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: $1,417 in Ilsan versus $1,305 in Playa del Carmen.

Estimated couple costs with rent: $2,307 in Ilsan versus $2,334 in Playa del Carmen.

Monthly costs for a family of three with rent: $3,198 in Ilsan versus $3,362 in Playa del Carmen.

Living in Ilsan is roughly 9% more expensive than in Playa del Carmen, driven mainly by Groceries & Markets.

The two cities straddle the global median: Ilsan is 3% above, Playa del Carmen is 5% below.

Meal at Budget Restaurant

$7.30 ₩9,802

$11.96 MX$203

-38.96%

Three-Course Dinner for Two, Mid-Range

$67.7 ₩90.8K

$47.38 MX$805

42.82%

Fast Food Meal (McDonalds, etc)

$7.34 ₩9,849

$11.75 MX$200

-37.53%

Cappuccino

$4.19 ₩5,626

$4.12 MX$70.1

1.70%

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

$1.65 ₩2,213

$1.40 MX$23.78

17.86%

Water (0.33 liter bottle)

$0.76 ₩1,023

$0.91 MX$15.50

-16.48%

Local Beer (0.5 liter draught)

$3.67 ₩4,918

$3.21 MX$54.5

14.33%

Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$5.91 ₩7,928

$7.07 MX$120

-16.41%

Milk (1 liter)

$2.10 ₩2,825

$1.68 MX$28.49

25.00%

White Bread (500g)

$3.12 ₩4,192

$2.15 MX$36.53

45.12%

Rice (white) (1kg)

$2.24 ₩3,008

$1.77 MX$30.14

26.55%

Eggs

$3.22 ₩4,320

$2.82 MX$47.83

14.18%

Local Cheese (1kg)

$15.55 ₩20.9K

$9.20 MX$156

69.02%

Chicken Fillets (1kg)

$7.57 ₩10.2K

$9.23 MX$157

-17.98%

Beef Round Steak (1kg)

$11.35 ₩15.2K

$12.64 MX$215

-10.21%

Apples (1kg)

$7.73 ₩10.4K

$2.95 MX$50.1

162.03%

Banana (1kg)

$3.14 ₩4,216

$1.58 MX$26.83

98.73%

Oranges (1kg)

$5.82 ₩7,807

$2.22 MX$37.76

162.16%

Tomato (1kg)

$6.29 ₩8,437

$2.36 MX$40.15

166.53%

Potato (1kg)

$3.41 ₩4,572

$1.99 MX$33.86

71.36%

Onion (1kg)

$2.44 ₩3,281

$1.98 MX$33.63

23.23%

Lettuce (1 head)

$2.08 ₩2,786

$1.24 MX$21.07

67.74%

Water (1.5 liter bottle)

$1.07 ₩1,440

$1.21 MX$20.58

-11.57%

Cigarettes 20 Pack (Marlboro, Camel)

$3.37 ₩4,527

$4.60 MX$78.2

-26.74%

Wine (Bottle)

$18.68 ₩25.1K

$10.52 MX$179

77.57%

Local Beer (0.5 liter bottle)

$2.29 ₩3,066

$1.69 MX$28.74

35.50%

Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$3.15 ₩4,222

$2.77 MX$47.13

13.72%

One-way Ticket (Public Transport)

$1.12 ₩1,505

$0.60 MX$10.24

86.67%

Public Transport Monthly Pass (Regular Price)

$49.03 ₩65.8K

$29.70 MX$505

65.08%

Taxi Start (Normal Tariff)

$3.48 ₩4,666

$5.24 MX$89.0

-33.59%

Taxi (Normal Tariff) (1km)

$0.65 ₩875

$3.65 MX$62.0

-82.19%

Taxi 1hour Waiting (Normal Tariff)

$8.85 ₩11.9K

$5.78 MX$98.3

53.11%

Gasoline (1 liter)

$1.40 ₩1,878

$1.54 MX$26.13

-9.09%

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

$29.8K ₩40.0M

$22.8K MX$387.4K

30.57%

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

$28.3K ₩38.0M

$25.8K MX$438.5K

9.78%

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

$208 ₩278.8K

$90.7 MX$1,540

129.14%

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

$35.68 ₩47.9K

$25.19 MX$428

41.64%

Internet (50+ Mbps, Unlimited Data)

$20.07 ₩26.9K

$31.75 MX$539

-36.79%

Gym Membership (Monthly)

$56.6 ₩76.0K

$68.8 MX$1,169

-17.69%

Tennis Court (1 Hour on Weekend)

$12.13 ₩16.3K

$29.37 MX$499

-58.70%

Cinema Ticket

$11.22 ₩15.1K

$4.86 MX$82.6

130.86%

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

$576 ₩773.3K

$226 MX$3,834

155.37%

International Primary School, 1 Child (Yearly)

$17.8K ₩23.9M

$4,194 MX$71.2K

324.98%

Jeans (Levis 501 Or Similar)

$57.6 ₩77.3K

$47.38 MX$805

21.61%

Summer Dress (H&M, Zara, etc)

$32.06 ₩43.0K

$43.45 MX$738

-26.21%

Sport Shoes (Adidas, Nike)

$71.0 ₩95.2K

$80.2 MX$1,363

-11.52%

Men's Leather Business Shoes

$80.5 ₩108.0K

$91.4 MX$1,552

-11.88%

1-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)

$450 ₩604.1K

$1,086 MX$18.4K

-58.53%

1-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)

$345 ₩462.3K

$409 MX$6,943

-15.69%

3-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)

$1,094 ₩1.5M

$1,972 MX$33.5K

-44.53%

3-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)

$660 ₩885.5K

$1,281 MX$21.8K

-48.51%

Buy Apartment in City Center (m2)

$7,303 ₩9.8M

$4,046 MX$68.7K

80.50%

Buy Apartment Outside City Center (m2)

$5,955 ₩8.0M

$6,704 MX$113.9K

-11.17%

Average Monthly Net Salary (After Tax)

$3,506 ₩4.7M

$773 MX$13.1K

353.43%

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 Ilsan: September 6, 2026

Last update for Playa del Carmen: September 7, 2026

Cost Breakdown

A one-bedroom apartment in the center runs $450 in Ilsan and $1,086 in Playa del Carmen. Housing cost is often the main lever when comparing two cities.

Ilsan pays 353% 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: $68.0 in Ilsan vs $47.00 in Playa del Carmen for a mid-range dinner for two. Groceries echo the gap at $396 vs $278 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, Sport & Entertainment, Getting Around. The 9% gap adds up to real monthly savings that compound significantly over time.

Average pay runs 353% higher in Ilsan, 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: $450 in Ilsan versus $1,086 in Playa del Carmen. Housing is usually the single largest factor when comparing overall living costs between the two.

All in, you'll spend $1,417 per month in Ilsan versus $1,305 in Playa del Carmen – a 9% 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 65% less than in Ilsan. Both cities have functional networks, but the price difference matters if you're watching your budget.

At $1,305 in Playa del Carmen versus $1,417 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 9% less than in Ilsan. Beyond cost, consider language, visa policies, and how big the international community is in each city.