Last update: Oct 2026

Cost of Living Comparison Between Praia Grande and Playa del Carmen

For one person, living is cheaper in Praia Grande: $778 a month against $1,204 in Playa del Carmen, rent and utilities included – about $5,100 less a year. Other living expenses account for most of the difference.

38

Cost of Living Index in Praia Grande
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Praia Grande Living Index
58

Cost of Living Index in Playa del Carmen
Learn more

Playa del Carmen Living Index

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Praia Grande

🇧🇷 Brazil

$778

/mo nomad

Playa del Carmen

🇲🇽 Mexico

$1,204

/mo nomad

Monthly Cost of Living

How much you'll spend in Praia Grande and in Playa del Carmen

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

A single person spends $778 per month in Praia Grande vs $1,204 in Playa del Carmen, rent included.

Praia Grande $778
Playa del Carmen $1,204

A couple spends around $1,307 per month in Praia Grande vs $2,082 in Playa del Carmen, rent included.

Praia Grande $1,307
Playa del Carmen $2,082

A family of three spends $1,835 per month in Praia Grande vs $2,959 in Playa del Carmen, rent included.

Praia Grande $1,835
Playa del Carmen $2,959

Praia Grande is about 35% cheaper than Playa del Carmen, and outside of rent the biggest gap is in eating out.

Both Praia Grande and Playa del Carmen are more affordable than the global median – Praia Grande 43% lower, Playa del Carmen 12% lower.

Meal at Budget Restaurant

$5.05 R$27.48

$10.92 MX$205

-53.75%

Three-Course Dinner for Two, Mid-Range

$33.71 R$183

$43.37 MX$814

-22.27%

Fast Food Meal (McDonalds, etc)

$7.18 R$39.07

$11.78 MX$221

-39.05%

Cappuccino

$1.81 R$9.86

$3.81 MX$71.5

-52.49%

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

$1.18 R$6.44

$1.28 MX$24.07

-7.81%

Water (0.33 liter bottle)

$0.56 R$3.03

$0.78 MX$14.70

-28.21%

Local Beer (0.5 liter draught)

$1.75 R$9.53

$3.17 MX$59.5

-44.79%

Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$3.62 R$19.67

$4.93 MX$92.7

-26.57%

Milk (1 liter)

$0.91 R$4.97

$1.41 MX$26.40

-35.46%

White Bread (500g)

$1.44 R$7.81

$2.22 MX$41.62

-35.14%

Rice (white) (1kg)

$0.93 R$5.04

$1.42 MX$26.61

-34.51%

Eggs

$1.72 R$9.33

$2.52 MX$47.36

-31.75%

Local Cheese (1kg)

$10.26 R$55.8

$7.26 MX$136

41.32%

Chicken Fillets (1kg)

$2.63 R$14.28

$7.70 MX$144

-65.84%

Beef Round Steak (1kg)

$5.74 R$31.21

$12.69 MX$238

-54.77%

Apples (1kg)

$1.51 R$8.21

$2.78 MX$52.3

-45.68%

Banana (1kg)

$1.09 R$5.95

$1.37 MX$25.68

-20.44%

Oranges (1kg)

$1.11 R$6.02

$2.55 MX$47.89

-56.47%

Tomato (1kg)

$1.18 R$6.41

$2.12 MX$39.86

-44.34%

Potato (1kg)

$1.23 R$6.66

$1.94 MX$36.39

-36.60%

Onion (1kg)

$1.16 R$6.29

$1.89 MX$35.41

-38.62%

Lettuce (1 head)

$0.54 R$2.96

$1.15 MX$21.53

-53.04%

Water (1.5 liter bottle)

$0.77 R$4.17

$1.18 MX$22.13

-34.75%

Cigarettes 20 Pack (Marlboro, Camel)

$2.11 R$11.48

$4.30 MX$80.6

-50.93%

Wine (Bottle)

$6.81 R$37.04

$9.95 MX$187

-31.56%

Local Beer (0.5 liter bottle)

$0.94 R$5.13

$1.58 MX$29.73

-40.51%

Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$2.40 R$13.04

$2.67 MX$50.1

-10.11%

One-way Ticket (Public Transport)

$0.91 R$4.93

$0.55 MX$10.39

65.45%

Public Transport Monthly Pass (Regular Price)

$45.43 R$247

$26.62 MX$500

70.66%

Taxi Start (Normal Tariff)

$1.02 R$5.54

$4.97 MX$93.3

-79.48%

Taxi (Normal Tariff) (1km)

$0.67 R$3.63

$3.33 MX$62.5

-79.88%

Taxi 1hour Waiting (Normal Tariff)

$7.85 R$42.70

$5.36 MX$101

46.46%

Gasoline (1 liter)

$1.18 R$6.43

$1.44 MX$27.11

-18.06%

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

$21.9K R$119.3K

$20.7K MX$388.0K

6.11%

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

$29.5K R$160.3K

$23.5K MX$440.5K

25.59%

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

$61.0 R$332

$84.8 MX$1,592

-28.02%

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

$11.39 R$61.9

$23.41 MX$439

-51.35%

Internet (50+ Mbps, Unlimited Data)

$18.17 R$98.8

$28.66 MX$538

-36.60%

Gym Membership (Monthly)

$30.46 R$166

$57.1 MX$1,071

-46.61%

Tennis Court (1 Hour on Weekend)

$13.13 R$71.4

$28.91 MX$543

-54.58%

Cinema Ticket

$7.38 R$40.15

$5.14 MX$96.5

43.58%

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

$111 R$601

$207 MX$3,878

-46.49%

International Primary School, 1 Child (Yearly)

