Cost of Living Comparison Between Playa del Carmen and Gracanica Cost of Living Comparison Between Playa del Carmen and Gracanica

Monthly Cost of Living

Monthly costs for one person with rent: $1,297 in Playa del Carmen versus $934 in Gracanica.

Estimated couple costs with rent: $2,181 in Playa del Carmen versus $1,463 in Gracanica.

Monthly costs for a family of three with rent: $3,065 in Playa del Carmen versus $1,993 in Gracanica.

Living in Playa del Carmen is roughly 39% more expensive than Gracanica, driven mainly by Eating Out.

Both cities sit below the global median: Playa del Carmen 3% lower, Gracanica 30% lower.

Meal at Budget Restaurant

$11.73 MX$203

$6.89 BAM 11.58

70.25%

Three-Course Dinner for Two, Mid-Range

$41.62 MX$720

$34.95 BAM 58.7

19.08%

Fast Food Meal (McDonalds, etc)

$10.64 MX$184

$5.50 BAM 9.23

93.45%

Cappuccino

$3.52 MX$60.9

$1.68 BAM 2.83

109.52%

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

$1.51 MX$26.12

$1.84 BAM 3.09

-17.93%

Water (0.33 liter bottle)

$0.97 MX$16.84

$1.19 BAM 2.00

-18.49%

Local Beer (0.5 liter draught)

$2.95 MX$51.0

$2.42 BAM 4.07

21.90%

Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$4.45 MX$77.0

$2.09 BAM 3.51

112.92%

Milk (1 liter)

$1.38 MX$23.93

$1.41 BAM 2.37

-2.13%

White Bread (500g)

$1.89 MX$32.72

$1.33 BAM 2.23

42.11%

Rice (white) (1kg)

$1.64 MX$28.32

$2.38 BAM 4.00

-31.09%

Eggs

$2.51 MX$43.34

$2.89 BAM 4.85

-13.15%

Local Cheese (1kg)

$8.34 MX$144

$10.25 BAM 17.22

-18.63%

Chicken Fillets (1kg)

$8.34 MX$144

$7.23 BAM 12.15

15.35%

Beef Round Steak (1kg)

$10.73 MX$186

$13.50 BAM 22.68

-20.52%

Apples (1kg)

$2.60 MX$45.04

$1.24 BAM 2.09

109.68%

Banana (1kg)

$1.46 MX$25.20

$1.66 BAM 2.80

-12.05%

Oranges (1kg)

$1.90 MX$32.87

$1.93 BAM 3.24

-1.55%

Tomato (1kg)

$2.08 MX$35.91

$1.72 BAM 2.89

20.93%

Potato (1kg)

$1.78 MX$30.71

$0.80 BAM 1.34

122.50%

Onion (1kg)

$2.19 MX$37.80

$0.74 BAM 1.24

195.95%

Lettuce (1 head)

$1.04 MX$17.99

$0.92 BAM 1.54

13.04%

Water (1.5 liter bottle)

$1.08 MX$18.62

$1.02 BAM 1.71

5.88%

Cigarettes 20 Pack (Marlboro, Camel)

$4.08 MX$70.6

$3.51 BAM 5.89

16.24%

Wine (Bottle)

$10.32 MX$178

$8.17 BAM 13.73

26.32%

Local Beer (0.5 liter bottle)

$1.71 MX$29.61

$1.26 BAM 2.11

35.71%

Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$2.58 MX$44.54

$2.07 BAM 3.47

24.64%

One-way Ticket (Public Transport)

$0.51 MX$8.81

$1.79 BAM 3.01

-71.51%

Public Transport Monthly Pass (Regular Price)

$26.46 MX$458

$35.51 BAM 59.7

-25.49%

Taxi Start (Normal Tariff)

$3.26 MX$56.4

$1.81 BAM 3.03

80.11%

Taxi (Normal Tariff) (1km)

$2.49 MX$43.09

$0.78 BAM 1.31

219.23%

Taxi 1hour Waiting (Normal Tariff)

$3.25 MX$56.2

$10.78 BAM 18.11

-69.85%

Gasoline (1 liter)

