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: $1,262 in Playa del Carmen versus $875 in Green Island.

Estimated couple costs with rent: $2,158 in Playa del Carmen versus $1,445 in Green Island.

Monthly costs for a family of three with rent: $3,054 in Playa del Carmen versus $2,014 in Green Island.

Living in Playa del Carmen is roughly 44% more expensive than Green Island, driven mainly by Groceries & Markets.

Both cities sit below the global median: Playa del Carmen 6% lower, Green Island 35% lower.

Meal at Budget Restaurant

$11.61 MX$201

$7.65 JMD 1,211

51.76%

Three-Course Dinner for Two, Mid-Range

$42.75 MX$740

$63.1 JMD 9,978

-32.20%

Fast Food Meal (McDonalds, etc)

$10.60 MX$184

$8.90 JMD 1,409

19.10%

Cappuccino

$3.59 MX$62.2

$4.45 JMD 704

-19.33%

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

$1.45 MX$25.15

$1.37 JMD 217

5.84%

Water (0.33 liter bottle)

$0.90 MX$15.55

$0.75 JMD 118

20.00%

Local Beer (0.5 liter draught)

$3.03 MX$52.5

$2.49 JMD 394

21.69%

Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$4.56 MX$79.0

$3.15 JMD 499

44.76%

Milk (1 liter)

$1.45 MX$25.14

$4.43 JMD 701

-67.27%

White Bread (500g)

$1.83 MX$31.64

$3.64 JMD 577

-49.73%

Rice (white) (1kg)

$1.61 MX$27.85

$1.62 JMD 256

-0.62%

Eggs

$2.54 MX$43.95

$3.44 JMD 544

-26.16%

Local Cheese (1kg)

$8.54 MX$148

$11.15 JMD 1,764

-23.41%

Chicken Fillets (1kg)

$8.47 MX$147

$6.45 JMD 1,021

31.32%

Beef Round Steak (1kg)

$10.86 MX$188

$7.52 JMD 1,191

44.41%

Apples (1kg)

$2.73 MX$47.26

$6.06 JMD 959

-54.95%

Banana (1kg)

$1.49 MX$25.85

$3.05 JMD 482

-51.15%

Oranges (1kg)

$1.94 MX$33.65

$4.28 JMD 678

-54.67%

Tomato (1kg)

$2.16 MX$37.49

$2.95 JMD 466

-26.78%

Potato (1kg)

$1.85 MX$31.97

$2.03 JMD 321

-8.87%

Onion (1kg)

$2.19 MX$37.91

$1.95 JMD 308

12.31%

Lettuce (1 head)

$1.07 MX$18.58

$3.06 JMD 485

-65.03%

Water (1.5 liter bottle)

$1.08 MX$18.76

$1.44 JMD 228

-25.00%

Cigarettes 20 Pack (Marlboro, Camel)

$4.06 MX$70.3

$8.55 JMD 1,354

-52.51%

Wine (Bottle)

$10.46 MX$181

$11.58 JMD 1,833

-9.67%

Local Beer (0.5 liter bottle)

$1.65 MX$28.64

$2.77 JMD 438

-40.43%

Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$2.55 MX$44.13

$3.04 JMD 481

-16.12%

One-way Ticket (Public Transport)

$0.56 MX$9.63

Public Transport Monthly Pass (Regular Price)

$26.20 MX$454

Taxi Start (Normal Tariff)

$3.14 MX$54.4

$1.09 JMD 172

188.07%

Taxi (Normal Tariff) (1km)

$2.37 MX$41.08

$3.25 JMD 515

-27.08%

Taxi 1hour Waiting (Normal Tariff)

$3.24 MX$56.1

$6.10 JMD 966

-46.89%

Gasoline (1 liter)

$1.31 MX$22.76

$1.25 JMD 197

4.80%

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

$30.5K MX$528.9K

$42.6K JMD 6.7M

-28.37%

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

$23.8K MX$412.6K

$34.2K JMD 5.4M

-30.36%

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

$83.1 MX$1,440

$164 JMD 26.0K

-49.30%

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

$22.15 MX$384

$22.48 JMD 3,558

-1.47%

Internet (50+ Mbps, Unlimited Data)

$29.37 MX$509

$50.2 JMD 7,947

-41.51%

Gym Membership (Monthly)

$51.2 MX$887

Tennis Court (1 Hour on Weekend)

$18.69 MX$324

Cinema Ticket

$4.89 MX$84.7

$13.13 JMD 2,078

-62.76%

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

$199 MX$3,441

$228 JMD 36.2K

-13.04%

International Primary School, 1 Child (Yearly)

$5,207 MX$90.2K

$2,498 JMD 395.4K

108.45%

Jeans (Levis 501 Or Similar)

$35.93 MX$622

$25.89 JMD 4,097

38.78%

Summer Dress (H&M, Zara, etc)

$39.39 MX$682

$25.22 JMD 3,992

56.19%

Sport Shoes (Adidas, Nike)

$80.3 MX$1,391

$72.1 JMD 11.4K

11.45%

Men's Leather Business Shoes

$87.6 MX$1,517

$74.7 JMD 11.8K

17.17%

1-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)

$963 MX$16.7K

1-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)

$482 MX$8,350

3-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)

$1,645 MX$28.5K

3-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)

$1,192 MX$20.6K

Buy Apartment in City Center (m2)

$3,957 MX$68.5K

Buy Apartment Outside City Center (m2)

$6,513 MX$112.8K

Average Monthly Net Salary (After Tax)

$726 MX$12.6K

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: April 12, 2026

Last update for Green Island: April 13, 2026

Cost Breakdown

A one-bedroom apartment in the center runs $963 in Playa del Carmen and $0 in Green Island. Housing cost is often the main lever when comparing two cities.

Dining out: $43 in Playa del Carmen vs $63 in Green Island for a mid-range dinner for two. Groceries echo the gap at $253 vs $352 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 44% in total monthly costs ($1,262 vs $875 including rent). Green Island is meaningfully more affordable – a gap that matters a lot on a fixed or modest income.

You'd need roughly $1,894 in Playa del Carmen and $1,313 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 39% less for everyday groceries. It's an unusual reversal that partly offsets higher costs elsewhere.

All in, you'll spend $1,262 per month in Playa del Carmen versus $875 in Green Island – a 44% gap that adds up to real savings over time for anyone picking the cheaper option.

At $875 in Green Island versus $1,262 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 44% less than in Playa del Carmen. Beyond cost, consider language, visa policies, and how big the international community is in each city.