Cost of Living Comparison Between Ibb and Playa del Carmen Cost of Living Comparison Between Ibb and Playa del Carmen

Monthly Cost of Living

Monthly costs for one person with rent: $879 in Ibb versus $1,266 in Playa del Carmen.

Estimated couple costs with rent: $1,447 in Ibb versus $2,279 in Playa del Carmen.

Monthly costs for a family of three with rent: $2,014 in Ibb versus $3,292 in Playa del Carmen.

Living in Ibb costs roughly 31% less than in Playa del Carmen, driven mainly by Eating Out.

Both cities sit below the global median: Ibb 36% lower, Playa del Carmen 7% lower.

Meal at Budget Restaurant

$6.30 YER 1,487

$11.60 MX$200

-45.69%

Three-Course Dinner for Two, Mid-Range

$25.73 YER 6,079

$47.11 MX$812

-45.38%

Fast Food Meal (McDonalds, etc)

$13.05 YER 3,084

$11.88 MX$205

9.85%

Local Non-Alcoholic Beer (0.5 liter draught)

$2.03 YER 480

Imported Non-Alcoholic Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$2.56 YER 604

Cappuccino

$2.17 YER 512

$3.98 MX$68.6

-45.48%

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

$1.12 YER 265

$1.43 MX$24.60

-21.68%

Water (0.33 liter bottle)

$0.50 YER 118

$0.82 MX$14.22

-39.02%

Local Beer (0.5 liter draught)

$3.19 MX$55.0

Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$6.79 MX$117

Milk (1 liter)

$2.06 YER 486

$1.68 MX$28.89

22.62%

White Bread (500g)

$0.98 YER 230

$2.20 MX$37.88

-55.45%

Rice (white) (1kg)

$2.02 YER 476

$1.71 MX$29.45

18.13%

Eggs

$3.63 YER 857

$2.74 MX$47.26

32.48%

Local Cheese (1kg)

$13.87 YER 3,277

$9.58 MX$165

44.78%

Chicken Fillets (1kg)

$8.12 YER 1,918

$9.01 MX$155

-9.88%

Beef Round Steak (1kg)

$19.07 YER 4,504

$12.81 MX$221

48.87%

Apples (1kg)

$3.26 YER 771

$2.89 MX$49.81

12.80%

Banana (1kg)

$1.01 YER 239

$1.50 MX$25.81

-32.67%

Oranges (1kg)

$2.25 YER 532

$2.15 MX$37.03

4.65%

Tomato (1kg)

$1.68 YER 397

$2.26 MX$38.96

-25.66%

Potato (1kg)

$1.47 YER 347

$1.98 MX$34.15

-25.76%

Onion (1kg)

$1.32 YER 311

$1.99 MX$34.30

-33.67%

Lettuce (1 head)

$0.81 YER 192

$1.23 MX$21.28

-34.15%

Water (1.5 liter bottle)

$0.69 YER 163

$1.20 MX$20.63

-42.50%

Bottle of Non-Alcoholic Wine (Mid-Range)

$3.36 YER 793

Local Non-Alcoholic Beer (0.5 liter bottle)

$1.84 YER 435

Imported Non-Alcoholic Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$3.48 YER 821

Cigarettes 20 Pack (Marlboro, Camel)

$3.95 YER 933

$4.55 MX$78.5

-13.19%

Wine (Bottle)

$10.37 MX$179

Local Beer (0.5 liter bottle)

$1.62 MX$27.91

Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$2.88 MX$49.67

One-way Ticket (Public Transport)

$0.60 MX$10.35

Public Transport Monthly Pass (Regular Price)

$28.80 MX$497

Taxi Start (Normal Tariff)

$2.12 YER 502

$5.39 MX$92.9

-60.67%

Taxi (Normal Tariff) (1km)

$2.56 YER 605

$3.73 MX$64.3

-31.37%

Taxi 1hour Waiting (Normal Tariff)

