including rent). Playa del Carmen is meaningfully more affordable – a gap that matters a lot on a fixed or modest income.

On paper, salaries run 69% lower in Playa del Carmen. That's worth factoring in alongside costs, though remote workers earning in a stronger currency may not notice the difference at all.

Rent for a central apartment: $698 in Grenada versus $1,063 in Playa del Carmen. Housing is usually the single largest factor when comparing overall living costs between the two.

Dining out is cheaper in Playa del Carmen – a meal for two runs $47.00 versus $45.00 in Grenada. If you eat out regularly, this makes a real dent in your monthly spending.

A monthly transit pass in Playa del Carmen runs roughly 68% less than in Grenada. Both cities have functional networks, but the price difference matters if you're watching your budget.

At $1,266 in Playa del Carmen versus $1,396 in Grenada, a $1,500 budget is realistic in Playa del Carmen but tight or insufficient in Grenada. 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.

Safety-wise, Grenada and Playa del Carmen are on par. Petty crime is typical for cities this size, and most residents feel comfortable going about their daily routines in either place.

Expats usually find Playa del Carmen gentler on the wallet – expenses run 10% less than in Grenada. Beyond cost, consider language, visa policies, and how big the international community is in each city.