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 $1,297 in Playa del Carmen.

Estimated couple costs with rent: $1,658 in Ibb versus $2,181 in Playa del Carmen.

Monthly costs for a family of three with rent: $2,329 in Ibb versus $3,065 in Playa del Carmen.

Living in Ibb costs roughly 24% less than in Playa del Carmen, driven mainly by Groceries & Markets.

Both cities sit below the global median: Ibb 26% lower, Playa del Carmen 3% lower.

Meal at Budget Restaurant

$6.85 YER 1,633

$11.73 MX$203

-41.60%

Three-Course Dinner for Two, Mid-Range

$40.65 YER 9,687

$41.62 MX$720

-2.33%

Fast Food Meal (McDonalds, etc)

$12.50 YER 2,978

$10.64 MX$184

17.48%

Cappuccino

$2.08 YER 495

$3.52 MX$60.9

-40.91%

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

$1.60 YER 382

$1.51 MX$26.12

5.96%

Water (0.33 liter bottle)

$0.50 YER 119

$0.97 MX$16.84

-48.45%

Local Beer (0.5 liter draught)

$2.95 MX$51.0

Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$4.45 MX$77.0

Milk (1 liter)

$3.26 YER 778

$1.38 MX$23.93

136.23%

White Bread (500g)

$1.16 YER 276

$1.89 MX$32.72

-38.62%

Rice (white) (1kg)

$4.74 YER 1,131

$1.64 MX$28.32

189.02%

Eggs

$6.43 YER 1,531

$2.51 MX$43.34

156.18%

Local Cheese (1kg)

$9.11 YER 2,172

$8.34 MX$144

9.23%

Chicken Fillets (1kg)

$12.60 YER 3,002

$8.34 MX$144

51.08%

Beef Round Steak (1kg)

$27.63 YER 6,585

$10.73 MX$186

157.50%

Apples (1kg)

$5.80 YER 1,382

$2.60 MX$45.04

123.08%

Banana (1kg)

$2.17 YER 517

$1.46 MX$25.20

48.63%

Oranges (1kg)

$6.45 YER 1,537

$1.90 MX$32.87

239.47%

Tomato (1kg)

$3.67 YER 876

$2.08 MX$35.91

76.44%

Potato (1kg)

$2.32 YER 554

$1.78 MX$30.71

30.34%

Onion (1kg)

$2.02 YER 481

$2.19 MX$37.80

-7.76%

Lettuce (1 head)

$0.78 YER 186

$1.04 MX$17.99

-25.00%

Water (1.5 liter bottle)

$1.40 YER 334

$1.08 MX$18.62

29.63%

Bottle of Non-Alcoholic Wine (Mid-Range)

$3.34 YER 795

Cigarettes 20 Pack (Marlboro, Camel)

$4.04 YER 963

$4.08 MX$70.6

-0.98%

Wine (Bottle)

$10.32 MX$178

Local Beer (0.5 liter bottle)

$1.71 MX$29.61

Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$2.58 MX$44.54

One-way Ticket (Public Transport)

$0.51 MX$8.81

Public Transport Monthly Pass (Regular Price)

$26.46 MX$458

Taxi Start (Normal Tariff)

$2.08 YER 496

$3.26 MX$56.4

-36.20%

Taxi (Normal Tariff) (1km)

$2.49 MX$43.09

Taxi 1hour Waiting (Normal Tariff)

$3.25 MX$56.2

Gasoline (1 liter)

$3.99 YER 952

$1.31 MX$22.61

204.58%

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

$30.3K MX$523.7K

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

$23.4K MX$405.3K

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

$90.8 YER 21.6K

$82.9 MX$1,433

9.59%

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

$15.33 YER 3,652

$22.22 MX$384

-31.01%

Internet (50+ Mbps, Unlimited Data)

$77.6 YER 18.5K

$29.34 MX$507

164.31%

Gym Membership (Monthly)

$80.6 YER 19.2K

$51.6 MX$893

56.03%

Tennis Court (1 Hour on Weekend)

$18.32 MX$317

Cinema Ticket

$5.07 MX$87.6

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

$28.67 YER 6,833

$201 MX$3,473

-85.72%

International Primary School, 1 Child (Yearly)

$3,323 YER 791.9K

$5,212 MX$90.1K

-36.24%

Jeans (Levis 501 Or Similar)

$29.35 YER 6,993

$36.92 MX$639

-20.50%

Summer Dress (H&M, Zara, etc)

$39.79 MX$688

Sport Shoes (Adidas, Nike)

$48.95 YER 11.7K

$78.5 MX$1,357

-37.60%

Men's Leather Business Shoes

$57.5 YER 13.7K

$87.1 MX$1,506

-34.01%

1-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)

$216 YER 51.5K

$973 MX$16.8K

-77.77%

1-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)

$160 YER 38.2K

$468 MX$8,090

-65.72%

3-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)

$571 YER 136.1K

$1,641 MX$28.4K

-65.20%

3-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)

$395 YER 94.1K

$1,221 MX$21.1K

-67.65%

Buy Apartment in City Center (m2)

$3,946 MX$68.3K

Buy Apartment Outside City Center (m2)

$6,498 MX$112.4K

Average Monthly Net Salary (After Tax)

$352 YER 83.9K

$664 MX$11.5K

-47.00%

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: June 1, 2026

Last update for Playa del Carmen: June 2, 2026

Cost Breakdown

A one-bedroom apartment in the center runs $216 in Ibb and $973 in Playa del Carmen. Housing cost is often the main lever when comparing two cities.

Playa del Carmen pays 89% 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 $379 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 31% gap adds up to real monthly savings that compound significantly over time.

On paper, Playa del Carmen earns 89% less. 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 $973 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 52% 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 $1,297 in Playa del Carmen – a 31% gap that adds up to real savings over time for anyone picking the cheaper option.

At $987 in Ibb versus $1,297 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 31% less than in Playa del Carmen. Beyond cost, consider language, visa policies, and how big the international community is in each city.