Last update: Oct 2026

Cost of Living Comparison Between Playa del Carmen and Grants Pass, OR

For one person, living is cheaper in Playa del Carmen: $1,204 a month against $2,360 in Grants Pass, OR, rent and utilities included – about $13,900 less a year. Rent and utilities account for most of the difference.

Playa del Carmen
🇲🇽 Mexico
$1,204
/mo nomad
Grants Pass, OR
🇺🇸 United States
$2,360
/mo nomad
Monthly Cost of Living

How much you'll spend in Playa del Carmen and in Grants Pass, OR

Real prices from locals and on-the-ground checks – rent, groceries, transit and the daily extras. Here's what a month in Playa del Carmen and in Grants Pass, OR actually costs, broken down by who's living it.

Monthly costs for one person with rent: $1,204 in Playa del Carmen versus $2,360 in Grants Pass, OR.

  • Playa del Carmen $1,204
  • Grants Pass, OR $2,360

Estimated couple costs with rent: $2,102 in Playa del Carmen versus $3,226 in Grants Pass, OR.

  • Playa del Carmen $2,102
  • Grants Pass, OR $3,226

Monthly costs for a family of three with rent: $3,000 in Playa del Carmen versus $4,092 in Grants Pass, OR.

  • Playa del Carmen $3,000
  • Grants Pass, OR $4,092

Living in Playa del Carmen costs roughly 49% less than in Grants Pass, OR, and outside of rent the biggest gap is in utilities.

The two cities straddle the global median: Playa del Carmen is 11% below, Grants Pass, OR is 74% above.

