😐Monthly costs for one person with rent: $1,349 in Ioannina versus $1,287 in Playa del Carmen.
🙂Estimated couple costs with rent: $2,005 in Ioannina versus $2,184 in Playa del Carmen.
🙂Monthly costs for a family of three with rent: $2,661 in Ioannina versus $3,082 in Playa del Carmen.
😐Living in Ioannina is roughly 5% more expensive than Playa del Carmen, driven mainly by Eating Out.
📊The two cities straddle the global median: Ioannina is 1% above, Playa del Carmen is 4% below.
Moneda
🍽 Eating Out
Ioannina
Playa del Carmen
Diferencia
Meal at Budget Restaurant
$17.66€15.11
$11.94MX$209
47.91%
Three-Course Dinner for Two, Mid-Range
$34.59€29.61
$42.75MX$748
-19.09%
Fast Food Meal(McDonalds, etc)
$10.05€8.60
$10.59MX$185
-5.10%
Cappuccino
$3.87€3.31
$3.62MX$63.4
6.91%
Coke/Pepsi/Fanta/Sprite(0.33 liter bottle)
$2.25€1.92
$1.47MX$25.69
53.06%
Water(0.33 liter bottle)
$0.55€0.47
$0.94MX$16.51
-41.49%
Local Beer(0.5 liter draught)
$4.49€3.85
$3.09MX$54.1
45.31%
Imported Beer(0.33 liter bottle)
$5.65€4.84
$4.46MX$78.0
26.68%
🛒 Groceries & Markets
Ioannina
Playa del Carmen
Diferencia
Milk(1 liter)
$1.48€1.27
$1.43MX$24.94
3.50%
White Bread(500g)
$1.19€1.02
$1.88MX$32.97
-36.70%
Rice(white)(1kg)
$2.48€2.12
$1.63MX$28.50
52.15%
Eggs
$3.43€2.94
$2.64MX$46.26
29.92%
Local Cheese(1kg)
$10.22€8.75
$8.21MX$144
24.48%
Chicken Fillets(1kg)
$8.15€6.98
$8.29MX$145
-1.69%
Beef Round Steak(1kg)
$11.01€9.42
$11.10MX$194
-0.81%
Apples(1kg)
$1.97€1.69
$2.65MX$46.40
-25.66%
Banana(1kg)
$1.87€1.60
$1.50MX$26.26
24.67%
Oranges(1kg)
$1.24€1.06
$1.99MX$34.79
-37.69%
Tomato(1kg)
$2.32€1.99
$2.08MX$36.33
11.54%
Potato(1kg)
$1.25€1.07
$1.79MX$31.29
-30.17%
Onion(1kg)
$1.06€0.90
$2.18MX$38.09
-51.38%
Lettuce(1 head)
$1.03€0.88
$1.08MX$18.84
-4.63%
Water(1.5 liter bottle)
$0.85€0.73
$1.04MX$18.15
-18.27%
Cigarettes 20 Pack(Marlboro, Camel)
$5.22€4.47
$3.97MX$69.5
31.49%
Wine(Bottle)
$7.09€6.07
$10.20MX$179
-30.49%
Local Beer(0.5 liter bottle)
$1.95€1.67
$1.73MX$30.22
12.72%
Imported Beer(0.33 liter bottle)
$2.79€2.39
$2.50MX$43.71
11.60%
🚌 Getting Around
Ioannina
Playa del Carmen
Diferencia
One-way Ticket(Public Transport)
$1.52€1.30
$0.52MX$9.07
192.31%
Public Transport Monthly Pass(Regular Price)
$34.54€29.57
$26.97MX$472
28.07%
Taxi Start(Normal Tariff)
$4.71€4.03
$3.14MX$55.0
50.00%
Taxi(Normal Tariff)(1km)
-
$2.40MX$42.04
-
Taxi 1hour Waiting(Normal Tariff)
$7.13€6.11
$3.09MX$54.0
130.74%
Gasoline(1 liter)
$2.09€1.79
$1.27MX$22.28
64.57%
Midsize Hatchback 1.4l(Volkswagen Golf, Toyota Prius, Honda Civic, etc)
$24.7K€21.2K
$30.9KMX$540.4K
-19.98%
Compact Sedan 1.6l(Toyota Corolla, Mazda3, Kia K4, Hyundai Elantra, etc)
$26.6K€22.7K
$23.3KMX$408.0K
13.91%
🧾 Monthly Utilities & Internet
Ioannina
Playa del Carmen
Diferencia
Utilities for 2 People in 2-bedroom Apartment(Heating, Electricity, Gas, Water, Garbage)(85m2)
$216€185
$82.0MX$1,435
163.49%
SIM Card Monthly Plan(Calls and 10GB+ Data)
$20.66€17.68
$22.45MX$393
-7.97%
Internet(50+ Mbps, Unlimited Data)
$30.59€26.18
$29.66MX$519
3.14%
🎉 Sport & Entertainment
Ioannina
Playa del Carmen
Diferencia
Gym Membership(Monthly)
$46.09€39.45
$51.9MX$908
-11.14%
Tennis Court(1 Hour on Weekend)
$46.10€39.46
$18.67MX$327
146.92%
Cinema Ticket
$9.14€7.82
$4.97MX$87.0
83.90%
🧸 Childcare & Education
Ioannina
Playa del Carmen
Diferencia
Preschool or Kindergarten, Full Day, Private, 1 Child(Monthly)
$341€292
$198MX$3,462
72.23%
International Primary School, 1 Child(Yearly)
$8,383€7,176
$5,273MX$92.3K
58.98%
👕👟 Clothing & Footwear
Ioannina
Playa del Carmen
Diferencia
Jeans(Levis 501 Or Similar)
$69.9€59.9
$36.34MX$636
92.41%
Summer Dress(H&M, Zara, etc)
$36.87€31.56
$40.05MX$701
-7.94%
Sport Shoes(Adidas, Nike)
$77.7€66.6
$79.9MX$1,398
-2.68%
Men's Leather Business Shoes
$118€101
$88.9MX$1,555
32.58%
🏠 Accommodation & Living
Ioannina
Playa del Carmen
Diferencia
