Last update: Oct 2026

Cost of Living Comparison Between Playa del Carmen and Groteberg

For one person, living is cheaper in Playa del Carmen: $1,215 a month against $1,336 in Groteberg, rent and utilities included – about $1,500 less a year. The total is higher in Groteberg despite lower rent and utilities.

Playa del Carmen
🇲🇽 Mexico
$1,215
/mo nomad
Groteberg
🇨🇼 Curacao
$1,336
/mo nomad
Monthly Cost of Living

How much you'll spend in Playa del Carmen and in Groteberg

Real prices from locals and on-the-ground checks – rent, groceries, transit and the daily extras. Here's what a month in Playa del Carmen and in Groteberg actually costs, broken down by who's living it.

Monthly costs for one person with rent: $1,215 in Playa del Carmen versus $1,336 in Groteberg.

  • Playa del Carmen $1,215
  • Groteberg $1,336

Estimated couple costs with rent: $2,144 in Playa del Carmen versus $2,081 in Groteberg.

  • Playa del Carmen $2,144
  • Groteberg $2,081

Monthly costs for a family of three with rent: $3,072 in Playa del Carmen versus $2,827 in Groteberg.

  • Playa del Carmen $3,072
  • Groteberg $2,827

Living in Playa del Carmen costs roughly 9% less than in Groteberg, and outside of rent the biggest gap is in groceries.

The two cities straddle the global median: Playa del Carmen is 9% below, Groteberg is 0% above.