Currency
🍽 Eating Out
Playa del Carmen
Grants Pass, OR
Difference
Meal at Budget Restaurant
$10.86 MX$201
$15.22 $15.22
-28.65%
Three-Course Dinner for Two, Mid-Range
$44.21 MX$817
$45.55 $45.55
-2.94%
Fast Food Meal (McDonalds, etc)
$11.76 MX$217
$8.76 $8.76
34.25%
Cappuccino
$3.68 MX$68.0
$3.88 $3.88
-5.15%
Coke/Pepsi/Fanta/Sprite (0.33 liter bottle)
$1.34 MX$24.79
$2.02 $2.02
-33.66%
Water (0.33 liter bottle)
$0.82 MX$15.24
$0.99 $0.99
-17.17%
Local Beer (0.5 liter draught)
$3.06 MX$56.6
$4.93 $4.93
-37.93%
Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)
$4.94 MX$91.2
$4.03 $4.03
22.58%
🛒 Groceries & Markets
Playa del Carmen
Grants Pass, OR
Difference
Milk (1 liter)
$1.47 MX$27.17
$1.17 $1.17
25.64%
White Bread (500g)
$2.22 MX$40.95
$3.16 $3.16
-29.75%
Rice (white) (1kg)
$1.48 MX$27.32
$4.21 $4.21
-64.85%
Eggs
$2.49 MX$45.99
$4.15 $4.15
-40.00%
Local Cheese (1kg)
$7.52 MX$139
$14.34 $14.34
-47.56%
Chicken Fillets (1kg)
$7.96 MX$147
$5.52 $5.52
44.20%
Beef Round Steak (1kg)
$12.57 MX$232
$13.26 $13.26
-5.20%
Apples (1kg)
$2.78 MX$51.3
$4.79 $4.79
-41.96%
Banana (1kg)
$1.43 MX$26.37
$1.27 $1.27
12.60%
Oranges (1kg)
$2.62 MX$48.37
$3.93 $3.93
-33.33%
Tomato (1kg)
$2.14 MX$39.49
$4.18 $4.18
-48.80%
Potato (1kg)
$2.02 MX$37.38
$1.90 $1.90
6.32%
Onion (1kg)
$1.99 MX$36.74
$2.02 $2.02
-1.49%
Lettuce (1 head)
$1.14 MX$21.01
$1.79 $1.79
-36.31%
Water (1.5 liter bottle)
$1.20 MX$22.18
$2.20 $2.20
-45.45%
Cigarettes 20 Pack (Marlboro, Camel)
$4.26 MX$78.7
$11.47 $11.47
-62.86%
Wine (Bottle)
$10.02 MX$185
$6.88 $6.88
45.64%
Local Beer (0.5 liter bottle)
$1.54 MX$28.41
$1.68 $1.68
-8.33%
Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)
$2.66 MX$49.17
$2.87 $2.87
-7.32%
🚌 Getting Around
Playa del Carmen
Grants Pass, OR
Difference
One-way Ticket (Public Transport)
$0.53 MX$9.73
$0.98 $0.98
-45.92%
Public Transport Monthly Pass (Regular Price)
$27.51 MX$508
-
-
Taxi Start (Normal Tariff)
$4.90 MX$90.6
$3.47 $3.47
41.21%
Taxi (Normal Tariff) (1km)
$3.43 MX$63.5
$2.18 $2.18
57.34%
Taxi 1hour Waiting (Normal Tariff)
$5.38 MX$99.4
$49.18 $49.18
-89.06%
Gasoline (1 liter)
$1.45 MX$26.76
$1.17 $1.17
23.93%
Midsize Hatchback 1.4l (Volkswagen Golf, Toyota Prius, Honda Civic, etc)
$21.2K MX$391.0K
$25.7K $25.7K
-17.67%
Compact Sedan 1.6l (Toyota Corolla, Mazda3, Kia K4, Hyundai Elantra, etc)
$23.0K MX$425.3K
$24.2K $24.2K
-4.73%
🧾 Monthly Utilities & Internet
Playa del Carmen
Grants Pass, OR
Difference
Utilities for 2 People in 2-bedroom Apartment (Heating, Electricity, Gas, Water, Garbage) (85m2)
$85.4 MX$1,577
$222 $222
-61.62%
SIM Card Monthly Plan (Calls and 10GB+ Data)
$23.46 MX$434
$61.0 $61.0
-61.54%
Internet (50+ Mbps, Unlimited Data)
$28.43 MX$525
$81.3 $81.3
-65.03%
🎉 Sport & Entertainment
Playa del Carmen
Grants Pass, OR
Difference
Gym Membership (Monthly)
$62.2 MX$1,149
-
-
Tennis Court (1 Hour on Weekend)
$28.68 MX$530
-
-
Cinema Ticket
$5.10 MX$94.3
$8.13 $8.13
-37.27%
🧸 Childcare & Education
Playa del Carmen
Grants Pass, OR
Difference
Preschool or Kindergarten, Full Day, Private, 1 Child (Monthly)
$201 MX$3,715
$1,060 $1,060
-81.04%
International Primary School, 1 Child (Yearly)
$3,947 MX$72.9K
$16.2K $16.2K
-75.61%
👕👟 Clothing & Footwear
Playa del Carmen
Grants Pass, OR
Difference
Jeans (Levis 501 Or Similar)
$44.39 MX$820
$56.5 $56.5
-21.46%
Summer Dress (H&M, Zara, etc)
$41.35 MX$764
$46.16 $46.16
-10.42%
Sport Shoes (Adidas, Nike)
$72.7 MX$1,344
$83.4 $83.4
-12.77%
Men's Leather Business Shoes
$89.6 MX$1,656
$80.2 $80.2
11.68%
🏠 Accommodation & Living
Playa del Carmen
Grants Pass, OR
Difference
1-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)
$979 MX$18.1K
$1,274 $1,274
-23.15%
1-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)
$373 MX$6,887
$1,275 $1,275
-70.77%
3-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)
$1,681 MX$31.1K
$2,017 $2,017
-16.65%
3-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)
$1,095 MX$20.2K
$1,863 $1,863
-41.22%
Buy Apartment in City Center (m2)
$3,949 MX$73.0K
$2,851 $2,851
38.52%
Buy Apartment Outside City Center (m2)
$6,137 MX$113.4K
$2,905 $2,905
111.21%
💵 Salaries & Financials
Playa del Carmen
Grants Pass, OR
Difference
Average Monthly Net Salary (After Tax)
$738 MX$13.6K
$2,451 $2,451
-69.91%
20-Year Fixed Mortgage Interest Rate (Annual %)
11.45
6.35
80.31%

