Cost of Living Comparison Between Carbondale, IL and Playa del Carmen Cost of Living Comparison Between Carbondale, IL and Playa del Carmen

Monthly Cost of Living

Monthly costs for one person with rent: $2,447 in Carbondale, IL versus $1,259 in Playa del Carmen.

Estimated couple costs with rent: $3,523 in Carbondale, IL versus $2,177 in Playa del Carmen.

Monthly costs for a family of three with rent: $4,599 in Carbondale, IL versus $3,095 in Playa del Carmen.

Living in Carbondale, IL is roughly 94% more expensive than in Playa del Carmen, driven mainly by Groceries & Markets.

The two cities straddle the global median: Carbondale, IL is 83% above, Playa del Carmen is 6% below.

Meal at Budget Restaurant

$17.03 $17.03

$11.95 MX$208

42.51%

Three-Course Dinner for Two, Mid-Range

$31.71 $31.71

$41.94 MX$730

-24.39%

Fast Food Meal (McDonalds, etc)

$8.08 $8.08

$10.42 MX$181

-22.46%

Cappuccino

$3.05 $3.05

$3.51 MX$61.2

-13.11%

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

$1.95 $1.95

$1.52 MX$26.39

28.29%

Water (0.33 liter bottle)

$1.46 $1.46

$0.91 MX$15.84

60.44%

Local Beer (0.5 liter draught)

$4.49 $4.49

$3.04 MX$52.9

47.70%

Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$5.48 $5.48

$4.37 MX$76.1

25.40%

Milk (1 liter)

$0.77 $0.77

$1.42 MX$24.73

-45.77%

White Bread (500g)

$2.87 $2.87

$1.83 MX$31.87

56.83%

Rice (white) (1kg)

$4.64 $4.64

$1.63 MX$28.45

184.66%

Eggs

$4.23 $4.23

$2.54 MX$44.20

66.54%

Local Cheese (1kg)

$11.35 $11.35

$8.57 MX$149

32.44%

Chicken Fillets (1kg)

$11.05 $11.05

$8.49 MX$148

30.15%

Beef Round Steak (1kg)

$15.28 $15.28

$10.80 MX$188

41.48%

Apples (1kg)

$6.18 $6.18

$2.75 MX$47.94

124.73%

Banana (1kg)

$1.58 $1.58

$1.44 MX$25.00

9.72%

Oranges (1kg)

$5.42 $5.42

$1.89 MX$32.83

186.77%

Tomato (1kg)

$4.78 $4.78

$2.17 MX$37.77

120.28%

Potato (1kg)

$4.98 $4.98

$1.78 MX$30.97

179.78%

Onion (1kg)

$3.48 $3.48

$2.22 MX$38.71

56.76%

Lettuce (1 head)

$2.31 $2.31

$1.07 MX$18.60

115.89%

Water (1.5 liter bottle)

$2.37 $2.37

$1.08 MX$18.79

119.44%

Cigarettes 20 Pack (Marlboro, Camel)

$7.86 $7.86

$4.15 MX$72.2

89.40%

Wine (Bottle)

$13.67 $13.67

$10.45 MX$182

30.81%

Local Beer (0.5 liter bottle)

$1.71 $1.71

$1.74 MX$30.34

-1.72%

Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$1.91 $1.91

$2.58 MX$44.92

-25.97%

One-way Ticket (Public Transport)

$2.05 $2.05

$0.51 MX$8.94

301.96%

Public Transport Monthly Pass (Regular Price)

$25.94 MX$451

Taxi Start (Normal Tariff)

$1.97 $1.97

$3.21 MX$55.9

-38.63%

Taxi (Normal Tariff) (1km)

$1.39 $1.39

$2.50 MX$43.55

-44.40%

Taxi 1hour Waiting (Normal Tariff)

$20.21 $20.21

$3.19 MX$55.4

533.54%

Gasoline (1 liter)

$0.76 $0.76

$1.26 MX$21.87

-39.68%

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

$32.8K $32.8K

$29.7K MX$516.6K

10.34%

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

$26.6K $26.6K

$23.7K MX$412.1K

12.23%

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

$121 $121

$82.0 MX$1,427

48.04%

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

$58.2 $58.2

$22.73 MX$395

155.92%

Internet (50+ Mbps, Unlimited Data)

$29.42 $29.42

$29.42 MX$512

Gym Membership (Monthly)

$42.63 $42.63

$52.2 MX$908

-18.32%

Tennis Court (1 Hour on Weekend)

$18.45 MX$321

Cinema Ticket

$12.92 $12.92

$4.93 MX$85.9

162.07%

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

$1,582 $1,582

$202 MX$3,511

683.91%

International Primary School, 1 Child (Yearly)

$26.7K $26.7K

$5,217 MX$90.8K

412.58%

Jeans (Levis 501 Or Similar)

$40.57 $40.57

$35.93 MX$625

12.91%

Summer Dress (H&M, Zara, etc)

$32.40 $32.40

$40.33 MX$702

-19.66%

Sport Shoes (Adidas, Nike)

$73.6 $73.6

$79.9 MX$1,390

-7.82%

Men's Leather Business Shoes

$141 $141

$89.3 MX$1,554

57.77%

1-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)

$1,586 $1,586

$948 MX$16.5K

67.24%

1-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)

$1,352 $1,352

$465 MX$8,097

190.59%

3-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)

$2,595 $2,595

$1,630 MX$28.4K

59.25%

3-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)

$2,254 $2,254

$1,193 MX$20.8K

88.94%

Buy Apartment in City Center (m2)

$861 $861

$3,933 MX$68.4K

-78.11%

Buy Apartment Outside City Center (m2)

$837 $837

$6,428 MX$111.9K

-86.98%

Average Monthly Net Salary (After Tax)

$3,830 $3,830

$658 MX$11.5K

481.87%

20-Year Fixed Mortgage Interest Rate (Annual %)

6.53

11.42

-42.82%

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

Last update for Carbondale, IL: July 20, 2026

Last update for Playa del Carmen: July 20, 2026

Cost Breakdown

A one-bedroom apartment in the center runs $1,586 in Carbondale, IL and $948 in Playa del Carmen. Housing cost is often the main lever when comparing two cities.

Carbondale, IL pays 482% 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: $32.00 in Carbondale, IL vs $42.00 in Playa del Carmen. Groceries flip the comparison at $392 vs $252, with Playa del Carmen cheaper for home cooking.

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

Carbondale, IL vs Playa del Carmen: Cost of Living - Frequently Asked Questions

Playa del Carmen wins on cost – living expenses run 94% lower than in Carbondale, IL. Housing and daily spending are where you'll feel the difference most, making Playa del Carmen the obvious pick if budget is a priority.

Average pay runs 482% higher in Carbondale, IL, which matters when comparing affordability. Whether that higher income actually nets you more depends on your spending habits and housing choices.

Rent for a central apartment: $1,586 in Carbondale, IL versus $948 in Playa del Carmen. Housing is usually the single largest factor when comparing overall living costs between the two.

Supermarket bills run roughly 55% higher in Carbondale, IL. For households that cook at home regularly, that difference adds up over a month.

All in, you'll spend $2,447 per month in Carbondale, IL versus $1,259 in Playa del Carmen – a 94% gap that adds up to real savings over time for anyone picking the cheaper option.

At $1,259 in Playa del Carmen versus $2,447 in Carbondale, IL, a $1,500 budget is realistic in Playa del Carmen but tight or insufficient in Carbondale, IL. 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 $1,259 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 94% less than in Carbondale, IL. Beyond cost, consider language, visa policies, and how big the international community is in each city.