🙂Monthly costs for one person with rent: $1,287 in Playa del Carmen versus $2,098 in Gizo.
🙂Estimated couple costs with rent: $2,184 in Playa del Carmen versus $2,983 in Gizo.
🙂Monthly costs for a family of three with rent: $3,082 in Playa del Carmen versus $3,868 in Gizo.
🙂Living in Playa del Carmen costs roughly 39% less than in Gizo, driven mainly by Groceries & Markets.
📊The two cities straddle the global median: Playa del Carmen is 4% below, Gizo is 57% above.
Moneda
🍽 Eating Out
Playa del Carmen
Gizo
Diferencia
Meal at Budget Restaurant
$11.94MX$209
$3.05SBD 24.13
291.48%
Three-Course Dinner for Two, Mid-Range
$42.75MX$748
$54.9SBD 435
-22.10%
Fast Food Meal(McDonalds, etc)
$10.59MX$185
$15.02SBD 119
-29.49%
Cappuccino
$3.62MX$63.4
$2.77SBD 21.98
30.69%
Coke/Pepsi/Fanta/Sprite(0.33 liter bottle)
$1.47MX$25.69
$1.17SBD 9.26
25.64%
Water(0.33 liter bottle)
$0.94MX$16.51
$1.18SBD 9.37
-20.34%
Local Beer(0.5 liter draught)
$3.09MX$54.1
$2.42SBD 19.16
27.69%
Imported Beer(0.33 liter bottle)
$4.46MX$78.0
$2.35SBD 18.61
89.79%
🛒 Groceries & Markets
Playa del Carmen
Gizo
Diferencia
Milk(1 liter)
$1.43MX$24.94
$3.04SBD 24.11
-52.96%
White Bread(500g)
$1.88MX$32.97
$1.30SBD 10.29
44.62%
Rice(white)(1kg)
$1.63MX$28.50
$1.36SBD 10.80
19.85%
Eggs
$2.64MX$46.26
$6.80SBD 53.9
-61.18%
Local Cheese(1kg)
$8.21MX$144
$8.17SBD 64.7
0.49%
Chicken Fillets(1kg)
$8.29MX$145
$5.95SBD 47.14
39.33%
Beef Round Steak(1kg)
$11.10MX$194
$8.46SBD 67.0
31.21%
Apples(1kg)
$2.65MX$46.40
$6.78SBD 53.7
-60.91%
Banana(1kg)
$1.50MX$26.26
$6.09SBD 48.24
-75.37%
Oranges(1kg)
$1.99MX$34.79
$6.04SBD 47.86
-67.05%
Tomato(1kg)
$2.08MX$36.33
$3.07SBD 24.32
-32.25%
Potato(1kg)
$1.79MX$31.29
$2.91SBD 23.06
-38.49%
Onion(1kg)
$2.18MX$38.09
$2.45SBD 19.41
-11.02%
Lettuce(1 head)
$1.08MX$18.84
$2.44SBD 19.34
-55.74%
Water(1.5 liter bottle)
$1.04MX$18.15
$1.29SBD 10.26
-19.38%
Cigarettes 20 Pack(Marlboro, Camel)
$3.97MX$69.5
$4.08SBD 32.29
-2.70%
Wine(Bottle)
$10.20MX$179
$12.37SBD 98.0
-17.54%
Local Beer(0.5 liter bottle)
$1.73MX$30.22
$1.85SBD 14.63
-6.49%
Imported Beer(0.33 liter bottle)
$2.50MX$43.71
$2.15SBD 17.01
16.28%
🚌 Getting Around
Playa del Carmen
Gizo
Diferencia
One-way Ticket(Public Transport)
$0.52MX$9.07
$0.38SBD 2.99
36.84%
Public Transport Monthly Pass(Regular Price)
$26.97MX$472
$30.38SBD 241
-11.22%
Taxi Start(Normal Tariff)
$3.14MX$55.0
$1.19SBD 9.39
163.87%
Taxi(Normal Tariff)(1km)
$2.40MX$42.04
$2.31SBD 18.30
3.90%
Taxi 1hour Waiting(Normal Tariff)
$3.09MX$54.0
$11.75SBD 93.0
-73.70%
Gasoline(1 liter)
$1.27MX$22.28
$1.71SBD 13.54
-25.73%
Midsize Hatchback 1.4l(Volkswagen Golf, Toyota Prius, Honda Civic, etc)
$30.9KMX$540.4K
$20.3KSBD 161.1K
51.84%
Compact Sedan 1.6l(Toyota Corolla, Mazda3, Kia K4, Hyundai Elantra, etc)
$23.3KMX$408.0K
$21.4KSBD 169.4K
9.03%
🧾 Monthly Utilities & Internet
Playa del Carmen
Gizo
Diferencia
Utilities for 2 People in 2-bedroom Apartment(Heating, Electricity, Gas, Water, Garbage)(85m2)
$82.0MX$1,435
$711SBD 5,630
-88.46%
SIM Card Monthly Plan(Calls and 10GB+ Data)
$22.45MX$393
$12.98SBD 103
72.96%
Internet(50+ Mbps, Unlimited Data)
$29.66MX$519
$122SBD 967
-75.72%
🎉 Sport & Entertainment
Playa del Carmen
Gizo
Diferencia
Gym Membership(Monthly)
$51.9MX$908
$18.05SBD 143
187.37%
Tennis Court(1 Hour on Weekend)
$18.67MX$327
$6.02SBD 47.70
210.13%
Cinema Ticket
$4.97MX$87.0
$4.08SBD 32.29
21.81%
🧸 Childcare & Education
Playa del Carmen
Gizo
Diferencia
Preschool or Kindergarten, Full Day, Private, 1 Child(Monthly)
$198MX$3,462
$120SBD 953
64.43%
International Primary School, 1 Child(Yearly)
$5,273MX$92.3K
$1,200SBD 9,505
339.35%
👕👟 Clothing & Footwear
Playa del Carmen
Gizo
Diferencia
Jeans(Levis 501 Or Similar)
$36.34MX$636
$24.40SBD 193
48.93%
Summer Dress(H&M, Zara, etc)
$40.05MX$701
$89.7SBD 711
-55.37%
Sport Shoes(Adidas, Nike)
$79.9MX$1,398
$97.2SBD 770
-17.84%
Men's Leather Business Shoes
$88.9MX$1,555
$84.6SBD 670
5.03%
🏠 Accommodation & Living
Playa del Carmen
Gizo
Diferencia
1-bedroom Apartment, City Center(Monthly)
$963MX$16.9K
