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

Monthly Cost of Living

Monthly costs for one person with rent: $2,580 in Effingham, IL versus $1,259 in Playa del Carmen.

Estimated couple costs with rent: $3,607 in Effingham, IL versus $2,177 in Playa del Carmen.

Monthly costs for a family of three with rent: $4,635 in Effingham, IL versus $3,095 in Playa del Carmen.

Living in Effingham, IL is roughly 105% more expensive than in Playa del Carmen, driven mainly by Groceries & Markets.

The two cities straddle the global median: Effingham, IL is 93% above, Playa del Carmen is 6% below.

Meal at Budget Restaurant

$15.13 $15.13

$11.95 MX$208

26.61%

Three-Course Dinner for Two, Mid-Range

$44.11 $44.11

$41.94 MX$730

5.17%

Fast Food Meal (McDonalds, etc)

$10.16 $10.16

$10.42 MX$181

-2.50%

Cappuccino

$5.20 $5.20

$3.51 MX$61.2

48.15%

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

$2.42 $2.42

$1.52 MX$26.39

59.21%

Water (0.33 liter bottle)

$1.95 $1.95

$0.91 MX$15.84

114.29%

Local Beer (0.5 liter draught)

$4.93 $4.93

$3.04 MX$52.9

62.17%

Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$7.21 $7.21

$4.37 MX$76.1

64.99%

Milk (1 liter)

$0.52 $0.52

$1.42 MX$24.73

-63.38%

White Bread (500g)

$2.74 $2.74

$1.83 MX$31.87

49.73%

Rice (white) (1kg)

$4.48 $4.48

$1.63 MX$28.45

174.85%

Eggs

$3.07 $3.07

$2.54 MX$44.20

20.87%

Local Cheese (1kg)

$15.71 $15.71

$8.57 MX$149

83.31%

Chicken Fillets (1kg)

$11.20 $11.20

$8.49 MX$148

31.92%

Beef Round Steak (1kg)

$14.74 $14.74

$10.80 MX$188

36.48%

Apples (1kg)

$5.50 $5.50

$2.75 MX$47.94

100.00%

Banana (1kg)

$1.59 $1.59

$1.44 MX$25.00

10.42%

Oranges (1kg)

$4.07 $4.07

$1.89 MX$32.83

115.34%

Tomato (1kg)

$5.60 $5.60

$2.17 MX$37.77

158.06%

Potato (1kg)

$2.17 $2.17

$1.78 MX$30.97

21.91%

Onion (1kg)

$1.13 $1.13

$2.22 MX$38.71

-49.10%

Lettuce (1 head)

$1.88 $1.88

$1.07 MX$18.60

75.70%

Water (1.5 liter bottle)

$2.05 $2.05

$1.08 MX$18.79

89.81%

Cigarettes 20 Pack (Marlboro, Camel)

$8.69 $8.69

$4.15 MX$72.2

109.40%

Wine (Bottle)

$11.85 $11.85

$10.45 MX$182

13.40%

Local Beer (0.5 liter bottle)

$2.65 $2.65

$1.74 MX$30.34

52.30%

Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$3.34 $3.34

$2.58 MX$44.92

29.46%

One-way Ticket (Public Transport)

$1.97 $1.97

$0.51 MX$8.94

286.27%

Public Transport Monthly Pass (Regular Price)

$25.94 MX$451

Taxi Start (Normal Tariff)

$2.71 $2.71

$3.21 MX$55.9

-15.58%

Taxi (Normal Tariff) (1km)

$1.39 $1.39

$2.50 MX$43.55

-44.40%

Taxi 1hour Waiting (Normal Tariff)

$29.63 $29.63

$3.19 MX$55.4

828.84%

Gasoline (1 liter)

$0.83 $0.83

$1.26 MX$21.87

-34.13%

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

$35.2K $35.2K

$29.7K MX$516.6K

18.63%

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

$26.8K $26.8K

$23.7K MX$412.1K

13.16%

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

$235 $235

$82.0 MX$1,427

187.04%

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

$44.72 $44.72

$22.73 MX$395

96.74%

Internet (50+ Mbps, Unlimited Data)

$62.2 $62.2

$29.42 MX$512

111.45%

Gym Membership (Monthly)

$42.67 $42.67

$52.2 MX$908

-18.24%

Tennis Court (1 Hour on Weekend)

$18.45 MX$321

Cinema Ticket

$11.99 $11.99

$4.93 MX$85.9

143.20%

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

$1,264 $1,264

$202 MX$3,511

526.56%

International Primary School, 1 Child (Yearly)

$13.3K $13.3K

$5,217 MX$90.8K

155.70%

Jeans (Levis 501 Or Similar)

$45.76 $45.76

$35.93 MX$625

27.36%

Summer Dress (H&M, Zara, etc)

$34.54 $34.54

$40.33 MX$702

-14.36%

Sport Shoes (Adidas, Nike)

$85.3 $85.3

$79.9 MX$1,390

6.82%

Men's Leather Business Shoes

$65.6 $65.6

$89.3 MX$1,554

-26.59%

1-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)

$1,621 $1,621

$948 MX$16.5K

70.86%

1-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)

$1,356 $1,356

$465 MX$8,097

191.45%

3-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)

$2,644 $2,644

$1,630 MX$28.4K

62.21%

3-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)

$2,264 $2,264

$1,193 MX$20.8K

89.78%

Buy Apartment in City Center (m2)

$2,343 $2,343

$3,933 MX$68.4K

-40.42%

Buy Apartment Outside City Center (m2)

$2,466 $2,466

$6,428 MX$111.9K

-61.64%

Average Monthly Net Salary (After Tax)

$658 MX$11.5K

20-Year Fixed Mortgage Interest Rate (Annual %)

6.61

11.42

-42.12%

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

Last update for Effingham, IL: July 19, 2026

Last update for Playa del Carmen: July 20, 2026

Cost Breakdown

A one-bedroom apartment in the center runs $1,621 in Effingham, IL and $948 in Playa del Carmen. Housing cost is often the main lever when comparing two cities.

Dining out: $44.00 in Effingham, IL vs $42.00 in Playa del Carmen for a mid-range dinner for two. Groceries echo the gap at $376 vs $252 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

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

Effingham, IL and Playa del Carmen differ by about 105% in total monthly costs ($2,580 vs $1,259 including rent). Playa del Carmen is meaningfully more affordable – a gap that matters a lot on a fixed or modest income.

You'd need roughly $3,870 in Effingham, IL and $1,888 in Playa del Carmen to live well. The gap comes down to housing and overall price levels. Both cities are liveable on less, but these numbers represent actual comfort.

Rent for a central apartment: $1,621 in Effingham, 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 49% higher in Effingham, IL. For households that cook at home regularly, that difference adds up over a month.

All in, you'll spend $2,580 per month in Effingham, IL versus $1,259 in Playa del Carmen – a 105% gap that adds up to real savings over time for anyone picking the cheaper option.

At $1,259 in Playa del Carmen versus $2,580 in Effingham, IL, a $1,500 budget is realistic in Playa del Carmen but tight or insufficient in Effingham, 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 105% less than in Effingham, IL. Beyond cost, consider language, visa policies, and how big the international community is in each city.