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

Monthly Cost of Living

A single person spends $2,805 per month in Ilulissat vs $1,260 in Playa del Carmen, rent included.

A couple spends around $4,084 per month in Ilulissat vs $2,125 in Playa del Carmen, rent included.

A family of three spends $5,364 per month in Ilulissat vs $2,990 in Playa del Carmen, rent included.

Ilulissat costs about 123% more than Playa del Carmen, driven mainly by Groceries & Markets.

Ilulissat sits 111% above the global median, while Playa del Carmen is 5% below – they fall on opposite sides of the world average.

Meal at Budget Restaurant

$22.89 DKK 149

$11.72 MX$204

95.31%

Three-Course Dinner for Two, Mid-Range

$85.7 DKK 559

$41.89 MX$731

104.66%

Fast Food Meal (McDonalds, etc)

$19.10 DKK 124

$10.51 MX$183

81.73%

Cappuccino

$4.30 DKK 28.03

$3.59 MX$62.5

19.78%

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

$1.52 DKK 9.93

$1.51 MX$26.31

0.66%

Water (0.33 liter bottle)

$2.87 DKK 18.67

$0.92 MX$15.96

211.96%

Local Beer (0.5 liter draught)

$13.37 DKK 87.2

$2.96 MX$51.6

351.69%

Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$7.04 DKK 45.89

$4.41 MX$76.9

59.64%

Milk (1 liter)

$3.07 DKK 20.03

$1.40 MX$24.35

119.29%

White Bread (500g)

$5.50 DKK 35.84

$1.88 MX$32.87

192.55%

Rice (white) (1kg)

$4.56 DKK 29.73

$1.56 MX$27.19

192.31%

Eggs

$3.82 DKK 24.91

$2.61 MX$45.50

46.36%

Local Cheese (1kg)

$34.12 DKK 222

$8.32 MX$145

310.10%

Chicken Fillets (1kg)

$40.09 DKK 261

$8.35 MX$146

380.12%

Beef Round Steak (1kg)

$26.22 DKK 171

$10.86 MX$189

141.44%

Apples (1kg)

$6.11 DKK 39.81

$2.71 MX$47.31

125.46%

Banana (1kg)

$5.53 DKK 36.07

$1.51 MX$26.25

266.23%

Oranges (1kg)

$6.16 DKK 40.14

$1.87 MX$32.67

229.41%

Tomato (1kg)

$4.59 DKK 29.94

$2.19 MX$38.19

109.59%

Potato (1kg)

$3.80 DKK 24.73

$1.86 MX$32.40

104.30%

Onion (1kg)

$5.47 DKK 35.66

$2.23 MX$38.90

145.29%

Lettuce (1 head)

$6.80 DKK 44.35

$1.07 MX$18.63

535.51%

Water (1.5 liter bottle)

$3.19 DKK 20.79

$1.09 MX$18.94

192.66%

Cigarettes 20 Pack (Marlboro, Camel)

$13.89 DKK 90.5

$4.19 MX$73.0

231.50%

Wine (Bottle)

$22.42 DKK 146

$10.43 MX$182

114.96%

Local Beer (0.5 liter bottle)

$1.96 DKK 12.78

$1.66 MX$28.91

18.07%

Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$4.27 DKK 27.82

$2.61 MX$45.56

63.60%

One-way Ticket (Public Transport)

$3.77 DKK 24.57

$0.54 MX$9.45

598.15%

Public Transport Monthly Pass (Regular Price)

$93.6 DKK 610

$26.16 MX$456

257.65%

Taxi Start (Normal Tariff)

$3.11 DKK 20.28

$3.08 MX$53.7

0.97%

Taxi (Normal Tariff) (1km)

$2.40 MX$41.94

Taxi 1hour Waiting (Normal Tariff)

$7.86 DKK 51.2

$3.13 MX$54.5

151.12%

Gasoline (1 liter)

