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: $1,260 in Playa del Carmen versus $1,442 in Gros Islet.

Estimated couple costs with rent: $2,125 in Playa del Carmen versus $2,091 in Gros Islet.

Monthly costs for a family of three with rent: $2,990 in Playa del Carmen versus $2,740 in Gros Islet.

Living in Playa del Carmen costs roughly 13% less than in Gros Islet, driven mainly by Groceries & Markets.

The two cities straddle the global median: Playa del Carmen is 5% below, Gros Islet is 8% above.

Meal at Budget Restaurant

$11.72 MX$203

$7.59 EC$20.50

54.41%

Three-Course Dinner for Two, Mid-Range

$41.89 MX$725

$58.8 EC$159

-28.81%

Fast Food Meal (McDonalds, etc)

$10.51 MX$182

$9.13 EC$24.66

15.12%

Cappuccino

$3.59 MX$62.0

$4.38 EC$11.83

-18.04%

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

$1.51 MX$26.10

$1.82 EC$4.91

-17.03%

Water (0.33 liter bottle)

$0.92 MX$15.83

$1.80 EC$4.85

-48.89%

Local Beer (0.5 liter draught)

$2.96 MX$51.2

$2.81 EC$7.58

5.34%

Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$4.41 MX$76.3

$3.81 EC$10.29

15.75%

Milk (1 liter)

$1.40 MX$24.16

$2.55 EC$6.88

-45.10%

White Bread (500g)

$1.88 MX$32.60

$1.72 EC$4.65

9.30%

Rice (white) (1kg)

$1.56 MX$26.97

$1.95 EC$5.26

-20.00%

Eggs

$2.61 MX$45.14

$5.04 EC$13.61

-48.21%

Local Cheese (1kg)

$8.32 MX$144

$12.34 EC$33.31

-32.58%

Chicken Fillets (1kg)

$8.35 MX$145

$15.43 EC$41.66

-45.88%

Beef Round Steak (1kg)

$10.86 MX$188

$15.70 EC$42.38

-30.83%

Apples (1kg)

$2.71 MX$46.93

$5.89 EC$15.91

-53.99%

Banana (1kg)

$1.51 MX$26.04

$1.62 EC$4.38

-6.79%

Oranges (1kg)

$1.87 MX$32.41

$2.18 EC$5.89

-14.22%

Tomato (1kg)

$2.19 MX$37.89

$2.18 EC$5.89

0.46%

Potato (1kg)

$1.86 MX$32.14

$2.19 EC$5.92

-15.07%

Onion (1kg)

$2.23 MX$38.59

$2.26 EC$6.10

-1.33%

Lettuce (1 head)

$1.07 MX$18.48

$2.86 EC$7.72

-62.59%

Water (1.5 liter bottle)

$1.09 MX$18.79

$1.88 EC$5.08

-42.02%

Cigarettes 20 Pack (Marlboro, Camel)

$4.19 MX$72.4

$6.02 EC$16.25

-30.40%

Wine (Bottle)

$10.43 MX$180

$14.78 EC$39.90

-29.43%

Local Beer (0.5 liter bottle)

$1.66 MX$28.68

Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$2.61 MX$45.19

$4.53 EC$12.24

-42.38%

One-way Ticket (Public Transport)

$0.54 MX$9.37

$0.96 EC$2.59

-43.75%

Public Transport Monthly Pass (Regular Price)

$26.16 MX$453

Taxi Start (Normal Tariff)

$3.08 MX$53.3

Taxi (Normal Tariff) (1km)

$2.40 MX$41.61

Taxi 1hour Waiting (Normal Tariff)

$3.13 MX$54.1

Gasoline (1 liter)

$1.31 MX$22.69

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

$29.8K MX$515.7K

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

$23.3K MX$403.5K

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

$81.3 MX$1,406

$218 EC$588

-62.65%

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

$22.56 MX$390

$22.37 EC$60.4

0.85%

Internet (50+ Mbps, Unlimited Data)

$30.05 MX$520

$36.71 EC$99.1

-18.14%

Gym Membership (Monthly)

$52.9 MX$915

$50.2 EC$136

5.34%

Tennis Court (1 Hour on Weekend)

$18.39 MX$318

Cinema Ticket

$4.92 MX$85.1

$6.92 EC$18.67

-28.90%

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

$201 MX$3,474

International Primary School, 1 Child (Yearly)

$5,175 MX$89.5K

Jeans (Levis 501 Or Similar)

$35.92 MX$622

$18.86 EC$50.9

90.46%

Summer Dress (H&M, Zara, etc)

$40.13 MX$694

$10.95 EC$29.57

266.48%

Sport Shoes (Adidas, Nike)

$79.7 MX$1,379

$74.0 EC$200

7.66%

Men's Leather Business Shoes

$86.5 MX$1,496

$72.9 EC$197

18.63%

1-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)

$978 MX$16.9K

$600 EC$1,621

62.89%

1-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)

$470 MX$8,140

$456 EC$1,230

3.27%

3-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)

$1,651 MX$28.6K

$866 EC$2,339

90.65%

3-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)

$1,203 MX$20.8K

$652 EC$1,760

84.58%

Buy Apartment in City Center (m2)

$3,953 MX$68.4K

Buy Apartment Outside City Center (m2)

$6,607 MX$114.3K

Average Monthly Net Salary (After Tax)

$677 MX$11.7K

$733 EC$1,979

-7.68%

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: July 27, 2026

Last update for Gros Islet: July 25, 2026

Cost Breakdown

A one-bedroom apartment in the center runs $978 in Playa del Carmen and $600 in Gros Islet. Housing cost is often the main lever when comparing two cities.

Gros Islet pays 8% 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: $42.00 in Playa del Carmen vs $59.0 in Gros Islet for a mid-range dinner for two. Groceries echo the gap at $252 vs $374 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 14% 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, salaries run 8% lower in Gros Islet. 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: $978 in Playa del Carmen versus $600 in Gros Islet. Housing is usually the single largest factor when comparing overall living costs between the two.

All in, you'll spend $1,260 per month in Playa del Carmen versus $1,442 in Gros Islet – a 14% gap that adds up to real savings over time for anyone picking the cheaper option.

Supermarket bills run roughly 49% higher in Gros Islet. For households that cook at home regularly, that difference adds up over a month.

At $1,260 in Playa del Carmen versus $1,442 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 $1,260 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 14% less than in Gros Islet. Beyond cost, consider language, visa policies, and how big the international community is in each city.