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: $1,305 in Playa del Carmen versus $1,042 in Gracanica.

Estimated couple costs with rent: $2,334 in Playa del Carmen versus $1,559 in Gracanica.

Monthly costs for a family of three with rent: $3,362 in Playa del Carmen versus $2,076 in Gracanica.

Living in Playa del Carmen is roughly 25% more expensive than in Gracanica, driven mainly by Eating Out.

Both cities sit below the global median: Playa del Carmen 5% lower, Gracanica 24% lower.

Meal at Budget Restaurant

$11.96 MX$202

$7.19 BAM 12.08

66.34%

Three-Course Dinner for Two, Mid-Range

$47.38 MX$800

$39.16 BAM 65.8

20.99%

Fast Food Meal (McDonalds, etc)

$11.75 MX$198

$6.92 BAM 11.62

69.80%

Cappuccino

$4.12 MX$69.6

$1.74 BAM 2.92

136.78%

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

$1.40 MX$23.63

$1.92 BAM 3.22

-27.08%

Water (0.33 liter bottle)

$0.91 MX$15.40

$1.24 BAM 2.08

-26.61%

Local Beer (0.5 liter draught)

$3.21 MX$54.1

$2.39 BAM 4.01

34.31%

Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$7.07 MX$119

$2.31 BAM 3.88

206.06%

Milk (1 liter)

$1.68 MX$28.31

$1.49 BAM 2.51

12.75%

White Bread (500g)

$2.15 MX$36.31

$1.47 BAM 2.46

46.26%

Rice (white) (1kg)

$1.77 MX$29.96

$2.39 BAM 4.01

-25.94%

Eggs

$2.82 MX$47.54

$2.95 BAM 4.95

-4.41%

Local Cheese (1kg)

$9.20 MX$155

$9.87 BAM 16.58

-6.79%

Chicken Fillets (1kg)

$9.23 MX$156

$7.38 BAM 12.39

25.07%

Beef Round Steak (1kg)

$12.64 MX$213

$13.29 BAM 22.32

-4.89%

Apples (1kg)

$2.95 MX$49.83

$1.25 BAM 2.10

136.00%

Banana (1kg)

$1.58 MX$26.66

$1.88 BAM 3.16

-15.96%

Oranges (1kg)

$2.22 MX$37.53

$1.89 BAM 3.17

17.46%

Tomato (1kg)

$2.36 MX$39.90

$1.74 BAM 2.93

35.63%

Potato (1kg)

$1.99 MX$33.65

$0.79 BAM 1.33

151.90%

Onion (1kg)

$1.98 MX$33.42

$0.74 BAM 1.24

167.57%

Lettuce (1 head)

$1.24 MX$20.94

$0.95 BAM 1.59

30.53%

Water (1.5 liter bottle)

$1.21 MX$20.46

$1.01 BAM 1.69

19.80%

Cigarettes 20 Pack (Marlboro, Camel)

$4.60 MX$77.7

$4.15 BAM 6.96

10.84%

Wine (Bottle)

$10.52 MX$178

$8.34 BAM 14.00

26.14%

Local Beer (0.5 liter bottle)

$1.69 MX$28.56

$1.37 BAM 2.30

23.36%

Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$2.77 MX$46.84

$2.32 BAM 3.90

19.40%

One-way Ticket (Public Transport)

$0.60 MX$10.17

$1.31 BAM 2.20

-54.20%

Public Transport Monthly Pass (Regular Price)

$29.70 MX$502

Taxi Start (Normal Tariff)

$5.24 MX$88.4

$1.80 BAM 3.02

191.11%

Taxi (Normal Tariff) (1km)

$3.65 MX$61.6

$1.01 BAM 1.70

261.39%

Taxi 1hour Waiting (Normal Tariff)

$5.78 MX$97.7

$10.57 BAM 17.76

-45.32%

Gasoline (1 liter)

$1.54 MX$25.97

$1.47 BAM 2.47

4.76%

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

$22.8K MX$385.0K

$31.4K BAM 52.7K

-27.40%

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

$25.8K MX$435.8K

$22.4K BAM 37.6K

15.42%

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

$90.7 MX$1,531

$126 BAM 211

-27.79%

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

$25.19 MX$425

$18.83 BAM 31.62

33.78%

Internet (50+ Mbps, Unlimited Data)

$31.75 MX$536

$28.69 BAM 48.18

10.67%

Gym Membership (Monthly)

$68.8 MX$1,162

$33.62 BAM 56.5

104.61%

Tennis Court (1 Hour on Weekend)

$29.37 MX$496

Cinema Ticket

$4.86 MX$82.1

$5.47 BAM 9.19

-11.15%

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

$226 MX$3,811

$153 BAM 258

47.18%

International Primary School, 1 Child (Yearly)

$4,194 MX$70.8K

$3,949 BAM 6,632

6.21%

Jeans (Levis 501 Or Similar)

$47.38 MX$800

$117 BAM 197

-59.61%

Summer Dress (H&M, Zara, etc)

$43.45 MX$734

$35.66 BAM 59.9

21.85%

Sport Shoes (Adidas, Nike)

$80.2 MX$1,355

$101 BAM 169

-20.39%

Men's Leather Business Shoes

$91.4 MX$1,543

$121 BAM 203

-24.49%

1-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)

$1,086 MX$18.3K

$351 BAM 590

209.21%

1-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)

$409 MX$6,900

$264 BAM 443

54.93%

3-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)

$1,972 MX$33.3K

$529 BAM 889

272.46%

3-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)

$1,281 MX$21.6K

$373 BAM 627

243.16%

Buy Apartment in City Center (m2)

$4,046 MX$68.3K

$2,531 BAM 4,250

59.89%

Buy Apartment Outside City Center (m2)

$6,704 MX$113.2K

$1,793 BAM 3,012

273.88%

Average Monthly Net Salary (After Tax)

$773 MX$13.1K

$599 BAM 1,006

29.13%

20-Year Fixed Mortgage Interest Rate (Annual %)

11.45

4.3

166.28%

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 Gracanica: September 6, 2026

Cost Breakdown

A one-bedroom apartment in the center runs $1,086 in Playa del Carmen and $351 in Gracanica. Housing cost is often the main lever when comparing two cities.

Playa del Carmen pays 29% 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: $47.00 in Playa del Carmen vs $39.00 in Gracanica for a mid-range dinner for two. Groceries echo the gap at $278 vs $239 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, Getting Around. The 25% gap adds up to real monthly savings that compound significantly over time.

Average pay runs 29% higher in Playa del Carmen, 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: $1,086 in Playa del Carmen versus $351 in Gracanica. Housing is usually the single largest factor when comparing overall living costs between the two.

Childcare runs $226 in Playa del Carmen versus $153 in Gracanica. Over years of preschool, even a modest monthly gap compounds into a major financial factor for families.

Dining out is cheaper in Gracanica – a meal for two runs $39.00 versus $47.00 in Playa del Carmen. If you eat out regularly, this makes a real dent in your monthly spending.

At $1,042 in Gracanica versus $1,305 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 25% less than in Playa del Carmen. Beyond cost, consider language, visa policies, and how big the international community is in each city.