$0.75 DKK 4.89

$1.31 MX$22.87

-42.75%

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

$40.8K DKK 266.1K

$29.8K MX$519.9K

37.00%

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

$14.0K DKK 91.2K

$23.3K MX$406.8K

-40.01%

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

$262 DKK 1,709

$81.3 MX$1,418

222.58%

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

$66.3 DKK 432

$22.56 MX$393

193.93%

Internet (50+ Mbps, Unlimited Data)

$186 DKK 1,210

$30.05 MX$524

517.97%

Gym Membership (Monthly)

$7.79 DKK 50.8

$52.9 MX$923

-85.28%

Tennis Court (1 Hour on Weekend)

$18.39 MX$321

Cinema Ticket

$18.48 DKK 120

$4.92 MX$85.8

275.61%

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

$609 DKK 3,966

$201 MX$3,502

203.02%

International Primary School, 1 Child (Yearly)

$11.1K DKK 72.2K

$5,175 MX$90.2K

114.09%

Jeans (Levis 501 Or Similar)

$173 DKK 1,131

$35.92 MX$627

382.93%

Summer Dress (H&M, Zara, etc)

$53.3 DKK 348

$40.13 MX$700

32.89%

Sport Shoes (Adidas, Nike)

$165 DKK 1,074

$79.7 MX$1,390

106.69%

Men's Leather Business Shoes

$236 DKK 1,541

$86.5 MX$1,508

173.46%

1-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)

$499 DKK 3,251

$978 MX$17.1K

-49.00%

1-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)

$626 DKK 4,079

$470 MX$8,206

33.01%

3-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)

$902 DKK 5,878

$1,651 MX$28.8K

-45.38%

3-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)

$899 DKK 5,862

$1,203 MX$21.0K

-25.27%

Buy Apartment in City Center (m2)

$3,790 DKK 24.7K

$3,953 MX$69.0K

-4.14%

Buy Apartment Outside City Center (m2)

$4,184 DKK 27.3K

$6,607 MX$115.2K

-36.67%

Average Monthly Net Salary (After Tax)

$2,059 DKK 13.4K

$677 MX$11.8K

204.34%

20-Year Fixed Mortgage Interest Rate (Annual %)

4.95

11.42

-56.65%

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

Last update for Ilulissat: July 27, 2026

Last update for Playa del Carmen: July 27, 2026

Cost Breakdown

A central one-bedroom costs $499 in Ilulissat versus $978 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.

Salaries run about 204% higher in Ilulissat, which partly offsets the higher cost of living there. Purchasing power depends on which expenses matter most to you.

A mid-range dinner for two costs $86.0 in Ilulissat versus $42.00 in Playa del Carmen. Monthly groceries follow the same trend: $763 vs $252 – making Playa del Carmen 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

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

Monthly costs with rent: $2,805 in Ilulissat, $1,260 in Playa del Carmen – roughly 123% apart. Ilulissat costs more across the board, with Groceries & Markets showing the biggest gap.

For a comfortable life, plan on about $4,207 per month in Ilulissat and $1,890 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 Playa del Carmen, especially for central apartments. Housing is actually the single biggest factor behind the overall cost gap between these two cities.

Public transport costs about 258% less in Playa del Carmen. For daily commuters, that gap adds up to noticeable savings over a year.

Kindergarten costs $609 per month in Ilulissat and $201 in Playa del Carmen. For families with young kids, this one expense can tip the scales when choosing between the two cities.

A $1,500 monthly budget goes further in Playa del Carmen, where all-in costs run around $1,260, than in Ilulissat at $2,805. In Playa del Carmen it covers expenses comfortably, while in Ilulissat 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 $1,260 in Playa del Carmen to $2,805 in Ilulissat. Climate, culture, job market, and personal taste all factor in.

Both have safer and rougher neighborhoods, but overall safety is comparable to other large cities. Neighborhood choice matters more than the city-level comparison – central, well-trafficked areas feel secure in both.

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