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

Monthly Cost of Living

Monthly costs for one person with rent: $1,509 in Ilsan versus $1,271 in Playa del Carmen.

Estimated couple costs with rent: $2,401 in Ilsan versus $2,126 in Playa del Carmen.

Monthly costs for a family of three with rent: $3,292 in Ilsan versus $2,980 in Playa del Carmen.

Living in Ilsan is roughly 19% more expensive than Playa del Carmen, driven mainly by Groceries & Markets.

The two cities straddle the global median: Ilsan is 12% above, Playa del Carmen is 5% below.

Meal at Budget Restaurant

$7.24 ₩11.0K

$11.87 MX$204

-39.01%

Three-Course Dinner for Two, Mid-Range

$56.1 ₩85.2K

$42.90 MX$736

30.75%

Fast Food Meal (McDonalds, etc)

$6.51 ₩9,893

$10.65 MX$183

-38.87%

Cappuccino

$3.88 ₩5,897

$3.45 MX$59.2

12.46%

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

$1.67 ₩2,539

$1.50 MX$25.81

11.33%

Water (0.33 liter bottle)

$0.74 ₩1,131

$0.95 MX$16.28

-22.11%

Local Beer (0.5 liter draught)

$3.74 ₩5,678

$3.03 MX$51.9

23.43%

Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$5.85 ₩8,878

$4.61 MX$79.1

26.90%

Milk (1 liter)

$2.15 ₩3,266

$1.38 MX$23.61

55.80%

White Bread (500g)

$3.45 ₩5,244

$1.85 MX$31.70

86.49%

Rice (white) (1kg)

$3.11 ₩4,727

$1.61 MX$27.65

93.17%

Eggs

$3.04 ₩4,616

$2.59 MX$44.51

17.37%

Local Cheese (1kg)

$14.52 ₩22.1K

$8.26 MX$142

75.79%

Chicken Fillets (1kg)

$10.90 ₩16.6K

$8.37 MX$144

30.23%

Beef Round Steak (1kg)

$34.53 ₩52.4K

$10.66 MX$183

223.92%

Apples (1kg)

$8.00 ₩12.1K

$2.63 MX$45.12

204.18%

Banana (1kg)

$3.45 ₩5,234

$1.49 MX$25.53

131.54%

Oranges (1kg)

$5.71 ₩8,669

$1.92 MX$32.94

197.40%

Tomato (1kg)

$6.38 ₩9,692

$2.09 MX$35.81

205.26%

Potato (1kg)

$3.86 ₩5,856

$1.86 MX$31.88

107.53%

Onion (1kg)

$2.92 ₩4,442

$2.26 MX$38.81

29.20%

Lettuce (1 head)

$2.63 ₩4,001

$1.06 MX$18.23

148.11%

Water (1.5 liter bottle)

$1.16 ₩1,760

$1.09 MX$18.67

6.42%

Cigarettes 20 Pack (Marlboro, Camel)

$3.23 ₩4,899

$4.15 MX$71.2

-22.17%

Wine (Bottle)

$16.64 ₩25.3K

$10.39 MX$178

60.15%

Local Beer (0.5 liter bottle)

$2.46 ₩3,732

$1.72 MX$29.59

43.02%

Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$3.26 ₩4,953

$2.61 MX$44.85

24.90%

One-way Ticket (Public Transport)

$1.10 ₩1,671

$0.54 MX$9.30

103.70%

Public Transport Monthly Pass (Regular Price)

$47.85 ₩72.7K

$26.94 MX$462

77.62%

Taxi Start (Normal Tariff)

$2.36 ₩3,590

$3.13 MX$53.7

-24.60%

Taxi (Normal Tariff) (1km)

$0.56 ₩852

$2.51 MX$43.09

-77.69%

Taxi 1hour Waiting (Normal Tariff)

$8.56 ₩13.0K

$3.15 MX$54.1

171.75%

Gasoline (1 liter)

