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

Monthly Cost of Living

A single person spends $1,406 per month in Iksan vs $1,305 in Playa del Carmen, rent included.

A couple spends around $2,148 per month in Iksan vs $2,334 in Playa del Carmen, rent included.

A family of three spends $2,890 per month in Iksan vs $3,362 in Playa del Carmen, rent included.

Iksan costs about 8% more than Playa del Carmen, driven mainly by Groceries & Markets.

Iksan sits 2% above the global median, while Playa del Carmen is 5% below – they fall on opposite sides of the world average.

Meal at Budget Restaurant

$5.95 ₩7,978

$11.96 MX$203

-50.25%

Three-Course Dinner for Two, Mid-Range

$33.96 ₩45.5K

$47.38 MX$804

-28.32%

Fast Food Meal (McDonalds, etc)

$6.49 ₩8,703

$11.75 MX$199

-44.77%

Cappuccino

$3.57 ₩4,794

$4.12 MX$70.0

-13.35%

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

$1.52 ₩2,036

$1.40 MX$23.74

8.57%

Water (0.33 liter bottle)

$0.61 ₩823

$0.91 MX$15.48

-32.97%

Local Beer (0.5 liter draught)

$3.39 ₩4,543

$3.21 MX$54.4

5.61%

Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$4.59 ₩6,154

$7.07 MX$120

-35.08%

Milk (1 liter)

$2.25 ₩3,017

$1.68 MX$28.44

33.93%

White Bread (500g)

$3.01 ₩4,036

$2.15 MX$36.48

40.00%

Rice (white) (1kg)

$2.24 ₩3,002

$1.77 MX$30.10

26.55%

Eggs

$3.26 ₩4,369

$2.82 MX$47.76

15.60%

Local Cheese (1kg)

$15.44 ₩20.7K

$9.20 MX$156

67.83%

Chicken Fillets (1kg)

$7.67 ₩10.3K

$9.23 MX$157

-16.90%

Beef Round Steak (1kg)

$10.99 ₩14.7K

$12.64 MX$214

-13.05%

Apples (1kg)

$7.49 ₩10.0K

$2.95 MX$50.1

153.90%

Banana (1kg)

$3.24 ₩4,344

$1.58 MX$26.79

105.06%

Oranges (1kg)

$7.48 ₩10.0K

$2.22 MX$37.70

236.94%

Tomato (1kg)

$6.75 ₩9,046

$2.36 MX$40.09

186.02%

Potato (1kg)

$3.42 ₩4,587

$1.99 MX$33.81

71.86%

Onion (1kg)

$2.40 ₩3,215

$1.98 MX$33.58

21.21%

Lettuce (1 head)

$2.08 ₩2,785

$1.24 MX$21.04

67.74%

Water (1.5 liter bottle)

$1.27 ₩1,704

$1.21 MX$20.55

4.96%

Cigarettes 20 Pack (Marlboro, Camel)

$3.40 ₩4,562

$4.60 MX$78.1

-26.09%

Wine (Bottle)

$18.75 ₩25.1K

$10.52 MX$178

78.23%

Local Beer (0.5 liter bottle)

$2.29 ₩3,069

$1.69 MX$28.70

35.50%

Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$3.66 ₩4,905

$2.77 MX$47.06

32.13%

One-way Ticket (Public Transport)

$1.24 ₩1,659

$0.60 MX$10.22

106.67%

Public Transport Monthly Pass (Regular Price)

$29.70 MX$504

Taxi Start (Normal Tariff)

$3.69 ₩4,954

$5.24 MX$88.8

-29.58%

Taxi (Normal Tariff) (1km)

$0.66 ₩886

$3.65 MX$61.9

-81.92%

Taxi 1hour Waiting (Normal Tariff)

$14.88 ₩20.0K

$5.78 MX$98.1

157.44%

Gasoline (1 liter)

$1.33 ₩1,783

$1.54 MX$26.09

-13.64%

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

$29.8K ₩40.0M

$22.8K MX$386.8K

30.77%

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

$35.5K ₩47.6M

$25.8K MX$437.9K

37.38%

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

$206 ₩275.9K

$90.7 MX$1,538

126.90%

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

$43.05 ₩57.7K

$25.19 MX$427

70.90%

Internet (50+ Mbps, Unlimited Data)