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

Last update for Playa del Carmen: October 17, 2026

Last update for Grants Pass, OR: October 19, 2026

Monthly budget structure
Share of the monthly basket for one person, rent included.
Accommodation & Living
Playa del Carmen
$373
Grants Pass, OR
$1.3K 242% $903
Groceries & Markets
Playa del Carmen
$258
Grants Pass, OR
$327 26.4% $68
Eating Out
Playa del Carmen
$200
Grants Pass, OR
$239 19.6% $39
Monthly Utilities & Internet
Playa del Carmen
$137
Grants Pass, OR
$365 166% $227
Clothing & Footwear
Playa del Carmen
$112
Grants Pass, OR
$120 7.3% $8.2
Sport & Entertainment
Playa del Carmen
$72
Grants Pass, OR
$16 * 77.5% $56
Getting Around
Playa del Carmen
$52
Grants Pass, OR
$18 * 64.6% $33

Categories marked with * are only partly priced – their share counts the items that do have prices.

Cost Breakdown

A one-bedroom apartment in the center runs $979 in Playa del Carmen and $1,274 in Grants Pass, OR. Housing cost is often the main lever when comparing two cities.

Grants Pass, OR pays 232% 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: $44.00 in Playa del Carmen vs $46.00 in Grants Pass, OR for a mid-range dinner for two. Groceries echo the gap at $258 vs $327 per month, with Playa del Carmen cheaper across the board.

Good to know
🇲🇽 Playa del Carmen
🇺🇸 Grants Pass, OR
🕒 Local time
06:41 6:41 AM
04:41 4:41 AM
2 h behind Playa del Carmen
🌤 Weather
👥 Population
149,923
34,533
💱 Currency
Exchange rates and currency converter

USD, EUR to MXN – Mexican Peso Converter

Mexican Peso exchange rates as of October 20, 2026: 1 USD = 18.48 MXN (100 MXN = 5.41 USD). 1 EUR = 20.77 MXN (100 MXN = 4.81 EUR).

United States Dollar exchange rates as of October 20, 2026: 1 EUR = 1.12 USD (1 USD = 0.89 EUR).

On the map
Between locations
  • Playa del Carmen Grants Pass, OR 4,160 km ≈ 6 h nonstop flight
From you
  • Playa del Carmen
  • Grants Pass, OR

Distances are measured in a straight line. Your location is detected approximately.

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 Grants Pass, OR: Cost of Living - Frequently Asked Questions
What is the total cost difference between living in Playa del Carmen and in Grants Pass, OR?
Playa del Carmen and Grants Pass, OR differ by about 96% in total monthly costs ($1,204 vs $2,360 including rent). Playa del Carmen is meaningfully more affordable – a gap that matters a lot on a fixed or modest income.
Which city has better-paying jobs?
On paper, salaries run 232% lower in Grants Pass, OR. That's worth factoring in alongside costs, though remote workers earning in a stronger currency may not notice the difference at all.
How do apartment prices compare in Playa del Carmen and in Grants Pass, OR?
Rent for a central apartment: $979 in Playa del Carmen versus $1,274 in Grants Pass, OR. Housing is usually the single largest factor when comparing overall living costs between the two.
Which city has cheaper grocery shopping?
Supermarket bills run roughly 26% higher in Grants Pass, OR. For households that cook at home regularly, that difference adds up over a month.
Which city is more expensive overall: Playa del Carmen or Grants Pass, OR?
All in, you'll spend $1,204 per month in Playa del Carmen versus $2,360 in Grants Pass, OR – a 96% gap that adds up to real savings over time for anyone picking the cheaper option.
Which city is more doable on $1,500 per month?
At $1,204 in Playa del Carmen versus $2,360 in Grants Pass, OR, a $1,500 budget is realistic in Playa del Carmen but tight or insufficient in Grants Pass, OR. The gap between the two cities makes Playa del Carmen the clear choice for anyone on this budget.
How does quality of life compare between Playa del Carmen and Grants Pass, OR?
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.
Where should expats move: Playa del Carmen or Grants Pass, OR?
Expats usually find Playa del Carmen gentler on the wallet – expenses run 96% less than in Grants Pass, OR. Beyond cost, consider language, visa policies, and how big the international community is in each city.

Playa del Carmen vs other spots: cost of living compared

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