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: $1,442 in Gros Islet versus $1,260 in Playa del Carmen.

Estimated couple costs with rent: $2,091 in Gros Islet versus $2,125 in Playa del Carmen.

Monthly costs for a family of three with rent: $2,740 in Gros Islet versus $2,990 in Playa del Carmen.

Living in Gros Islet is roughly 14% more expensive than in Playa del Carmen, driven mainly by Groceries & Markets.

The two cities straddle the global median: Gros Islet is 8% above, Playa del Carmen is 5% below.

Meal at Budget Restaurant

$7.59 EC$20.50

$11.72 MX$203

-35.24%

Three-Course Dinner for Two, Mid-Range

$58.8 EC$159

$41.89 MX$725

40.46%

Fast Food Meal (McDonalds, etc)

$9.13 EC$24.66

$10.51 MX$182

-13.13%

Cappuccino

$4.38 EC$11.83

$3.59 MX$62.0

22.01%

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

$1.82 EC$4.91

$1.51 MX$26.10

20.53%

Water (0.33 liter bottle)

$1.80 EC$4.85

$0.92 MX$15.83

95.65%

Local Beer (0.5 liter draught)

$2.81 EC$7.58

$2.96 MX$51.2

-5.07%

Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$3.81 EC$10.29

$4.41 MX$76.3

-13.61%

Milk (1 liter)

$2.55 EC$6.88

$1.40 MX$24.16

82.14%

White Bread (500g)

$1.72 EC$4.65

$1.88 MX$32.60

-8.51%

Rice (white) (1kg)

$1.95 EC$5.26

$1.56 MX$26.97

25.00%

Eggs

$5.04 EC$13.61

$2.61 MX$45.14

93.10%

Local Cheese (1kg)

$12.34 EC$33.31

$8.32 MX$144

48.32%

Chicken Fillets (1kg)

$15.43 EC$41.66

$8.35 MX$145

84.79%

Beef Round Steak (1kg)

$15.70 EC$42.38

$10.86 MX$188

44.57%

Apples (1kg)

$5.89 EC$15.91

$2.71 MX$46.93

117.34%

Banana (1kg)

$1.62 EC$4.38

$1.51 MX$26.04

7.28%

Oranges (1kg)

$2.18 EC$5.89

$1.87 MX$32.41

16.58%

Tomato (1kg)

$2.18 EC$5.89

$2.19 MX$37.89

-0.46%

Potato (1kg)

$2.19 EC$5.92

$1.86 MX$32.14

17.74%

Onion (1kg)

$2.26 EC$6.10

$2.23 MX$38.59

1.35%

Lettuce (1 head)

$2.86 EC$7.72

$1.07 MX$18.48

167.29%

Water (1.5 liter bottle)

$1.88 EC$5.08

$1.09 MX$18.79

72.48%

Cigarettes 20 Pack (Marlboro, Camel)

$6.02 EC$16.25

$4.19 MX$72.4

43.68%

Wine (Bottle)

$14.78 EC$39.90

$10.43 MX$180

41.71%

Local Beer (0.5 liter bottle)

$1.66 MX$28.68

Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$4.53 EC$12.24

$2.61 MX$45.19

73.56%

One-way Ticket (Public Transport)

$0.96 EC$2.59

$0.54 MX$9.37

77.78%

Public Transport Monthly Pass (Regular Price)

$26.16 MX$453

Taxi Start (Normal Tariff)

$3.08 MX$53.3

Taxi (Normal Tariff) (1km)

$2.40 MX$41.61

Taxi 1hour Waiting (Normal Tariff)

$3.13 MX$54.1

Gasoline (1 liter)

$1.31 MX$22.69

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

$29.8K MX$515.7K

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

$23.3K MX$403.5K

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

$218 EC$588

$81.3 MX$1,406

167.73%

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

$22.37 EC$60.4

$22.56 MX$390

-0.84%

Internet (50+ Mbps, Unlimited Data)

$36.71 EC$99.1

$30.05 MX$520

22.16%

Gym Membership (Monthly)

$50.2 EC$136

$52.9 MX$915

-5.07%

Tennis Court (1 Hour on Weekend)

$18.39 MX$318

Cinema Ticket

$6.92 EC$18.67

$4.92 MX$85.1

40.65%

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

$201 MX$3,474

International Primary School, 1 Child (Yearly)

$5,175 MX$89.5K

Jeans (Levis 501 Or Similar)

$18.86 EC$50.9

$35.92 MX$622

-47.49%

Summer Dress (H&M, Zara, etc)

$10.95 EC$29.57

$40.13 MX$694

-72.71%

Sport Shoes (Adidas, Nike)

$74.0 EC$200

$79.7 MX$1,379

-7.11%

Men's Leather Business Shoes

$72.9 EC$197

$86.5 MX$1,496

-15.71%

1-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)

$600 EC$1,621

$978 MX$16.9K

-38.61%

1-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)

$456 EC$1,230

$470 MX$8,140

-3.17%

3-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)

$866 EC$2,339

$1,651 MX$28.6K

-47.55%

3-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)

$652 EC$1,760

$1,203 MX$20.8K

-45.82%

Buy Apartment in City Center (m2)

$3,953 MX$68.4K

Buy Apartment Outside City Center (m2)

$6,607 MX$114.3K

Average Monthly Net Salary (After Tax)

$733 EC$1,979

$677 MX$11.7K

8.31%

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: July 25, 2026

Last update for Playa del Carmen: July 27, 2026

Cost Breakdown

A one-bedroom apartment in the center runs $600 in Gros Islet and $978 in Playa del Carmen. Housing cost is often the main lever when comparing two cities.

Gros Islet pays 8% 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: $59.0 in Gros Islet vs $42.00 in Playa del Carmen for a mid-range dinner for two. Groceries echo the gap at $374 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

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

Playa del Carmen wins on cost – living expenses run 14% 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.

Average pay runs 8% higher in Gros Islet, 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: $600 in Gros Islet versus $978 in Playa del Carmen. Housing is usually the single largest factor when comparing overall living costs between the two.

All in, you'll spend $1,442 per month in Gros Islet versus $1,260 in Playa del Carmen – a 14% gap that adds up to real savings over time for anyone picking the cheaper option.

Supermarket bills run roughly 49% higher in Gros Islet. For households that cook at home regularly, that difference adds up over a month.

At $1,260 in Playa del Carmen versus $1,442 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 $1,260 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 14% less than in Gros Islet. Beyond cost, consider language, visa policies, and how big the international community is in each city.