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

Monthly Cost of Living

Monthly costs for one person with rent: $1,662 in Ilopango versus $1,293 in Playa del Carmen.

Estimated couple costs with rent: $1,904 in Ilopango versus $2,334 in Playa del Carmen.

Monthly costs for a family of three with rent: $2,146 in Ilopango versus $3,374 in Playa del Carmen.

Living in Ilopango is roughly 29% more expensive than in Playa del Carmen, driven mainly by Eating Out.

The two cities straddle the global median: Ilopango is 21% above, Playa del Carmen is 6% below.

Meal at Budget Restaurant

$3.14 $3.14

$11.71 MX$198

-73.19%

Three-Course Dinner for Two, Mid-Range

$45.85 $45.85

$46.59 MX$787

-1.59%

Fast Food Meal (McDonalds, etc)

$5.04 $5.04

$11.65 MX$197

-56.74%

Cappuccino

$2.96 $2.96

$4.09 MX$69.1

-27.63%

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

$0.88 $0.88

$1.37 MX$23.21

-35.77%

Water (0.33 liter bottle)

$0.92 $0.92

$0.83 MX$14.08

10.84%

Local Beer (0.5 liter draught)

$0.90 $0.90

$3.35 MX$56.6

-73.13%

Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$1.67 $1.67

$6.91 MX$117

-75.83%

Milk (1 liter)

$3.18 $3.18

$1.73 MX$29.16

83.82%

White Bread (500g)

$1.46 $1.46

$2.26 MX$38.17

-35.40%

Rice (white) (1kg)

$3.05 $3.05

$1.77 MX$29.88

72.32%

Eggs

$3.05 $3.05

$2.73 MX$46.14

11.72%

Local Cheese (1kg)

$5.06 $5.06

$9.18 MX$155

-44.88%

Chicken Fillets (1kg)

$5.88 $5.88

$8.92 MX$151

-34.08%

Beef Round Steak (1kg)

$10.16 $10.16

$12.60 MX$213

-19.37%

Apples (1kg)

$3.02 $3.02

$3.02 MX$51.0

Banana (1kg)

$2.06 $2.06

$1.57 MX$26.52

31.21%

Oranges (1kg)

$1.95 $1.95

$2.13 MX$35.89

-8.45%

Tomato (1kg)

$2.03 $2.03

$2.26 MX$38.23

-10.18%

Potato (1kg)

$1.94 $1.94

$2.00 MX$33.84

-3.00%

Onion (1kg)

$2.03 $2.03

$2.06 MX$34.86

-1.46%

Lettuce (1 head)

$0.99 $0.99

$1.18 MX$19.92

-16.10%

Water (1.5 liter bottle)

$0.99 $0.99

$1.20 MX$20.33

-17.50%

Cigarettes 20 Pack (Marlboro, Camel)

$4.11 $4.11

$4.63 MX$78.3

-11.23%

Wine (Bottle)

$12.04 $12.04

$10.69 MX$180

12.63%

Local Beer (0.5 liter bottle)

$0.98 $0.98

$1.62 MX$27.35

-39.51%

Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$1.97 $1.97

$2.88 MX$48.65

-31.60%

One-way Ticket (Public Transport)

$0.92 $0.92

$0.57 MX$9.68

61.40%

Public Transport Monthly Pass (Regular Price)

$35.64 $35.64

$29.83 MX$504

19.48%

Taxi Start (Normal Tariff)

$7.18 $7.18

$5.45 MX$92.0

31.74%

Taxi (Normal Tariff) (1km)

$2.23 $2.23

$3.70 MX$62.6

-39.73%

Taxi 1hour Waiting (Normal Tariff)

$4.90 $4.90

$5.98 MX$101

-18.06%

Gasoline (1 liter)

$0.67 $0.67

$1.55 MX$26.23

-56.77%

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

$20.3K $20.3K

$22.3K MX$377.0K

-8.87%

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

$26.1K $26.1K

$25.9K MX$438.2K

0.61%

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

$35.52 $35.52

$89.1 MX$1,505

-60.15%

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

$9.95 $9.95

$25.04 MX$423

-60.26%

Internet (50+ Mbps, Unlimited Data)

$39.43 $39.43

$31.50 MX$532

25.17%

Gym Membership (Monthly)

$40.37 $40.37

$67.8 MX$1,145

-40.44%

Tennis Court (1 Hour on Weekend)

$9.93 $9.93

$28.92 MX$488

-65.66%

Cinema Ticket

$5.06 $5.06

$5.05 MX$85.3

0.20%

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

$106 $106

$225 MX$3,798

-52.74%

International Primary School, 1 Child (Yearly)

$1,923 $1,923

$4,222 MX$71.3K

-54.46%

Jeans (Levis 501 Or Similar)

$20.08 $20.08

$47.44 MX$801

-57.67%

Summer Dress (H&M, Zara, etc)

$30.49 $30.49

$44.98 MX$759

-32.21%

Sport Shoes (Adidas, Nike)

$74.3 $74.3

$82.0 MX$1,384

-9.37%

Men's Leather Business Shoes

$60.2 $60.2

$92.1 MX$1,555

-34.67%

1-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)

$664 $664

$1,069 MX$18.1K

-37.89%

1-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)

$1,001 $1,001

$405 MX$6,844

146.92%

3-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)

$581 $581

$1,935 MX$32.7K

-70.00%

3-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)

$619 $619

$1,301 MX$22.0K

-52.46%

Buy Apartment in City Center (m2)

$1,729 $1,729

$3,995 MX$67.5K

-56.72%

Buy Apartment Outside City Center (m2)

$946 $946

$6,626 MX$111.9K

-85.73%

Average Monthly Net Salary (After Tax)

$1,014 $1,014

$749 MX$12.6K

35.49%

20-Year Fixed Mortgage Interest Rate (Annual %)

11.45

-47.60%

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

Last update for Ilopango: August 29, 2026

Last update for Playa del Carmen: August 29, 2026

Cost Breakdown

A one-bedroom apartment in the center runs $664 in Ilopango and $1,069 in Playa del Carmen. Housing cost is often the main lever when comparing two cities.

Ilopango pays 35% 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: $46.00 in Ilopango vs $47.00 in Playa del Carmen for a mid-range dinner for two. Groceries echo the gap at $250 vs $277 per month, with Ilopango 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

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

Playa del Carmen is cheaper overall, especially in Getting Around. The 29% gap adds up to real monthly savings that compound significantly over time.

Average pay runs 35% higher in Ilopango, which matters when comparing affordability. Whether that higher income actually nets you more depends on your spending habits and housing choices.

Rent for a central apartment: $664 in Ilopango versus $1,069 in Playa del Carmen. Housing is usually the single largest factor when comparing overall living costs between the two.

Childcare runs $106 in Ilopango versus $225 in Playa del Carmen. Over years of preschool, even a modest monthly gap compounds into a major financial factor for families.

Shoppers in Ilopango pay roughly 11% less for everyday groceries. It's an unusual reversal that partly offsets higher costs elsewhere.

At $1,293 in Playa del Carmen versus $1,662 in Ilopango, a $1,500 budget is realistic in Playa del Carmen but tight or insufficient in Ilopango. The gap between the two cities makes Playa del Carmen the clear choice for anyone on this budget.

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

Expats usually find Playa del Carmen gentler on the wallet – expenses run 29% less than in Ilopango. Beyond cost, consider language, visa policies, and how big the international community is in each city.