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

Monthly Cost of Living

Monthly costs for one person with rent: $1,260 in Playa del Carmen versus $739 in Gravataí.

Estimated couple costs with rent: $2,125 in Playa del Carmen versus $1,071 in Gravataí.

Monthly costs for a family of three with rent: $2,990 in Playa del Carmen versus $1,402 in Gravataí.

Living in Playa del Carmen is roughly 70% more expensive than in Gravataí, driven mainly by Eating Out.

Both cities sit below the global median: Playa del Carmen 5% lower, Gravataí 44% lower.

Meal at Budget Restaurant

$11.72 MX$203

$5.92 R$30.05

97.97%

Three-Course Dinner for Two, Mid-Range

$41.89 MX$725

$17.41 R$88.4

140.61%

Fast Food Meal (McDonalds, etc)

$10.51 MX$182

$6.17 R$31.29

70.34%

Cappuccino

$3.59 MX$62.0

$1.64 R$8.34

118.90%

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

$1.51 MX$26.10

$1.12 R$5.69

34.82%

Water (0.33 liter bottle)

$0.92 MX$15.83

$0.82 R$4.14

12.20%

Local Beer (0.5 liter draught)

$2.96 MX$51.2

$1.85 R$9.39

60.00%

Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$4.41 MX$76.3

$3.64 R$18.47

21.15%

Milk (1 liter)

$1.40 MX$24.16

$0.84 R$4.28

66.67%

White Bread (500g)

$1.88 MX$32.60

$1.39 R$7.04

35.25%

Rice (white) (1kg)

$1.56 MX$26.97

$0.99 R$5.03

57.58%

Eggs

$2.61 MX$45.14

$1.54 R$7.82

69.48%

Local Cheese (1kg)

$8.32 MX$144

$11.02 R$55.9

-24.50%

Chicken Fillets (1kg)

$8.35 MX$145

$2.91 R$14.77

186.94%

Beef Round Steak (1kg)

$10.86 MX$188

$5.74 R$29.15

89.20%

Apples (1kg)

$2.71 MX$46.93

$2.04 R$10.37

32.84%

Banana (1kg)

$1.51 MX$26.04

$1.19 R$6.04

26.89%

Oranges (1kg)

$1.87 MX$32.41

$0.86 R$4.38

117.44%

Tomato (1kg)

$2.19 MX$37.89

$1.51 R$7.67

45.03%

Potato (1kg)

$1.86 MX$32.14

$0.79 R$3.99

135.44%

Onion (1kg)

$2.23 MX$38.59

$1.04 R$5.26

114.42%

Lettuce (1 head)

$1.07 MX$18.48

$0.75 R$3.82

42.67%

Water (1.5 liter bottle)

$1.09 MX$18.79

$0.58 R$2.93

87.93%

Cigarettes 20 Pack (Marlboro, Camel)

$4.19 MX$72.4

$1.99 R$10.09

110.55%

Wine (Bottle)

$10.43 MX$180

$8.03 R$40.72

29.89%

Local Beer (0.5 liter bottle)

$1.66 MX$28.68

$0.74 R$3.75

124.32%

Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$2.61 MX$45.19

$0.89 R$4.49

193.26%

One-way Ticket (Public Transport)

$0.54 MX$9.37

$0.91 R$4.63

-40.66%

Public Transport Monthly Pass (Regular Price)

$26.16 MX$453

$38.85 R$197

-32.66%

Taxi Start (Normal Tariff)

$3.08 MX$53.3

$1.64 R$8.30

87.80%

Taxi (Normal Tariff) (1km)

$2.40 MX$41.61

$1.00 R$5.10

140.00%

Taxi 1hour Waiting (Normal Tariff)

$3.13 MX$54.1

$5.46 R$27.71

-42.67%

Gasoline (1 liter)