$1.31 MX$22.61

$1.50 BAM 2.52

-12.67%

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

$30.3K MX$523.7K

$23.9K BAM 40.2K

26.58%

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

$23.4K MX$405.3K

$26.8K BAM 45.0K

-12.56%

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

$82.9 MX$1,433

$124 BAM 208

-33.02%

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

$22.22 MX$384

$18.84 BAM 31.66

17.94%

Internet (50+ Mbps, Unlimited Data)

$29.34 MX$507

$28.45 BAM 47.79

3.13%

Gym Membership (Monthly)

$51.6 MX$893

$28.92 BAM 48.59

78.53%

Tennis Court (1 Hour on Weekend)

$18.32 MX$317

$11.03 BAM 18.53

66.09%

Cinema Ticket

$5.07 MX$87.6

$5.71 BAM 9.60

-11.21%

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

$201 MX$3,473

$151 BAM 253

33.36%

International Primary School, 1 Child (Yearly)

$5,212 MX$90.1K

$3,279 BAM 5,510

58.92%

Jeans (Levis 501 Or Similar)

$36.92 MX$639

$71.2 BAM 120

-48.16%

Summer Dress (H&M, Zara, etc)

$39.79 MX$688

$35.37 BAM 59.4

12.50%

Sport Shoes (Adidas, Nike)

$78.5 MX$1,357

$97.3 BAM 163

-19.36%

Men's Leather Business Shoes

$87.1 MX$1,506

$119 BAM 200

-26.96%

1-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)

$973 MX$16.8K

$260 BAM 437

273.81%

1-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)

$468 MX$8,090

$171 BAM 287

173.83%

3-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)

$1,641 MX$28.4K

$357 BAM 600

359.39%

3-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)

$1,221 MX$21.1K

$314 BAM 527

289.17%

Buy Apartment in City Center (m2)

$3,946 MX$68.3K

$2,754 BAM 4,627

43.29%

Buy Apartment Outside City Center (m2)

$6,498 MX$112.4K

$2,004 BAM 3,367

224.27%

Average Monthly Net Salary (After Tax)

$664 MX$11.5K

$600 BAM 1,008

10.62%

20-Year Fixed Mortgage Interest Rate (Annual %)

11.42

4.14

175.85%

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 Gracanica: June 1, 2026

Cost Breakdown

A one-bedroom apartment in the center runs $973 in Playa del Carmen and $260 in Gracanica. Housing cost is often the main lever when comparing two cities.

Playa del Carmen pays 11% more on average. The extra income cushions the higher costs, though housing choices and lifestyle decide how much of the gap is truly closed.

Dining out: $42.00 in Playa del Carmen vs $35.00 in Gracanica for a mid-range dinner for two. Groceries echo the gap at $249 vs $235 per month, with Gracanica 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 Gracanica: Cost of Living - Frequently Asked Questions

Gracanica is cheaper overall, especially in Groceries & Markets, Eating Out, Sport & Entertainment, Monthly Utilities & Internet. The 39% gap adds up to real monthly savings that compound significantly over time.

Playa del Carmen pays 11% more on average, which matters when comparing affordability. Whether that higher income actually nets you more depends on your spending habits and housing choices.

Rent for a central apartment: $973 in Playa del Carmen versus $260 in Gracanica. Housing is usually the single largest factor when comparing overall living costs between the two.

Childcare runs $201 in Playa del Carmen versus $151 in Gracanica. Over years of preschool, even a modest monthly gap compounds into a major financial factor for families.

Supermarket bills run roughly 6% higher in Playa del Carmen. For households that cook at home regularly, that difference adds up over a month.

At $934 in Gracanica versus $1,297 in Playa del Carmen, a $1,500 budget is realistic in Gracanica but tight or insufficient in Playa del Carmen. The gap between the two cities makes Gracanica the clear choice for anyone on this budget.

For families, Gracanica 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 Gracanica 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 Gracanica gentler on the wallet – expenses run 39% less than in Playa del Carmen. Beyond cost, consider language, visa policies, and how big the international community is in each city.