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

Monthly Cost of Living

A single person spends $1,271 per month in Playa del Carmen vs $804 in Granada, rent included.

A couple spends around $2,126 per month in Playa del Carmen vs $1,203 in Granada, rent included.

A family of three spends $2,980 per month in Playa del Carmen vs $1,602 in Granada, rent included.

Playa del Carmen costs about 58% more than Granada, driven mainly by Eating Out.

Both Playa del Carmen and Granada are more affordable than the global median – Playa del Carmen 5% lower, Granada 40% lower.

Meal at Budget Restaurant

$11.87 MX$204

$4.36 NIO 160

172.25%

Three-Course Dinner for Two, Mid-Range

$42.90 MX$736

$32.69 NIO 1,197

31.23%

Fast Food Meal (McDonalds, etc)

$10.65 MX$183

$6.82 NIO 250

56.16%

Cappuccino

$3.45 MX$59.2

$2.01 NIO 73.8

71.64%

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

$1.50 MX$25.81

$0.84 NIO 30.82

78.57%

Water (0.33 liter bottle)

$0.95 MX$16.28

$0.63 NIO 22.97

50.79%

Local Beer (0.5 liter draught)

$3.03 MX$51.9

$1.33 NIO 48.85

127.82%

Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$4.61 MX$79.1

$1.98 NIO 72.6

132.83%

Milk (1 liter)

$1.38 MX$23.61

$1.14 NIO 41.63

21.05%

White Bread (500g)

$1.85 MX$31.70

$1.23 NIO 44.98

50.41%

Rice (white) (1kg)

$1.61 MX$27.65

$0.74 NIO 27.20

117.57%

Eggs

$2.59 MX$44.51

$1.44 NIO 52.9

79.86%

Local Cheese (1kg)

$8.26 MX$142

$3.83 NIO 140

115.67%

Chicken Fillets (1kg)

$8.37 MX$144

$4.86 NIO 178

72.22%

Beef Round Steak (1kg)

$10.66 MX$183

$8.16 NIO 299

30.64%

Apples (1kg)

$2.63 MX$45.12

$3.89 NIO 142

-32.39%

Banana (1kg)

$1.49 MX$25.53

$0.84 NIO 30.84

77.38%

Oranges (1kg)

$1.92 MX$32.94

$1.81 NIO 66.4

6.08%

Tomato (1kg)

$2.09 MX$35.81

$0.92 NIO 33.60

127.17%

Potato (1kg)

$1.86 MX$31.88

$2.30 NIO 84.2

-19.13%

Onion (1kg)

$2.26 MX$38.81

$1.09 NIO 39.84

107.34%

Lettuce (1 head)

$1.06 MX$18.23

$1.01 NIO 37.12

4.95%

Water (1.5 liter bottle)

$1.09 MX$18.67

$1.01 NIO 36.98

7.92%

Cigarettes 20 Pack (Marlboro, Camel)

$4.15 MX$71.2

$2.74 NIO 100

51.46%

Wine (Bottle)

$10.39 MX$178

$10.13 NIO 371

2.57%

Local Beer (0.5 liter bottle)

$1.72 MX$29.59

$1.46 NIO 53.5

17.81%

Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$2.61 MX$44.85

$1.58 NIO 58.0

65.19%

One-way Ticket (Public Transport)

$0.54 MX$9.30

$0.11 NIO 3.89

390.91%

Public Transport Monthly Pass (Regular Price)

$26.94 MX$462

$4.09 NIO 150

558.68%

Taxi Start (Normal Tariff)

$3.13 MX$53.7

$0.58 NIO 21.27

439.66%

Taxi (Normal Tariff) (1km)

$2.51 MX$43.09

$0.58 NIO 21.20

332.76%

Taxi 1hour Waiting (Normal Tariff)

$3.15 MX$54.1

$6.83 NIO 250

-53.88%

Gasoline (1 liter)

$1.27 MX$21.88

$1.26 NIO 46.07

0.79%

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

$30.4K MX$521.3K

$22.9K NIO 839.7K

32.48%

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

$23.6K MX$404.5K

$25.9K NIO 950.0K

-9.15%

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

$83.0 MX$1,425

$98.5 NIO 3,608

-15.75%

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

$22.71 MX$390

$16.72 NIO 612

35.83%

Internet (50+ Mbps, Unlimited Data)

