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

Monthly Cost of Living

Monthly costs for one person with rent: $1,271 in Playa del Carmen versus $2,632 in Greystones.

Estimated couple costs with rent: $2,126 in Playa del Carmen versus $3,778 in Greystones.

Monthly costs for a family of three with rent: $2,980 in Playa del Carmen versus $4,925 in Greystones.

Living in Playa del Carmen costs roughly 52% less than in Greystones, driven mainly by Groceries & Markets.

The two cities straddle the global median: Playa del Carmen is 5% below, Greystones is 96% above.

Meal at Budget Restaurant

$11.87 MX$204

$18.95 €16.33

-37.36%

Three-Course Dinner for Two, Mid-Range

$42.90 MX$736

$75.3 €64.9

-43.06%

Fast Food Meal (McDonalds, etc)

$10.65 MX$183

$16.43 €14.16

-35.18%

Cappuccino

$3.45 MX$59.2

$4.40 €3.79

-21.59%

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

$1.50 MX$25.81

$2.46 €2.12

-39.02%

Water (0.33 liter bottle)

$0.95 MX$16.28

$1.91 €1.65

-50.26%

Local Beer (0.5 liter draught)

$3.03 MX$51.9

$6.91 €5.95

-56.15%

Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$4.61 MX$79.1

$6.43 €5.54

-28.30%

Milk (1 liter)

$1.38 MX$23.61

$2.03 €1.75

-32.02%

White Bread (500g)

$1.85 MX$31.70

$2.14 €1.84

-13.55%

Rice (white) (1kg)

$1.61 MX$27.65

$2.37 €2.04

-32.07%

Eggs

$2.59 MX$44.51

$4.04 €3.48

-35.89%

Local Cheese (1kg)

$8.26 MX$142

$9.29 €8.00

-11.09%

Chicken Fillets (1kg)

$8.37 MX$144

$9.87 €8.50

-15.20%

Beef Round Steak (1kg)

$10.66 MX$183

$15.17 €13.07

-29.73%

Apples (1kg)

$2.63 MX$45.12

$4.69 €4.04

-43.92%

Banana (1kg)

$1.49 MX$25.53

$2.83 €2.44

-47.35%

Oranges (1kg)

$1.92 MX$32.94

$3.93 €3.39

-51.15%

Tomato (1kg)

$2.09 MX$35.81

$3.95 €3.40

-47.09%

Potato (1kg)

$1.86 MX$31.88

$3.18 €2.74

-41.51%

Onion (1kg)

$2.26 MX$38.81

$1.87 €1.61

20.86%

Lettuce (1 head)

$1.06 MX$18.23

$1.84 €1.58

-42.39%

Water (1.5 liter bottle)

$1.09 MX$18.67

$2.32 €2.00

-53.02%

Cigarettes 20 Pack (Marlboro, Camel)

$4.15 MX$71.2

$15.55 €13.40

-73.31%

Wine (Bottle)

$10.39 MX$178

$14.59 €12.57

-28.79%

Local Beer (0.5 liter bottle)

$1.72 MX$29.59

$3.87 €3.34

-55.56%

Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$2.61 MX$44.85

$5.20 €4.48

-49.81%

One-way Ticket (Public Transport)

$0.54 MX$9.30

$4.03 €3.47

-86.60%

Public Transport Monthly Pass (Regular Price)

$26.94 MX$462

$57.0 €49.11

-52.74%

Taxi Start (Normal Tariff)

$3.13 MX$53.7

$5.13 €4.42

-38.99%

Taxi (Normal Tariff) (1km)

$2.51 MX$43.09

$2.35 €2.03

6.81%

Taxi 1hour Waiting (Normal Tariff)

$3.15 MX$54.1

$35.39 €30.49

-91.10%

Gasoline (1 liter)

$1.27 MX$21.88

$2.27 €1.96

-44.05%

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

$30.4K MX$521.3K

$41.5K €35.8K

-26.83%

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

$23.6K MX$404.5K

$40.7K €35.0K

-42.05%

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

$83.0 MX$1,425

$233 €201

-64.42%

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

$22.71 MX$390

$21.61 €18.62

5.09%

Internet (50+ Mbps, Unlimited Data)

$29.46 MX$506

$49.82 €42.92

-40.87%

Gym Membership (Monthly)

$51.0 MX$875

$68.7 €59.2

-25.73%

Tennis Court (1 Hour on Weekend)

$18.33 MX$315

$34.41 €29.64

-46.73%

Cinema Ticket

$4.93 MX$84.5

$16.01 €13.80

-69.21%

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

$197 MX$3,386

$1,651 €1,422

-88.05%

International Primary School, 1 Child (Yearly)

$5,280 MX$90.6K

$7,790 €6,712

-32.23%

Jeans (Levis 501 Or Similar)

$36.90 MX$633

$90.2 €77.7

-59.10%

Summer Dress (H&M, Zara, etc)

$39.89 MX$685

$57.8 €49.82

-31.01%

Sport Shoes (Adidas, Nike)

$80.0 MX$1,373

$93.3 €80.4

-14.25%

Men's Leather Business Shoes

$89.5 MX$1,536

$142 €123

-37.20%

1-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)

$956 MX$16.4K

$1,461 €1,258

-34.53%

1-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)

$477 MX$8,189

$1,221 €1,052

-60.92%

3-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)

$1,646 MX$28.3K

$2,430 €2,093

-32.26%

3-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)

$1,225 MX$21.0K

$1,978 €1,704

-38.09%

Buy Apartment in City Center (m2)

$3,918 MX$67.2K

$4,075 €3,511

-3.85%

Buy Apartment Outside City Center (m2)

$6,459 MX$110.9K

$2,080 €1,792

210.48%

Average Monthly Net Salary (After Tax)

$667 MX$11.4K

$3,447 €2,970

-80.65%

20-Year Fixed Mortgage Interest Rate (Annual %)

11.42

4.53

152.10%

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 Greystones: June 6, 2026

Cost Breakdown

A one-bedroom apartment in the center runs $956 in Playa del Carmen and $1,461 in Greystones. Housing cost is often the main lever when comparing two cities.

Greystones pays 417% more on average. The extra income cushions the higher costs, though housing choices and lifestyle decide how much of the gap is truly closed.

Dining out: $43.00 in Playa del Carmen vs $75.0 in Greystones for a mid-range dinner for two. Groceries echo the gap at $250 vs $373 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 Greystones: Cost of Living - Frequently Asked Questions

Playa del Carmen is cheaper overall, especially in Groceries & Markets, Eating Out, Clothing & Footwear, Sport & Entertainment, Monthly Utilities & Internet. The 107% gap adds up to real monthly savings that compound significantly over time.

On paper, Greystones earns 417% less. 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: $956 in Playa del Carmen versus $1,461 in Greystones. 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 $43.00 versus $75.0 in Greystones. If you eat out regularly, this makes a real dent in your monthly spending.

All in, you'll spend $1,271 per month in Playa del Carmen versus $2,632 in Greystones – a 107% gap that adds up to real savings over time for anyone picking the cheaper option.

At $1,271 in Playa del Carmen versus $2,632 in Greystones, a $1,500 budget is realistic in Playa del Carmen but tight or insufficient in Greystones. The gap between the two cities makes Playa del Carmen the clear choice for anyone on this budget.

For families, Playa del Carmen is more practical. Housing and childcare are both notably cheaper than in Greystones, and the savings on those two alone free up budget for education, activities, and family trips.

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

Expats usually find Playa del Carmen gentler on the wallet – expenses run 107% less than in Greystones. Beyond cost, consider language, visa policies, and how big the international community is in each city.