Cost of Living Comparison Between Gros Islet and Playa del Carmen Cost of Living Comparison Between Gros Islet and Playa del Carmen

Monthly Cost of Living

Monthly costs for one person with rent: $1,423 in Gros Islet versus $1,287 in Playa del Carmen.

Estimated couple costs with rent: $2,095 in Gros Islet versus $2,184 in Playa del Carmen.

Monthly costs for a family of three with rent: $2,768 in Gros Islet versus $3,082 in Playa del Carmen.

Living in Gros Islet is roughly 11% more expensive than Playa del Carmen, driven mainly by Groceries & Markets.

The two cities straddle the global median: Gros Islet is 6% above, Playa del Carmen is 4% below.

Meal at Budget Restaurant

$7.35 EC$19.85

$11.94 MX$209

-38.44%

Three-Course Dinner for Two, Mid-Range

$59.6 EC$161

$42.75 MX$748

39.37%

Fast Food Meal (McDonalds, etc)

$9.47 EC$25.58

$10.59 MX$185

-10.58%

Cappuccino

$4.57 EC$12.33

$3.62 MX$63.4

26.24%

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

$1.90 EC$5.12

$1.47 MX$25.69

29.25%

Water (0.33 liter bottle)

$1.83 EC$4.94

$0.94 MX$16.51

94.68%

Local Beer (0.5 liter draught)

$2.76 EC$7.44

$3.09 MX$54.1

-10.68%

Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$3.76 EC$10.16

$4.46 MX$78.0

-15.70%

Milk (1 liter)

$2.64 EC$7.12

$1.43 MX$24.94

84.62%

White Bread (500g)

$1.81 EC$4.88

$1.88 MX$32.97

-3.72%

Rice (white) (1kg)

$1.93 EC$5.20

$1.63 MX$28.50

18.40%

Eggs

$5.04 EC$13.62

$2.64 MX$46.26

90.91%

Local Cheese (1kg)

$12.71 EC$34.32

$8.21 MX$144

54.81%

Chicken Fillets (1kg)

$15.61 EC$42.16

$8.29 MX$145

88.30%

Beef Round Steak (1kg)

$15.85 EC$42.79

$11.10 MX$194

42.79%

Apples (1kg)

$5.81 EC$15.69

$2.65 MX$46.40

119.25%

Banana (1kg)

$1.63 EC$4.40

$1.50 MX$26.26

8.67%

Oranges (1kg)

$2.18 EC$5.90

$1.99 MX$34.79

9.55%

Tomato (1kg)

$2.24 EC$6.05

$2.08 MX$36.33

7.69%

Potato (1kg)

$2.20 EC$5.95

$1.79 MX$31.29

22.91%

Onion (1kg)

$2.28 EC$6.15

$2.18 MX$38.09

4.59%

Lettuce (1 head)

$2.97 EC$8.01

$1.08 MX$18.84

175.00%

Water (1.5 liter bottle)

$1.83 EC$4.94

$1.04 MX$18.15

75.96%

Cigarettes 20 Pack (Marlboro, Camel)

$6.02 EC$16.25

$3.97 MX$69.5

51.64%

Wine (Bottle)

$14.71 EC$39.71

$10.20 MX$179

44.22%

Local Beer (0.5 liter bottle)

$1.73 MX$30.22

Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$4.38 EC$11.83

$2.50 MX$43.71

75.20%

One-way Ticket (Public Transport)

$0.89 EC$2.40

$0.52 MX$9.07

71.15%

Public Transport Monthly Pass (Regular Price)

$26.97 MX$472

Taxi Start (Normal Tariff)

$3.14 MX$55.0

Taxi (Normal Tariff) (1km)

$2.40 MX$42.04

Taxi 1hour Waiting (Normal Tariff)

$3.09 MX$54.0

Gasoline (1 liter)

$1.27 MX$22.28

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)

$23.3K MX$408.0K

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

$217 EC$586

$82.0 MX$1,435

164.85%

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

$22.54 EC$60.9

$22.45 MX$393

0.40%

Internet (50+ Mbps, Unlimited Data)

$36.53 EC$98.6

$29.66 MX$519

23.16%

Gym Membership (Monthly)

$49.08 EC$133

$51.9 MX$908

-5.38%

Tennis Court (1 Hour on Weekend)

$18.67 MX$327

Cinema Ticket

$6.80 EC$18.37

$4.97 MX$87.0

36.82%

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)

$18.36 EC$49.56

$36.34 MX$636

-49.48%

Summer Dress (H&M, Zara, etc)

$11.20 EC$30.23

$40.05 MX$701

-72.03%

Sport Shoes (Adidas, Nike)

$73.4 EC$198

$79.9 MX$1,398

-8.07%

Men's Leather Business Shoes

$73.5 EC$198

$88.9 MX$1,555

-17.33%

1-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)

$606 EC$1,636

$963 MX$16.9K

-37.11%

1-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)

$457 EC$1,233

$465 MX$8,133

-1.75%

3-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)

$859 EC$2,321

$1,596 MX$27.9K

-46.16%

3-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)

$642 EC$1,735

$1,209 MX$21.2K

-46.85%

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)

$742 EC$2,004

$720 MX$12.6K

3.03%

20-Year Fixed Mortgage Interest Rate (Annual %)

11.42

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

Last update for Gros Islet: April 27, 2026

Last update for Playa del Carmen: April 25, 2026

Cost Breakdown

A one-bedroom apartment in the center runs $606 in Gros Islet and $963 in Playa del Carmen. Housing cost is often the main lever when comparing two cities.

Gros Islet pays 3% 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: $60.0 in Gros Islet vs $43.00 in Playa del Carmen for a mid-range dinner for two. Groceries echo the gap at $378 vs $251 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

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

Playa del Carmen wins on cost – living expenses run 11% lower than in Gros Islet. Housing and daily spending are where you'll feel the difference most, making Playa del Carmen the obvious pick if budget is a priority.

Gros Islet pays 3% 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: $606 in Gros Islet versus $963 in Playa del Carmen. Housing is usually the single largest factor when comparing overall living costs between the two.

All in, you'll spend $1,423 per month in Gros Islet versus $1,287 in Playa del Carmen – a 11% gap that adds up to real savings over time for anyone picking the cheaper option.

Supermarket bills run roughly 51% higher in Gros Islet. For households that cook at home regularly, that difference adds up over a month.

At $1,287 in Playa del Carmen versus $1,423 in Gros Islet, a $1,500 budget is realistic in Playa del Carmen but tight or insufficient in Gros Islet. The gap between the two cities makes Playa del Carmen the clear choice for anyone on this budget.

Both work as nomad bases, but Playa del Carmen delivers better value – similar infrastructure at $1,287 monthly. If stretching your runway or maximizing savings is the goal, the price difference makes Playa del Carmen hard to pass up.

Expats usually find Playa del Carmen gentler on the wallet – expenses run 11% less than in Gros Islet. Beyond cost, consider language, visa policies, and how big the international community is in each city.