$7.36 YER 1,739

$5.77 MX$99.5

27.56%

Gasoline (1 liter)

$2.05 YER 485

$1.54 MX$26.48

33.12%

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

$17.0K YER 4.0M

$22.5K MX$388.8K

-24.76%

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

$34.9K YER 8.2M

$26.1K MX$449.3K

33.75%

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

$63.6 YER 15.0K

$91.4 MX$1,576

-30.40%

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

$15.57 YER 3,677

$25.20 MX$435

-38.21%

Internet (50+ Mbps, Unlimited Data)

$29.89 YER 7,060

$31.24 MX$539

-4.32%

Gym Membership (Monthly)

$67.2 MX$1,159

Tennis Court (1 Hour on Weekend)

$29.11 MX$502

Cinema Ticket

$5.99 YER 1,415

$4.86 MX$83.8

23.25%

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

$24.80 YER 5,859

$224 MX$3,856

-88.91%

International Primary School, 1 Child (Yearly)

$2,138 YER 505.1K

$4,229 MX$72.9K

-49.44%

Jeans (Levis 501 Or Similar)

$29.42 YER 6,950

$47.10 MX$812

-37.54%

Summer Dress (H&M, Zara, etc)

$120 YER 28.4K

$44.29 MX$764

170.96%

Sport Shoes (Adidas, Nike)

$47.06 YER 11.1K

$80.1 MX$1,381

-41.26%

Men's Leather Business Shoes

$40.69 YER 9,613

$92.7 MX$1,598

-56.09%

1-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)

$313 YER 74.0K

$1,063 MX$18.3K

-70.53%

1-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)

$252 YER 59.6K

$390 MX$6,728

-35.37%

3-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)

$773 YER 182.7K

$2,149 MX$37.1K

-64.02%

3-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)

$629 YER 148.7K

$1,272 MX$21.9K

-50.52%

Buy Apartment in City Center (m2)

$4,001 MX$69.0K

Buy Apartment Outside City Center (m2)

$6,502 MX$112.1K

Average Monthly Net Salary (After Tax)

$359 YER 84.8K

$758 MX$13.1K

-52.65%

20-Year Fixed Mortgage Interest Rate (Annual %)

11.25

11.45

-1.75%

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

Last update for Ibb: September 13, 2026

Last update for Playa del Carmen: September 12, 2026

Cost Breakdown

A one-bedroom apartment in the center runs $313 in Ibb and $1,063 in Playa del Carmen. Housing cost is often the main lever when comparing two cities.

Playa del Carmen pays 111% 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: $26.00 in Ibb vs $47.00 in Playa del Carmen for a mid-range dinner for two. Groceries echo the gap at $251 vs $276 per month, with Ibb 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

Ibb vs Playa del Carmen: Cost of Living - Frequently Asked Questions

Ibb is cheaper overall, especially in Groceries & Markets, Eating Out, Clothing & Footwear, Monthly Utilities & Internet, Getting Around. The 44% gap adds up to real monthly savings that compound significantly over time.

On paper, salaries run 111% lower in Playa del Carmen. That's worth factoring in alongside costs, though remote workers earning in a stronger currency may not notice the difference at all.

Rent for a central apartment: $313 in Ibb versus $1,063 in Playa del Carmen. Housing is usually the single largest factor when comparing overall living costs between the two.

Supermarket bills run roughly 10% higher in Playa del Carmen. For households that cook at home regularly, that difference adds up over a month.

All in, you'll spend $879 per month in Ibb versus $1,266 in Playa del Carmen – a 44% gap that adds up to real savings over time for anyone picking the cheaper option.

At $879 in Ibb versus $1,266 in Playa del Carmen, a $1,500 budget is realistic in Ibb but tight or insufficient in Playa del Carmen. The gap between the two cities makes Ibb the clear choice for anyone on this budget.

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

Expats usually find Ibb gentler on the wallet – expenses run 44% less than in Playa del Carmen. Beyond cost, consider language, visa policies, and how big the international community is in each city.