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: $1,309 in Grenada versus $1,287 in Playa del Carmen.

Estimated couple costs with rent: $1,765 in Grenada versus $2,184 in Playa del Carmen.

Monthly costs for a family of three with rent: $2,222 in Grenada versus $3,082 in Playa del Carmen.

Living in Grenada is roughly 2% more expensive than Playa del Carmen, driven mainly by Clothing & Footwear.

Both cities sit below the global median: Grenada 2% lower, Playa del Carmen 4% lower.

Meal at Budget Restaurant

$9.33 EC$25.19

$11.94 MX$209

-21.86%

Three-Course Dinner for Two, Mid-Range

$37.25 EC$101

$42.75 MX$748

-12.87%

Fast Food Meal (McDonalds, etc)

$9.10 EC$24.58

$10.59 MX$185

-14.07%

Cappuccino

$3.27 EC$8.82

$3.62 MX$63.4

-9.67%

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

$1.27 EC$3.43

$1.47 MX$25.69

-13.61%

Water (0.33 liter bottle)

$1.05 EC$2.83

$0.94 MX$16.51

11.70%

Local Beer (0.5 liter draught)

$2.56 EC$6.91

$3.09 MX$54.1

-17.15%

Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$3.20 EC$8.63

$4.46 MX$78.0

-28.25%

Milk (1 liter)

$5.59 EC$15.10

$1.43 MX$24.94

290.91%

White Bread (500g)

$1.56 EC$4.22

$1.88 MX$32.97

-17.02%

Rice (white) (1kg)

$2.03 EC$5.48

$1.63 MX$28.50

24.54%

Eggs

$3.64 EC$9.84

$2.64 MX$46.26

37.88%

Local Cheese (1kg)

$8.21 MX$144

Chicken Fillets (1kg)

$9.54 EC$25.75

$8.29 MX$145

15.08%

Beef Round Steak (1kg)

$11.10 MX$194

Apples (1kg)

$2.65 MX$46.40

Banana (1kg)

$1.50 MX$26.26

Oranges (1kg)

$1.99 MX$34.79

Tomato (1kg)

$2.08 MX$36.33

Potato (1kg)

$7.96 EC$21.50

$1.79 MX$31.29

344.69%

Onion (1kg)

$2.18 MX$38.09

Lettuce (1 head)

$1.88 EC$5.07

$1.08 MX$18.84

74.07%

Water (1.5 liter bottle)

$3.79 EC$10.23

$1.04 MX$18.15

264.42%

Cigarettes 20 Pack (Marlboro, Camel)

$5.57 EC$15.03

$3.97 MX$69.5

40.30%

Wine (Bottle)

$10.92 EC$29.49

$10.20 MX$179

7.06%

Local Beer (0.5 liter bottle)

$1.45 EC$3.93

$1.73 MX$30.22

-16.18%

Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$2.94 EC$7.95

$2.50 MX$43.71

17.60%

One-way Ticket (Public Transport)

$1.28 EC$3.45

$0.52 MX$9.07

146.15%

Public Transport Monthly Pass (Regular Price)

$26.97 MX$472

Taxi Start (Normal Tariff)

$7.54 EC$20.36

$3.14 MX$55.0

140.13%

Taxi (Normal Tariff) (1km)

$2.40 MX$42.04

Taxi 1hour Waiting (Normal Tariff)

$9.02 EC$24.35

$3.09 MX$54.0

191.91%

Gasoline (1 liter)

$1.38 EC$3.73

$1.27 MX$22.28

8.66%

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

$30.9K MX$540.4K

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

$16.8K EC$45.3K

$23.3K MX$408.0K

-28.10%

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

$207 EC$558

$82.0 MX$1,435

151.93%

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

$44.48 EC$120

$22.45 MX$393

98.13%

Internet (50+ Mbps, Unlimited Data)

$47.68 EC$129

$29.66 MX$519

60.76%

Gym Membership (Monthly)

$35.03 EC$94.6

$51.9 MX$908

-32.47%

Tennis Court (1 Hour on Weekend)

$17.47 EC$47.17

$18.67 MX$327

-6.43%

Cinema Ticket

$9.14 EC$24.68

$4.97 MX$87.0

83.90%

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

$198 MX$3,462

International Primary School, 1 Child (Yearly)

$5,273 MX$92.3K

Jeans (Levis 501 Or Similar)

$36.34 MX$636

Summer Dress (H&M, Zara, etc)

$40.05 MX$701

Sport Shoes (Adidas, Nike)

$79.9 MX$1,398

Men's Leather Business Shoes

$88.9 MX$1,555

1-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)

$620 EC$1,674

$963 MX$16.9K

-35.65%

1-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)

$521 EC$1,407

$465 MX$8,133

12.10%

3-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)

$1,024 EC$2,765

$1,596 MX$27.9K

-35.85%

3-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)

$699 EC$1,888

$1,209 MX$21.2K

-42.14%

Buy Apartment in City Center (m2)

$3,942 MX$69.0K

Buy Apartment Outside City Center (m2)

$6,448 MX$112.8K

Average Monthly Net Salary (After Tax)

$869 EC$2,346

$720 MX$12.6K

20.60%

20-Year Fixed Mortgage Interest Rate (Annual %)

11.42

-29.95%

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

Last update for Grenada: April 25, 2026

Last update for Playa del Carmen: April 25, 2026

Cost Breakdown

A one-bedroom apartment in the center runs $620 in Grenada and $963 in Playa del Carmen. Housing cost is often the main lever when comparing two cities.

Grenada pays 21% 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: $37.00 in Grenada vs $43.00 in Playa del Carmen. Groceries flip the comparison at $254 vs $251, with Playa del Carmen cheaper for home cooking.

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 2% in total monthly costs ($1,309 vs $1,287 including rent). Playa del Carmen is meaningfully more affordable – a gap that matters a lot on a fixed or modest income.

Grenada pays 21% more on average, which matters when comparing affordability. Whether that higher income actually nets you more depends on your spending habits and housing choices.

Rent for a central apartment: $620 in Grenada versus $963 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 $43.00 versus $37.00 in Grenada. If you eat out regularly, this makes a real dent in your monthly spending.

All in, you'll spend $1,309 per month in Grenada versus $1,287 in Playa del Carmen – a 2% gap that adds up to real savings over time for anyone picking the cheaper option.

At $1,287 in Playa del Carmen versus $1,309 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 2% less than in Grenada. Beyond cost, consider language, visa policies, and how big the international community is in each city.