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

Monthly Cost of Living

Monthly costs for one person with rent: $2,376 in Elgin, IL versus $1,256 in Playa del Carmen.

Estimated couple costs with rent: $3,445 in Elgin, IL versus $2,137 in Playa del Carmen.

Monthly costs for a family of three with rent: $4,514 in Elgin, IL versus $3,017 in Playa del Carmen.

Living in Elgin, IL is roughly 89% more expensive than in Playa del Carmen, driven mainly by Groceries & Markets.

The two cities straddle the global median: Elgin, IL is 78% above, Playa del Carmen is 6% below.

Meal at Budget Restaurant

$15.06 $15.06

$11.99 MX$209

25.60%

Three-Course Dinner for Two, Mid-Range

$61.2 $61.2

$41.78 MX$728

46.41%

Fast Food Meal (McDonalds, etc)

$9.92 $9.92

$10.75 MX$187

-7.72%

Cappuccino

$3.93 $3.93

$3.50 MX$60.9

12.29%

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

$2.75 $2.75

$1.45 MX$25.22

89.66%

Water (0.33 liter bottle)

$2.04 $2.04

$0.88 MX$15.41

131.82%

Local Beer (0.5 liter draught)

$6.10 $6.10

$2.95 MX$51.3

106.78%

Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$5.05 $5.05

$4.51 MX$78.6

11.97%

Milk (1 liter)

$0.74 $0.74

$1.43 MX$24.94

-48.25%

White Bread (500g)

$3.72 $3.72

$1.84 MX$31.99

102.17%

Rice (white) (1kg)

$5.08 $5.08

$1.57 MX$27.31

223.57%

Eggs

$4.11 $4.11

$2.51 MX$43.74

63.75%

Local Cheese (1kg)

$10.82 $10.82

$8.28 MX$144

30.68%

Chicken Fillets (1kg)

$13.56 $13.56

$8.43 MX$147

60.85%

Beef Round Steak (1kg)

$11.18 $11.18

$10.68 MX$186

4.68%

Apples (1kg)

$2.26 $2.26

$2.61 MX$45.43

-13.41%

Banana (1kg)

$1.08 $1.08

$1.44 MX$25.04

-25.00%

Oranges (1kg)

$1.66 $1.66

$1.96 MX$34.16

-15.31%

Tomato (1kg)

$2.72 $2.72

$2.09 MX$36.47

30.14%

Potato (1kg)

$2.57 $2.57

$1.85 MX$32.24

38.92%

Onion (1kg)

$2.92 $2.92

$2.17 MX$37.74

34.56%

Lettuce (1 head)

$2.00 $2.00

$1.03 MX$17.96

94.17%

Water (1.5 liter bottle)

$1.94 $1.94

$1.07 MX$18.70

81.31%

Cigarettes 20 Pack (Marlboro, Camel)

$10.08 $10.08

$4.10 MX$71.4

145.85%

Wine (Bottle)

$15.51 $15.51

$10.17 MX$177

52.51%

Local Beer (0.5 liter bottle)

$2.40 $2.40

$1.68 MX$29.17

42.86%

Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$4.87 $4.87

$2.53 MX$43.98

92.49%

One-way Ticket (Public Transport)

$1.96 $1.96

$0.51 MX$8.87

284.31%

Public Transport Monthly Pass (Regular Price)

$26.04 MX$453

Taxi Start (Normal Tariff)

$4.37 $4.37

$3.23 MX$56.3

35.29%

Taxi (Normal Tariff) (1km)

$2.11 $2.11

$2.41 MX$41.88

-12.45%

Taxi 1hour Waiting (Normal Tariff)

$27.66 $27.66

$3.23 MX$56.2

756.35%

Gasoline (1 liter)

$0.90 $0.90

$1.32 MX$23.00

-31.82%

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

$24.6K $24.6K

$29.7K MX$517.1K

-17.09%

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

$25.4K $25.4K

$23.7K MX$412.0K

7.28%

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

$99.1 $99.1

$82.0 MX$1,428

20.89%

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

$51.2 $51.2

$22.95 MX$400

123.05%

Internet (50+ Mbps, Unlimited Data)

$49.28 $49.28

$30.11 MX$524

63.67%

Gym Membership (Monthly)

$43.62 $43.62

$52.0 MX$905

-16.07%

Tennis Court (1 Hour on Weekend)

$18.53 MX$323

Cinema Ticket

$15.23 $15.23

$4.98 MX$86.6

205.82%

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

$1,634 $1,634

$197 MX$3,438

727.39%

International Primary School, 1 Child (Yearly)

$24.4K $24.4K

$5,336 MX$92.9K

356.75%

Jeans (Levis 501 Or Similar)

$40.19 $40.19

$35.60 MX$620

12.89%

Summer Dress (H&M, Zara, etc)

$48.95 $48.95

$40.33 MX$702

21.37%

Sport Shoes (Adidas, Nike)

$102 $102

$78.8 MX$1,371

28.99%

Men's Leather Business Shoes

$135 $135

$88.9 MX$1,549

51.48%

1-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)

$1,627 $1,627

$947 MX$16.5K

71.78%

1-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)

$1,369 $1,369

$474 MX$8,254

188.82%

3-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)

$2,683 $2,683

$1,644 MX$28.6K

63.19%

3-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)

$2,226 $2,226

$1,211 MX$21.1K

83.86%

Buy Apartment in City Center (m2)

$2,197 $2,197

$4,056 MX$70.6K

-45.83%

Buy Apartment Outside City Center (m2)

$2,225 $2,225

$6,470 MX$112.7K

-65.61%

Average Monthly Net Salary (After Tax)

$3,907 $3,907

$654 MX$11.4K

497.54%

20-Year Fixed Mortgage Interest Rate (Annual %)

6.55

11.42

-42.64%

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

Last update for Elgin, IL: July 14, 2026

Last update for Playa del Carmen: July 13, 2026

Cost Breakdown

A one-bedroom apartment in the center runs $1,627 in Elgin, IL and $947 in Playa del Carmen. Housing cost is often the main lever when comparing two cities.

Elgin, IL pays 498% 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: $61.0 in Elgin, IL vs $42.00 in Playa del Carmen for a mid-range dinner for two. Groceries echo the gap at $351 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

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

Playa del Carmen is cheaper overall, especially in Groceries & Markets, Eating Out, Clothing & Footwear, Monthly Utilities & Internet, Sport & Entertainment. The 89% gap adds up to real monthly savings that compound significantly over time.

Average pay runs 498% higher in Elgin, 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: $1,627 in Elgin, IL versus $947 in Playa del Carmen. Housing is usually the single largest factor when comparing overall living costs between the two.

Childcare runs $1,634 in Elgin, IL versus $197 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 $61.0 in Elgin, IL. If you eat out regularly, this makes a real dent in your monthly spending.

At $1,256 in Playa del Carmen versus $2,376 in Elgin, IL, a $1,500 budget is realistic in Playa del Carmen but tight or insufficient in Elgin, IL. The gap between the two cities makes Playa del Carmen the clear choice for anyone on this budget.

For families, Playa del Carmen is more practical. Housing and childcare are both notably cheaper than in Elgin, IL, and the savings on those two alone free up budget for education, activities, and family trips.

Safety-wise, Elgin, IL and Playa del Carmen are on par. Petty crime is typical for cities this size, and most residents feel comfortable going about their daily routines in either place.

Expats usually find Playa del Carmen gentler on the wallet – expenses run 89% less than in Elgin, IL. Beyond cost, consider language, visa policies, and how big the international community is in each city.