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

Monthly Cost of Living

Monthly costs for one person with rent: $1,271 in Playa del Carmen versus $1,588 in Grundarfjordur.

Estimated couple costs with rent: $2,126 in Playa del Carmen versus $2,825 in Grundarfjordur.

Monthly costs for a family of three with rent: $2,980 in Playa del Carmen versus $4,061 in Grundarfjordur.

Living in Playa del Carmen costs roughly 20% less than in Grundarfjordur, driven mainly by Groceries & Markets.

The two cities straddle the global median: Playa del Carmen is 5% below, Grundarfjordur is 18% above.

Meal at Budget Restaurant

$11.87 MX$207

$26.64 ISK 3,306

-55.44%

Three-Course Dinner for Two, Mid-Range

$42.90 MX$747

$143 ISK 17.7K

-69.91%

Fast Food Meal (McDonalds, etc)

$10.65 MX$186

$22.65 ISK 2,811

-52.98%

Cappuccino

$3.45 MX$60.1

$6.09 ISK 756

-43.35%

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

$1.50 MX$26.19

$3.27 ISK 406

-54.13%

Water (0.33 liter bottle)

$0.95 MX$16.52

$2.54 ISK 315

-62.60%

Local Beer (0.5 liter draught)

$3.03 MX$52.7

$13.03 ISK 1,617

-76.75%

Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$4.61 MX$80.3

$11.06 ISK 1,372

-58.32%

Milk (1 liter)

$1.38 MX$23.96

$1.93 ISK 240

-28.50%

White Bread (500g)

$1.85 MX$32.18

$4.40 ISK 546

-57.95%

Rice (white) (1kg)

$1.61 MX$28.06

$3.75 ISK 465

-57.07%

Eggs

$2.59 MX$45.18

$6.43 ISK 798

-59.72%

Local Cheese (1kg)

$8.26 MX$144

$18.29 ISK 2,270

-54.84%

Chicken Fillets (1kg)

$8.37 MX$146

$24.07 ISK 2,987

-65.23%

Beef Round Steak (1kg)

$10.66 MX$186

$42.48 ISK 5,272

-74.91%

Apples (1kg)

$2.63 MX$45.80

$3.36 ISK 417

-21.73%

Banana (1kg)

$1.49 MX$25.92

$2.51 ISK 312

-40.64%

Oranges (1kg)

$1.92 MX$33.44

$2.97 ISK 368

-35.35%

Tomato (1kg)

$2.09 MX$36.34

$5.10 ISK 634

-59.02%

Potato (1kg)

$1.86 MX$32.35

$3.69 ISK 458

-49.59%

Onion (1kg)

$2.26 MX$39.39

$2.41 ISK 299

-6.22%

Lettuce (1 head)

$1.06 MX$18.51

$3.17 ISK 393

-66.56%

Water (1.5 liter bottle)

$1.09 MX$18.95

$2.01 ISK 249

-45.77%

Cigarettes 20 Pack (Marlboro, Camel)

$4.15 MX$72.3

$13.41 ISK 1,664

-69.05%

Wine (Bottle)

$10.39 MX$181

$23.01 ISK 2,856

-54.85%

Local Beer (0.5 liter bottle)

$1.72 MX$30.03

$3.69 ISK 459

-53.39%

Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$2.61 MX$45.52

$3.33 ISK 414

-21.62%

One-way Ticket (Public Transport)

$0.54 MX$9.44

Public Transport Monthly Pass (Regular Price)

$26.94 MX$469

Taxi Start (Normal Tariff)

$3.13 MX$54.5

$6.43 ISK 798

-51.32%

Taxi (Normal Tariff) (1km)

$2.51 MX$43.73

$2.51 ISK 312

Taxi 1hour Waiting (Normal Tariff)

$3.15 MX$54.9

$87.7 ISK 10.9K

-96.41%

Gasoline (1 liter)

$1.27 MX$22.21

$2.49 ISK 309

-49.00%

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

$30.4K MX$529.1K

$48.0K ISK 6.0M

-36.76%

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

$23.6K MX$410.5K

$52.3K ISK 6.5M

-54.94%

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

$83.0 MX$1,446

$89.0 ISK 11.0K

-6.78%

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

$22.71 MX$396

$27.15 ISK 3,369

-16.35%

Internet (50+ Mbps, Unlimited Data)

$29.46 MX$513

$83.7 ISK 10.4K

-64.80%

Gym Membership (Monthly)

$51.0 MX$888

Tennis Court (1 Hour on Weekend)

$18.33 MX$319

Cinema Ticket

$4.93 MX$85.8

$17.39 ISK 2,158

-71.65%

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

$197 MX$3,437

$326 ISK 40.5K

-39.52%

International Primary School, 1 Child (Yearly)

$5,280 MX$92.0K

$30.1K ISK 3.7M

-82.44%

Jeans (Levis 501 Or Similar)

$36.90 MX$643

$138 ISK 17.1K

-73.29%

Summer Dress (H&M, Zara, etc)

$39.89 MX$695

$62.7 ISK 7,775

-36.33%

Sport Shoes (Adidas, Nike)

$80.0 MX$1,394

$184 ISK 22.8K

-56.43%

Men's Leather Business Shoes

$89.5 MX$1,559

$269 ISK 33.4K

-66.71%

1-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)

$956 MX$16.7K

1-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)

$477 MX$8,311

3-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)

$1,646 MX$28.7K

3-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)

$1,225 MX$21.3K

Buy Apartment in City Center (m2)

$3,918 MX$68.3K

Buy Apartment Outside City Center (m2)

$6,459 MX$112.5K

$1,136 ISK 141.0K

468.53%

Average Monthly Net Salary (After Tax)

$667 MX$11.6K

20-Year Fixed Mortgage Interest Rate (Annual %)

11.42

9.63

18.59%

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 Grundarfjordur: June 7, 2026

Cost Breakdown

Dining out: $43.00 in Playa del Carmen vs $143 in Grundarfjordur for a mid-range dinner for two. Groceries echo the gap at $250 vs $600 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 Grundarfjordur: Cost of Living - Frequently Asked Questions

Playa del Carmen wins on cost – living expenses run 25% lower than in Grundarfjordur. Housing and daily spending are where you'll feel the difference most, making Playa del Carmen the obvious pick if budget is a priority.

You'd need roughly $1,906 in Playa del Carmen and $2,383 in Grundarfjordur 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.

Supermarket bills run roughly 140% higher in Grundarfjordur. For households that cook at home regularly, that difference adds up over a month.

All in, you'll spend $1,271 per month in Playa del Carmen versus $1,588 in Grundarfjordur – a 25% gap that adds up to real savings over time for anyone picking the cheaper option.

At $1,271 in Playa del Carmen versus $1,588 in Grundarfjordur, a $1,500 budget is realistic in Playa del Carmen but tight or insufficient in Grundarfjordur. 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 $1,271 monthly. If stretching your runway or maximizing savings is the goal, the price difference makes Playa del Carmen hard to pass up.

Safety-wise, Playa del Carmen and Grundarfjordur 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 25% less than in Grundarfjordur. Beyond cost, consider language, visa policies, and how big the international community is in each city.