Currency
🍽 Eating Out
Playa del Carmen
Groteberg
Difference
Meal at Budget Restaurant
$10.97 MX$201
$18.21 ANG 32.59
-39.76%
Three-Course Dinner for Two, Mid-Range
$44.85 MX$823
$84.0 ANG 150
-46.60%
Fast Food Meal (McDonalds, etc)
$11.92 MX$219
$11.21 ANG 20.07
6.33%
Cappuccino
$3.80 MX$69.9
$3.94 ANG 7.06
-3.55%
Coke/Pepsi/Fanta/Sprite (0.33 liter bottle)
$1.31 MX$24.08
$3.25 ANG 5.81
-59.69%
Water (0.33 liter bottle)
$0.86 MX$15.72
$1.89 ANG 3.39
-54.50%
Local Beer (0.5 liter draught)
$3.21 MX$59.0
$5.57 ANG 9.97
-42.37%
Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)
$5.01 MX$92.0
$5.15 ANG 9.22
-2.72%
🛒 Groceries & Markets
Playa del Carmen
Groteberg
Difference
Milk (1 liter)
$1.46 MX$26.77
$2.03 ANG 3.64
-28.08%
White Bread (500g)
$2.33 MX$42.72
$2.91 ANG 5.21
-19.93%
Rice (white) (1kg)
$1.44 MX$26.48
$3.56 ANG 6.37
-59.55%
Eggs
$2.46 MX$45.20
$3.99 ANG 7.14
-38.35%
Local Cheese (1kg)
$7.70 MX$141
$16.67 ANG 29.83
-53.81%
Chicken Fillets (1kg)
$7.89 MX$145
$7.03 ANG 12.59
12.23%
Beef Round Steak (1kg)
$12.80 MX$235
$11.96 ANG 21.41
7.02%
Apples (1kg)
$2.92 MX$53.6
$5.43 ANG 9.72
-46.22%
Banana (1kg)
$1.42 MX$26.11
$3.16 ANG 5.65
-55.06%
Oranges (1kg)
$2.57 MX$47.10
$3.36 ANG 6.02
-23.51%
Tomato (1kg)
$2.14 MX$39.24
$3.83 ANG 6.86
-44.13%
Potato (1kg)
$1.95 MX$35.75
$2.56 ANG 4.58
-23.83%
Onion (1kg)
$1.94 MX$35.55
$2.03 ANG 3.63
-4.43%
Lettuce (1 head)
$1.15 MX$21.13
$2.41 ANG 4.32
-52.28%
Water (1.5 liter bottle)
$1.22 MX$22.42
$2.81 ANG 5.04
-56.58%
Cigarettes 20 Pack (Marlboro, Camel)
$4.38 MX$80.3
$10.17 ANG 18.20
-56.93%
Wine (Bottle)
$9.85 MX$181
$12.05 ANG 21.56
-18.26%
Local Beer (0.5 liter bottle)
$1.54 MX$28.23
$2.42 ANG 4.33
-36.36%
Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)
$2.72 MX$49.86
$2.30 ANG 4.12
18.26%
🚌 Getting Around
Playa del Carmen
Groteberg
Difference
One-way Ticket (Public Transport)
$0.52 MX$9.64
-
-
Public Transport Monthly Pass (Regular Price)
$27.42 MX$503
-
-
Taxi Start (Normal Tariff)
$4.91 MX$90.2
$22.08 ANG 39.51
-77.76%
Taxi (Normal Tariff) (1km)
$3.52 MX$64.7
-
-
Taxi 1hour Waiting (Normal Tariff)
$5.69 MX$104
-
-
Gasoline (1 liter)
$1.54 MX$28.27
$1.29 ANG 2.32
19.38%
Midsize Hatchback 1.4l (Volkswagen Golf, Toyota Prius, Honda Civic, etc)
$21.2K MX$389.9K
-
-
Compact Sedan 1.6l (Toyota Corolla, Mazda3, Kia K4, Hyundai Elantra, etc)
$24.5K MX$449.6K
$20.4K ANG 36.5K
20.08%
🧾 Monthly Utilities & Internet
Playa del Carmen
Groteberg
Difference
Utilities for 2 People in 2-bedroom Apartment (Heating, Electricity, Gas, Water, Garbage) (85m2)
$83.6 MX$1,535
$274 ANG 490
-69.43%
SIM Card Monthly Plan (Calls and 10GB+ Data)
$24.03 MX$441
$79.3 ANG 142
-69.71%
Internet (50+ Mbps, Unlimited Data)
$29.33 MX$539
$64.2 ANG 115
-54.29%
🎉 Sport & Entertainment
Playa del Carmen
Groteberg
Difference
Gym Membership (Monthly)
$64.9 MX$1,191
-
-
Tennis Court (1 Hour on Weekend)
$29.46 MX$541
-
-
Cinema Ticket
$5.09 MX$93.4
$11.88 ANG 21.26
-57.15%
🧸 Childcare & Education
Playa del Carmen
Groteberg
Difference
Preschool or Kindergarten, Full Day, Private, 1 Child (Monthly)
$208 MX$3,813
$325 ANG 582
-36.13%
International Primary School, 1 Child (Yearly)
$4,045 MX$74.3K
$12.1K ANG 21.6K
-66.44%
👕👟 Clothing & Footwear
Playa del Carmen
Groteberg
Difference
Jeans (Levis 501 Or Similar)
$44.55 MX$818
$100 ANG 180
-55.63%
Summer Dress (H&M, Zara, etc)
$42.06 MX$772
$73.1 ANG 131
-42.44%
Sport Shoes (Adidas, Nike)
$75.5 MX$1,387
$161 ANG 287
-52.97%
Men's Leather Business Shoes
$91.4 MX$1,678
$92.0 ANG 165
-0.66%
🏠 Accommodation & Living
Playa del Carmen
Groteberg
Difference
1-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)
$986 MX$18.1K
-
-
1-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)
$385 MX$7,072
-
-
3-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)
$1,713 MX$31.5K
-
-
3-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)
$1,108 MX$20.4K
-
-
Buy Apartment in City Center (m2)
$4,016 MX$73.7K
-
-
Buy Apartment Outside City Center (m2)
$6,247 MX$114.7K
-
-
💵 Salaries & Financials
Playa del Carmen
Groteberg
Difference
Average Monthly Net Salary (After Tax)
$758 MX$13.9K
-
-
20-Year Fixed Mortgage Interest Rate (Annual %)
11.45
4.97
130.38%

