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: $987 in Ibb versus $1,256 in Playa del Carmen.

Estimated couple costs with rent: $1,625 in Ibb versus $2,137 in Playa del Carmen.

Monthly costs for a family of three with rent: $2,263 in Ibb versus $3,017 in Playa del Carmen.

Living in Ibb costs roughly 21% less than in Playa del Carmen, driven mainly by Groceries & Markets.

Both cities sit below the global median: Ibb 26% lower, Playa del Carmen 6% lower.

Meal at Budget Restaurant

$6.79 YER 1,606

$11.99 MX$210

-43.37%

Three-Course Dinner for Two, Mid-Range

$41.32 YER 9,781

$41.78 MX$733

-1.10%

Fast Food Meal (McDonalds, etc)

$12.77 YER 3,023

$10.75 MX$189

18.79%

Cappuccino

$2.03 YER 480

$3.50 MX$61.3

-42.00%

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

$1.67 YER 395

$1.45 MX$25.41

15.17%

Water (0.33 liter bottle)

$0.53 YER 126

$0.88 MX$15.52

-39.77%

Local Beer (0.5 liter draught)

$2.95 MX$51.7

Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$4.51 MX$79.1

Milk (1 liter)

$3.29 YER 778

$1.43 MX$25.12

130.07%

White Bread (500g)

$1.17 YER 277

$1.84 MX$32.23

-36.41%

Rice (white) (1kg)

$4.82 YER 1,140

$1.57 MX$27.51

207.01%

Eggs

$6.53 YER 1,545

$2.51 MX$44.06

160.16%

Local Cheese (1kg)

$9.58 YER 2,268

$8.28 MX$145

15.70%

Chicken Fillets (1kg)

$12.30 YER 2,912

$8.43 MX$148

45.91%

Beef Round Steak (1kg)

$27.51 YER 6,512

$10.68 MX$187

157.58%

Apples (1kg)

$5.71 YER 1,352

$2.61 MX$45.76

118.77%

Banana (1kg)

$2.14 YER 507

$1.44 MX$25.22

48.61%

Oranges (1kg)

$6.26 YER 1,482

$1.96 MX$34.41

219.39%

Tomato (1kg)

$3.73 YER 883

$2.09 MX$36.74

78.47%

Potato (1kg)

$2.30 YER 545

$1.85 MX$32.47

24.32%

Onion (1kg)

$2.10 YER 496

$2.17 MX$38.02

-3.23%

Lettuce (1 head)

$0.77 YER 182

$1.03 MX$18.09

-25.24%

Water (1.5 liter bottle)

$1.46 YER 346

$1.07 MX$18.84

36.45%

Bottle of Non-Alcoholic Wine (Mid-Range)

$3.43 YER 813

Cigarettes 20 Pack (Marlboro, Camel)

$4.18 YER 988

$4.10 MX$72.0

1.95%

Wine (Bottle)

$10.17 MX$178

Local Beer (0.5 liter bottle)

$1.68 MX$29.38

Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$2.53 MX$44.31

One-way Ticket (Public Transport)

$0.51 MX$8.93

Public Transport Monthly Pass (Regular Price)

$26.04 MX$457

Taxi Start (Normal Tariff)

$2.06 YER 488

$3.23 MX$56.7

-36.22%

Taxi (Normal Tariff) (1km)

$2.41 MX$42.19

Taxi 1hour Waiting (Normal Tariff)

$3.23 MX$56.6

Gasoline (1 liter)

$4.06 YER 961

$1.32 MX$23.17

207.58%

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

$29.7K MX$520.9K

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

$23.7K MX$415.0K

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

$91.3 YER 21.6K

$82.0 MX$1,439

11.32%

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

$15.57 YER 3,685

$22.95 MX$403

-32.16%

Internet (50+ Mbps, Unlimited Data)

$76.6 YER 18.1K

$30.11 MX$528

154.30%

Gym Membership (Monthly)

$82.2 YER 19.4K

$52.0 MX$912

58.07%

Tennis Court (1 Hour on Weekend)

$18.53 MX$325

Cinema Ticket

$4.98 MX$87.3

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

$29.42 YER 6,963

$197 MX$3,463

-85.10%

International Primary School, 1 Child (Yearly)

$3,391 YER 802.6K

$5,336 MX$93.6K

-36.46%

Jeans (Levis 501 Or Similar)

$28.45 YER 6,735

$35.60 MX$624

-20.08%

Summer Dress (H&M, Zara, etc)

$40.33 MX$707

Sport Shoes (Adidas, Nike)

$48.93 YER 11.6K

$78.8 MX$1,381

-37.87%

Men's Leather Business Shoes

$58.1 YER 13.7K

$88.9 MX$1,560

-34.68%

1-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)

$216 YER 51.2K

$947 MX$16.6K

-77.14%

1-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)

$161 YER 38.2K

$474 MX$8,314

-65.94%

3-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)

$586 YER 138.7K

$1,644 MX$28.8K

-64.35%

3-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)

$396 YER 93.7K

$1,211 MX$21.2K

-67.30%

Buy Apartment in City Center (m2)

$4,056 MX$71.1K

Buy Apartment Outside City Center (m2)

$6,470 MX$113.5K

Average Monthly Net Salary (After Tax)

$354 YER 83.8K

$654 MX$11.5K

-45.87%

20-Year Fixed Mortgage Interest Rate (Annual %)

11.42

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

Last update for Ibb: July 11, 2026

Last update for Playa del Carmen: July 13, 2026

Cost Breakdown

A one-bedroom apartment in the center runs $216 in Ibb and $947 in Playa del Carmen. Housing cost is often the main lever when comparing two cities.

Playa del Carmen pays 85% 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: $41.00 in Ibb vs $42.00 in Playa del Carmen. Groceries flip the comparison at $380 vs $249, with Playa del Carmen cheaper for home cooking.

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 Eating Out, Clothing & Footwear, Getting Around. The 27% gap adds up to real monthly savings that compound significantly over time.

On paper, salaries run 85% 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: $216 in Ibb versus $947 in Playa del Carmen. Housing is usually the single largest factor when comparing overall living costs between the two.

Shoppers in Playa del Carmen pay roughly 53% less for everyday groceries. It's an unusual reversal that partly offsets higher costs elsewhere.

All in, you'll spend $987 per month in Ibb versus $1,256 in Playa del Carmen – a 27% gap that adds up to real savings over time for anyone picking the cheaper option.

At $987 in Ibb versus $1,256 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 27% less than in Playa del Carmen. Beyond cost, consider language, visa policies, and how big the international community is in each city.