Cost of Living Comparison Between Playa del Carmen and Gros Islet Cost of Living Comparison Between Playa del Carmen and Gros Islet

Monthly Cost of Living

Monthly costs for one person with rent: $1,287 in Playa del Carmen versus $1,423 in Gros Islet.

Estimated couple costs with rent: $2,184 in Playa del Carmen versus $2,095 in Gros Islet.

Monthly costs for a family of three with rent: $3,082 in Playa del Carmen versus $2,768 in Gros Islet.

Living in Playa del Carmen costs roughly 10% less than in Gros Islet, driven mainly by Groceries & Markets.

The two cities straddle the global median: Playa del Carmen is 4% below, Gros Islet is 6% above.

Meal at Budget Restaurant

$11.94 MX$209

$7.35 EC$19.85

62.45%

Three-Course Dinner for Two, Mid-Range

$42.75 MX$748

$59.6 EC$161

-28.25%

Fast Food Meal (McDonalds, etc)

$10.59 MX$185

$9.47 EC$25.58

11.83%

Cappuccino

$3.62 MX$63.4

$4.57 EC$12.33

-20.79%

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

$1.47 MX$25.69

$1.90 EC$5.12

-22.63%

Water (0.33 liter bottle)

$0.94 MX$16.51

$1.83 EC$4.94

-48.63%

Local Beer (0.5 liter draught)

$3.09 MX$54.1

$2.76 EC$7.44

11.96%

Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$4.46 MX$78.0

$3.76 EC$10.16

18.62%

Milk (1 liter)

$1.43 MX$24.94

$2.64 EC$7.12

-45.83%

White Bread (500g)

$1.88 MX$32.97

$1.81 EC$4.88

3.87%

Rice (white) (1kg)

$1.63 MX$28.50

$1.93 EC$5.20

-15.54%

Eggs

$2.64 MX$46.26

$5.04 EC$13.62

-47.62%

Local Cheese (1kg)

$8.21 MX$144

$12.71 EC$34.32

-35.41%

Chicken Fillets (1kg)

$8.29 MX$145

$15.61 EC$42.16

-46.89%

Beef Round Steak (1kg)

$11.10 MX$194

$15.85 EC$42.79

-29.97%

Apples (1kg)

$2.65 MX$46.40

$5.81 EC$15.69

-54.39%

Banana (1kg)

$1.50 MX$26.26

$1.63 EC$4.40

-7.98%

Oranges (1kg)

$1.99 MX$34.79

$2.18 EC$5.90

-8.72%

Tomato (1kg)

$2.08 MX$36.33

$2.24 EC$6.05

-7.14%

Potato (1kg)

$1.79 MX$31.29

$2.20 EC$5.95

-18.64%

Onion (1kg)

$2.18 MX$38.09

$2.28 EC$6.15

-4.39%

Lettuce (1 head)

$1.08 MX$18.84

$2.97 EC$8.01

-63.64%

Water (1.5 liter bottle)

$1.04 MX$18.15

$1.83 EC$4.94

-43.17%

Cigarettes 20 Pack (Marlboro, Camel)

$3.97 MX$69.5

$6.02 EC$16.25

-34.05%

Wine (Bottle)

$10.20 MX$179

$14.71 EC$39.71

-30.66%

Local Beer (0.5 liter bottle)

$1.73 MX$30.22

Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$2.50 MX$43.71

$4.38 EC$11.83

-42.92%

One-way Ticket (Public Transport)

$0.52 MX$9.07

$0.89 EC$2.40

-41.57%

Public Transport Monthly Pass (Regular Price)

$26.97 MX$472

Taxi Start (Normal Tariff)

$3.14 MX$55.0

Taxi (Normal Tariff) (1km)

$2.40 MX$42.04

Taxi 1hour Waiting (Normal Tariff)

$3.09 MX$54.0

Gasoline (1 liter)

$1.27 MX$22.28

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

$30.9K MX$540.4K

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

$23.3K MX$408.0K

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

$82.0 MX$1,435

$217 EC$586

-62.24%

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

$22.45 MX$393

$22.54 EC$60.9

-0.40%

Internet (50+ Mbps, Unlimited Data)

$29.66 MX$519

$36.53 EC$98.6

-18.81%

Gym Membership (Monthly)

$51.9 MX$908

$49.08 EC$133

5.68%

Tennis Court (1 Hour on Weekend)

$18.67 MX$327

Cinema Ticket

$4.97 MX$87.0

$6.80 EC$18.37

-26.91%

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

$198 MX$3,462

International Primary School, 1 Child (Yearly)

$5,273 MX$92.3K

Jeans (Levis 501 Or Similar)

$36.34 MX$636

$18.36 EC$49.56

97.93%

Summer Dress (H&M, Zara, etc)

$40.05 MX$701

$11.20 EC$30.23

257.59%

Sport Shoes (Adidas, Nike)

$79.9 MX$1,398

$73.4 EC$198

8.78%

Men's Leather Business Shoes

$88.9 MX$1,555

$73.5 EC$198

20.96%

1-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)

$963 MX$16.9K

$606 EC$1,636

59.01%

1-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)

$465 MX$8,133

$457 EC$1,233

1.78%

3-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)

$1,596 MX$27.9K

$859 EC$2,321

85.72%

3-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)

$1,209 MX$21.2K

$642 EC$1,735

88.15%

Buy Apartment in City Center (m2)

$3,942 MX$69.0K

Buy Apartment Outside City Center (m2)

$6,448 MX$112.8K

Average Monthly Net Salary (After Tax)

$720 MX$12.6K

$742 EC$2,004

-2.94%

20-Year Fixed Mortgage Interest Rate (Annual %)

11.42

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

Last update for Playa del Carmen: April 25, 2026

Last update for Gros Islet: April 27, 2026

Cost Breakdown

A one-bedroom apartment in the center runs $963 in Playa del Carmen and $606 in Gros Islet. Housing cost is often the main lever when comparing two cities.

Gros Islet pays 3% 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 $60.0 in Gros Islet for a mid-range dinner for two. Groceries echo the gap at $251 vs $378 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 Gros Islet: Cost of Living - Frequently Asked Questions

Playa del Carmen wins on cost – living expenses run 11% lower than in Gros Islet. Housing and daily spending are where you'll feel the difference most, making Playa del Carmen the obvious pick if budget is a priority.

On paper, Gros Islet earns 3% 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: $963 in Playa del Carmen versus $606 in Gros Islet. Housing is usually the single largest factor when comparing overall living costs between the two.

All in, you'll spend $1,287 per month in Playa del Carmen versus $1,423 in Gros Islet – a 11% gap that adds up to real savings over time for anyone picking the cheaper option.

Supermarket bills run roughly 51% higher in Gros Islet. For households that cook at home regularly, that difference adds up over a month.

At $1,287 in Playa del Carmen versus $1,423 in Gros Islet, a $1,500 budget is realistic in Playa del Carmen but tight or insufficient in Gros Islet. The gap between the two cities makes Playa del Carmen the clear choice for anyone on this budget.

Both work as nomad bases, but Playa del Carmen delivers better value – similar infrastructure at $1,287 monthly. If stretching your runway or maximizing savings is the goal, the price difference makes Playa del Carmen hard to pass up.

Expats usually find Playa del Carmen gentler on the wallet – expenses run 11% less than in Gros Islet. Beyond cost, consider language, visa policies, and how big the international community is in each city.