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: $1,271 in Playa del Carmen versus $899 in Green Island.

Estimated couple costs with rent: $2,126 in Playa del Carmen versus $1,446 in Green Island.

Monthly costs for a family of three with rent: $2,980 in Playa del Carmen versus $1,994 in Green Island.

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

Both cities sit below the global median: Playa del Carmen 5% lower, Green Island 33% lower.

Meal at Budget Restaurant

$11.87 MX$207

$7.68 JMD 1,208

54.56%

Three-Course Dinner for Two, Mid-Range

$42.90 MX$749

$62.8 JMD 9,878

-31.69%

Fast Food Meal (McDonalds, etc)

$10.65 MX$186

$8.72 JMD 1,372

22.13%

Cappuccino

$3.45 MX$60.2

$4.42 JMD 695

-21.95%

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

$1.50 MX$26.24

$1.31 JMD 207

14.50%

Water (0.33 liter bottle)

$0.95 MX$16.56

$0.76 JMD 119

25.00%

Local Beer (0.5 liter draught)

$3.03 MX$52.8

$2.49 JMD 391

21.69%

Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$4.61 MX$80.4

$3.20 JMD 504

44.06%

Milk (1 liter)

$1.38 MX$24.01

$4.36 JMD 686

-68.35%

White Bread (500g)

$1.85 MX$32.24

$3.67 JMD 577

-49.59%

Rice (white) (1kg)

$1.61 MX$28.11

$1.55 JMD 244

3.87%

Eggs

$2.59 MX$45.26

$3.57 JMD 562

-27.45%

Local Cheese (1kg)

$8.26 MX$144

$11.26 JMD 1,771

-26.64%

Chicken Fillets (1kg)

$8.37 MX$146

$6.44 JMD 1,013

29.97%

Beef Round Steak (1kg)

$10.66 MX$186

$7.67 JMD 1,206

38.98%

Apples (1kg)

$2.63 MX$45.89

$5.89 JMD 927

-55.35%

Banana (1kg)

$1.49 MX$25.96

$3.09 JMD 486

-51.78%

Oranges (1kg)

$1.92 MX$33.50

$4.21 JMD 662

-54.39%

Tomato (1kg)

$2.09 MX$36.41

$2.89 JMD 455

-27.68%

Potato (1kg)

$1.86 MX$32.42

$2.10 JMD 331

-11.43%

Onion (1kg)

$2.26 MX$39.47

$2.01 JMD 317

12.44%

Lettuce (1 head)

$1.06 MX$18.54

$3.13 JMD 493

-66.13%

Water (1.5 liter bottle)

$1.09 MX$18.98

$1.45 JMD 228

-24.83%

Cigarettes 20 Pack (Marlboro, Camel)

$4.15 MX$72.4

$8.83 JMD 1,389

-53.00%

Wine (Bottle)

$10.39 MX$181

$11.34 JMD 1,784

-8.38%

Local Beer (0.5 liter bottle)

$1.72 MX$30.09

$2.78 JMD 437

-38.13%

Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$2.61 MX$45.60

$3.05 JMD 480

-14.43%

One-way Ticket (Public Transport)

$0.54 MX$9.46

Public Transport Monthly Pass (Regular Price)

$26.94 MX$470

Taxi Start (Normal Tariff)

$3.13 MX$54.6

$1.07 JMD 168

192.52%

Taxi (Normal Tariff) (1km)

$2.51 MX$43.82

$3.25 JMD 512

-22.77%

Taxi 1hour Waiting (Normal Tariff)

$3.15 MX$55.0

$6.17 JMD 970

-48.95%

Gasoline (1 liter)

$1.27 MX$22.25

$1.29 JMD 203

-1.55%

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

$30.4K MX$530.1K

$42.3K JMD 6.7M

-28.20%

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

$23.6K MX$411.3K

$33.3K JMD 5.2M

-29.15%

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

$83.0 MX$1,449

$165 JMD 25.9K

-49.65%

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

$22.71 MX$396

$22.16 JMD 3,486

2.48%

Internet (50+ Mbps, Unlimited Data)

$29.46 MX$514

$49.98 JMD 7,862

-41.06%

Gym Membership (Monthly)

$51.0 MX$890

Tennis Court (1 Hour on Weekend)

$18.33 MX$320

Cinema Ticket

$4.93 MX$86.0

$13.07 JMD 2,055

-62.28%

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

$197 MX$3,444

$224 JMD 35.3K

-12.07%

International Primary School, 1 Child (Yearly)

$5,280 MX$92.1K

$2,478 JMD 389.7K

113.11%

Jeans (Levis 501 Or Similar)

$36.90 MX$644

$26.45 JMD 4,160

39.51%

Summer Dress (H&M, Zara, etc)

$39.89 MX$696

$25.69 JMD 4,041

55.27%

Sport Shoes (Adidas, Nike)

$80.0 MX$1,396

$69.9 JMD 11.0K

14.55%

Men's Leather Business Shoes

$89.5 MX$1,561

$75.3 JMD 11.8K

18.80%

1-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)

$956 MX$16.7K

1-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)

$477 MX$8,327

3-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)

$1,646 MX$28.7K

3-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)

$1,225 MX$21.4K

Buy Apartment in City Center (m2)

$3,918 MX$68.4K

Buy Apartment Outside City Center (m2)

$6,459 MX$112.7K

Average Monthly Net Salary (After Tax)

$667 MX$11.6K

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: June 7, 2026

Last update for Green Island: June 9, 2026

Cost Breakdown

Dining out: $43.00 in Playa del Carmen vs $63.0 in Green Island for a mid-range dinner for two. Groceries echo the gap at $250 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 41% in total monthly costs ($1,271 vs $899 including rent). Green Island is meaningfully more affordable – a gap that matters a lot on a fixed or modest income.

You'd need roughly $1,906 in Playa del Carmen and $1,348 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 41% less for everyday groceries. It's an unusual reversal that partly offsets higher costs elsewhere.

All in, you'll spend $1,271 per month in Playa del Carmen versus $899 in Green Island – a 41% gap that adds up to real savings over time for anyone picking the cheaper option.

At $899 in Green Island versus $1,271 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.