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

Monthly Cost of Living

Monthly costs for one person with rent: $1,294 in Playa del Carmen versus $1,298 in Grenada.

Estimated couple costs with rent: $2,189 in Playa del Carmen versus $1,801 in Grenada.

Monthly costs for a family of three with rent: $3,084 in Playa del Carmen versus $2,304 in Grenada.

Monthly costs are close between Playa del Carmen and Grenada; which city is cheaper depends on the spending category.

Both cities sit below the global median: Playa del Carmen 3% lower, Grenada 3% lower.

Meal at Budget Restaurant

$11.73 MX$204

$9.37 EC$25.30

25.19%

Three-Course Dinner for Two, Mid-Range

$41.78 MX$725

$36.38 EC$98.2

14.84%

Fast Food Meal (McDonalds, etc)

$10.41 MX$181

$9.39 EC$25.35

10.86%

Cappuccino

$3.61 MX$62.6

$3.26 EC$8.80

10.74%

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

$1.46 MX$25.28

$1.34 EC$3.60

8.96%

Water (0.33 liter bottle)

$0.97 MX$16.84

$1.03 EC$2.79

-5.83%

Local Beer (0.5 liter draught)

$2.92 MX$50.8

$2.57 EC$6.93

13.62%

Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$4.62 MX$80.2

$3.19 EC$8.63

44.83%

Milk (1 liter)

$1.43 MX$24.80

$5.65 EC$15.25

-74.69%

White Bread (500g)

$1.90 MX$32.98

$1.54 EC$4.15

23.38%

Rice (white) (1kg)

$1.57 MX$27.18

$2.06 EC$5.57

-23.79%

Eggs

$2.64 MX$45.73

$3.60 EC$9.72

-26.67%

Local Cheese (1kg)

$8.44 MX$146

Chicken Fillets (1kg)

$8.58 MX$149

$9.84 EC$26.57

-12.80%

Beef Round Steak (1kg)

$11.00 MX$191

Apples (1kg)

$2.70 MX$46.91

Banana (1kg)

$1.51 MX$26.15

Oranges (1kg)

$1.91 MX$33.22

Tomato (1kg)

$2.17 MX$37.69

Potato (1kg)

$1.87 MX$32.53

$7.92 EC$21.39

-76.39%

Onion (1kg)

$2.23 MX$38.76

Lettuce (1 head)

$1.08 MX$18.76

$1.84 EC$4.96

-41.30%

Water (1.5 liter bottle)

$1.07 MX$18.63

$3.80 EC$10.27

-71.84%

Cigarettes 20 Pack (Marlboro, Camel)

$4.16 MX$72.2

$5.48 EC$14.79

-24.09%

Wine (Bottle)

$10.29 MX$179

$11.07 EC$29.89

-7.05%

Local Beer (0.5 liter bottle)

$1.68 MX$29.20

$1.50 EC$4.04

12.00%

Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$2.53 MX$43.96

$2.97 EC$8.03

-14.81%

One-way Ticket (Public Transport)

$0.55 MX$9.61

$1.27 EC$3.43

-56.69%

Public Transport Monthly Pass (Regular Price)

$26.29 MX$456

Taxi Start (Normal Tariff)

$3.20 MX$55.5

$7.29 EC$19.70

-56.10%

Taxi (Normal Tariff) (1km)

$2.46 MX$42.73

Taxi 1hour Waiting (Normal Tariff)

$3.20 MX$55.5

$9.11 EC$24.60

-64.87%

Gasoline (1 liter)

$1.32 MX$22.91

$1.44 EC$3.89

-8.33%

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

$30.2K MX$523.3K

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

$23.4K MX$406.0K

$16.9K EC$45.6K

38.42%

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

$81.4 MX$1,412

$203 EC$549

-59.96%

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

$22.41 MX$389

$44.68 EC$121

-49.84%

Internet (50+ Mbps, Unlimited Data)

$29.97 MX$520

$47.20 EC$127

-36.50%

Gym Membership (Monthly)

$51.6 MX$895

$34.90 EC$94.2

47.74%

Tennis Court (1 Hour on Weekend)

$18.39 MX$319

$17.63 EC$47.60

4.31%

Cinema Ticket

$5.16 MX$89.6

$9.32 EC$25.17

-44.64%

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

$202 MX$3,501

International Primary School, 1 Child (Yearly)

$5,311 MX$92.2K

Jeans (Levis 501 Or Similar)

$35.61 MX$618

Summer Dress (H&M, Zara, etc)

$40.37 MX$701

Sport Shoes (Adidas, Nike)

$78.6 MX$1,365

Men's Leather Business Shoes

$86.9 MX$1,507

1-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)

$950 MX$16.5K

$612 EC$1,653

55.19%

1-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)

$478 MX$8,298

$528 EC$1,425

-9.43%

3-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)

$1,621 MX$28.1K

$1,043 EC$2,817

55.36%

3-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)

$1,223 MX$21.2K

$693 EC$1,872

76.41%

Buy Apartment in City Center (m2)

$4,009 MX$69.6K

Buy Apartment Outside City Center (m2)

$6,473 MX$112.3K

Average Monthly Net Salary (After Tax)

$673 MX$11.7K

$877 EC$2,369

-23.30%

20-Year Fixed Mortgage Interest Rate (Annual %)

11.42

42.75%

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

Last update for Playa del Carmen: June 15, 2026

Last update for Grenada: June 13, 2026

Cost Breakdown

A one-bedroom apartment in the center runs $950 in Playa del Carmen and $612 in Grenada. Housing cost is often the main lever when comparing two cities.

Grenada pays 30% more on average. How far that income stretches comes down to housing choices and lifestyle.

Dining out: $42.00 in Playa del Carmen vs $36.00 in Grenada. Groceries flip the comparison at $254 vs $256, with Playa del Carmen cheaper for home cooking.

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 Grenada: Cost of Living - Frequently Asked Questions

On paper, salaries run 30% lower in Grenada. That's worth factoring in alongside costs, though remote workers earning in a stronger currency may not notice the difference at all.

Rent for a central apartment: $950 in Playa del Carmen versus $612 in Grenada. Housing is usually the single largest factor when comparing overall living costs between the two.

Dining out is cheaper in Playa del Carmen – a meal for two runs $42.00 versus $36.00 in Grenada. If you eat out regularly, this makes a real dent in your monthly spending.

Supermarket bills run roughly 1% higher in Grenada. For households that cook at home regularly, that difference adds up over a month.

At $1,294 in Playa del Carmen versus $1,298 in Grenada, a $1,500 budget is realistic in Playa del Carmen but tight or insufficient in Grenada. The gap between the two cities makes Playa del Carmen 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.

Safety-wise, Playa del Carmen and Grenada are on par. Petty crime is typical for cities this size, and most residents feel comfortable going about their daily routines in either place.

It comes down to priorities – Playa del Carmen wins on affordability, Grenada on earning potential. Factor in climate, language, visa rules, and proximity to places that matter to you before deciding.