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: $1,305 in Playa del Carmen versus $1,030 in Green Island.

Estimated couple costs with rent: $2,334 in Playa del Carmen versus $1,692 in Green Island.

Monthly costs for a family of three with rent: $3,362 in Playa del Carmen versus $2,353 in Green Island.

Living in Playa del Carmen is roughly 27% more expensive than in Green Island, driven mainly by Groceries & Markets.

Both cities sit below the global median: Playa del Carmen 5% lower, Green Island 25% lower.

Meal at Budget Restaurant

$11.96 MX$203

$15.56 JMD 2,444

-23.14%

Three-Course Dinner for Two, Mid-Range

$47.38 MX$804

$74.6 JMD 11.7K

-36.51%

Fast Food Meal (McDonalds, etc)

$11.75 MX$199

$8.92 JMD 1,401

31.73%

Cappuccino

$4.12 MX$70.0

$5.43 JMD 852

-24.13%

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

$1.40 MX$23.74

$1.24 JMD 195

12.90%

Water (0.33 liter bottle)

$0.91 MX$15.48

$0.68 JMD 107

33.82%

Local Beer (0.5 liter draught)

$3.21 MX$54.4

$2.15 JMD 337

49.30%

Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$7.07 MX$120

$3.08 JMD 484

129.55%

Milk (1 liter)

$1.68 MX$28.44

$4.06 JMD 638

-58.62%

White Bread (500g)

$2.15 MX$36.48

$3.80 JMD 596

-43.42%

Rice (white) (1kg)

$1.77 MX$30.10

$1.65 JMD 259

7.27%

Eggs

$2.82 MX$47.76

$3.50 JMD 549

-19.43%

Local Cheese (1kg)

$9.20 MX$156

$11.23 JMD 1,764

-18.08%

Chicken Fillets (1kg)

$9.23 MX$157

$6.34 JMD 996

45.58%

Beef Round Steak (1kg)

$12.64 MX$214

$10.14 JMD 1,594

24.65%

Apples (1kg)

$2.95 MX$50.1

$6.09 JMD 957

-51.56%

Banana (1kg)

$1.58 MX$26.79

$4.01 JMD 629

-60.60%

Oranges (1kg)

$2.22 MX$37.70

$7.45 JMD 1,170

-70.20%

Tomato (1kg)

$2.36 MX$40.09

$3.00 JMD 471

-21.33%

Potato (1kg)

$1.99 MX$33.81

$3.24 JMD 508

-38.58%

Onion (1kg)

$1.98 MX$33.58

$2.63 JMD 414

-24.71%

Lettuce (1 head)

$1.24 MX$21.04

$3.14 JMD 493

-60.51%

Water (1.5 liter bottle)

$1.21 MX$20.55

$1.52 JMD 239

-20.39%

Cigarettes 20 Pack (Marlboro, Camel)

$4.60 MX$78.1

$9.61 JMD 1,509

-52.13%

Wine (Bottle)

$10.52 MX$178

$11.46 JMD 1,800

-8.20%

Local Beer (0.5 liter bottle)

$1.69 MX$28.70

$2.84 JMD 447

-40.49%

Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$2.77 MX$47.06

$4.03 JMD 633

-31.27%

One-way Ticket (Public Transport)

$0.60 MX$10.22

Public Transport Monthly Pass (Regular Price)

$29.70 MX$504

Taxi Start (Normal Tariff)

$5.24 MX$88.8

$1.22 JMD 191

329.51%

Taxi (Normal Tariff) (1km)

$3.65 MX$61.9

$3.23 JMD 508

13.00%

Taxi 1hour Waiting (Normal Tariff)

$5.78 MX$98.1

$6.13 JMD 963

-5.71%

Gasoline (1 liter)

$1.54 MX$26.09

$1.40 JMD 220

10.00%

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

$22.8K MX$386.8K

$45.0K JMD 7.1M

-49.28%

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

$25.8K MX$437.9K

$33.0K JMD 5.2M

-21.86%

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

$90.7 MX$1,538

$173 JMD 27.2K

-47.54%

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

$25.19 MX$427

$29.14 JMD 4,578

-13.56%

Internet (50+ Mbps, Unlimited Data)

$31.75 MX$539

$54.0 JMD 8,474

-41.15%

Gym Membership (Monthly)

$68.8 MX$1,167

Tennis Court (1 Hour on Weekend)

$29.37 MX$498

Cinema Ticket

$4.86 MX$82.5

$13.47 JMD 2,116

-63.92%

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

$226 MX$3,828

$358 JMD 56.2K

-36.93%

International Primary School, 1 Child (Yearly)

$4,194 MX$71.1K

$8,105 JMD 1.3M

-48.26%

Jeans (Levis 501 Or Similar)

$47.38 MX$804

$23.80 JMD 3,739

99.08%

Summer Dress (H&M, Zara, etc)

$43.45 MX$737

$31.78 JMD 4,991

36.72%

Sport Shoes (Adidas, Nike)

$80.2 MX$1,361

$77.3 JMD 12.1K

3.76%

Men's Leather Business Shoes

$91.4 MX$1,550

$104 JMD 16.4K

-12.50%

1-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)

$1,086 MX$18.4K

1-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)

$409 MX$6,933

3-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)

$1,972 MX$33.5K

3-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)

$1,281 MX$21.7K

Buy Apartment in City Center (m2)

$4,046 MX$68.6K

Buy Apartment Outside City Center (m2)

$6,704 MX$113.7K

Average Monthly Net Salary (After Tax)

$773 MX$13.1K

20-Year Fixed Mortgage Interest Rate (Annual %)

11.45

9.45

21.16%

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

Last update for Playa del Carmen: September 7, 2026

Last update for Green Island: September 6, 2026

Cost Breakdown

Dining out: $47.00 in Playa del Carmen vs $75.0 in Green Island for a mid-range dinner for two. Groceries echo the gap at $278 vs $385 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 27% in total monthly costs ($1,305 vs $1,030 including rent). Green Island is meaningfully more affordable – a gap that matters a lot on a fixed or modest income.

You'd need roughly $1,958 in Playa del Carmen and $1,545 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 $1,305 per month in Playa del Carmen versus $1,030 in Green Island – a 27% gap that adds up to real savings over time for anyone picking the cheaper option.

At $1,030 in Green Island versus $1,305 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 27% less than in Playa del Carmen. Beyond cost, consider language, visa policies, and how big the international community is in each city.