1-bedroom Apartment, City Center(Monthly)
$417€357
$963MX$16.9K
-56.69%
1-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center(Monthly)
$308€264
$465MX$8,133
-33.73%
3-bedroom Apartment, City Center(Monthly)
$684€586
$1,596MX$27.9K
-57.14%
3-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center(Monthly)
$549€470
$1,209MX$21.2K
-54.57%
Buy Apartment in City Center(m2)
$3,133€2,681
$3,942MX$69.0K
-20.53%
Buy Apartment Outside City Center(m2)
$2,605€2,230
$6,448MX$112.8K
-59.61%
💵 Salaries & Financials
Ioannina
Playa del Carmen
Diferencia
Average Monthly Net Salary(After Tax)
$1,124€962
$720MX$12.6K
55.98%
20-Year Fixed Mortgage Interest Rate(Annual %)
4.68
11.42
-59.02%
Los datos de CityCost se basan en IA y aportaciones de usuarios. Puede haber pequeñas variaciones.
Última actualización para Ioannina: April 28, 2026
Última actualización para Playa del Carmen: April 25, 2026
Cost Breakdown
🏠A one-bedroom apartment in the center runs $417 in Ioannina and $963 in Playa del Carmen. Housing cost is often the main lever when comparing two cities.
💰Ioannina pays 56% 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: $35.00 in Ioannina vs $43.00 in Playa del Carmen for a mid-range dinner for two. Groceries echo the gap at $242 vs $251 per month, with Ioannina cheaper across the board.
Comparación de velocidades medias de internet por ciudad (actualizado April 2026)
El gráfico resalta el umbral de precisión para velocidades de internet móvil y fija, actualizado trimestralmente.
Índice del coste de vida para nómadas digitales
Ioannina vs Playa del Carmen: Coste de vida - preguntas frecuentes
What is the total cost difference between living in Ioannina and Playa del Carmen?
Ioannina and Playa del Carmen differ by about 5% in total monthly costs ($1,349 vs $1,287 including rent). Playa del Carmen is meaningfully more affordable – a gap that matters a lot on a fixed or modest income.
Which city pays better: Ioannina or Playa del Carmen?
Ioannina pays 56% more on average, which matters when comparing affordability. Whether that higher income actually nets you more depends on your spending habits and housing choices.
How do apartment prices compare in Ioannina and Playa del Carmen?
Rent for a central apartment: $417 in Ioannina versus $963 in Playa del Carmen. Housing is usually the single largest factor when comparing overall living costs between the two.
What is the difference in childcare costs between Ioannina and Playa del Carmen?
Childcare runs $341 in Ioannina versus $198 in Playa del Carmen. Over years of preschool, even a modest monthly gap compounds into a major financial factor for families.
Which city has cheaper grocery shopping?
Shoppers in Ioannina pay roughly 3% less for everyday groceries. It's an unusual reversal that partly offsets higher costs elsewhere.
Which city is more doable on $1,500 per month?
At $1,287 in Playa del Carmen versus $1,349 in Ioannina, a $1,500 budget is realistic in Playa del Carmen but tight or insufficient in Ioannina. The gap between the two cities makes Playa del Carmen the clear choice for anyone on this budget.
How does quality of life compare between Ioannina and Playa del Carmen?
Both cities offer a good standard of living with different trade-offs. Neither is objectively better – the right pick depends on what matters most: affordability, career, cultural scene, or climate.
Is Ioannina or Playa del Carmen safer for residents?
Safety-wise, Ioannina 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.
Where should expats move: Ioannina or Playa del Carmen?
Expats usually find Playa del Carmen gentler on the wallet – expenses run 5% less than in Ioannina. Beyond cost, consider language, visa policies, and how big the international community is in each city.
Ioannina vs otros destinos: coste de vida comparado