Cost of Living Comparison Between Playa del Carmen and Green Island Cost of Living Comparison Between Playa del Carmen and Green Island

Monthly Cost of Living

Monthly costs for one person with rent: $1,259 in Playa del Carmen versus $894 in Green Island.

Estimated couple costs with rent: $2,177 in Playa del Carmen versus $1,450 in Green Island.

Monthly costs for a family of three with rent: $3,095 in Playa del Carmen versus $2,006 in Green Island.

Living in Playa del Carmen is roughly 41% more expensive than in Green Island, driven mainly by Groceries & Markets.

Both cities sit below the global median: Playa del Carmen 6% lower, Green Island 33% lower.

Meal at Budget Restaurant

$11.95 MX$208

$7.45 JMD 1,174

60.40%

Three-Course Dinner for Two, Mid-Range

$41.94 MX$731

$63.7 JMD 10.0K

-34.15%

Fast Food Meal (McDonalds, etc)

$10.42 MX$182

$8.68 JMD 1,367

20.05%

Cappuccino

$3.51 MX$61.3

$4.40 JMD 694

-20.23%

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

$1.52 MX$26.44

$1.36 JMD 214

11.76%

Water (0.33 liter bottle)

$0.91 MX$15.88

$0.71 JMD 112

28.17%

Local Beer (0.5 liter draught)

$3.04 MX$53.0

$2.44 JMD 384

24.59%

Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$4.37 MX$76.2

$3.10 JMD 487

40.97%

Milk (1 liter)

$1.42 MX$24.78

$4.29 JMD 676

-66.90%

White Bread (500g)

$1.83 MX$31.93

$3.63 JMD 572

-49.59%

Rice (white) (1kg)

$1.63 MX$28.51

$1.63 JMD 257

Eggs

$2.54 MX$44.29

$3.58 JMD 564

-29.05%

Local Cheese (1kg)

$8.57 MX$149

$11.13 JMD 1,752

-23.00%

Chicken Fillets (1kg)

$8.49 MX$148

$6.18 JMD 973

37.38%

Beef Round Steak (1kg)

$10.80 MX$188

$7.47 JMD 1,176

44.58%

Apples (1kg)

$2.75 MX$48.04

$5.88 JMD 925

-53.23%

Banana (1kg)

$1.44 MX$25.05

$3.05 JMD 480

-52.79%

Oranges (1kg)

$1.89 MX$32.90

$4.27 JMD 673

-55.74%

Tomato (1kg)

$2.17 MX$37.84

$2.93 JMD 461

-25.94%

Potato (1kg)

$1.78 MX$31.03

$2.01 JMD 317

-11.44%

Onion (1kg)

$2.22 MX$38.79

$2.02 JMD 317

9.90%

Lettuce (1 head)

$1.07 MX$18.64

$3.01 JMD 474

-64.45%

Water (1.5 liter bottle)

$1.08 MX$18.83

$1.48 JMD 233

-27.03%

Cigarettes 20 Pack (Marlboro, Camel)

$4.15 MX$72.3

$8.58 JMD 1,351

-51.63%

Wine (Bottle)

$10.45 MX$182

$11.54 JMD 1,818

-9.45%

Local Beer (0.5 liter bottle)

$1.74 MX$30.40

$2.78 JMD 438

-37.41%

Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$2.58 MX$45.01

$3.22 JMD 506

-19.88%

One-way Ticket (Public Transport)

$0.51 MX$8.95

Public Transport Monthly Pass (Regular Price)

$25.94 MX$452

Taxi Start (Normal Tariff)

$3.21 MX$56.0

$1.11 JMD 175

189.19%

Taxi (Normal Tariff) (1km)

$2.50 MX$43.64

$3.25 JMD 512

-23.08%

Taxi 1hour Waiting (Normal Tariff)

$3.19 MX$55.6

$6.34 JMD 999

-49.68%

Gasoline (1 liter)

$1.26 MX$21.91

$1.23 JMD 193

2.44%

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

$29.7K MX$517.7K

$43.2K JMD 6.8M

-31.24%

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

$23.7K MX$413.0K

$33.6K JMD 5.3M

-29.60%

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

$82.0 MX$1,430

$164 JMD 25.8K

-49.98%

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

$22.73 MX$396

$22.27 JMD 3,506

2.07%

Internet (50+ Mbps, Unlimited Data)

$29.42 MX$513

$51.6 JMD 8,123

-42.96%

Gym Membership (Monthly)

$52.2 MX$910

Tennis Court (1 Hour on Weekend)

$18.45 MX$322

Cinema Ticket

$4.93 MX$86.0

$13.28 JMD 2,091

-62.88%

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

$202 MX$3,519

$226 JMD 35.6K

-10.64%

International Primary School, 1 Child (Yearly)

$5,217 MX$91.0K

$2,522 JMD 397.2K

106.83%

Jeans (Levis 501 Or Similar)

$35.93 MX$627

$25.71 JMD 4,048

39.75%

Summer Dress (H&M, Zara, etc)

$40.33 MX$703

$25.41 JMD 4,001

58.72%

Sport Shoes (Adidas, Nike)

$79.9 MX$1,393

$71.3 JMD 11.2K

12.03%

Men's Leather Business Shoes

$89.3 MX$1,557

$76.3 JMD 12.0K

17.13%

1-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)

$948 MX$16.5K

1-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)

$465 MX$8,114

3-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)

$1,630 MX$28.4K

3-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)

$1,193 MX$20.8K

Buy Apartment in City Center (m2)

$3,933 MX$68.6K

Buy Apartment Outside City Center (m2)

$6,428 MX$112.1K

Average Monthly Net Salary (After Tax)

$658 MX$11.5K

20-Year Fixed Mortgage Interest Rate (Annual %)

11.42

9.15

24.81%

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

Last update for Playa del Carmen: July 20, 2026

Last update for Green Island: July 19, 2026

Cost Breakdown

Dining out: $42.00 in Playa del Carmen vs $64.0 in Green Island for a mid-range dinner for two. Groceries echo the gap at $252 vs $349 per month, with Playa del Carmen 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 Green Island: Cost of Living - Frequently Asked Questions

Playa del Carmen and Green Island differ by about 41% in total monthly costs ($1,259 vs $894 including rent). Green Island is meaningfully more affordable – a gap that matters a lot on a fixed or modest income.

You'd need roughly $1,888 in Playa del Carmen and $1,341 in Green Island to live well. The gap comes down to housing and overall price levels. Both cities are liveable on less, but these numbers represent actual comfort.

Shoppers in Playa del Carmen pay roughly 38% less for everyday groceries. It's an unusual reversal that partly offsets higher costs elsewhere.

All in, you'll spend $1,259 per month in Playa del Carmen versus $894 in Green Island – a 41% gap that adds up to real savings over time for anyone picking the cheaper option.

At $894 in Green Island versus $1,259 in Playa del Carmen, a $2,000 budget is realistic in Green Island but tight or insufficient in Playa del Carmen. The gap between the two cities makes Green Island 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.

Expats usually find Green Island gentler on the wallet – expenses run 41% less than in Playa del Carmen. Beyond cost, consider language, visa policies, and how big the international community is in each city.