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: $1,297 in Playa del Carmen versus $864 in Golden Grove.

Estimated couple costs with rent: $2,181 in Playa del Carmen versus $1,399 in Golden Grove.

Monthly costs for a family of three with rent: $3,065 in Playa del Carmen versus $1,935 in Golden Grove.

Living in Playa del Carmen is roughly 50% more expensive than Golden Grove, driven mainly by Groceries & Markets.

Both cities sit below the global median: Playa del Carmen 3% lower, Golden Grove 36% lower.

Meal at Budget Restaurant

$11.73 MX$203

$7.60 JMD 1,195

54.34%

Three-Course Dinner for Two, Mid-Range

$41.62 MX$721

$61.4 JMD 9,656

-32.23%

Fast Food Meal (McDonalds, etc)

$10.64 MX$184

$8.89 JMD 1,397

19.69%

Cappuccino

$3.52 MX$61.0

$4.31 JMD 678

-18.33%

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

$1.51 MX$26.17

$1.33 JMD 209

13.53%

Water (0.33 liter bottle)

$0.97 MX$16.87

$0.75 JMD 118

29.33%

Local Beer (0.5 liter draught)

$2.95 MX$51.1

$2.54 JMD 399

16.14%

Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$4.45 MX$77.2

$3.16 JMD 497

40.82%

Milk (1 liter)

$1.38 MX$23.97

$4.38 JMD 690

-68.49%

White Bread (500g)

$1.89 MX$32.78

$3.46 JMD 544

-45.38%

Rice (white) (1kg)

$1.64 MX$28.37

$1.63 JMD 257

0.61%

Eggs

$2.51 MX$43.42

$3.57 JMD 562

-29.69%

Local Cheese (1kg)

$8.34 MX$145

$11.02 JMD 1,733

-24.32%

Chicken Fillets (1kg)

$8.34 MX$145

$6.18 JMD 972

34.95%

Beef Round Steak (1kg)

$10.73 MX$186

$7.60 JMD 1,195

41.18%

Apples (1kg)

$2.60 MX$45.12

$6.03 JMD 948

-56.88%

Banana (1kg)

$1.46 MX$25.25

$3.15 JMD 495

-53.65%

Oranges (1kg)

$1.90 MX$32.94

$4.19 JMD 659

-54.65%

Tomato (1kg)

$2.08 MX$35.98

$3.05 JMD 480

-31.80%

Potato (1kg)

$1.78 MX$30.77

$2.00 JMD 315

-11.00%

Onion (1kg)

$2.19 MX$37.87

$1.94 JMD 304

12.89%

Lettuce (1 head)

$1.04 MX$18.02

$3.11 JMD 489

-66.56%

Water (1.5 liter bottle)

$1.08 MX$18.66

$0.37 JMD 57.6

191.89%

Cigarettes 20 Pack (Marlboro, Camel)

$4.08 MX$70.7

$8.84 JMD 1,390

-53.85%

Wine (Bottle)

$10.32 MX$179

$11.28 JMD 1,774

-8.51%

Local Beer (0.5 liter bottle)

$1.71 MX$29.67

$2.76 JMD 435

-38.04%

Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$2.58 MX$44.63

$3.15 JMD 496

-18.10%

One-way Ticket (Public Transport)

$0.51 MX$8.83

Public Transport Monthly Pass (Regular Price)

$26.46 MX$459

Taxi Start (Normal Tariff)

$3.26 MX$56.5

$1.09 JMD 171

199.08%

Taxi (Normal Tariff) (1km)

$2.49 MX$43.17

$3.11 JMD 490

-19.94%

Taxi 1hour Waiting (Normal Tariff)

$3.25 MX$56.3

$6.34 JMD 997

-48.74%

Gasoline (1 liter)

$1.31 MX$22.65

$1.27 JMD 200

3.15%

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

$30.3K MX$524.7K

$43.0K JMD 6.8M

-29.56%

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

$23.4K MX$406.0K

$34.0K JMD 5.3M

-31.03%

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

$82.9 MX$1,436

$163 JMD 25.6K

-49.10%

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

$22.22 MX$385

$21.93 JMD 3,449

1.32%

Internet (50+ Mbps, Unlimited Data)

$29.34 MX$508

$50.4 JMD 7,918

-41.74%

Gym Membership (Monthly)

$51.6 MX$895

Tennis Court (1 Hour on Weekend)

$18.32 MX$317

Cinema Ticket

$5.07 MX$87.8

$13.12 JMD 2,062

-61.36%

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

$201 MX$3,480

$225 JMD 35.4K

-10.69%

International Primary School, 1 Child (Yearly)

$5,212 MX$90.3K

$2,515 JMD 395.5K

107.21%

Jeans (Levis 501 Or Similar)

$36.92 MX$640

$26.26 JMD 4,129

40.59%

Summer Dress (H&M, Zara, etc)

$39.79 MX$689

$26.02 JMD 4,091

52.92%

Sport Shoes (Adidas, Nike)

$78.5 MX$1,360

$71.0 JMD 11.2K

10.51%

Men's Leather Business Shoes

$87.1 MX$1,509

$75.7 JMD 11.9K

14.99%

1-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)

$973 MX$16.9K

1-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)

$468 MX$8,105

3-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)

$1,641 MX$28.4K

3-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)

$1,221 MX$21.2K

Buy Apartment in City Center (m2)

$3,946 MX$68.4K

Buy Apartment Outside City Center (m2)

$6,498 MX$112.6K

Average Monthly Net Salary (After Tax)

$664 MX$11.5K

20-Year Fixed Mortgage Interest Rate (Annual %)

11.42

9.15

24.81%

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

Last update for Playa del Carmen: June 2, 2026

Last update for Golden Grove: May 30, 2026

Cost Breakdown

Dining out: $42.00 in Playa del Carmen vs $61.0 in Golden Grove for a mid-range dinner for two. Groceries echo the gap at $249 vs $336 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 50% in total monthly costs ($1,297 vs $864 including rent). Golden Grove is meaningfully more affordable – a gap that matters a lot on a fixed or modest income.

You'd need roughly $1,945 in Playa del Carmen and $1,296 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 35% less for everyday groceries. It's an unusual reversal that partly offsets higher costs elsewhere.

All in, you'll spend $1,297 per month in Playa del Carmen versus $864 in Golden Grove – a 50% gap that adds up to real savings over time for anyone picking the cheaper option.

At $864 in Golden Grove versus $1,297 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 50% less than in Playa del Carmen. Beyond cost, consider language, visa policies, and how big the international community is in each city.