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

Last update for Playa del Carmen: October 4, 2026

Last update for Groteberg: October 3, 2026

Monthly budget structure
Share of the monthly basket for one person, rent included.
Accommodation & Living
Playa del Carmen
$385
Groteberg
–
Groceries & Markets
Playa del Carmen
$260
Groteberg
–
Eating Out
Playa del Carmen
$204
Groteberg
–
Monthly Utilities & Internet
Playa del Carmen
$137
Groteberg
–
Clothing & Footwear
Playa del Carmen
$114
Groteberg
–
Sport & Entertainment
Playa del Carmen
$75
Groteberg
–
Getting Around
Playa del Carmen
$52
Groteberg
–

Cost Breakdown

Dining out: $45.00 in Playa del Carmen vs $84.0 in Groteberg for a mid-range dinner for two. Groceries echo the gap at $260 vs $375 per month, with Playa del Carmen cheaper across the board.

Good to know
🇲🇽 Playa del Carmen
🇨🇼 Groteberg
🕒 Local time
09:22 9:22 AM
10:22 10:22 AM
1 h ahead of Playa del Carmen
🌤 Weather
👥 Population
149,923
841
Exchange rates and currency converter

ANG, USD, EUR to MXN – Mexican Peso Converter

Mexican Peso exchange rates as of October 10, 2026: 1 USD = 18.36 MXN (100 MXN = 5.45 USD). 1 EUR = 20.57 MXN (100 MXN = 4.86 EUR).

Netherlands Antillean Guilder exchange rates as of October 10, 2026: 1 USD = 1.79 ANG (1 ANG = 0.559 USD). 1 EUR = 2.01 ANG (1 ANG = 0.499 EUR).

On the map
Between locations
  • Playa del Carmen Groteberg 2,140 km ≈ 3 h 15 min nonstop flight
From you
  • Playa del Carmen
  • Groteberg

Distances are measured in a straight line. Your location is detected approximately.

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 Groteberg: Cost of Living - Frequently Asked Questions
Which city is more expensive, Playa del Carmen or Groteberg?
Playa del Carmen wins on cost – living expenses run 10% lower than in Groteberg. Housing and daily spending are where you'll feel the difference most, making Playa del Carmen the obvious pick if budget is a priority.
How much do you need to earn to live comfortably in Playa del Carmen and in Groteberg?
You'd need roughly $1,823 in Playa del Carmen and $2,004 in Groteberg 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.
How do childcare costs compare in Playa del Carmen and in Groteberg?
Childcare runs $208 in Playa del Carmen versus $325 in Groteberg. Over years of preschool, even a modest monthly gap compounds into a major financial factor for families.
How do dining costs compare in Playa del Carmen and in Groteberg?
Dining out is cheaper in Playa del Carmen – a meal for two runs $45.00 versus $84.0 in Groteberg. If you eat out regularly, this makes a real dent in your monthly spending.
Can you live on $1,500/month in Playa del Carmen or in Groteberg?
At $1,215 in Playa del Carmen versus $1,336 in Groteberg, a $1,500 budget is realistic in Playa del Carmen but tight or insufficient in Groteberg. The gap between the two cities makes Playa del Carmen the clear choice for anyone on this budget.
Which city is better for digital nomads, Playa del Carmen or Groteberg?
Both work as nomad bases, but Playa del Carmen delivers better value – similar infrastructure at $1,215 monthly. If stretching your runway or maximizing savings is the goal, the price difference makes Playa del Carmen hard to pass up.
How safe is Playa del Carmen compared to Groteberg?
Safety-wise, Playa del Carmen and Groteberg are on par. Petty crime is typical for cities this size, and most residents feel comfortable going about their daily routines in either place.
Which city is more affordable for expats?
Expats usually find Playa del Carmen gentler on the wallet – expenses run 10% less than in Groteberg. Beyond cost, consider language, visa policies, and how big the international community is in each city.

Playa del Carmen vs other spots: cost of living compared

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