Cost of Living Comparison Between Playa del Carmen and Golden Grove Cost of Living Comparison Between Playa del Carmen and Golden Grove

Monthly Cost of Living

Monthly costs for one person with rent: $1,305 in Playa del Carmen versus $1,039 in Golden Grove.

Estimated couple costs with rent: $2,334 in Playa del Carmen versus $1,727 in Golden Grove.

Monthly costs for a family of three with rent: $3,362 in Playa del Carmen versus $2,416 in Golden Grove.

Living in Playa del Carmen is roughly 26% more expensive than in Golden Grove, driven mainly by Groceries & Markets.

Both cities sit below the global median: Playa del Carmen 5% lower, Golden Grove 25% lower.

Meal at Budget Restaurant

$11.96 MX$203

$15.64 JMD 2,457

-23.53%

Three-Course Dinner for Two, Mid-Range

$47.38 MX$804

$75.8 JMD 11.9K

-37.53%

Fast Food Meal (McDonalds, etc)

$11.75 MX$199

$8.77 JMD 1,377

33.98%

Cappuccino

$4.12 MX$70.0

$5.22 JMD 820

-21.07%

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

$1.40 MX$23.74

$1.23 JMD 194

13.82%

Water (0.33 liter bottle)

$0.91 MX$15.48

$0.70 JMD 110

30.00%

Local Beer (0.5 liter draught)

$3.21 MX$54.4

$2.20 JMD 346

45.91%

Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$7.07 MX$120

$3.20 JMD 502

120.94%

Milk (1 liter)

$1.68 MX$28.44

$4.22 JMD 662

-60.19%

White Bread (500g)

$2.15 MX$36.48

$3.72 JMD 585

-42.20%

Rice (white) (1kg)

$1.77 MX$30.10

$1.60 JMD 251

10.62%

Eggs

$2.82 MX$47.76

$3.63 JMD 570

-22.31%

Local Cheese (1kg)

$9.20 MX$156

$11.27 JMD 1,770

-18.37%

Chicken Fillets (1kg)

$9.23 MX$157

$6.47 JMD 1,017

42.66%

Beef Round Steak (1kg)

$12.64 MX$214

$10.26 JMD 1,612

23.20%

Apples (1kg)

$2.95 MX$50.1

$6.05 JMD 951

-51.24%

Banana (1kg)

$1.58 MX$26.79

$3.83 JMD 602

-58.75%

Oranges (1kg)

$2.22 MX$37.70

$7.32 JMD 1,150

-69.67%

Tomato (1kg)

$2.36 MX$40.09

$3.12 JMD 490

-24.36%

Potato (1kg)

$1.99 MX$33.81

$3.31 JMD 520

-39.88%

Onion (1kg)

$1.98 MX$33.58

$2.71 JMD 426

-26.94%

Lettuce (1 head)

$1.24 MX$21.04

$3.06 JMD 480

-59.48%

Water (1.5 liter bottle)

$1.21 MX$20.55

$1.47 JMD 230

-17.69%

Cigarettes 20 Pack (Marlboro, Camel)

$4.60 MX$78.1

$9.34 JMD 1,466

-50.75%

Wine (Bottle)

$10.52 MX$178

$11.47 JMD 1,801

-8.28%

Local Beer (0.5 liter bottle)

$1.69 MX$28.70

$2.92 JMD 458

-42.12%

Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$2.77 MX$47.06

$3.95 JMD 620

-29.87%

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

$1.21 JMD 191

333.06%

Taxi (Normal Tariff) (1km)

$3.65 MX$61.9

$3.13 JMD 492

16.61%

Taxi 1hour Waiting (Normal Tariff)

$5.78 MX$98.1

$6.30 JMD 989

-8.25%

Gasoline (1 liter)

$1.54 MX$26.09

$1.36 JMD 213

13.24%

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

$22.8K MX$386.8K

$44.8K JMD 7.0M

-49.05%

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

$25.8K MX$437.9K

$32.6K JMD 5.1M

-20.92%

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

$90.7 MX$1,538

$176 JMD 27.7K

-48.62%

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

$25.19 MX$427

$29.01 JMD 4,557

-13.17%

Internet (50+ Mbps, Unlimited Data)

$31.75 MX$539

$52.2 JMD 8,196

-39.15%

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

$13.06 JMD 2,051

-62.79%

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

$226 MX$3,828

$363 JMD 57.1K

-37.90%

International Primary School, 1 Child (Yearly)

$4,194 MX$71.1K

$8,080 JMD 1.3M

-48.09%

Jeans (Levis 501 Or Similar)

$47.38 MX$804

$23.70 JMD 3,722

99.92%

Summer Dress (H&M, Zara, etc)

$43.45 MX$737

$31.75 JMD 4,987

36.85%

Sport Shoes (Adidas, Nike)

$80.2 MX$1,361

$78.5 JMD 12.3K

2.26%

Men's Leather Business Shoes

$91.4 MX$1,550

$105 JMD 16.5K

-13.00%

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

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

9.45

21.16%

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 Golden Grove: September 7, 2026

Cost Breakdown

Dining out: $47.00 in Playa del Carmen vs $76.0 in Golden Grove for a mid-range dinner for two. Groceries echo the gap at $278 vs $386 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

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

Playa del Carmen and Golden Grove differ by about 26% in total monthly costs ($1,305 vs $1,039 including rent). Golden Grove is meaningfully more affordable – a gap that matters a lot on a fixed or modest income.

You'd need roughly $1,958 in Playa del Carmen and $1,559 in Golden Grove 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.

Shoppers in Playa del Carmen pay roughly 39% less for everyday groceries. It's an unusual reversal that partly offsets higher costs elsewhere.

All in, you'll spend $1,305 per month in Playa del Carmen versus $1,039 in Golden Grove – a 26% gap that adds up to real savings over time for anyone picking the cheaper option.

At $1,039 in Golden Grove versus $1,305 in Playa del Carmen, a $2,000 budget is realistic in Golden Grove but tight or insufficient in Playa del Carmen. The gap between the two cities makes Golden Grove the clear choice for anyone on this budget.

Both cities offer a good standard of living with different trade-offs. Neither is objectively better – the right pick depends on what matters most: affordability, career, cultural scene, or climate.

Expats usually find Golden Grove gentler on the wallet – expenses run 26% less than in Playa del Carmen. Beyond cost, consider language, visa policies, and how big the international community is in each city.