$21.00 ₩28.2K

$31.75 MX$539

-33.86%

Gym Membership (Monthly)

$57.4 ₩77.0K

$68.8 MX$1,167

-16.56%

Tennis Court (1 Hour on Weekend)

$12.32 ₩16.5K

$29.37 MX$498

-58.05%

Cinema Ticket

$11.34 ₩15.2K

$4.86 MX$82.5

133.33%

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

$297 ₩398.2K

$226 MX$3,828

31.56%

International Primary School, 1 Child (Yearly)

$17.8K ₩23.8M

$4,194 MX$71.1K

323.84%

Jeans (Levis 501 Or Similar)

$65.2 ₩87.5K

$47.38 MX$804

37.70%

Summer Dress (H&M, Zara, etc)

$64.0 ₩85.9K

$43.45 MX$737

47.34%

Sport Shoes (Adidas, Nike)

$72.6 ₩97.4K

$80.2 MX$1,361

-9.50%

Men's Leather Business Shoes

$99.6 ₩133.6K

$91.4 MX$1,550

8.98%

1-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)

$459 ₩615.2K

$1,086 MX$18.4K

-57.74%

1-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)

$344 ₩461.9K

$409 MX$6,933

-15.71%

3-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)

$1,107 ₩1.5M

$1,972 MX$33.5K

-43.89%

3-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)

$811 ₩1.1M

$1,281 MX$21.7K

-36.71%

Buy Apartment in City Center (m2)

$6,583 ₩8.8M

$4,046 MX$68.6K

62.71%

Buy Apartment Outside City Center (m2)

$5,663 ₩7.6M

$6,704 MX$113.7K

-15.52%

Average Monthly Net Salary (After Tax)

$1,683 ₩2.3M

$773 MX$13.1K

117.68%

20-Year Fixed Mortgage Interest Rate (Annual %)

4.1

11.45

-64.19%

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

Last update for Iksan: September 5, 2026

Last update for Playa del Carmen: September 7, 2026

Cost Breakdown

A central one-bedroom costs $459 in Iksan versus $1,086 in Playa del Carmen. Rent is usually the largest line item in a monthly budget, so the gap here sets the tone for the overall comparison.

Salaries run about 118% higher in Iksan, which partly offsets the higher cost of living there. Purchasing power depends on which expenses matter most to you.

A mid-range dinner for two costs $34.00 in Iksan versus $47.00 in Playa del Carmen. Groceries tell a different story – $408 in Iksan vs $278 in Playa del Carmen – so Playa del Carmen wins on supermarket bills even if dining out costs more.

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

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

Iksan costs about 8% more than Playa del Carmen, with the gap driven mainly by Groceries & Markets. That's enough to noticeably affect everyday spending and lifestyle for anyone choosing between the two.

For a comfortable life, plan on about $2,108 per month in Iksan and $1,958 in Playa del Carmen. That covers rent, food, utilities, transport, and enough left over to feel settled – not just surviving.

Rent is clearly cheaper in Playa del Carmen, especially for central apartments. Housing is actually the single biggest factor behind the overall cost gap between these two cities.

A mid-range dinner for two costs $34.00 in Iksan and $47.00 in Playa del Carmen. That's a good indicator of the overall restaurant and café pricing gap between the two cities.

Groceries cost about 47% more in Iksan, though it depends on what you buy. Local produce may be comparable; imported and premium items show the biggest price gap.

A $1,500 monthly budget goes further in Playa del Carmen, where all-in costs run around $1,305, than in Iksan at $1,406. In Playa del Carmen it covers expenses comfortably, while in Iksan it requires careful planning or may not stretch far enough.

For digital nomads, it depends on budget. Playa del Carmen costs $1,305 versus $1,406 in Iksan. Both have workable remote work infrastructure, but the cost gap matters when income varies month to month.

Both have safer and rougher neighborhoods, but overall safety is comparable to other large cities. Neighborhood choice matters more than the city-level comparison – central, well-trafficked areas feel secure in both.

If budget matters most, go with Playa del Carmen. If higher salaries, better infrastructure, or specific career opportunities are the priority, Iksan makes more sense. Both are solid long-term options with distinct trade-offs.