Cost of Living Comparison Between Playa del Carmen and Carriacou Cost of Living Comparison Between Playa del Carmen and Carriacou

Monthly Cost of Living

Monthly costs for one person with rent: $1,287 in Playa del Carmen versus $249 in Carriacou.

Estimated couple costs with rent: $2,184 in Playa del Carmen versus $400 in Carriacou.

Monthly costs for a family of three with rent: $3,082 in Playa del Carmen versus $550 in Carriacou.

Living in Playa del Carmen is roughly 416% more expensive than Carriacou, driven mainly by Eating Out.

Both cities sit below the global median: Playa del Carmen 4% lower, Carriacou 81% lower.

Meal at Budget Restaurant

$11.94 MX$208

Three-Course Dinner for Two, Mid-Range

$42.75 MX$744

Fast Food Meal (McDonalds, etc)

$10.59 MX$184

Cappuccino

$3.62 MX$63.0

$2.25 EC$6.08

60.89%

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

$1.47 MX$25.54

Water (0.33 liter bottle)

$0.94 MX$16.41

Local Beer (0.5 liter draught)

$3.09 MX$53.8

Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$4.46 MX$77.6

Milk (1 liter)

$1.43 MX$24.80

$1.84 EC$4.96

-22.28%

White Bread (500g)

$1.88 MX$32.79

Rice (white) (1kg)

$1.63 MX$28.34

Eggs

$2.64 MX$45.99

$5.12 EC$13.83

-48.44%

Local Cheese (1kg)

$8.21 MX$143

$16.79 EC$45.34

-51.10%

Chicken Fillets (1kg)

$8.29 MX$144

$7.49 EC$20.22

10.68%

Beef Round Steak (1kg)

$11.10 MX$193

Apples (1kg)

$2.65 MX$46.14

Banana (1kg)

$1.50 MX$26.11

Oranges (1kg)

$1.99 MX$34.59

Tomato (1kg)

$2.08 MX$36.13

$6.39 EC$17.26

-67.45%

Potato (1kg)

$1.79 MX$31.11

$1.51 EC$4.07

18.54%

Onion (1kg)

$2.18 MX$37.87

$2.16 EC$5.82

0.93%

Lettuce (1 head)

$1.08 MX$18.73

$1.44 EC$3.89

-25.00%

Water (1.5 liter bottle)

$1.04 MX$18.04

Cigarettes 20 Pack (Marlboro, Camel)

$3.97 MX$69.1

$4.31 EC$11.63

-7.89%

Wine (Bottle)

$10.20 MX$178

$15.08 EC$40.71

-32.36%

Local Beer (0.5 liter bottle)

$1.73 MX$30.04

$2.86 EC$7.72

-39.51%

Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$2.50 MX$43.46

One-way Ticket (Public Transport)

$0.52 MX$9.02

$1.13 EC$3.05

-53.98%

Public Transport Monthly Pass (Regular Price)

$26.97 MX$469

Taxi Start (Normal Tariff)

$3.14 MX$54.7

Taxi (Normal Tariff) (1km)

$2.40 MX$41.80

Taxi 1hour Waiting (Normal Tariff)

$3.09 MX$53.7

Gasoline (1 liter)

$1.27 MX$22.16

$1.58 EC$4.27

-19.62%

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

$30.9K MX$537.3K

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

$23.3K MX$405.7K

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

$82.0 MX$1,427

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

$22.45 MX$391

Internet (50+ Mbps, Unlimited Data)

$29.66 MX$516

Gym Membership (Monthly)

$51.9 MX$903

Tennis Court (1 Hour on Weekend)

$18.67 MX$325

Cinema Ticket

$4.97 MX$86.5

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

$198 MX$3,442

International Primary School, 1 Child (Yearly)

$5,273 MX$91.7K

Jeans (Levis 501 Or Similar)

$36.34 MX$632

Summer Dress (H&M, Zara, etc)

$40.05 MX$697

Sport Shoes (Adidas, Nike)

$79.9 MX$1,390

Men's Leather Business Shoes

$88.9 MX$1,547

1-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)

$963 MX$16.8K

1-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)

$465 MX$8,086

3-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)

$1,596 MX$27.8K

3-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)

$1,209 MX$21.0K

Buy Apartment in City Center (m2)

$3,942 MX$68.6K

$563 EC$1,519

600.48%

Buy Apartment Outside City Center (m2)

$6,448 MX$112.2K

Average Monthly Net Salary (After Tax)

$720 MX$12.5K

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 Playa del Carmen: April 25, 2026

Last update for Carriacou: April 26, 2026

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

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

Carriacou is cheaper overall, especially in Groceries & Markets, Eating Out, Clothing & Footwear, Sport & Entertainment, Monthly Utilities & Internet. The 416% gap adds up to real monthly savings that compound significantly over time.

You'd need roughly $1,930 in Playa del Carmen and $374 in Carriacou to live well. The gap comes down to housing and overall price levels. Both cities are liveable on less, but these numbers represent actual comfort.

Supermarket bills run roughly 15% higher in Playa del Carmen. For households that cook at home regularly, that difference adds up over a month.

All in, you'll spend $1,287 per month in Playa del Carmen versus $249 in Carriacou – a 416% gap that adds up to real savings over time for anyone picking the cheaper option.

At $249 in Carriacou versus $1,287 in Playa del Carmen, a $1,500 budget is realistic in Carriacou but tight or insufficient in Playa del Carmen. The gap between the two cities makes Carriacou the clear choice for anyone on this budget.

For families, Carriacou is more practical. Housing and childcare are both notably cheaper than in Playa del Carmen, and the savings on those two alone free up budget for education, activities, and family trips.

Safety-wise, Playa del Carmen and Carriacou are on par. Petty crime is typical for cities this size, and most residents feel comfortable going about their daily routines in either place.

Expats usually find Carriacou gentler on the wallet – expenses run 416% less than in Playa del Carmen. Beyond cost, consider language, visa policies, and how big the international community is in each city.