Cost of Living Comparison Between Playa del Carmen and Grand Turk Cost of Living Comparison Between Playa del Carmen and Grand Turk

Monthly Cost of Living

Monthly costs for one person with rent: $1,297 in Playa del Carmen versus $1,423 in Grand Turk.

Estimated couple costs with rent: $2,181 in Playa del Carmen versus $1,962 in Grand Turk.

Monthly costs for a family of three with rent: $3,065 in Playa del Carmen versus $2,501 in Grand Turk.

Living in Playa del Carmen costs roughly 9% less than in Grand Turk, driven mainly by Eating Out.

The two cities straddle the global median: Playa del Carmen is 3% below, Grand Turk is 6% above.

Meal at Budget Restaurant

$11.73 MX$203

$19.86 $19.86

-40.94%

Three-Course Dinner for Two, Mid-Range

$41.62 MX$720

Fast Food Meal (McDonalds, etc)

$10.64 MX$184

$15.20 $15.20

-30.00%

Cappuccino

$3.52 MX$60.9

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

$1.51 MX$26.12

$1.97 $1.97

-23.35%

Water (0.33 liter bottle)

$0.97 MX$16.84

$2.45 $2.45

-60.41%

Local Beer (0.5 liter draught)

$2.95 MX$51.0

$12.07 $12.07

-75.56%

Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$4.45 MX$77.0

$14.88 $14.88

-70.09%

Milk (1 liter)

$1.38 MX$23.93

$5.96 $5.96

-76.85%

White Bread (500g)

$1.89 MX$32.72

$3.85 $3.85

-50.91%

Rice (white) (1kg)

$1.64 MX$28.32

Eggs

$2.51 MX$43.34

Local Cheese (1kg)

$8.34 MX$144

Chicken Fillets (1kg)

$8.34 MX$144

Beef Round Steak (1kg)

$10.73 MX$186

Apples (1kg)

$2.60 MX$45.04

Banana (1kg)

$1.46 MX$25.20

Oranges (1kg)

$1.90 MX$32.87

Tomato (1kg)

$2.08 MX$35.91

$6.56 $6.56

-68.29%

Potato (1kg)

$1.78 MX$30.71

Onion (1kg)

$2.19 MX$37.80

Lettuce (1 head)

$1.04 MX$17.99

$4.62 $4.62

-77.49%

Water (1.5 liter bottle)

$1.08 MX$18.62

$1.71 $1.71

-36.84%

Cigarettes 20 Pack (Marlboro, Camel)

$4.08 MX$70.6

Wine (Bottle)

$10.32 MX$178

Local Beer (0.5 liter bottle)

$1.71 MX$29.61

Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$2.58 MX$44.54

One-way Ticket (Public Transport)

$0.51 MX$8.81

Public Transport Monthly Pass (Regular Price)

$26.46 MX$458

Taxi Start (Normal Tariff)

$3.26 MX$56.4

Taxi (Normal Tariff) (1km)

$2.49 MX$43.09

Taxi 1hour Waiting (Normal Tariff)

$3.25 MX$56.2

Gasoline (1 liter)

$1.31 MX$22.61

$1.97 $1.97

-33.50%

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

$30.3K MX$523.7K

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

$23.4K MX$405.3K

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

$82.9 MX$1,433

$203 $203

-59.13%

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

$22.22 MX$384

Internet (50+ Mbps, Unlimited Data)

$29.34 MX$507

$86.4 $86.4

-66.04%

Gym Membership (Monthly)

$51.6 MX$893

Tennis Court (1 Hour on Weekend)

$18.32 MX$317

Cinema Ticket

$5.07 MX$87.6

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

$201 MX$3,473

International Primary School, 1 Child (Yearly)

$5,212 MX$90.1K

$3,015 $3,015

72.84%

Jeans (Levis 501 Or Similar)

$36.92 MX$639

Summer Dress (H&M, Zara, etc)

$39.79 MX$688

Sport Shoes (Adidas, Nike)

$78.5 MX$1,357

Men's Leather Business Shoes

$87.1 MX$1,506

1-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)

$973 MX$16.8K

$749 $749

29.77%

1-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)

$468 MX$8,090

$643 $643

-27.22%

3-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)

$1,641 MX$28.4K

$1,516 $1,516

8.28%

3-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)

$1,221 MX$21.1K

$1,216 $1,216

0.37%

Buy Apartment in City Center (m2)

$3,946 MX$68.3K

Buy Apartment Outside City Center (m2)

$6,498 MX$112.4K

Average Monthly Net Salary (After Tax)

$664 MX$11.5K

$6,725 $6,725

-90.13%

20-Year Fixed Mortgage Interest Rate (Annual %)

11.42

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 Grand Turk: June 1, 2026

Cost Breakdown

A one-bedroom apartment in the center runs $973 in Playa del Carmen and $749 in Grand Turk. Housing cost is often the main lever when comparing two cities.

Grand Turk pays 913% more on average. The extra income cushions the higher costs, though housing choices and lifestyle decide how much of the gap is truly closed.

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 Grand Turk: Cost of Living - Frequently Asked Questions

Playa del Carmen and Grand Turk differ by about 10% in total monthly costs ($1,297 vs $1,423 including rent). Playa del Carmen is meaningfully more affordable – a gap that matters a lot on a fixed or modest income.

On paper, Grand Turk earns 913% less. That's worth factoring in alongside costs, though remote workers earning in a stronger currency may not notice the difference at all.

Rent for a central apartment: $973 in Playa del Carmen versus $749 in Grand Turk. Housing is usually the single largest factor when comparing overall living costs between the two.

Shoppers in Grand Turk pay roughly 47% less for everyday groceries. It's an unusual reversal that partly offsets higher costs elsewhere.

All in, you'll spend $1,297 per month in Playa del Carmen versus $1,423 in Grand Turk – a 10% gap that adds up to real savings over time for anyone picking the cheaper option.

At $1,297 in Playa del Carmen versus $1,423 in Grand Turk, a $1,500 budget is realistic in Playa del Carmen but tight or insufficient in Grand Turk. The gap between the two cities makes Playa del Carmen the clear choice for anyone on this budget.

Both cities offer a good standard of living with different trade-offs. Neither is objectively better – the right pick depends on what matters most: affordability, career, cultural scene, or climate.

Safety-wise, Playa del Carmen and Grand Turk 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 Playa del Carmen gentler on the wallet – expenses run 10% less than in Grand Turk. Beyond cost, consider language, visa policies, and how big the international community is in each city.