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 $2,671 per month in Ilulissat vs $1,305 in Playa del Carmen, rent included.

A couple spends around $4,046 per month in Ilulissat vs $2,334 in Playa del Carmen, rent included.

A family of three spends $5,420 per month in Ilulissat vs $3,362 in Playa del Carmen, rent included.

Ilulissat costs about 105% more than Playa del Carmen, driven mainly by Groceries & Markets.

Ilulissat sits 94% above the global median, while Playa del Carmen is 5% below – they fall on opposite sides of the world average.

Meal at Budget Restaurant

$31.29 DKK 202

$11.96 MX$203

161.62%

Three-Course Dinner for Two, Mid-Range

$112 DKK 722

$47.38 MX$804

136.58%

Fast Food Meal (McDonalds, etc)

$19.29 DKK 124

$11.75 MX$199

64.17%

Cappuccino

$6.19 DKK 39.88

$4.12 MX$70.0

50.24%

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

$1.40 MX$23.74

Water (0.33 liter bottle)

$3.05 DKK 19.65

$0.91 MX$15.48

235.16%

Local Beer (0.5 liter draught)

$13.36 DKK 86.1

$3.21 MX$54.4

316.20%

Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$7.16 DKK 46.14

$7.07 MX$120

1.27%

Milk (1 liter)

$3.06 DKK 19.71

$1.68 MX$28.44

82.14%

White Bread (500g)

$5.58 DKK 35.94

$2.15 MX$36.48

159.53%

Rice (white) (1kg)

$4.38 DKK 28.25

$1.77 MX$30.10

147.46%

Eggs

$2.82 MX$47.76

Local Cheese (1kg)

$34.14 DKK 220

$9.20 MX$156

271.09%

Chicken Fillets (1kg)

$39.73 DKK 256

$9.23 MX$157

330.44%

Beef Round Steak (1kg)

$26.81 DKK 173

$12.64 MX$214

112.10%

Apples (1kg)

$6.37 DKK 41.04

$2.95 MX$50.1

115.93%

Banana (1kg)

$5.35 DKK 34.49

$1.58 MX$26.79

238.61%

Oranges (1kg)

$6.40 DKK 41.21

$2.22 MX$37.70

188.29%

Tomato (1kg)

$4.56 DKK 29.40

$2.36 MX$40.09

93.22%

Potato (1kg)

$3.84 DKK 24.74

$1.99 MX$33.81

92.96%

Onion (1kg)

$5.48 DKK 35.31

$1.98 MX$33.58

176.77%

Lettuce (1 head)

$6.79 DKK 43.73

$1.24 MX$21.04

447.58%

Water (1.5 liter bottle)

$3.17 DKK 20.44

$1.21 MX$20.55

161.98%

Cigarettes 20 Pack (Marlboro, Camel)

$4.60 MX$78.1

Wine (Bottle)

$23.59 DKK 152

$10.52 MX$178

124.24%

Local Beer (0.5 liter bottle)

$1.69 MX$28.70

Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$4.24 DKK 27.33

$2.77 MX$47.06

53.07%

One-way Ticket (Public Transport)

$3.78 DKK 24.35

$0.60 MX$10.22

530.00%

Public Transport Monthly Pass (Regular Price)

$94.4 DKK 608

$29.70 MX$504

217.78%

Taxi Start (Normal Tariff)

$3.19 DKK 20.57

$5.24 MX$88.8

-39.12%

Taxi (Normal Tariff) (1km)

$6.14 DKK 39.56

$3.65 MX$61.9

68.22%

Taxi 1hour Waiting (Normal Tariff)

$7.89 DKK 50.8

$5.78 MX$98.1

36.51%

Gasoline (1 liter)

$0.74 DKK 4.79

$1.54 MX$26.09

-51.95%

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

$40.7K DKK 262.4K

$22.8K MX$386.8K

78.59%

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

$14.2K DKK 91.7K

$25.8K MX$437.9K

-44.89%

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

$259 DKK 1,670

$90.7 MX$1,538

185.89%

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

$68.6 DKK 442

$25.19 MX$427

172.17%

Internet (50+ Mbps, Unlimited Data)

$189 DKK 1,218

$31.75 MX$539

495.43%

Gym Membership (Monthly)

$68.8 MX$1,167

Tennis Court (1 Hour on Weekend)

$29.37 MX$498

Cinema Ticket

$4.86 MX$82.5

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

$633 DKK 4,082

$226 MX$3,828

180.70%

International Primary School, 1 Child (Yearly)

$10.8K DKK 69.4K

$4,194 MX$71.1K

156.79%

Jeans (Levis 501 Or Similar)

$47.38 MX$804

Summer Dress (H&M, Zara, etc)

$53.4 DKK 344

$43.45 MX$737

22.83%

Sport Shoes (Adidas, Nike)

$168 DKK 1,083

$80.2 MX$1,361

109.54%

Men's Leather Business Shoes

$229 DKK 1,475

$91.4 MX$1,550

150.44%

1-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)

$491 DKK 3,162

$1,086 MX$18.4K

-54.80%

1-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)

$637 DKK 4,105

$409 MX$6,933

55.87%

3-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)

$904 DKK 5,826

$1,972 MX$33.5K

-54.15%

3-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)

$884 DKK 5,695

$1,281 MX$21.7K

-31.04%

Buy Apartment in City Center (m2)

$3,838 DKK 24.7K

$4,046 MX$68.6K

-5.14%

Buy Apartment Outside City Center (m2)

$4,254 DKK 27.4K

$6,704 MX$113.7K

-36.55%

Average Monthly Net Salary (After Tax)

$2,064 DKK 13.3K

$773 MX$13.1K

166.85%

20-Year Fixed Mortgage Interest Rate (Annual %)

4.95

11.45

-56.77%

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

Last update for Ilulissat: September 5, 2026

Last update for Playa del Carmen: September 7, 2026

Cost Breakdown

A central one-bedroom costs $491 in Ilulissat versus $1,086 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 167% 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 $112 in Ilulissat versus $47.00 in Playa del Carmen. Monthly groceries follow the same trend: $741 vs $278 – 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: $2,671 in Ilulissat, $1,305 in Playa del Carmen – roughly 105% apart. Ilulissat costs more across the board, with Groceries & Markets showing the biggest gap.

For a comfortable life, plan on about $4,007 per month in Ilulissat and $1,958 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 218% less in Playa del Carmen. For daily commuters, that gap adds up to noticeable savings over a year.

Kindergarten costs $633 per month in Ilulissat and $226 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 $1,305, than in Ilulissat at $2,671. 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 $1,305 in Playa del Carmen to $2,671 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.