$7,752 R$42.2K

$3,927 MX$73.7K

97.40%

Jeans (Levis 501 Or Similar)

$60.4 R$329

$43.35 MX$814

39.33%

Summer Dress (H&M, Zara, etc)

$35.34 R$192

$41.44 MX$778

-14.72%

Sport Shoes (Adidas, Nike)

$56.1 R$305

$74.2 MX$1,393

-24.37%

Men's Leather Business Shoes

$72.4 R$394

$89.3 MX$1,676

-18.83%

1-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)

$404 R$2,200

$980 MX$18.4K

-58.72%

1-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)

$221 R$1,203

$381 MX$7,150

-41.91%

3-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)

$740 R$4,025

$1,708 MX$32.1K

-56.67%

3-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)

$553 R$3,007

$1,075 MX$20.2K

-48.58%

Buy Apartment in City Center (m2)

$1,414 R$7,693

$3,943 MX$74.0K

-64.13%

Buy Apartment Outside City Center (m2)

$4,692 R$25.5K

$6,158 MX$115.6K

-23.80%

Average Monthly Net Salary (After Tax)

$408 R$2,219

$735 MX$13.8K

-44.45%

20-Year Fixed Mortgage Interest Rate (Annual %)

10.81

11.45

-5.59%

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

Last update for Praia Grande: October 24, 2026

Last update for Playa del Carmen: October 25, 2026

Monthly budget structure

Share of the monthly basket for one person, rent included.

Accommodation & Living

Praia Grande

$221 28.4%

Playa del Carmen

$381 31.6% 72.2% $160

Groceries & Markets

Praia Grande

$160 20.6%

Playa del Carmen

$255 21.2% 59.1% $95

Eating Out

Praia Grande

$107 13.7%

Playa del Carmen

$202 16.8% 89.7% $96

Clothing & Footwear

Praia Grande

$101 13%

Playa del Carmen

$112 9.3% 10.7% $11

Monthly Utilities & Internet

Praia Grande

$91 11.6%

Playa del Carmen

$137 11.4% 51.1% $46

Getting Around

Praia Grande

$53 6.9%

Playa del Carmen

$50 4.2% 5.5% $2.9

Sport & Entertainment

Praia Grande

$45 5.8%

Playa del Carmen

$67 5.6% 48.9% $22

Cost Breakdown

A central one-bedroom costs $404 in Praia Grande versus $980 in Playa del Carmen. Rent is usually the largest line item in a monthly budget, so the gap here sets the tone for the overall comparison.

Salaries run about 80% higher in Playa del Carmen. Purchasing power depends on which expenses matter most to you.

A mid-range dinner for two costs $34 in Praia Grande versus $43 in Playa del Carmen. Monthly groceries follow the same trend: $160 vs $255 – making Praia Grande the more affordable choice for daily food spending.

Good to know

🇧🇷 Praia Grande

🇲🇽 Playa del Carmen

🕒 Local time

22:09 10:09 PM

20:09 8:09 PM

2 h behind Praia Grande

🌤 Weather

👥 Population

349,935

149,923

💱 Currency

Brazilian Real BRL R$

Mexican Peso MXN $

📈 Exchange rate

1 BRL = 0.184 USD

1 BRL = 0.165 EUR

100 MXN = 5.33 USD

100 MXN = 4.77 EUR

Exchange rates and currency converter

MXN, USD, EUR to BRL – Brazilian Real Converter

🇺🇸 United States Dollar ($)

🇧🇷 Brazilian Real (R$)

Brazilian Real exchange rates as of November 2, 2026: 1 USD = 5.44 BRL (1 BRL = 0.184 USD). 1 EUR = 6.07 BRL (1 BRL = 0.165 EUR).

Mexican Peso exchange rates as of November 2, 2026: 1 USD = 18.77 MXN (100 MXN = 5.33 USD). 1 EUR = 20.96 MXN (100 MXN = 4.77 EUR).

USD to BRL in detail →

On the map

Lowest

Highest

Between locations

Praia Grande Playa del Carmen 6,630 km ≈ 9 h nonstop flight

From you

Praia Grande
Playa del Carmen

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

Praia Grande vs Playa del Carmen: Cost of Living - Frequently Asked Questions

Yes – Playa del Carmen is pricier by about 55%, and outside of rent the gap shows up most in eating out.

For a comfortable life, plan on about $1,167 per month in Praia Grande and $1,806 in Playa del Carmen. That covers rent, food, utilities, transport, and enough left over to feel settled – not just surviving.

Rent is clearly cheaper in Praia Grande, especially for central apartments: a one-bedroom in the center costs $404 there versus $980 in Playa del Carmen.

Monthly expenses with rent come to $778 in Praia Grande and $1,204 in Playa del Carmen. That makes Praia Grande about 35% cheaper.

Public transport costs about 41% less in Playa del Carmen. For daily commuters, that gap adds up to noticeable savings over a year.

A $1,200 monthly budget goes further in Praia Grande, where all-in costs run around $778, than in Playa del Carmen at $1,204. In Praia Grande it covers expenses comfortably, while in Playa del Carmen it requires careful planning or may not stretch far enough.

Families tend to lean toward Praia Grande – lower housing and cheaper childcare make a real difference, especially on a single income or when paying for private education.

If budget matters most, go with Praia Grande. If higher salaries or specific career opportunities are the priority, Playa del Carmen makes more sense. Both are solid long-term options with distinct trade-offs.