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: $2,444 in Elgin, IL versus $1,297 in Playa del Carmen.

Estimated couple costs with rent: $3,486 in Elgin, IL versus $2,181 in Playa del Carmen.

Monthly costs for a family of three with rent: $4,528 in Elgin, IL versus $3,065 in Playa del Carmen.

Living in Elgin, IL is roughly 88% more expensive than Playa del Carmen, driven mainly by Groceries & Markets.

The two cities straddle the global median: Elgin, IL is 82% above, Playa del Carmen is 3% below.

Meal at Budget Restaurant

$15.13 $15.13

$11.73 MX$203

28.99%

Three-Course Dinner for Two, Mid-Range

$59.7 $59.7

$41.62 MX$719

43.39%

Fast Food Meal (McDonalds, etc)

$10.16 $10.16

$10.64 MX$184

-4.51%

Cappuccino

$4.02 $4.02

$3.52 MX$60.8

14.20%

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

$2.74 $2.74

$1.51 MX$26.09

81.46%

Water (0.33 liter bottle)

$1.96 $1.96

$0.97 MX$16.82

102.06%

Local Beer (0.5 liter draught)

$6.14 $6.14

$2.95 MX$51.0

108.14%

Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$5.10 $5.10

$4.45 MX$77.0

14.61%

Milk (1 liter)

$0.74 $0.74

$1.38 MX$23.90

-46.38%

White Bread (500g)

$3.69 $3.69

$1.89 MX$32.69

95.24%

Rice (white) (1kg)

$5.18 $5.18

$1.64 MX$28.29

215.85%

Eggs

$4.05 $4.05

$2.51 MX$43.30

61.35%

Local Cheese (1kg)

$11.11 $11.11

$8.34 MX$144

33.21%

Chicken Fillets (1kg)

$13.44 $13.44

$8.34 MX$144

61.15%

Beef Round Steak (1kg)

$10.93 $10.93

$10.73 MX$185

1.86%

Apples (1kg)

$2.14 $2.14

$2.60 MX$45.00

-17.69%

Banana (1kg)

$1.09 $1.09

$1.46 MX$25.18

-25.34%

Oranges (1kg)

$1.67 $1.67

$1.90 MX$32.84

-12.11%

Tomato (1kg)

$2.71 $2.71

$2.08 MX$35.88

30.29%

Potato (1kg)

$2.59 $2.59

$1.78 MX$30.68

45.51%

Onion (1kg)

$2.89 $2.89

$2.19 MX$37.76

31.96%

Lettuce (1 head)

$1.95 $1.95

$1.04 MX$17.97

87.50%

Water (1.5 liter bottle)

$1.97 $1.97

$1.08 MX$18.60

82.41%

Cigarettes 20 Pack (Marlboro, Camel)

$10.03 $10.03

$4.08 MX$70.5

145.83%

Wine (Bottle)

$15.58 $15.58

$10.32 MX$178

50.97%

Local Beer (0.5 liter bottle)

$2.35 $2.35

$1.71 MX$29.59

37.43%

Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$4.66 $4.66

$2.58 MX$44.50

80.62%

One-way Ticket (Public Transport)

$2.05 $2.05

$0.51 MX$8.81

301.96%

Public Transport Monthly Pass (Regular Price)

$26.46 MX$457

Taxi Start (Normal Tariff)

$4.62 $4.62

$3.26 MX$56.4

41.72%

Taxi (Normal Tariff) (1km)

$2.14 $2.14

$2.49 MX$43.05

-14.06%

Taxi 1hour Waiting (Normal Tariff)

$27.60 $27.60

$3.25 MX$56.1

749.23%

Gasoline (1 liter)

$0.87 $0.87

$1.31 MX$22.59

-33.59%

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

$25.0K $25.0K

$30.3K MX$523.2K

-17.27%

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

$24.9K $24.9K

$23.4K MX$404.9K

6.36%

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

$98.8 $98.8

$82.9 MX$1,432

19.20%

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

$51.7 $51.7

$22.22 MX$384

132.81%

Internet (50+ Mbps, Unlimited Data)

$49.44 $49.44

$29.34 MX$507

68.51%

Gym Membership (Monthly)

$43.26 $43.26

$51.6 MX$892

-16.21%

Tennis Court (1 Hour on Weekend)

$18.32 MX$317

Cinema Ticket

$15.19 $15.19

$5.07 MX$87.5

199.61%

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

$1,644 $1,644

$201 MX$3,470

718.60%

International Primary School, 1 Child (Yearly)

$24.9K $24.9K

$5,212 MX$90.1K

378.36%

Jeans (Levis 501 Or Similar)

$39.93 $39.93

$36.92 MX$638

8.15%

Summer Dress (H&M, Zara, etc)

$49.28 $49.28

$39.79 MX$688

23.85%

Sport Shoes (Adidas, Nike)

$99.1 $99.1

$78.5 MX$1,356

26.34%

Men's Leather Business Shoes

$134 $134

$87.1 MX$1,505

53.67%

1-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)

$1,570 $1,570

$973 MX$16.8K

61.45%

1-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)

$1,378 $1,378

$468 MX$8,082

194.67%

3-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)

$2,626 $2,626

$1,641 MX$28.4K

59.99%

3-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)

$2,201 $2,201

$1,221 MX$21.1K

80.27%

Buy Apartment in City Center (m2)

$2,628 $2,628

$3,946 MX$68.2K

-33.40%

Buy Apartment Outside City Center (m2)

$2,410 $2,410

$6,498 MX$112.3K

-62.91%

Average Monthly Net Salary (After Tax)

$3,873 $3,873

$664 MX$11.5K

483.40%

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: June 2, 2026

Last update for Playa del Carmen: June 2, 2026

Cost Breakdown

A one-bedroom apartment in the center runs $1,570 in Elgin, IL and $973 in Playa del Carmen. Housing cost is often the main lever when comparing two cities.

Elgin, IL pays 483% 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: $60.0 in Elgin, IL vs $42.00 in Playa del Carmen for a mid-range dinner for two. Groceries echo the gap at $349 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 88% gap adds up to real monthly savings that compound significantly over time.

Elgin, IL pays 483% 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: $1,570 in Elgin, IL versus $973 in Playa del Carmen. Housing is usually the single largest factor when comparing overall living costs between the two.

Childcare runs $1,644 in Elgin, 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 $60.0 in Elgin, IL. If you eat out regularly, this makes a real dent in your monthly spending.

At $1,297 in Playa del Carmen versus $2,444 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 88% less than in Elgin, IL. Beyond cost, consider language, visa policies, and how big the international community is in each city.