$1.31 MX$22.69

$0.98 R$4.95

33.67%

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

$29.8K MX$515.7K

$19.6K R$99.4K

52.23%

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

$23.3K MX$403.5K

$27.5K R$139.6K

-15.21%

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

$81.3 MX$1,406

$61.2 R$310

32.88%

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

$22.56 MX$390

$9.35 R$47.45

141.28%

Internet (50+ Mbps, Unlimited Data)

$30.05 MX$520

$20.12 R$102

49.35%

Gym Membership (Monthly)

$52.9 MX$915

$15.03 R$76.3

252.03%

Tennis Court (1 Hour on Weekend)

$18.39 MX$318

$21.84 R$111

-15.80%

Cinema Ticket

$4.92 MX$85.1

$6.16 R$31.27

-20.13%

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

$201 MX$3,474

$140 R$711

43.26%

International Primary School, 1 Child (Yearly)

$5,175 MX$89.5K

$1,708 R$8,668

202.91%

Jeans (Levis 501 Or Similar)

$35.92 MX$622

$49.13 R$249

-26.89%

Summer Dress (H&M, Zara, etc)

$40.13 MX$694

$57.7 R$293

-30.39%

Sport Shoes (Adidas, Nike)

$79.7 MX$1,379

$49.43 R$251

61.24%

Men's Leather Business Shoes

$86.5 MX$1,496

$63.7 R$323

35.71%

1-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)

$978 MX$16.9K

$321 R$1,628

204.82%

1-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)

$470 MX$8,140

$214 R$1,088

119.52%

3-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)

$1,651 MX$28.6K

$407 R$2,063

306.18%

3-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)

$1,203 MX$20.8K

$240 R$1,217

401.77%

Buy Apartment in City Center (m2)

$3,953 MX$68.4K

$1,649 R$8,367

139.75%

Buy Apartment Outside City Center (m2)

$6,607 MX$114.3K

$1,155 R$5,861

472.09%

Average Monthly Net Salary (After Tax)

$677 MX$11.7K

$613 R$3,111

10.35%

20-Year Fixed Mortgage Interest Rate (Annual %)

11.42

14.20%

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

Last update for Playa del Carmen: July 27, 2026

Last update for Gravataí: July 27, 2026

Cost Breakdown

A one-bedroom apartment in the center runs $978 in Playa del Carmen and $321 in Gravataí. Housing cost is often the main lever when comparing two cities.

Playa del Carmen pays 10% 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: $42.00 in Playa del Carmen vs $17.00 in Gravataí for a mid-range dinner for two. Groceries echo the gap at $252 vs $162 per month, with Gravataí cheaper across the board.

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 Gravataí: Cost of Living - Frequently Asked Questions

Gravataí is cheaper overall, especially in Groceries & Markets, Eating Out, Clothing & Footwear, Sport & Entertainment, Monthly Utilities & Internet. The 70% gap adds up to real monthly savings that compound significantly over time.

Average pay runs 10% higher in Playa del Carmen, which matters when comparing affordability. Whether that higher income actually nets you more depends on your spending habits and housing choices.

Rent for a central apartment: $978 in Playa del Carmen versus $321 in Gravataí. Housing is usually the single largest factor when comparing overall living costs between the two.

Dining out is cheaper in Gravataí – a meal for two runs $17.00 versus $42.00 in Playa del Carmen. If you eat out regularly, this makes a real dent in your monthly spending.

All in, you'll spend $1,260 per month in Playa del Carmen versus $739 in Gravataí – a 70% gap that adds up to real savings over time for anyone picking the cheaper option.

At $739 in Gravataí versus $1,260 in Playa del Carmen, a $1,500 budget is realistic in Gravataí but tight or insufficient in Playa del Carmen. The gap between the two cities makes Gravataí the clear choice for anyone on this budget.

For families, Gravataí is more practical. Housing and childcare are both notably cheaper than in Playa del Carmen, and the savings on those two alone free up budget for education, activities, and family trips.

Expats usually find Gravataí gentler on the wallet – expenses run 70% less than in Playa del Carmen. Beyond cost, consider language, visa policies, and how big the international community is in each city.