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

Monthly Cost of Living

A single person spends $2,147 per month in Champaign, IL vs $1,293 in Playa del Carmen, rent included.

A couple spends around $3,129 per month in Champaign, IL vs $2,334 in Playa del Carmen, rent included.

A family of three spends $4,110 per month in Champaign, IL vs $3,374 in Playa del Carmen, rent included.

Champaign, IL costs about 66% more than Playa del Carmen, driven mainly by Monthly Utilities & Internet.

Champaign, IL sits 56% above the global median, while Playa del Carmen is 6% below – they fall on opposite sides of the world average.

Meal at Budget Restaurant

$14.82 $14.82

$11.71 MX$198

26.56%

Three-Course Dinner for Two, Mid-Range

$61.1 $61.1

$46.59 MX$788

31.14%

Fast Food Meal (McDonalds, etc)

$9.93 $9.93

$11.65 MX$197

-14.76%

Cappuccino

$4.86 $4.86

$4.09 MX$69.2

18.83%

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

$2.23 $2.23

$1.37 MX$23.23

62.77%

Water (0.33 liter bottle)

$1.70 $1.70

$0.83 MX$14.09

104.82%

Local Beer (0.5 liter draught)

$5.63 $5.63

$3.35 MX$56.7

68.06%

Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$5.59 $5.59

$6.91 MX$117

-19.10%

Milk (1 liter)

$0.81 $0.81

$1.73 MX$29.20

-53.18%

White Bread (500g)

$3.20 $3.20

$2.26 MX$38.21

41.59%

Rice (white) (1kg)

$3.09 $3.09

$1.77 MX$29.91

74.58%

Eggs

$3.96 $3.96

$2.73 MX$46.19

45.05%

Local Cheese (1kg)

$12.34 $12.34

$9.18 MX$155

34.42%

Chicken Fillets (1kg)

$5.97 $5.97

$8.92 MX$151

-33.07%

Beef Round Steak (1kg)

$12.80 $12.80

$12.60 MX$213

1.59%

Apples (1kg)

$3.34 $3.34

$3.02 MX$51.1

10.60%

Banana (1kg)

$1.38 $1.38

$1.57 MX$26.55

-12.10%

Oranges (1kg)

$3.11 $3.11

$2.13 MX$35.93

46.01%

Tomato (1kg)

$4.53 $4.53

$2.26 MX$38.28

100.44%

Potato (1kg)

$2.12 $2.12

$2.00 MX$33.88

6.00%

Onion (1kg)

$2.24 $2.24

$2.06 MX$34.90

8.74%

Lettuce (1 head)

$2.22 $2.22

$1.18 MX$19.94

88.14%

Water (1.5 liter bottle)

$1.25 $1.25

$1.20 MX$20.35

4.17%

Cigarettes 20 Pack (Marlboro, Camel)

$10.07 $10.07

$4.63 MX$78.4

117.49%

Wine (Bottle)

$14.89 $14.89

$10.69 MX$181

39.29%

Local Beer (0.5 liter bottle)

$2.05 $2.05

$1.62 MX$27.38

26.54%

Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$4.06 $4.06

$2.88 MX$48.70

40.97%

One-way Ticket (Public Transport)

$1.02 $1.02

$0.57 MX$9.69

78.95%

Public Transport Monthly Pass (Regular Price)

$20.05 $20.05

$29.83 MX$504

-32.79%

Taxi Start (Normal Tariff)

$2.55 $2.55

$5.45 MX$92.1

-53.21%

Taxi (Normal Tariff) (1km)

$1.54 $1.54

$3.70 MX$62.6

-58.38%

Taxi 1hour Waiting (Normal Tariff)

$5.98 MX$101

Gasoline (1 liter)

$1.10 $1.10

$1.55 MX$26.26

-29.03%

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

$35.4K $35.4K

$22.3K MX$377.4K

58.42%

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

$32.6K $32.6K

$25.9K MX$438.7K

25.46%

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

$239 $239

$89.1 MX$1,507

167.65%

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

$44.38 $44.38

$25.04 MX$423

77.24%

Internet (50+ Mbps, Unlimited Data)

$69.0 $69.0

$31.50 MX$532

119.11%

Gym Membership (Monthly)

$25.20 $25.20

$67.8 MX$1,146

-62.82%

Tennis Court (1 Hour on Weekend)

$11.88 $11.88

$28.92 MX$489

-58.92%

Cinema Ticket

$11.29 $11.29

$5.05 MX$85.4

123.56%

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

$1,004 $1,004

$225 MX$3,803

346.37%

International Primary School, 1 Child (Yearly)

$19.8K $19.8K

$4,222 MX$71.4K

368.27%

Jeans (Levis 501 Or Similar)

$47.78 $47.78

$47.44 MX$802

0.72%

Summer Dress (H&M, Zara, etc)

$44.98 MX$760

Sport Shoes (Adidas, Nike)

$116 $116

$82.0 MX$1,386

41.82%

Men's Leather Business Shoes

$121 $121

$92.1 MX$1,557

31.36%

1-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)

$1,474 $1,474

$1,069 MX$18.1K

37.86%

1-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)

$1,000 $1,000

$405 MX$6,852

146.61%

3-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)

$1,970 $1,970

$1,935 MX$32.7K

1.76%

3-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)

$1,680 $1,680

$1,301 MX$22.0K

29.13%

Buy Apartment in City Center (m2)

$1,716 $1,716

$3,995 MX$67.5K

-57.06%

Buy Apartment Outside City Center (m2)

$1,683 $1,683

$6,626 MX$112.0K

-74.60%

Average Monthly Net Salary (After Tax)

$3,674 $3,674

$749 MX$12.7K

390.70%

20-Year Fixed Mortgage Interest Rate (Annual %)

6.36

11.45

-44.45%

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

Last update for Champaign, IL: August 31, 2026

Last update for Playa del Carmen: August 29, 2026

Cost Breakdown

A central one-bedroom costs $1,474 in Champaign, IL versus $1,069 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 391% higher in Champaign, IL, which partly offsets the higher cost of living there. Purchasing power depends on which expenses matter most to you.

A mid-range dinner for two costs $61.0 in Champaign, IL versus $47.00 in Playa del Carmen. Monthly groceries follow the same trend: $316 vs $277 – making Playa del Carmen the more affordable choice for daily food spending.

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

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

Monthly costs with rent: $2,147 in Champaign, IL, $1,293 in Playa del Carmen – roughly 66% apart. Champaign, IL costs more across the board, with Monthly Utilities & Internet showing the biggest gap.

For a comfortable life, plan on about $3,221 per month in Champaign, IL and $1,940 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 Playa del Carmen, especially for central apartments. Housing is actually the single biggest factor behind the overall cost gap between these two cities.

Groceries cost about 14% more in Champaign, IL, though it depends on what you buy. Local produce may be comparable; imported and premium items show the biggest price gap.

A mid-range dinner for two costs $61.0 in Champaign, IL and $47.00 in Playa del Carmen. That's a good indicator of the overall restaurant and café pricing gap between the two cities.

A $1,500 monthly budget goes further in Playa del Carmen, where all-in costs run around $1,293, than in Champaign, IL at $2,147. In Playa del Carmen it covers expenses comfortably, while in Champaign, IL it requires careful planning or may not stretch far enough.

It depends on your priorities. Playa del Carmen has an edge in some lifestyle areas, with costs from $1,293 in Playa del Carmen to $2,147 in Champaign, IL. Climate, culture, job market, and personal taste all factor in.

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