Cost of Living Comparison Between Des Plaines, IL and Playa del Carmen Cost of Living Comparison Between Des Plaines, IL and Playa del Carmen

Monthly Cost of Living

Monthly costs for one person with rent: $3,139 in Des Plaines, IL versus $1,293 in Playa del Carmen.

Estimated couple costs with rent: $4,292 in Des Plaines, IL versus $2,334 in Playa del Carmen.

Monthly costs for a family of three with rent: $5,445 in Des Plaines, IL versus $3,374 in Playa del Carmen.

Living in Des Plaines, IL is roughly 143% more expensive than in Playa del Carmen, driven mainly by Groceries & Markets.

The two cities straddle the global median: Des Plaines, IL is 128% above, Playa del Carmen is 6% below.

Meal at Budget Restaurant

$19.61 $19.61

$11.71 MX$198

67.46%

Three-Course Dinner for Two, Mid-Range

$89.9 $89.9

$46.59 MX$788

93.00%

Fast Food Meal (McDonalds, etc)

$13.03 $13.03

$11.65 MX$197

11.85%

Cappuccino

$5.72 $5.72

$4.09 MX$69.2

39.85%

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

$2.68 $2.68

$1.37 MX$23.23

95.62%

Water (0.33 liter bottle)

$2.29 $2.29

$0.83 MX$14.09

175.90%

Local Beer (0.5 liter draught)

$6.93 $6.93

$3.35 MX$56.7

106.87%

Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$7.64 $7.64

$6.91 MX$117

10.56%

Milk (1 liter)

$1.00 $1.00

$1.73 MX$29.20

-42.20%

White Bread (500g)

$3.66 $3.66

$2.26 MX$38.21

61.95%

Rice (white) (1kg)

$4.71 $4.71

$1.77 MX$29.91

166.10%

Eggs

$4.03 $4.03

$2.73 MX$46.19

47.62%

Local Cheese (1kg)

$15.14 $15.14

$9.18 MX$155

64.92%

Chicken Fillets (1kg)

$13.42 $13.42

$8.92 MX$151

50.45%

Beef Round Steak (1kg)

$19.88 $19.88

$12.60 MX$213

57.78%

Apples (1kg)

$5.01 $5.01

$3.02 MX$51.1

65.89%

Banana (1kg)

$1.66 $1.66

$1.57 MX$26.55

5.73%

Oranges (1kg)

$4.07 $4.07

$2.13 MX$35.93

91.08%

Tomato (1kg)

$4.88 $4.88

$2.26 MX$38.28

115.93%

Potato (1kg)

$2.81 $2.81

$2.00 MX$33.88

40.50%

Onion (1kg)

$2.78 $2.78

$2.06 MX$34.90

34.95%

Lettuce (1 head)

$2.10 $2.10

$1.18 MX$19.94

77.97%

Water (1.5 liter bottle)

$2.46 $2.46

$1.20 MX$20.35

105.00%

Cigarettes 20 Pack (Marlboro, Camel)

$10.52 $10.52

$4.63 MX$78.4

127.21%

Wine (Bottle)

$14.97 $14.97

$10.69 MX$181

40.04%

Local Beer (0.5 liter bottle)

$2.54 $2.54

$1.62 MX$27.38

56.79%

Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$3.39 $3.39

$2.88 MX$48.70

17.71%

One-way Ticket (Public Transport)

$2.02 $2.02

$0.57 MX$9.69

254.39%

Public Transport Monthly Pass (Regular Price)

$59.3 $59.3

$29.83 MX$504

98.79%

Taxi Start (Normal Tariff)

$3.17 $3.17

$5.45 MX$92.1

-41.83%

Taxi (Normal Tariff) (1km)

$1.37 $1.37

$3.70 MX$62.6

-62.97%

Taxi 1hour Waiting (Normal Tariff)

$22.51 $22.51

$5.98 MX$101

276.42%

Gasoline (1 liter)

$1.00 $1.00

$1.55 MX$26.26

-35.48%

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

$36.6K $36.6K

$22.3K MX$377.4K

63.78%

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

$25.5K $25.5K

$25.9K MX$438.7K

-1.76%

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

$193 $193

$89.1 MX$1,507

116.38%

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

$59.5 $59.5

$25.04 MX$423

137.66%

Internet (50+ Mbps, Unlimited Data)

$78.2 $78.2

$31.50 MX$532

148.22%

Gym Membership (Monthly)

$122 $122

$67.8 MX$1,146

80.61%

Tennis Court (1 Hour on Weekend)

$40.05 $40.05

$28.92 MX$489

38.49%

Cinema Ticket

$14.83 $14.83

$5.05 MX$85.4

193.66%

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

$1,559 $1,559

$225 MX$3,803

593.08%

International Primary School, 1 Child (Yearly)

$23.0K $23.0K

$4,222 MX$71.4K

445.77%

Jeans (Levis 501 Or Similar)

$64.1 $64.1

$47.44 MX$802

35.10%

Summer Dress (H&M, Zara, etc)

$50.7 $50.7

$44.98 MX$760

12.67%

Sport Shoes (Adidas, Nike)

$103 $103

$82.0 MX$1,386

26.00%

Men's Leather Business Shoes

$121 $121

$92.1 MX$1,557

31.40%

1-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)

$1,069 MX$18.1K

1-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)

$1,619 $1,619

$405 MX$6,852

299.38%

3-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)

$1,935 MX$32.7K

3-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)

$2,228 $2,228

$1,301 MX$22.0K

71.25%

Buy Apartment in City Center (m2)

$3,275 $3,275

$3,995 MX$67.5K

-18.04%

Buy Apartment Outside City Center (m2)

$2,480 $2,480

$6,626 MX$112.0K

-62.58%

Average Monthly Net Salary (After Tax)

$6,177 $6,177

$749 MX$12.7K

724.98%

20-Year Fixed Mortgage Interest Rate (Annual %)

6.38

11.45

-44.28%

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

Last update for Des Plaines, IL: August 30, 2026

Last update for Playa del Carmen: August 29, 2026

Cost Breakdown

Des Plaines, IL pays 725% 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: $90.0 in Des Plaines, IL vs $47.00 in Playa del Carmen for a mid-range dinner for two. Groceries echo the gap at $431 vs $277 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

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

Des Plaines, IL and Playa del Carmen differ by about 143% in total monthly costs ($3,139 vs $1,293 including rent). Playa del Carmen is meaningfully more affordable – a gap that matters a lot on a fixed or modest income.

Average pay runs 725% higher in Des Plaines, IL, which matters when comparing affordability. Whether that higher income actually nets you more depends on your spending habits and housing choices.

Supermarket bills run roughly 56% higher in Des Plaines, IL. For households that cook at home regularly, that difference adds up over a month.

Dining out is cheaper in Playa del Carmen – a meal for two runs $47.00 versus $90.0 in Des Plaines, IL. If you eat out regularly, this makes a real dent in your monthly spending.

At $1,293 in Playa del Carmen versus $3,139 in Des Plaines, IL, a $1,500 budget is realistic in Playa del Carmen but tight or insufficient in Des Plaines, IL. The gap between the two cities makes Playa del Carmen the clear choice for anyone on this budget.

Both cities offer a good standard of living with different trade-offs. Neither is objectively better – the right pick depends on what matters most: affordability, career, cultural scene, or climate.

Expats usually find Playa del Carmen gentler on the wallet – expenses run 143% less than in Des Plaines, IL. Beyond cost, consider language, visa policies, and how big the international community is in each city.