$29.46 MX$506

$36.72 NIO 1,345

-19.77%

Gym Membership (Monthly)

$51.0 MX$875

$35.06 NIO 1,284

45.46%

Tennis Court (1 Hour on Weekend)

$18.33 MX$315

Cinema Ticket

$4.93 MX$84.5

$8.19 NIO 300

-39.80%

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

$197 MX$3,386

$126 NIO 4,625

56.23%

International Primary School, 1 Child (Yearly)

$5,280 MX$90.6K

$6,021 NIO 220.5K

-12.30%

Jeans (Levis 501 Or Similar)

$36.90 MX$633

$14.79 NIO 542

149.49%

Summer Dress (H&M, Zara, etc)

$39.89 MX$685

$30.31 NIO 1,110

31.61%

Sport Shoes (Adidas, Nike)

$80.0 MX$1,373

$35.57 NIO 1,303

124.94%

Men's Leather Business Shoes

$89.5 MX$1,536

$35.87 NIO 1,314

149.43%

1-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)

$956 MX$16.4K

$380 NIO 13.9K

151.69%

1-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)

$477 MX$8,189

$277 NIO 10.1K

72.29%

3-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)

$1,646 MX$28.3K

$609 NIO 22.3K

170.32%

3-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)

$1,225 MX$21.0K

$451 NIO 16.5K

171.72%

Buy Apartment in City Center (m2)

$3,918 MX$67.2K

Buy Apartment Outside City Center (m2)

$6,459 MX$110.9K

Average Monthly Net Salary (After Tax)

$667 MX$11.4K

$171 NIO 6,246

291.06%

20-Year Fixed Mortgage Interest Rate (Annual %)

11.42

10.25

11.41%

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

Last update for Playa del Carmen: June 7, 2026

Last update for Granada: June 8, 2026

Cost Breakdown

A central one-bedroom costs $956 in Playa del Carmen versus $380 in Granada. Rent is usually the largest line item in a monthly budget, so the gap here sets the tone for the overall comparison.

Salaries run about 291% higher in Playa del Carmen, which partly offsets the higher cost of living there. Purchasing power depends on which expenses matter most to you.

A mid-range dinner for two costs $43.00 in Playa del Carmen versus $33.00 in Granada. Monthly groceries follow the same trend: $250 vs $185 – making Granada the more affordable choice for daily food spending.

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 Granada: Cost of Living - Frequently Asked Questions

Monthly costs with rent: $1,271 in Playa del Carmen, $804 in Granada – roughly 58% apart. Playa del Carmen costs more across the board, with Eating Out showing the biggest gap.

For a comfortable life, plan on about $1,906 per month in Playa del Carmen and $1,206 in Granada. That covers rent, food, utilities, transport, and enough left over to feel settled – not just surviving.

Rent is clearly cheaper in Granada, especially for central apartments. Housing is actually the single biggest factor behind the overall cost gap between these two cities.

Public transport costs about 559% less in Granada. For daily commuters, that gap adds up to noticeable savings over a year.

Kindergarten costs $197 per month in Playa del Carmen and $126 in Granada. For families with young kids, this one expense can tip the scales when choosing between the two cities.

A $2,000 monthly budget goes further in Granada, where all-in costs run around $804, than in Playa del Carmen at $1,271. In Granada it covers expenses comfortably, while in Playa del Carmen it requires careful planning or may not stretch far enough.

It depends on your priorities. Playa del Carmen has an edge in some lifestyle areas, with costs from $804 in Granada to $1,271 in Playa del Carmen. Climate, culture, job market, and personal taste all factor in.

Both have safer and rougher neighborhoods, but overall safety is comparable to other large cities. Neighborhood choice matters more than the city-level comparison – central, well-trafficked areas feel secure in both.

If budget matters most, go with Granada. If higher salaries, better infrastructure, or specific career opportunities are the priority, Playa del Carmen makes more sense. Both are solid long-term options with distinct trade-offs.