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

Monthly Cost of Living

A single person spends $700 per month in Ilheus vs $1,261 in Playa del Carmen, rent included.

A couple spends around $1,101 per month in Ilheus vs $2,130 in Playa del Carmen, rent included.

A family of three spends $1,502 per month in Ilheus vs $2,999 in Playa del Carmen, rent included.

Ilheus is about 45% cheaper than Playa del Carmen, driven mainly by Eating Out.

Both Ilheus and Playa del Carmen are more affordable than the global median – Ilheus 48% lower, Playa del Carmen 6% lower.

Meal at Budget Restaurant

$3.98 R$19.80

$11.67 MX$202

-65.90%

Three-Course Dinner for Two, Mid-Range

$26.60 R$132

$41.88 MX$726

-36.49%

Fast Food Meal (McDonalds, etc)

$6.27 R$31.17

$10.40 MX$180

-39.71%

Cappuccino

$1.72 R$8.55

$3.61 MX$62.6

-52.35%

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

$1.11 R$5.52

$1.47 MX$25.45

-24.49%

Water (0.33 liter bottle)

$0.67 R$3.34

$0.91 MX$15.80

-26.37%

Local Beer (0.5 liter draught)

$1.84 R$9.12

$3.03 MX$52.6

-39.27%

Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$2.62 R$13.04

$4.47 MX$77.4

-41.39%

Milk (1 liter)

$0.94 R$4.69

$1.38 MX$23.83

-31.88%

White Bread (500g)

$1.44 R$7.16

$1.84 MX$31.93

-21.74%

Rice (white) (1kg)

$1.18 R$5.84

$1.61 MX$27.82

-26.71%

Eggs

$2.01 R$10.00

$2.57 MX$44.52

-21.79%

Local Cheese (1kg)

$17.08 R$84.9

$8.49 MX$147

101.18%

Chicken Fillets (1kg)

$3.57 R$17.72

$8.49 MX$147

-57.95%

Beef Round Steak (1kg)

$7.14 R$35.48

$10.99 MX$190

-35.03%

Apples (1kg)

$2.06 R$10.24

$2.73 MX$47.25

-24.54%

Banana (1kg)

$1.29 R$6.44

$1.50 MX$25.92

-14.00%

Oranges (1kg)

$1.19 R$5.90

$1.96 MX$33.93

-39.29%

Tomato (1kg)

$1.46 R$7.25

$2.12 MX$36.70

-31.13%

Potato (1kg)

$1.14 R$5.68

$1.86 MX$32.30

-38.71%

Onion (1kg)

$1.07 R$5.32

$2.17 MX$37.67

-50.69%

Lettuce (1 head)

$0.75 R$3.75

$1.07 MX$18.59

-29.91%

Water (1.5 liter bottle)

$0.62 R$3.10

$1.05 MX$18.18

-40.95%

Cigarettes 20 Pack (Marlboro, Camel)

$2.19 R$10.89

$4.19 MX$72.6

-47.73%

Wine (Bottle)

$7.73 R$38.40

$10.28 MX$178

-24.81%

Local Beer (0.5 liter bottle)

$1.27 R$6.29

$1.67 MX$28.87

-23.95%

Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$2.01 R$9.99

$2.49 MX$43.12

-19.28%

One-way Ticket (Public Transport)

$0.86 R$4.29

$0.54 MX$9.37

59.26%

Public Transport Monthly Pass (Regular Price)

$38.14 R$190

$26.27 MX$455

45.18%

Taxi Start (Normal Tariff)

$1.10 R$5.47

$3.10 MX$53.8

-64.52%

Taxi (Normal Tariff) (1km)

$0.75 R$3.75

$2.46 MX$42.66

-69.51%

Taxi 1hour Waiting (Normal Tariff)

$6.54 R$32.50

$3.24 MX$56.1

101.85%

Gasoline (1 liter)

$0.98 R$4.88

$1.26 MX$21.83

-22.22%

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

$20.9K R$103.7K

$30.2K MX$522.8K

-30.86%

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

$28.1K R$139.4K

$23.4K MX$406.3K

19.66%

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

$60.4 R$300

$84.0 MX$1,456

-28.11%

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

$13.44 R$66.8

$22.21 MX$385

-39.49%

Internet (50+ Mbps, Unlimited Data)

$19.09 R$94.9

$29.65 MX$514

-35.62%

Gym Membership (Monthly)

$22.42 R$111

$52.6 MX$912

-57.41%

Tennis Court (1 Hour on Weekend)

$21.28 R$106

$18.34 MX$318

16.03%

Cinema Ticket

$6.47 R$32.17

$4.95 MX$85.7

30.71%

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

$270 R$1,339

$198 MX$3,438

35.87%

International Primary School, 1 Child (Yearly)

$6,472 R$32.2K

$5,322 MX$92.2K

21.61%

Jeans (Levis 501 Or Similar)

$49.98 R$248

$35.95 MX$623

39.03%

Summer Dress (H&M, Zara, etc)

$42.72 R$212

$40.06 MX$694

6.64%

Sport Shoes (Adidas, Nike)

$75.8 R$377

$78.8 MX$1,365

-3.74%

Men's Leather Business Shoes

$65.2 R$324

$86.5 MX$1,499

-24.66%

1-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)

$170 R$843

$977 MX$16.9K

-82.63%

1-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)

$119 R$591

$471 MX$8,158

-74.74%

3-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)

$311 R$1,543

$1,595 MX$27.6K

-80.54%

3-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)

$223 R$1,109

$1,215 MX$21.1K

-81.63%

Buy Apartment in City Center (m2)

$1,669 R$8,293

$4,032 MX$69.9K

-58.62%

Buy Apartment Outside City Center (m2)

$1,320 R$6,558

$6,579 MX$114.0K

-79.94%

Average Monthly Net Salary (After Tax)

$714 MX$12.4K

20-Year Fixed Mortgage Interest Rate (Annual %)

10.92

11.42

-4.38%

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

Last update for Ilheus: April 20, 2026

Last update for Playa del Carmen: April 19, 2026

Cost Breakdown

A central one-bedroom costs $170 in Ilheus versus $977 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.

A mid-range dinner for two costs $27 in Ilheus versus $42 in Playa del Carmen. Monthly groceries follow the same trend: $199 vs $252 – making Ilheus the more affordable choice for daily food spending.

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

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

Monthly costs with rent: $700 in Ilheus, $1,261 in Playa del Carmen – roughly 80% apart. Playa del Carmen costs more across the board, with Eating Out showing the biggest gap.

For a comfortable life, plan on about $1,050 per month in Ilheus and $1,891 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 Ilheus, especially for central apartments. Housing is actually the single biggest factor behind the overall cost gap between these two cities.

Groceries cost about 26% more in Playa del Carmen, though it depends on what you buy. Local produce may be comparable; imported and premium items show the biggest price gap.

A mid-range dinner for two costs $27.00 in Ilheus and $42.00 in Playa del Carmen. That's a good indicator of the overall restaurant and café pricing gap between the two cities.

A $2,000 monthly budget goes further in Ilheus, where all-in costs run around $700, than in Playa del Carmen at $1,261. In Ilheus it covers expenses comfortably, while in Playa del Carmen it requires careful planning or may not stretch far enough.

It depends on your priorities. Playa del Carmen has an edge in some lifestyle areas, with costs from $700 in Ilheus to $1,261 in Playa del Carmen. Climate, culture, job market, and personal taste all factor in.

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