$1.09 ₩1,654

$1.27 MX$21.88

-14.17%

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

$28.0K ₩42.6M

$30.4K MX$521.3K

-7.67%

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

$24.7K ₩37.5M

$23.6K MX$404.5K

4.86%

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

$162 ₩246.1K

$83.0 MX$1,425

95.22%

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

$34.84 ₩52.9K

$22.71 MX$390

53.41%

Internet (50+ Mbps, Unlimited Data)

$22.09 ₩33.5K

$29.46 MX$506

-25.02%

Gym Membership (Monthly)

$46.96 ₩71.3K

$51.0 MX$875

-7.92%

Tennis Court (1 Hour on Weekend)

$18.33 MX$315

Cinema Ticket

$10.97 ₩16.7K

$4.93 MX$84.5

122.52%

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

$416 ₩631.5K

$197 MX$3,386

110.79%

International Primary School, 1 Child (Yearly)

$23.5K ₩35.7M

$5,280 MX$90.6K

345.60%

Jeans (Levis 501 Or Similar)

$59.9 ₩90.9K

$36.90 MX$633

62.22%

Summer Dress (H&M, Zara, etc)

$47.09 ₩71.5K

$39.89 MX$685

18.05%

Sport Shoes (Adidas, Nike)

$80.9 ₩122.9K

$80.0 MX$1,373

1.16%

Men's Leather Business Shoes

$118 ₩179.8K

$89.5 MX$1,536

32.37%

1-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)

$460 ₩698.3K

$956 MX$16.4K

-51.91%

1-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)

$382 ₩579.8K

$477 MX$8,189

-19.97%

3-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)

$1,080 ₩1.6M

$1,646 MX$28.3K

-34.38%

3-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)

$770 ₩1.2M

$1,225 MX$21.0K

-37.16%

Buy Apartment in City Center (m2)

$9,626 ₩14.6M

$3,918 MX$67.2K

145.69%

Buy Apartment Outside City Center (m2)

$5,315 ₩8.1M

$6,459 MX$110.9K

-17.71%

Average Monthly Net Salary (After Tax)

$3,086 ₩4.7M

$667 MX$11.4K

362.74%

20-Year Fixed Mortgage Interest Rate (Annual %)

4.14

11.42

-63.75%

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

Last update for Ilsan: June 7, 2026

Last update for Playa del Carmen: June 7, 2026

Cost Breakdown

A one-bedroom apartment in the center runs $460 in Ilsan and $956 in Playa del Carmen. Housing cost is often the main lever when comparing two cities.

Ilsan pays 363% 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: $56.0 in Ilsan vs $43.00 in Playa del Carmen for a mid-range dinner for two. Groceries echo the gap at $492 vs $250 per month, with Playa del Carmen 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

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

Playa del Carmen is cheaper overall, especially in Groceries & Markets, Clothing & Footwear, Sport & Entertainment, Getting Around, Monthly Utilities & Internet. The 19% gap adds up to real monthly savings that compound significantly over time.

Ilsan pays 363% more on average, 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: $460 in Ilsan versus $956 in Playa del Carmen. Housing is usually the single largest factor when comparing overall living costs between the two.

All in, you'll spend $1,509 per month in Ilsan versus $1,271 in Playa del Carmen – a 19% gap that adds up to real savings over time for anyone picking the cheaper option.

A monthly transit pass in Playa del Carmen runs roughly 78% less than in Ilsan. Both cities have functional networks, but the price difference matters if you're watching your budget.

At $1,271 in Playa del Carmen versus $1,509 in Ilsan, a $1,500 budget is realistic in Playa del Carmen but tight or insufficient in Ilsan. 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 Ilsan, and the savings on those two alone free up budget for education, activities, and family trips.

Safety-wise, Ilsan and Playa del Carmen are on par. Petty crime is typical for cities this size, and most residents feel comfortable going about their daily routines in either place.

Expats usually find Playa del Carmen gentler on the wallet – expenses run 19% less than in Ilsan. Beyond cost, consider language, visa policies, and how big the international community is in each city.