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: $1,530 in Ilsan versus $1,287 in Playa del Carmen.

Estimated couple costs with rent: $2,421 in Ilsan versus $2,184 in Playa del Carmen.

Monthly costs for a family of three with rent: $3,312 in Ilsan versus $3,082 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 14% above, Playa del Carmen is 4% below.

Meal at Budget Restaurant

$7.49 ₩11.1K

$11.94 MX$209

-37.27%

Three-Course Dinner for Two, Mid-Range

$55.7 ₩82.6K

$42.75 MX$748

30.27%

Fast Food Meal (McDonalds, etc)

$6.53 ₩9,694

$10.59 MX$185

-38.34%

Cappuccino

$3.75 ₩5,555

$3.62 MX$63.4

3.59%

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

$1.67 ₩2,475

$1.47 MX$25.69

13.61%

Water (0.33 liter bottle)

$0.71 ₩1,054

$0.94 MX$16.51

-24.47%

Local Beer (0.5 liter draught)

$3.65 ₩5,421

$3.09 MX$54.1

18.12%

Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$5.76 ₩8,546

$4.46 MX$78.0

29.15%

Milk (1 liter)

$2.16 ₩3,198

$1.43 MX$24.94

51.05%

White Bread (500g)

$3.38 ₩5,013

$1.88 MX$32.97

79.79%

Rice (white) (1kg)

$3.10 ₩4,592

$1.63 MX$28.50

90.18%

Eggs

$3.19 ₩4,732

$2.64 MX$46.26

20.83%

Local Cheese (1kg)

$14.05 ₩20.8K

$8.21 MX$144

71.13%

Chicken Fillets (1kg)

$10.75 ₩15.9K

$8.29 MX$145

29.67%

Beef Round Steak (1kg)

$33.74 ₩50.0K

$11.10 MX$194

203.96%

Apples (1kg)

$7.76 ₩11.5K

$2.65 MX$46.40

192.83%

Banana (1kg)

$3.46 ₩5,132

$1.50 MX$26.26

130.67%

Oranges (1kg)

$5.49 ₩8,140

$1.99 MX$34.79

175.88%

Tomato (1kg)

$6.35 ₩9,424

$2.08 MX$36.33

205.29%

Potato (1kg)

$3.82 ₩5,673

$1.79 MX$31.29

113.41%

Onion (1kg)

$2.85 ₩4,231

$2.18 MX$38.09

30.73%

Lettuce (1 head)

$2.64 ₩3,909

$1.08 MX$18.84

144.44%

Water (1.5 liter bottle)

$1.21 ₩1,799

$1.04 MX$18.15

16.35%

Cigarettes 20 Pack (Marlboro, Camel)

$3.34 ₩4,956

$3.97 MX$69.5

-15.87%

Wine (Bottle)

$15.11 ₩22.4K

$10.20 MX$179

48.14%

Local Beer (0.5 liter bottle)

$2.34 ₩3,466

$1.73 MX$30.22

35.26%

Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$3.33 ₩4,933

$2.50 MX$43.71

33.20%

One-way Ticket (Public Transport)

$1.11 ₩1,639

$0.52 MX$9.07

113.46%

Public Transport Monthly Pass (Regular Price)

$46.83 ₩69.5K

$26.97 MX$472

73.64%

Taxi Start (Normal Tariff)

$2.38 ₩3,533

$3.14 MX$55.0

-24.20%

Taxi (Normal Tariff) (1km)

$0.58 ₩853

$2.40 MX$42.04

-75.83%

Taxi 1hour Waiting (Normal Tariff)

$8.94 ₩13.3K

$3.09 MX$54.0

189.32%

Gasoline (1 liter)

$1.15 ₩1,706

$1.27 MX$22.28

-9.45%

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

$27.3K ₩40.5M

$30.9K MX$540.4K

-11.63%

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

$25.3K ₩37.6M

$23.3K MX$408.0K

8.71%

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

$164 ₩242.8K

$82.0 MX$1,435

99.60%

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

$35.01 ₩51.9K

$22.45 MX$393

55.95%

Internet (50+ Mbps, Unlimited Data)

$22.27 ₩33.0K

$29.66 MX$519

-24.92%

Gym Membership (Monthly)

$48.35 ₩71.7K

$51.9 MX$908

-6.79%

Tennis Court (1 Hour on Weekend)

$18.67 MX$327

Cinema Ticket

$10.84 ₩16.1K

$4.97 MX$87.0

118.11%

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

$414 ₩614.5K

$198 MX$3,462

109.44%

International Primary School, 1 Child (Yearly)

$23.8K ₩35.2M

$5,273 MX$92.3K

350.46%

Jeans (Levis 501 Or Similar)

$58.0 ₩86.1K

$36.34 MX$636

59.69%

Summer Dress (H&M, Zara, etc)

$47.24 ₩70.1K

$40.05 MX$701

17.95%

Sport Shoes (Adidas, Nike)

$79.9 ₩118.6K

$79.9 MX$1,398

0.05%

Men's Leather Business Shoes

$116 ₩171.4K

$88.9 MX$1,555

30.00%

1-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)

$455 ₩675.3K

$963 MX$16.9K

-52.74%

1-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)

$375 ₩556.5K

$465 MX$8,133

-19.27%

3-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)

$1,054 ₩1.6M

$1,596 MX$27.9K

-33.98%

3-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)

$763 ₩1.1M

$1,209 MX$21.2K

-36.90%

Buy Apartment in City Center (m2)

$8,782 ₩13.0M

$3,942 MX$69.0K

122.80%

Buy Apartment Outside City Center (m2)

$5,189 ₩7.7M

$6,448 MX$112.8K

-19.53%

Average Monthly Net Salary (After Tax)

$3,092 ₩4.6M

$720 MX$12.6K

329.14%

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: April 27, 2026

Last update for Playa del Carmen: April 25, 2026

Cost Breakdown

A one-bedroom apartment in the center runs $455 in Ilsan and $963 in Playa del Carmen. Housing cost is often the main lever when comparing two cities.

Ilsan pays 329% 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 $482 vs $251 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, Monthly Utilities & Internet, Getting Around. The 19% gap adds up to real monthly savings that compound significantly over time.

Ilsan pays 329% 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: $455 in Ilsan versus $963 in Playa del Carmen. Housing is usually the single largest factor when comparing overall living costs between the two.

All in, you'll spend $1,530 per month in Ilsan versus $1,287 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 74% less than in Ilsan. Both cities have functional networks, but the price difference matters if you're watching your budget.

At $1,287 in Playa del Carmen versus $1,530 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.