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: $1,298 in Grenada versus $1,294 in Playa del Carmen.

Estimated couple costs with rent: $1,801 in Grenada versus $2,189 in Playa del Carmen.

Monthly costs for a family of three with rent: $2,304 in Grenada versus $3,084 in Playa del Carmen.

Monthly costs are close between Grenada and Playa del Carmen; which city is cheaper depends on the spending category.

Both cities sit below the global median: Grenada 3% lower, Playa del Carmen 3% lower.

Meal at Budget Restaurant

$9.37 EC$25.30

$11.73 MX$204

-20.12%

Three-Course Dinner for Two, Mid-Range

$36.38 EC$98.2

$41.78 MX$725

-12.92%

Fast Food Meal (McDonalds, etc)

$9.39 EC$25.35

$10.41 MX$181

-9.80%

Cappuccino

$3.26 EC$8.80

$3.61 MX$62.6

-9.70%

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

$1.34 EC$3.60

$1.46 MX$25.28

-8.22%

Water (0.33 liter bottle)

$1.03 EC$2.79

$0.97 MX$16.84

6.19%

Local Beer (0.5 liter draught)

$2.57 EC$6.93

$2.92 MX$50.8

-11.99%

Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$3.19 EC$8.63

$4.62 MX$80.2

-30.95%

Milk (1 liter)

$5.65 EC$15.25

$1.43 MX$24.80

295.10%

White Bread (500g)

$1.54 EC$4.15

$1.90 MX$32.98

-18.95%

Rice (white) (1kg)

$2.06 EC$5.57

$1.57 MX$27.18

31.21%

Eggs

$3.60 EC$9.72

$2.64 MX$45.73

36.36%

Local Cheese (1kg)

$8.44 MX$146

Chicken Fillets (1kg)

$9.84 EC$26.57

$8.58 MX$149

14.69%

Beef Round Steak (1kg)

$11.00 MX$191

Apples (1kg)

$2.70 MX$46.91

Banana (1kg)

$1.51 MX$26.15

Oranges (1kg)

$1.91 MX$33.22

Tomato (1kg)

$2.17 MX$37.69

Potato (1kg)

$7.92 EC$21.39

$1.87 MX$32.53

323.53%

Onion (1kg)

$2.23 MX$38.76

Lettuce (1 head)

$1.84 EC$4.96

$1.08 MX$18.76

70.37%

Water (1.5 liter bottle)

$3.80 EC$10.27

$1.07 MX$18.63

255.14%

Cigarettes 20 Pack (Marlboro, Camel)

$5.48 EC$14.79

$4.16 MX$72.2

31.73%

Wine (Bottle)

$11.07 EC$29.89

$10.29 MX$179

7.58%

Local Beer (0.5 liter bottle)

$1.50 EC$4.04

$1.68 MX$29.20

-10.71%

Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$2.97 EC$8.03

$2.53 MX$43.96

17.39%

One-way Ticket (Public Transport)

$1.27 EC$3.43

$0.55 MX$9.61

130.91%

Public Transport Monthly Pass (Regular Price)

$26.29 MX$456

Taxi Start (Normal Tariff)

$7.29 EC$19.70

$3.20 MX$55.5

127.81%

Taxi (Normal Tariff) (1km)

$2.46 MX$42.73

Taxi 1hour Waiting (Normal Tariff)

$9.11 EC$24.60

$3.20 MX$55.5

184.69%

Gasoline (1 liter)

$1.44 EC$3.89

$1.32 MX$22.91

9.09%

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

$30.2K MX$523.3K

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

$16.9K EC$45.6K

$23.4K MX$406.0K

-27.76%

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

$203 EC$549

$81.4 MX$1,412

149.77%

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

$44.68 EC$121

$22.41 MX$389

99.38%

Internet (50+ Mbps, Unlimited Data)

$47.20 EC$127

$29.97 MX$520

57.49%

Gym Membership (Monthly)

$34.90 EC$94.2

$51.6 MX$895

-32.31%

Tennis Court (1 Hour on Weekend)

$17.63 EC$47.60

$18.39 MX$319

-4.13%

Cinema Ticket

$9.32 EC$25.17

$5.16 MX$89.6

80.62%

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

$202 MX$3,501

International Primary School, 1 Child (Yearly)

$5,311 MX$92.2K

Jeans (Levis 501 Or Similar)

$35.61 MX$618

Summer Dress (H&M, Zara, etc)

$40.37 MX$701

Sport Shoes (Adidas, Nike)

$78.6 MX$1,365

Men's Leather Business Shoes

$86.9 MX$1,507

1-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)

$612 EC$1,653

$950 MX$16.5K

-35.56%

1-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)

$528 EC$1,425

$478 MX$8,298

10.42%

3-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)

$1,043 EC$2,817

$1,621 MX$28.1K

-35.63%

3-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)

$693 EC$1,872

$1,223 MX$21.2K

-43.31%

Buy Apartment in City Center (m2)

$4,009 MX$69.6K

Buy Apartment Outside City Center (m2)

$6,473 MX$112.3K

Average Monthly Net Salary (After Tax)

$877 EC$2,369

$673 MX$11.7K

30.38%

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: June 13, 2026

Last update for Playa del Carmen: June 15, 2026

Cost Breakdown

A one-bedroom apartment in the center runs $612 in Grenada and $950 in Playa del Carmen. Housing cost is often the main lever when comparing two cities.

Grenada pays 30% more on average. How far that income stretches comes down to housing choices and lifestyle.

Dining out: $36.00 in Grenada vs $42.00 in Playa del Carmen. Groceries flip the comparison at $256 vs $254, 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

Average pay runs 30% higher in Grenada, 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: $612 in Grenada versus $950 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 $42.00 versus $36.00 in Grenada. If you eat out regularly, this makes a real dent in your monthly spending.

Supermarket bills run roughly 1% higher in Grenada. For households that cook at home regularly, that difference adds up over a month.

At $1,294 in Playa del Carmen versus $1,298 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.

It comes down to priorities – Playa del Carmen wins on affordability, Grenada on earning potential. Factor in climate, language, visa rules, and proximity to places that matter to you before deciding.