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: $1,256 in Playa del Carmen versus $878 in Golden Grove.

Estimated couple costs with rent: $2,137 in Playa del Carmen versus $1,439 in Golden Grove.

Monthly costs for a family of three with rent: $3,017 in Playa del Carmen versus $2,000 in Golden Grove.

Living in Playa del Carmen is roughly 43% more expensive than in Golden Grove, driven mainly by Groceries & Markets.

Both cities sit below the global median: Playa del Carmen 6% lower, Golden Grove 34% lower.

Meal at Budget Restaurant

$11.99 MX$209

$7.46 JMD 1,176

60.72%

Three-Course Dinner for Two, Mid-Range

$41.78 MX$728

$61.6 JMD 9,716

-32.14%

Fast Food Meal (McDonalds, etc)

$10.75 MX$187

$8.64 JMD 1,363

24.42%

Cappuccino

$3.50 MX$60.9

$4.23 JMD 667

-17.26%

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

$1.45 MX$25.22

$1.38 JMD 217

5.07%

Water (0.33 liter bottle)

$0.88 MX$15.41

$0.76 JMD 120

15.79%

Local Beer (0.5 liter draught)

$2.95 MX$51.3

$2.57 JMD 405

14.79%

Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$4.51 MX$78.6

$3.15 JMD 497

43.17%

Milk (1 liter)

$1.43 MX$24.94

$4.22 JMD 666

-66.11%

White Bread (500g)

$1.84 MX$31.99

$3.51 JMD 553

-47.58%

Rice (white) (1kg)

$1.57 MX$27.31

$1.62 JMD 255

-3.09%

Eggs

$2.51 MX$43.74

$3.55 JMD 560

-29.30%

Local Cheese (1kg)

$8.28 MX$144

$10.85 JMD 1,712

-23.69%

Chicken Fillets (1kg)

$8.43 MX$147

$6.30 JMD 994

33.81%

Beef Round Steak (1kg)

$10.68 MX$186

$7.82 JMD 1,234

36.57%

Apples (1kg)

$2.61 MX$45.43

$6.03 JMD 952

-56.72%

Banana (1kg)

$1.44 MX$25.04

$3.11 JMD 491

-53.70%

Oranges (1kg)

$1.96 MX$34.16

$4.19 JMD 662

-53.22%

Tomato (1kg)

$2.09 MX$36.47

$2.94 JMD 464

-28.91%

Potato (1kg)

$1.85 MX$32.24

$2.07 JMD 327

-10.63%

Onion (1kg)

$2.17 MX$37.74

$2.01 JMD 317

7.96%

Lettuce (1 head)

$1.03 MX$17.96

$3.03 JMD 479

-66.01%

Water (1.5 liter bottle)

$1.07 MX$18.70

$0.39 JMD 62.0

174.36%

Cigarettes 20 Pack (Marlboro, Camel)

$4.10 MX$71.4

$8.94 JMD 1,411

-54.14%

Wine (Bottle)

$10.17 MX$177

$11.20 JMD 1,768

-9.20%

Local Beer (0.5 liter bottle)

$1.68 MX$29.17

$2.90 JMD 458

-42.07%

Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$2.53 MX$43.98

$3.22 JMD 508

-21.43%

One-way Ticket (Public Transport)

$0.51 MX$8.87

Public Transport Monthly Pass (Regular Price)

$26.04 MX$453

Taxi Start (Normal Tariff)

$3.23 MX$56.3

$1.13 JMD 178

185.84%

Taxi (Normal Tariff) (1km)

$2.41 MX$41.88

$3.24 JMD 511

-25.62%

Taxi 1hour Waiting (Normal Tariff)

$3.23 MX$56.2

$6.11 JMD 964

-47.14%

Gasoline (1 liter)

$1.32 MX$23.00

$1.28 JMD 202

3.13%

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

$29.7K MX$517.1K

$42.9K JMD 6.8M

-30.75%

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

$23.7K MX$412.0K

$34.0K JMD 5.4M

-30.42%

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

$82.0 MX$1,428

$162 JMD 25.5K

-49.30%

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

$22.95 MX$400

$21.94 JMD 3,461

4.60%

Internet (50+ Mbps, Unlimited Data)

$30.11 MX$524

$50.6 JMD 7,980

-40.46%

Gym Membership (Monthly)

$52.0 MX$905

Tennis Court (1 Hour on Weekend)

$18.53 MX$323

Cinema Ticket

$4.98 MX$86.6

$13.30 JMD 2,099

-62.56%

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

$197 MX$3,438

$223 JMD 35.2K

-11.60%

International Primary School, 1 Child (Yearly)

$5,336 MX$92.9K

$2,528 JMD 398.9K

111.06%

Jeans (Levis 501 Or Similar)

$35.60 MX$620

$25.81 JMD 4,072

37.93%

Summer Dress (H&M, Zara, etc)

$40.33 MX$702

$25.63 JMD 4,044

57.35%

Sport Shoes (Adidas, Nike)

$78.8 MX$1,371

$71.4 JMD 11.3K

10.34%

Men's Leather Business Shoes

$88.9 MX$1,549

$77.4 JMD 12.2K

14.90%

1-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)

$947 MX$16.5K

1-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)

$474 MX$8,254

3-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)

$1,644 MX$28.6K

3-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)

$1,211 MX$21.1K

Buy Apartment in City Center (m2)

$4,056 MX$70.6K

Buy Apartment Outside City Center (m2)

$6,470 MX$112.7K

Average Monthly Net Salary (After Tax)

$654 MX$11.4K

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: July 13, 2026

Last update for Golden Grove: July 13, 2026

Cost Breakdown

Dining out: $42.00 in Playa del Carmen vs $62.0 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 43% in total monthly costs ($1,256 vs $878 including rent). Golden Grove is meaningfully more affordable – a gap that matters a lot on a fixed or modest income.

You'd need roughly $1,884 in Playa del Carmen and $1,317 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 $1,256 per month in Playa del Carmen versus $878 in Golden Grove – a 43% gap that adds up to real savings over time for anyone picking the cheaper option.

At $878 in Golden Grove versus $1,256 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 43% less than in Playa del Carmen. Beyond cost, consider language, visa policies, and how big the international community is in each city.