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: $2,581 in Des Plaines, IL versus $1,297 in Playa del Carmen.

Estimated couple costs with rent: $3,855 in Des Plaines, IL versus $2,181 in Playa del Carmen.

Monthly costs for a family of three with rent: $5,129 in Des Plaines, IL versus $3,065 in Playa del Carmen.

Living in Des Plaines, IL is roughly 99% more expensive than Playa del Carmen, driven mainly by Groceries & Markets.

The two cities straddle the global median: Des Plaines, IL is 93% above, Playa del Carmen is 3% below.

Meal at Budget Restaurant

$15.26 $15.26

$11.73 MX$203

30.09%

Three-Course Dinner for Two, Mid-Range

$79.3 $79.3

$41.62 MX$720

90.63%

Fast Food Meal (McDonalds, etc)

$10.88 $10.88

$10.64 MX$184

2.26%

Cappuccino

$5.42 $5.42

$3.52 MX$60.9

53.98%

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

$2.64 $2.64

$1.51 MX$26.12

74.83%

Water (0.33 liter bottle)

$2.34 $2.34

$0.97 MX$16.84

141.24%

Local Beer (0.5 liter draught)

$5.97 $5.97

$2.95 MX$51.0

102.37%

Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$6.98 $6.98

$4.45 MX$77.0

56.85%

Milk (1 liter)

$0.92 $0.92

$1.38 MX$23.93

-33.33%

White Bread (500g)

$4.06 $4.06

$1.89 MX$32.72

114.81%

Rice (white) (1kg)

$5.31 $5.31

$1.64 MX$28.32

223.78%

Eggs

$4.12 $4.12

$2.51 MX$43.34

64.14%

Local Cheese (1kg)

$13.62 $13.62

$8.34 MX$144

63.31%

Chicken Fillets (1kg)

$13.27 $13.27

$8.34 MX$144

59.11%

Beef Round Steak (1kg)

$16.44 $16.44

$10.73 MX$186

53.22%

Apples (1kg)

$4.49 $4.49

$2.60 MX$45.04

72.69%

Banana (1kg)

$1.70 $1.70

$1.46 MX$25.20

16.44%

Oranges (1kg)

$4.32 $4.32

$1.90 MX$32.87

127.37%

Tomato (1kg)

$4.47 $4.47

$2.08 MX$35.91

114.90%

Potato (1kg)

$2.55 $2.55

$1.78 MX$30.71

43.26%

Onion (1kg)

$2.71 $2.71

$2.19 MX$37.80

23.74%

Lettuce (1 head)

$2.04 $2.04

$1.04 MX$17.99

96.15%

Water (1.5 liter bottle)

$1.96 $1.96

$1.08 MX$18.62

81.48%

Cigarettes 20 Pack (Marlboro, Camel)

$14.36 $14.36

$4.08 MX$70.6

251.96%

Wine (Bottle)

$14.85 $14.85

$10.32 MX$178

43.90%

Local Beer (0.5 liter bottle)

$2.31 $2.31

$1.71 MX$29.61

35.09%

Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$3.72 $3.72

$2.58 MX$44.54

44.19%

One-way Ticket (Public Transport)

$1.94 $1.94

$0.51 MX$8.81

280.39%

Public Transport Monthly Pass (Regular Price)

$26.46 MX$458

Taxi Start (Normal Tariff)

$4.40 $4.40

$3.26 MX$56.4

34.97%

Taxi (Normal Tariff) (1km)

$1.43 $1.43

$2.49 MX$43.09

-42.57%

Taxi 1hour Waiting (Normal Tariff)

$25.10 $25.10

$3.25 MX$56.2

672.31%

Gasoline (1 liter)

$1.09 $1.09

$1.31 MX$22.61

-16.79%

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

$25.0K $25.0K

$30.3K MX$523.7K

-17.42%

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

$25.2K $25.2K

$23.4K MX$405.3K

7.40%

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

$182 $182

$82.9 MX$1,433

119.85%

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

$50.1 $50.1

$22.22 MX$384

125.43%

Internet (50+ Mbps, Unlimited Data)

$66.1 $66.1

$29.34 MX$507

125.36%

Gym Membership (Monthly)

$43.79 $43.79

$51.6 MX$893

-15.18%

Tennis Court (1 Hour on Weekend)

$39.44 $39.44

$18.32 MX$317

115.28%

Cinema Ticket

$14.70 $14.70

$5.07 MX$87.6

189.94%

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

$1,653 $1,653

$201 MX$3,473

723.36%

International Primary School, 1 Child (Yearly)

$24.7K $24.7K

$5,212 MX$90.1K

373.54%

Jeans (Levis 501 Or Similar)

$65.4 $65.4

$36.92 MX$639

77.17%

Summer Dress (H&M, Zara, etc)

$48.84 $48.84

$39.79 MX$688

22.74%

Sport Shoes (Adidas, Nike)

$97.3 $97.3

$78.5 MX$1,357

23.96%

Men's Leather Business Shoes

$134 $134

$87.1 MX$1,506

53.67%

1-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)

$1,602 $1,602

$973 MX$16.8K

64.74%

1-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)

$1,379 $1,379

$468 MX$8,090

194.92%

3-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)

$2,631 $2,631

$1,641 MX$28.4K

60.31%

3-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)

$2,224 $2,224

$1,221 MX$21.1K

82.22%

Buy Apartment in City Center (m2)

$3,192 $3,192

$3,946 MX$68.3K

-19.11%

Buy Apartment Outside City Center (m2)

$2,480 $2,480

$6,498 MX$112.4K

-61.84%

Average Monthly Net Salary (After Tax)

$6,104 $6,104

$664 MX$11.5K

819.36%

20-Year Fixed Mortgage Interest Rate (Annual %)

6.6

11.42

-42.21%

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

Last update for Des Plaines, IL: June 1, 2026

Last update for Playa del Carmen: June 2, 2026

Cost Breakdown

A one-bedroom apartment in the center runs $1,602 in Des Plaines, IL and $973 in Playa del Carmen. Housing cost is often the main lever when comparing two cities.

Des Plaines, IL pays 819% 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: $79.0 in Des Plaines, IL vs $42.00 in Playa del Carmen for a mid-range dinner for two. Groceries echo the gap at $410 vs $249 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 99% in total monthly costs ($2,581 vs $1,297 including rent). Playa del Carmen is meaningfully more affordable – a gap that matters a lot on a fixed or modest income.

Des Plaines, IL pays 819% more on average, 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: $1,602 in Des Plaines, IL versus $973 in Playa del Carmen. Housing is usually the single largest factor when comparing overall living costs between the two.

Childcare runs $1,653 in Des Plaines, IL versus $201 in Playa del Carmen. Over years of preschool, even a modest monthly gap compounds into a major financial factor for families.

Dining out is cheaper in Playa del Carmen – a meal for two runs $42.00 versus $79.0 in Des Plaines, IL. If you eat out regularly, this makes a real dent in your monthly spending.

At $1,297 in Playa del Carmen versus $2,581 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 99% less than in Des Plaines, IL. Beyond cost, consider language, visa policies, and how big the international community is in each city.