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: $1,428 in Gros Islet versus $1,266 in Playa del Carmen.

Estimated couple costs with rent: $2,138 in Gros Islet versus $2,279 in Playa del Carmen.

Monthly costs for a family of three with rent: $2,849 in Gros Islet versus $3,292 in Playa del Carmen.

Living in Gros Islet is roughly 13% more expensive than in Playa del Carmen, driven mainly by Groceries & Markets.

The two cities straddle the global median: Gros Islet is 4% above, Playa del Carmen is 7% below.

Meal at Budget Restaurant

$7.55 EC$20.38

$11.60 MX$200

-34.91%

Three-Course Dinner for Two, Mid-Range

$58.3 EC$157

$47.11 MX$812

23.69%

Fast Food Meal (McDonalds, etc)

$9.43 EC$25.45

$11.88 MX$205

-20.62%

Cappuccino

$4.39 EC$11.84

$3.98 MX$68.6

10.30%

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

$1.82 EC$4.91

$1.43 MX$24.60

27.27%

Water (0.33 liter bottle)

$1.89 EC$5.10

$0.82 MX$14.22

130.49%

Local Beer (0.5 liter draught)

$2.70 EC$7.28

$3.19 MX$55.0

-15.36%

Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$3.63 EC$9.81

$6.79 MX$117

-46.54%

Milk (1 liter)

$2.56 EC$6.90

$1.68 MX$28.89

52.38%

White Bread (500g)

$1.72 EC$4.64

$2.20 MX$37.88

-21.82%

Rice (white) (1kg)

$1.99 EC$5.36

$1.71 MX$29.45

16.37%

Eggs

$4.96 EC$13.39

$2.74 MX$47.26

81.02%

Local Cheese (1kg)

$12.62 EC$34.06

$9.58 MX$165

31.73%

Chicken Fillets (1kg)

$15.47 EC$41.76

$9.01 MX$155

71.70%

Beef Round Steak (1kg)

$15.25 EC$41.18

$12.81 MX$221

19.05%

Apples (1kg)

$5.81 EC$15.69

$2.89 MX$49.81

101.04%

Banana (1kg)

$1.69 EC$4.55

$1.50 MX$25.81

12.67%

Oranges (1kg)

$2.24 EC$6.05

$2.15 MX$37.03

4.19%

Tomato (1kg)

$2.27 EC$6.13

$2.26 MX$38.96

0.44%

Potato (1kg)

$2.27 EC$6.13

$1.98 MX$34.15

14.65%

Onion (1kg)

$2.18 EC$5.87

$1.99 MX$34.30

9.55%

Lettuce (1 head)

$5.38 EC$14.54

$1.23 MX$21.28

337.40%

Water (1.5 liter bottle)

$1.88 EC$5.07

$1.20 MX$20.63

56.67%

Cigarettes 20 Pack (Marlboro, Camel)

$6.09 EC$16.45

$4.55 MX$78.5

33.85%

Wine (Bottle)

$14.56 EC$39.31

$10.37 MX$179

40.41%

Local Beer (0.5 liter bottle)

$1.62 MX$27.91

Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$4.49 EC$12.12

$2.88 MX$49.67

55.90%

One-way Ticket (Public Transport)

$0.94 EC$2.54

$0.60 MX$10.35

56.67%

Public Transport Monthly Pass (Regular Price)

$28.80 MX$497

Taxi Start (Normal Tariff)

$5.39 MX$92.9

Taxi (Normal Tariff) (1km)

$3.73 MX$64.3

Taxi 1hour Waiting (Normal Tariff)

$5.77 MX$99.5

Gasoline (1 liter)

$1.54 MX$26.48

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

$32.8K EC$88.4K

$22.5K MX$388.8K

45.26%

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

$44.8K EC$121.1K

$26.1K MX$449.3K

72.12%

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

$239 EC$644

$91.4 MX$1,576

161.13%

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

$39.15 EC$106

$25.20 MX$435

55.36%

Internet (50+ Mbps, Unlimited Data)

$55.6 EC$150

$31.24 MX$539

78.07%

Gym Membership (Monthly)

$44.85 EC$121

$67.2 MX$1,159

-33.26%

Tennis Court (1 Hour on Weekend)

$29.11 MX$502

Cinema Ticket

$7.08 EC$19.11

$4.86 MX$83.8

45.68%

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

$224 MX$3,856

International Primary School, 1 Child (Yearly)

$4,229 MX$72.9K

Jeans (Levis 501 Or Similar)

$18.39 EC$49.66

$47.10 MX$812

-60.96%

Summer Dress (H&M, Zara, etc)

$11.29 EC$30.47

$44.29 MX$764

-74.51%

Sport Shoes (Adidas, Nike)

$73.6 EC$199

$80.1 MX$1,381

-8.13%

Men's Leather Business Shoes

$72.5 EC$196

$92.7 MX$1,598

-21.72%

1-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)

$601 EC$1,623

$1,063 MX$18.3K

-43.44%

1-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)

$393 EC$1,061

$390 MX$6,728

0.66%

3-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)

$964 EC$2,604

$2,149 MX$37.1K

-55.12%

3-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)

$640 EC$1,727

$1,272 MX$21.9K

-49.71%

Buy Apartment in City Center (m2)

$4,001 MX$69.0K

Buy Apartment Outside City Center (m2)

$6,502 MX$112.1K

Average Monthly Net Salary (After Tax)

$750 EC$2,025

$758 MX$13.1K

-1.10%

20-Year Fixed Mortgage Interest Rate (Annual %)

11.45

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

Last update for Gros Islet: September 14, 2026

Last update for Playa del Carmen: September 12, 2026

Cost Breakdown

A one-bedroom apartment in the center runs $601 in Gros Islet and $1,063 in Playa del Carmen. Housing cost is often the main lever when comparing two cities.

Playa del Carmen pays 1% more on average while also being the cheaper of the two. The combined effect is a noticeably stronger local purchasing power.

Dining out: $58.0 in Gros Islet vs $47.00 in Playa del Carmen for a mid-range dinner for two. Groceries echo the gap at $384 vs $276 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 13% 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.

On paper, salaries run 1% lower in Playa del Carmen. That's worth factoring in alongside costs, though remote workers earning in a stronger currency may not notice the difference at all.

Rent for a central apartment: $601 in Gros Islet versus $1,063 in Playa del Carmen. Housing is usually the single largest factor when comparing overall living costs between the two.

All in, you'll spend $1,428 per month in Gros Islet versus $1,266 in Playa del Carmen – a 13% gap that adds up to real savings over time for anyone picking the cheaper option.

Supermarket bills run roughly 39% higher in Gros Islet. For households that cook at home regularly, that difference adds up over a month.

At $1,266 in Playa del Carmen versus $1,428 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 $1,266 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 13% less than in Gros Islet. Beyond cost, consider language, visa policies, and how big the international community is in each city.