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 $883 in Granada, rent included.

A couple spends around $2,276 per month in Playa del Carmen vs $1,251 in Granada, rent included.

A family of three spends $3,280 per month in Playa del Carmen vs $1,619 in Granada, rent included.

Playa del Carmen costs about 44% more than Granada, driven mainly by Eating Out.

Both Playa del Carmen and Granada are more affordable than the global median – Playa del Carmen 6% lower, Granada 35% lower.

Meal at Budget Restaurant

$12.84 MX$222

$4.26 NIO 156

201.41%

Three-Course Dinner for Two, Mid-Range

$45.54 MX$789

$23.87 NIO 874

90.78%

Fast Food Meal (McDonalds, etc)

$12.58 MX$218

$7.04 NIO 258

78.69%

Cappuccino

$3.93 MX$68.0

$1.77 NIO 64.9

122.03%

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

$1.38 MX$23.95

$0.87 NIO 31.97

58.62%

Water (0.33 liter bottle)

$0.75 MX$13.07

$0.64 NIO 23.40

17.19%

Local Beer (0.5 liter draught)

$3.04 MX$52.7

$1.28 NIO 46.72

137.50%

Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$6.80 MX$118

$1.96 NIO 71.8

246.94%

Milk (1 liter)

$1.67 MX$28.87

$1.22 NIO 44.82

36.89%

White Bread (500g)

$2.22 MX$38.40

$1.60 NIO 58.6

38.75%

Rice (white) (1kg)

$1.70 MX$29.40

$0.53 NIO 19.56

220.75%

Eggs

$2.67 MX$46.18

$1.19 NIO 43.53

124.37%

Local Cheese (1kg)

$9.13 MX$158

$4.89 NIO 179

86.71%

Chicken Fillets (1kg)

$8.94 MX$155

$4.98 NIO 182

79.52%

Beef Round Steak (1kg)

$12.54 MX$217

$7.29 NIO 267

72.02%

Apples (1kg)

$2.99 MX$51.8

$3.63 NIO 133

-17.63%

Banana (1kg)

$1.53 MX$26.54

$0.63 NIO 22.93

142.86%

Oranges (1kg)

$2.14 MX$37.10

$1.82 NIO 66.7

17.58%

Tomato (1kg)

$2.29 MX$39.72

$0.97 NIO 35.61

136.08%

Potato (1kg)

$2.05 MX$35.54

$2.80 NIO 103

-26.79%

Onion (1kg)

$2.04 MX$35.39

$0.98 NIO 35.76

108.16%

Lettuce (1 head)

$1.21 MX$20.99

$1.03 NIO 37.62

17.48%

Water (1.5 liter bottle)

$1.18 MX$20.44

$1.08 NIO 39.53

9.26%

Cigarettes 20 Pack (Marlboro, Camel)

$4.62 MX$80.1

$2.74 NIO 100

68.61%

Wine (Bottle)

$10.41 MX$180

$10.17 NIO 372

2.36%

Local Beer (0.5 liter bottle)

$1.65 MX$28.54

$1.41 NIO 51.5

17.02%

Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$2.93 MX$50.7

$1.80 NIO 65.9

62.78%

One-way Ticket (Public Transport)

$0.59 MX$10.29

$0.11 NIO 4.08

436.36%

Public Transport Monthly Pass (Regular Price)

$28.43 MX$493

$3.89 NIO 143

630.85%

Taxi Start (Normal Tariff)

$5.07 MX$87.8

$0.59 NIO 21.44

759.32%

Taxi (Normal Tariff) (1km)

$3.66 MX$63.4

$1.12 NIO 40.98

226.79%

Taxi 1hour Waiting (Normal Tariff)

$5.85 MX$101

$6.98 NIO 256

-16.19%

Gasoline (1 liter)

$1.57 MX$27.17

$1.34 NIO 49.05

17.16%

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

$22.3K MX$386.3K

$23.3K NIO 854.7K

-4.46%

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

$25.7K MX$446.0K

$26.6K NIO 973.0K

-3.09%

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

$88.7 MX$1,536

$110 NIO 4,032

-19.47%

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

$22.82 MX$395

$17.23 NIO 631

32.44%

Internet (50+ Mbps, Unlimited Data)

$30.42 MX$527

$36.60 NIO 1,340

-16.89%

Gym Membership (Monthly)

$68.3 MX$1,183

Tennis Court (1 Hour on Weekend)

$28.60 MX$496

Cinema Ticket

$4.94 MX$85.6

$8.57 NIO 314

-42.36%

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

$216 MX$3,745

$176 NIO 6,430

23.12%

International Primary School, 1 Child (Yearly)

$4,146 MX$71.8K

$6,107 NIO 223.7K

-32.11%

Jeans (Levis 501 Or Similar)

$46.48 MX$805

$14.90 NIO 546

211.95%

Summer Dress (H&M, Zara, etc)

$44.13 MX$765

$30.18 NIO 1,105

46.22%

Sport Shoes (Adidas, Nike)

$92.2 MX$1,597

$34.43 NIO 1,261

167.79%

Men's Leather Business Shoes

$93.4 MX$1,617

$36.05 NIO 1,320

158.97%

1-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)

$1,080 MX$18.7K

$417 NIO 15.3K

158.78%

1-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)

$389 MX$6,742

$347 NIO 12.7K

12.16%

3-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)

$1,935 MX$33.5K

$795 NIO 29.1K

143.55%

3-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)

$1,277 MX$22.1K

$515 NIO 18.9K

147.89%

Buy Apartment in City Center (m2)

$3,958 MX$68.6K

Buy Apartment Outside City Center (m2)

$6,438 MX$111.5K

Average Monthly Net Salary (After Tax)

$752 MX$13.0K

$136 NIO 4,970

454.18%

20-Year Fixed Mortgage Interest Rate (Annual %)

11.6

10.25

13.17%

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

Last update for Playa del Carmen: August 4, 2026

Last update for Granada: August 3, 2026

Cost Breakdown

A central one-bedroom costs $1,080 in Playa del Carmen versus $417 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 454% 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 $46.00 in Playa del Carmen versus $24.00 in Granada. Monthly groceries follow the same trend: $274 vs $189 – 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, $883 in Granada – roughly 44% apart. Playa del Carmen costs more across the board, with Eating Out showing the biggest gap.

For a comfortable life, plan on about $1,907 per month in Playa del Carmen and $1,325 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 631% less in Granada. For daily commuters, that gap adds up to noticeable savings over a year.

Kindergarten costs $216 per month in Playa del Carmen and $176 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 $883, 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 $883 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.