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 $1,266 per month in Playa del Carmen vs $889 in Granada, rent included.

A couple spends around $2,279 per month in Playa del Carmen vs $1,248 in Granada, rent included.

A family of three spends $3,292 per month in Playa del Carmen vs $1,608 in Granada, rent included.

Playa del Carmen costs about 42% more than Granada, driven mainly by Eating Out.

Both Playa del Carmen and Granada are more affordable than the global median – Playa del Carmen 7% lower, Granada 35% lower.

Meal at Budget Restaurant

$11.60 MX$200

$4.12 NIO 151

181.55%

Three-Course Dinner for Two, Mid-Range

$47.11 MX$811

$23.63 NIO 865

99.37%

Fast Food Meal (McDonalds, etc)

$11.88 MX$205

$6.94 NIO 254

71.18%

Cappuccino

$3.98 MX$68.5

$1.68 NIO 61.6

136.90%

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

$1.43 MX$24.57

$0.84 NIO 30.94

70.24%

Water (0.33 liter bottle)

$0.82 MX$14.20

$0.64 NIO 23.27

28.12%

Local Beer (0.5 liter draught)

$3.19 MX$54.9

$1.29 NIO 47.12

147.29%

Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$6.79 MX$117

$1.94 NIO 71.2

250.00%

Milk (1 liter)

$1.68 MX$28.85

$1.24 NIO 45.37

35.48%

White Bread (500g)

$2.20 MX$37.83

$1.57 NIO 57.7

40.13%

Rice (white) (1kg)

$1.71 MX$29.41

$0.54 NIO 19.77

216.67%

Eggs

$2.74 MX$47.20

$1.19 NIO 43.50

130.25%

Local Cheese (1kg)

$9.58 MX$165

$4.81 NIO 176

99.17%

Chicken Fillets (1kg)

$9.01 MX$155

$5.02 NIO 184

79.48%

Beef Round Steak (1kg)

$12.81 MX$221

$7.06 NIO 259

81.44%

Apples (1kg)

$2.89 MX$49.74

$3.66 NIO 134

-21.04%

Banana (1kg)

$1.50 MX$25.78

$0.58 NIO 21.27

158.62%

Oranges (1kg)

$2.15 MX$36.98

$1.82 NIO 66.6

18.13%

Tomato (1kg)

$2.26 MX$38.91

$0.98 NIO 36.03

130.61%

Potato (1kg)

$1.98 MX$34.10

$2.72 NIO 99.8

-27.21%

Onion (1kg)

$1.99 MX$34.26

$1.02 NIO 37.51

95.10%

Lettuce (1 head)

$1.23 MX$21.25

$1.02 NIO 37.34

20.59%

Water (1.5 liter bottle)

$1.20 MX$20.60

$1.03 NIO 37.86

16.50%

Cigarettes 20 Pack (Marlboro, Camel)

$4.55 MX$78.3

$2.58 NIO 94.6

76.36%

Wine (Bottle)

$10.37 MX$179

$10.05 NIO 368

3.18%

Local Beer (0.5 liter bottle)

$1.62 MX$27.88

$1.48 NIO 54.2

9.46%

Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$2.88 MX$49.60

$1.71 NIO 62.5

68.42%

One-way Ticket (Public Transport)

$0.60 MX$10.34

$0.11 NIO 3.98

445.45%

Public Transport Monthly Pass (Regular Price)

$28.80 MX$496

$4.02 NIO 147

616.42%

Taxi Start (Normal Tariff)

$5.39 MX$92.8

$0.58 NIO 21.34

829.31%

Taxi (Normal Tariff) (1km)

$3.73 MX$64.2

$1.59 NIO 58.1

134.59%

Taxi 1hour Waiting (Normal Tariff)

$5.77 MX$99.3

$6.64 NIO 243

-13.10%

Gasoline (1 liter)

$1.54 MX$26.45

$1.29 NIO 47.13

19.38%

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

$22.5K MX$388.3K

$22.8K NIO 835.2K

-1.13%

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

$26.1K MX$448.7K

$26.8K NIO 980.6K

-2.68%

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

$91.4 MX$1,573

$118 NIO 4,320

-22.53%

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

$25.20 MX$434

$16.84 NIO 617

49.64%

Internet (50+ Mbps, Unlimited Data)

$31.24 MX$538

$36.63 NIO 1,342

-14.71%

Gym Membership (Monthly)

$67.2 MX$1,157

Tennis Court (1 Hour on Weekend)

$29.11 MX$501

Cinema Ticket

$4.86 MX$83.7

$8.74 NIO 320

-44.39%

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

$224 MX$3,851

$232 NIO 8,495

-3.59%

International Primary School, 1 Child (Yearly)

$4,229 MX$72.8K

$6,151 NIO 225.3K

-31.25%

Jeans (Levis 501 Or Similar)

$47.10 MX$811

$15.11 NIO 553

211.71%

Summer Dress (H&M, Zara, etc)

$44.29 MX$763

$30.14 NIO 1,104

46.95%

Sport Shoes (Adidas, Nike)

$80.1 MX$1,379

$34.32 NIO 1,257

133.42%

Men's Leather Business Shoes

$92.7 MX$1,596

$35.84 NIO 1,313

158.54%

1-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)

$1,063 MX$18.3K

$432 NIO 15.8K

145.82%

1-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)

$390 MX$6,719

$347 NIO 12.7K

12.37%

3-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)

$2,149 MX$37.0K

$807 NIO 29.6K

166.35%

3-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)

$1,272 MX$21.9K

$510 NIO 18.7K

149.34%

Buy Apartment in City Center (m2)

$4,001 MX$68.9K

Buy Apartment Outside City Center (m2)

$6,502 MX$112.0K

Average Monthly Net Salary (After Tax)

$758 MX$13.1K

$135 NIO 4,955

460.37%

20-Year Fixed Mortgage Interest Rate (Annual %)

11.45

10.25

11.71%

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

Last update for Playa del Carmen: September 12, 2026

Last update for Granada: September 13, 2026

Cost Breakdown

A central one-bedroom costs $1,063 in Playa del Carmen versus $432 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 460% 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 $47.00 in Playa del Carmen versus $24.00 in Granada. Monthly groceries follow the same trend: $276 vs $187 – 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: $1,266 in Playa del Carmen, $889 in Granada – roughly 42% apart. Playa del Carmen costs more across the board, with Eating Out showing the biggest gap.

For a comfortable life, plan on about $1,899 per month in Playa del Carmen and $1,333 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 616% less in Granada. For daily commuters, that gap adds up to noticeable savings over a year.

Kindergarten costs $224 per month in Playa del Carmen and $232 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 $889, than in Playa del Carmen at $1,266. 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 $889 in Granada to $1,266 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.