$582SBD 4,609
65.54%
1-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center(Monthly)
$465MX$8,133
$560SBD 4,435
-17.00%
3-bedroom Apartment, City Center(Monthly)
$1,596MX$27.9K
$598SBD 4,738
166.85%
3-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center(Monthly)
$1,209MX$21.2K
$1,222SBD 9,675
-1.05%
Buy Apartment in City Center(m2)
$3,942MX$69.0K
$88.6KSBD 701.9K
-95.55%
Buy Apartment Outside City Center(m2)
$6,448MX$112.8K
-
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💵 Salaries & Financials
Playa del Carmen
Gizo
Diferencia
Average Monthly Net Salary(After Tax)
$720MX$12.6K
$395SBD 3,127
82.44%
20-Year Fixed Mortgage Interest Rate(Annual %)
11.42
16.33
-30.07%
Los datos de CityCost se basan en IA y aportaciones de usuarios. Puede haber pequeñas variaciones.
Última actualización para Playa del Carmen: April 25, 2026
Última actualización para Gizo: April 26, 2026
Cost Breakdown
🏠A one-bedroom apartment in the center runs $963 in Playa del Carmen and $582 in Gizo. Housing cost is often the main lever when comparing two cities.
💰Playa del Carmen pays 82% more on average while also being the cheaper of the two. The combined effect is a noticeably stronger local purchasing power.
🛒Dining out: $43.00 in Playa del Carmen vs $55.0 in Gizo for a mid-range dinner for two. Groceries echo the gap at $251 vs $343 per month, with Playa del Carmen cheaper across the board.
Comparación de velocidades medias de internet por ciudad (actualizado April 2026)
El gráfico resalta el umbral de precisión para velocidades de internet móvil y fija, actualizado trimestralmente.
Índice del coste de vida para nómadas digitales
Playa del Carmen vs Gizo: Coste de vida - preguntas frecuentes
Which city is more expensive, Playa del Carmen or Gizo?
Playa del Carmen wins on cost – living expenses run 63% lower than in Gizo. Housing and daily spending are where you'll feel the difference most, making Playa del Carmen the obvious pick if budget is a priority.
Are salaries higher in Playa del Carmen or Gizo?
Playa del Carmen pays 82% more on average, which matters when comparing affordability. Whether that higher income actually nets you more depends on your spending habits and housing choices.
How much does a 1-bedroom apartment cost in Playa del Carmen vs Gizo?
Rent for a central apartment: $963 in Playa del Carmen versus $582 in Gizo. Housing is usually the single largest factor when comparing overall living costs between the two.
Are groceries more expensive in Playa del Carmen or Gizo?
Supermarket bills run roughly 37% higher in Gizo. For households that cook at home regularly, that difference adds up over a month.
How do dining costs compare in Playa del Carmen vs Gizo?
Dining out is cheaper in Playa del Carmen – a meal for two runs $43.00 versus $55.0 in Gizo. If you eat out regularly, this makes a real dent in your monthly spending.
Can you live on $1,500/month in Playa del Carmen or Gizo?
At $1,287 in Playa del Carmen versus $2,098 in Gizo, a $1,500 budget is realistic in Playa del Carmen but tight or insufficient in Gizo. The gap between the two cities makes Playa del Carmen the clear choice for anyone on this budget.
Which city is better for digital nomads, Playa del Carmen or Gizo?
Both work as nomad bases, but Playa del Carmen delivers better value – similar infrastructure at $1,287 monthly. If stretching your runway or maximizing savings is the goal, the price difference makes Playa del Carmen hard to pass up.
How safe is Playa del Carmen compared to Gizo?
Safety-wise, Playa del Carmen and Gizo are on par. Petty crime is typical for cities this size, and most residents feel comfortable going about their daily routines in either place.
Which city is more affordable for expats?
Expats usually find Playa del Carmen gentler on the wallet – expenses run 63% less than in Gizo. Beyond cost, consider language, visa policies, and how big the international community is in each city.
Playa del Carmen vs otros destinos: coste de vida comparado