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: $1,417 in Gros Islet versus $1,271 in Playa del Carmen.

Estimated couple costs with rent: $2,116 in Gros Islet versus $2,126 in Playa del Carmen.

Monthly costs for a family of three with rent: $2,814 in Gros Islet versus $2,980 in Playa del Carmen.

Living in Gros Islet is roughly 12% more expensive than Playa del Carmen, driven mainly by Groceries & Markets.

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

Meal at Budget Restaurant

$7.44 EC$20.07

$11.87 MX$204

-37.32%

Three-Course Dinner for Two, Mid-Range

$58.7 EC$159

$42.90 MX$736

36.88%

Fast Food Meal (McDonalds, etc)

$9.00 EC$24.31

$10.65 MX$183

-15.49%

Cappuccino

$4.39 EC$11.84

$3.45 MX$59.2

27.25%

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

$1.83 EC$4.94

$1.50 MX$25.81

22.00%

Water (0.33 liter bottle)

$1.84 EC$4.97

$0.95 MX$16.28

93.68%

Local Beer (0.5 liter draught)

$2.79 EC$7.54

$3.03 MX$51.9

-7.92%

Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$3.68 EC$9.93

$4.61 MX$79.1

-20.17%

Milk (1 liter)

$2.66 EC$7.18

$1.38 MX$23.61

92.75%

White Bread (500g)

$1.78 EC$4.81

$1.85 MX$31.70

-3.78%

Rice (white) (1kg)

$1.95 EC$5.25

$1.61 MX$27.65

21.12%

Eggs

$4.93 EC$13.32

$2.59 MX$44.51

90.35%

Local Cheese (1kg)

$12.52 EC$33.81

$8.26 MX$142

51.57%

Chicken Fillets (1kg)

$15.77 EC$42.57

$8.37 MX$144

88.41%

Beef Round Steak (1kg)

$15.74 EC$42.49

$10.66 MX$183

47.65%

Apples (1kg)

$5.98 EC$16.15

$2.63 MX$45.12

127.38%

Banana (1kg)

$1.62 EC$4.38

$1.49 MX$25.53

8.72%

Oranges (1kg)

$2.29 EC$6.17

$1.92 MX$32.94

19.27%

Tomato (1kg)

$2.19 EC$5.91

$2.09 MX$35.81

4.78%

Potato (1kg)

$2.24 EC$6.04

$1.86 MX$31.88

20.43%

Onion (1kg)

$2.18 EC$5.87

$2.26 MX$38.81

-3.54%

Lettuce (1 head)

$2.85 EC$7.68

$1.06 MX$18.23

168.87%

Water (1.5 liter bottle)

$1.80 EC$4.87

$1.09 MX$18.67

65.14%

Cigarettes 20 Pack (Marlboro, Camel)

$5.89 EC$15.92

$4.15 MX$71.2

41.93%

Wine (Bottle)

$15.04 EC$40.61

$10.39 MX$178

44.75%

Local Beer (0.5 liter bottle)

$1.72 MX$29.59

Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$4.42 EC$11.94

$2.61 MX$44.85

69.35%

One-way Ticket (Public Transport)

$0.94 EC$2.55

$0.54 MX$9.30

74.07%

Public Transport Monthly Pass (Regular Price)

$26.94 MX$462

Taxi Start (Normal Tariff)

$3.13 MX$53.7

Taxi (Normal Tariff) (1km)

$2.51 MX$43.09

Taxi 1hour Waiting (Normal Tariff)

$3.15 MX$54.1

Gasoline (1 liter)

$1.27 MX$21.88

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

$30.4K MX$521.3K

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

$23.6K MX$404.5K

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

$220 EC$593

$83.0 MX$1,425

164.64%

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

$22.43 EC$60.6

$22.71 MX$390

-1.23%

Internet (50+ Mbps, Unlimited Data)

$37.56 EC$101

$29.46 MX$506

27.49%

Gym Membership (Monthly)

$49.76 EC$134

$51.0 MX$875

-2.43%

Tennis Court (1 Hour on Weekend)

$18.33 MX$315

Cinema Ticket

$7.00 EC$18.90

$4.93 MX$84.5

41.99%

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

$197 MX$3,386

International Primary School, 1 Child (Yearly)

$5,280 MX$90.6K

Jeans (Levis 501 Or Similar)

$18.52 EC$49.99

$36.90 MX$633

-49.81%

Summer Dress (H&M, Zara, etc)

$11.03 EC$29.79

$39.89 MX$685

-72.35%

Sport Shoes (Adidas, Nike)

$72.9 EC$197

$80.0 MX$1,373

-8.94%

Men's Leather Business Shoes

$73.1 EC$197

$89.5 MX$1,536

-18.33%

1-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)

$597 EC$1,611

$956 MX$16.4K

-37.62%

1-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)

$450 EC$1,216

$477 MX$8,189

-5.63%

3-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)

$840 EC$2,267

$1,646 MX$28.3K

-48.98%

3-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)

$651 EC$1,757

$1,225 MX$21.0K

-46.86%

Buy Apartment in City Center (m2)

$3,918 MX$67.2K

Buy Apartment Outside City Center (m2)

$6,459 MX$110.9K

Average Monthly Net Salary (After Tax)

$731 EC$1,974

$667 MX$11.4K

9.63%

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: June 7, 2026

Last update for Playa del Carmen: June 7, 2026

Cost Breakdown

A one-bedroom apartment in the center runs $597 in Gros Islet and $956 in Playa del Carmen. Housing cost is often the main lever when comparing two cities.

Gros Islet pays 10% 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 $43.00 in Playa del Carmen for a mid-range dinner for two. Groceries echo the gap at $378 vs $250 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 12% 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 10% 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: $597 in Gros Islet versus $956 in Playa del Carmen. Housing is usually the single largest factor when comparing overall living costs between the two.

All in, you'll spend $1,417 per month in Gros Islet versus $1,271 in Playa del Carmen – a 12% 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 $1,271 in Playa del Carmen versus $1,417 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 $1,271 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 12% less than in Gros Islet. Beyond cost, consider language, visa policies, and how big the international community is in each city.