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: $1,305 in Playa del Carmen versus $280 in Carriacou.

Estimated couple costs with rent: $2,334 in Playa del Carmen versus $532 in Carriacou.

Monthly costs for a family of three with rent: $3,362 in Playa del Carmen versus $784 in Carriacou.

Living in Playa del Carmen is roughly 365% more expensive than in Carriacou, driven mainly by Groceries & Markets.

Both cities sit below the global median: Playa del Carmen 5% lower, Carriacou 80% lower.

Meal at Budget Restaurant

$11.96 MX$203

$14.81 EC$39.99

-19.24%

Three-Course Dinner for Two, Mid-Range

$47.38 MX$804

$43.95 EC$119

7.80%

Fast Food Meal (McDonalds, etc)

$11.75 MX$199

$9.19 EC$24.81

27.86%

Cappuccino

$4.12 MX$70.0

$3.01 EC$8.13

36.88%

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

$1.40 MX$23.74

$2.19 EC$5.91

-36.07%

Water (0.33 liter bottle)

$0.91 MX$15.48

$1.28 EC$3.45

-28.91%

Local Beer (0.5 liter draught)

$3.21 MX$54.4

$2.20 EC$5.95

45.91%

Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$7.07 MX$120

$3.78 EC$10.20

87.04%

Milk (1 liter)

$1.68 MX$28.44

White Bread (500g)

$2.15 MX$36.48

Rice (white) (1kg)

$1.77 MX$30.10

Eggs

$2.82 MX$47.76

$5.61 EC$15.14

-49.73%

Local Cheese (1kg)

$9.20 MX$156

Chicken Fillets (1kg)

$9.23 MX$157

Beef Round Steak (1kg)

$12.64 MX$214

Apples (1kg)

$2.95 MX$50.1

Banana (1kg)

$1.58 MX$26.79

Oranges (1kg)

$2.22 MX$37.70

Tomato (1kg)

$2.36 MX$40.09

Potato (1kg)

$1.99 MX$33.81

Onion (1kg)

$1.98 MX$33.58

Lettuce (1 head)

$1.24 MX$21.04

$1.08 EC$2.91

14.81%

Water (1.5 liter bottle)

$1.21 MX$20.55

Cigarettes 20 Pack (Marlboro, Camel)

$4.60 MX$78.1

Wine (Bottle)

$10.52 MX$178

$14.73 EC$39.77

-28.58%

Local Beer (0.5 liter bottle)

$1.69 MX$28.70

Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$2.77 MX$47.06

One-way Ticket (Public Transport)

$0.60 MX$10.22

Public Transport Monthly Pass (Regular Price)

$29.70 MX$504

Taxi Start (Normal Tariff)

$5.24 MX$88.8

Taxi (Normal Tariff) (1km)

$3.65 MX$61.9

$1.82 EC$4.91

100.55%

Taxi 1hour Waiting (Normal Tariff)

$5.78 MX$98.1

Gasoline (1 liter)

$1.54 MX$26.09

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

$22.8K MX$386.8K

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

$25.8K MX$437.9K

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

$90.7 MX$1,538

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

$25.19 MX$427

Internet (50+ Mbps, Unlimited Data)

$31.75 MX$539

Gym Membership (Monthly)

$68.8 MX$1,167

Tennis Court (1 Hour on Weekend)

$29.37 MX$498

Cinema Ticket

$4.86 MX$82.5

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

$226 MX$3,828

International Primary School, 1 Child (Yearly)

$4,194 MX$71.1K

Jeans (Levis 501 Or Similar)

$47.38 MX$804

Summer Dress (H&M, Zara, etc)

$43.45 MX$737

Sport Shoes (Adidas, Nike)

$80.2 MX$1,361

Men's Leather Business Shoes

$91.4 MX$1,550

1-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)

$1,086 MX$18.4K

1-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)

$409 MX$6,933

3-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)

$1,972 MX$33.5K

3-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)

$1,281 MX$21.7K

Buy Apartment in City Center (m2)

$4,046 MX$68.6K

$572 EC$1,545

606.91%

Buy Apartment Outside City Center (m2)

$6,704 MX$113.7K

Average Monthly Net Salary (After Tax)

$773 MX$13.1K

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 Playa del Carmen: September 7, 2026

Last update for Carriacou: September 8, 2026

Cost Breakdown

Dining out: $47.00 in Playa del Carmen vs $44.00 in Carriacou for a mid-range dinner for two. Groceries echo the gap at $278 vs $56.0 per month, with Carriacou 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

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 365% gap adds up to real monthly savings that compound significantly over time.

You'd need roughly $1,958 in Playa del Carmen and $421 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 394% higher in Playa del Carmen. For households that cook at home regularly, that difference adds up over a month.

Dining out is cheaper in Carriacou – a meal for two runs $44.00 versus $47.00 in Playa del Carmen. If you eat out regularly, this makes a real dent in your monthly spending.

At $280 in Carriacou versus $1,305 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 365% less than in Playa del Carmen. Beyond cost, consider language, visa policies, and how big the international community is in each city.