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 $2,718 per month in Ilulissat vs $1,271 in Playa del Carmen, rent included.

A couple spends around $4,086 per month in Ilulissat vs $2,126 in Playa del Carmen, rent included.

A family of three spends $5,454 per month in Ilulissat vs $2,980 in Playa del Carmen, rent included.

Ilulissat costs about 114% more than Playa del Carmen, driven mainly by Groceries & Markets.

Ilulissat sits 102% above the global median, while Playa del Carmen is 5% below – they fall on opposite sides of the world average.

Meal at Budget Restaurant

$23.41 DKK 151

$11.87 MX$204

97.22%

Three-Course Dinner for Two, Mid-Range

$85.9 DKK 553

$42.90 MX$736

100.23%

Fast Food Meal (McDonalds, etc)

$19.05 DKK 123

$10.65 MX$183

78.87%

Cappuccino

$4.30 DKK 27.70

$3.45 MX$59.2

24.64%

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

$1.56 DKK 10.07

$1.50 MX$25.81

4.00%

Water (0.33 liter bottle)

$2.93 DKK 18.85

$0.95 MX$16.28

208.42%

Local Beer (0.5 liter draught)

$13.35 DKK 86.0

$3.03 MX$51.9

340.59%

Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$6.89 DKK 44.36

$4.61 MX$79.1

49.46%

Milk (1 liter)

$3.06 DKK 19.69

$1.38 MX$23.61

121.74%

White Bread (500g)

$5.41 DKK 34.86

$1.85 MX$31.70

192.43%

Rice (white) (1kg)

$4.62 DKK 29.76

$1.61 MX$27.65

186.96%

Eggs

$3.80 DKK 24.46

$2.59 MX$44.51

46.72%

Local Cheese (1kg)

$33.53 DKK 216

$8.26 MX$142

305.93%

Chicken Fillets (1kg)

$40.01 DKK 258

$8.37 MX$144

378.02%

Beef Round Steak (1kg)

$26.27 DKK 169

$10.66 MX$183

146.44%

Apples (1kg)

$6.16 DKK 39.68

$2.63 MX$45.12

134.22%

Banana (1kg)

$5.32 DKK 34.25

$1.49 MX$25.53

257.05%

Oranges (1kg)

$6.11 DKK 39.38

$1.92 MX$32.94

218.23%

Tomato (1kg)

$4.69 DKK 30.18

$2.09 MX$35.81

124.40%

Potato (1kg)

$3.95 DKK 25.44

$1.86 MX$31.88

112.37%

Onion (1kg)

$5.44 DKK 35.04

$2.26 MX$38.81

140.71%

Lettuce (1 head)

$7.18 DKK 46.22

$1.06 MX$18.23

577.36%

Water (1.5 liter bottle)

$3.04 DKK 19.59

$1.09 MX$18.67

178.90%

Cigarettes 20 Pack (Marlboro, Camel)

$13.70 DKK 88.2

$4.15 MX$71.2

230.12%

Wine (Bottle)

$22.77 DKK 147

$10.39 MX$178

119.15%

Local Beer (0.5 liter bottle)

$2.00 DKK 12.87

$1.72 MX$29.59

16.28%

Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$4.16 DKK 26.82

$2.61 MX$44.85

59.39%

One-way Ticket (Public Transport)

$3.91 DKK 25.19

$0.54 MX$9.30

624.07%

Public Transport Monthly Pass (Regular Price)

$91.9 DKK 592

$26.94 MX$462

241.20%

Taxi Start (Normal Tariff)

$3.08 DKK 19.84

$3.13 MX$53.7

-1.60%

Taxi (Normal Tariff) (1km)

$2.51 MX$43.09

Taxi 1hour Waiting (Normal Tariff)

$7.85 DKK 50.6

$3.15 MX$54.1

149.21%

Gasoline (1 liter)

$0.74 DKK 4.75

$1.27 MX$21.88

-41.73%

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

$40.2K DKK 258.8K

$30.4K MX$521.3K

32.31%

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

$13.7K DKK 88.5K

$23.6K MX$404.5K

-41.69%

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

$265 DKK 1,707

$83.0 MX$1,425

219.29%

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

$66.6 DKK 429

$22.71 MX$390

193.04%

Internet (50+ Mbps, Unlimited Data)

$189 DKK 1,214

$29.46 MX$506

540.05%

Gym Membership (Monthly)

$7.72 DKK 49.70

$51.0 MX$875

-84.86%

Tennis Court (1 Hour on Weekend)

$18.33 MX$315

Cinema Ticket

$18.37 DKK 118

$4.93 MX$84.5

272.62%

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

$618 DKK 3,983

$197 MX$3,386

213.41%

International Primary School, 1 Child (Yearly)

$11.0K DKK 71.1K

$5,280 MX$90.6K

109.04%

Jeans (Levis 501 Or Similar)

$175 DKK 1,124

$36.90 MX$633

373.01%

Summer Dress (H&M, Zara, etc)

$53.5 DKK 345

$39.89 MX$685

34.17%

Sport Shoes (Adidas, Nike)

$170 DKK 1,094

$80.0 MX$1,373

112.27%

Men's Leather Business Shoes

$233 DKK 1,501

$89.5 MX$1,536

160.47%

1-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)

$496 DKK 3,192

$956 MX$16.4K

-48.18%

1-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)

$636 DKK 4,097

$477 MX$8,189

33.34%

3-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)

$906 DKK 5,836

$1,646 MX$28.3K

-44.95%

3-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)

$899 DKK 5,792

$1,225 MX$21.0K

-26.57%

Buy Apartment in City Center (m2)

$3,848 DKK 24.8K

$3,918 MX$67.2K

-1.79%

Buy Apartment Outside City Center (m2)

$4,139 DKK 26.7K

$6,459 MX$110.9K

-35.93%

Average Monthly Net Salary (After Tax)

$2,109 DKK 13.6K

$667 MX$11.4K

216.13%

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: June 9, 2026

Last update for Playa del Carmen: June 7, 2026

Cost Breakdown

A central one-bedroom costs $496 in Ilulissat versus $956 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 216% 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 $43.00 in Playa del Carmen. Monthly groceries follow the same trend: $760 vs $250 – 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: $2,718 in Ilulissat, $1,271 in Playa del Carmen – roughly 114% apart. Ilulissat costs more across the board, with Groceries & Markets showing the biggest gap.

For a comfortable life, plan on about $4,078 per month in Ilulissat and $1,906 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 241% less in Playa del Carmen. For daily commuters, that gap adds up to noticeable savings over a year.

Kindergarten costs $618 per month in Ilulissat and $197 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 $1,271, than in Ilulissat at $2,718. 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 $1,271 in Playa del Carmen to $2,718 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.