Cost of Living Comparison Between Iola, KS and Playa del Carmen Cost of Living Comparison Between Iola, KS and Playa del Carmen

Monthly Cost of Living

A single person spends $2,620 per month in Iola, KS vs $1,293 in Playa del Carmen, rent included.

A couple spends around $3,804 per month in Iola, KS vs $2,334 in Playa del Carmen, rent included.

A family of three spends $4,988 per month in Iola, KS vs $3,374 in Playa del Carmen, rent included.

Iola, KS costs about 103% more than Playa del Carmen, driven mainly by Eating Out.

Iola, KS sits 91% above the global median, while Playa del Carmen is 6% below – they fall on opposite sides of the world average.

Meal at Budget Restaurant

$30.09 $30.09

$11.71 MX$198

156.96%

Three-Course Dinner for Two, Mid-Range

$60.0 $60.0

$46.59 MX$786

28.70%

Fast Food Meal (McDonalds, etc)

$10.37 $10.37

$11.65 MX$197

-10.99%

Cappuccino

$4.92 $4.92

$4.09 MX$69.1

20.29%

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

$2.30 $2.30

$1.37 MX$23.20

67.88%

Water (0.33 liter bottle)

$2.20 $2.20

$0.83 MX$14.07

165.06%

Local Beer (0.5 liter draught)

$3.94 $3.94

$3.35 MX$56.6

17.61%

Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$5.90 $5.90

$6.91 MX$117

-14.62%

Milk (1 liter)

$1.01 $1.01

$1.73 MX$29.15

-41.62%

White Bread (500g)

$3.53 $3.53

$2.26 MX$38.15

56.19%

Rice (white) (1kg)

$2.06 $2.06

$1.77 MX$29.86

16.38%

Eggs

$4.31 $4.31

$2.73 MX$46.12

57.88%

Local Cheese (1kg)

$11.36 $11.36

$9.18 MX$155

23.75%

Chicken Fillets (1kg)

$9.23 $9.23

$8.92 MX$151

3.48%

Beef Round Steak (1kg)

$15.01 $15.01

$12.60 MX$213

19.13%

Apples (1kg)

$4.34 $4.34

$3.02 MX$51.0

43.71%

Banana (1kg)

$1.12 $1.12

$1.57 MX$26.51

-28.66%

Oranges (1kg)

$3.05 $3.05

$2.13 MX$35.88

43.19%

Tomato (1kg)

$4.26 $4.26

$2.26 MX$38.22

88.50%

Potato (1kg)

$1.70 $1.70

$2.00 MX$33.82

-15.00%

Onion (1kg)

$2.35 $2.35

$2.06 MX$34.85

14.08%

Lettuce (1 head)

$1.82 $1.82

$1.18 MX$19.91

54.24%

Water (1.5 liter bottle)

$2.00 $2.00

$1.20 MX$20.32

66.67%

Cigarettes 20 Pack (Marlboro, Camel)

$9.22 $9.22

$4.63 MX$78.2

99.14%

Wine (Bottle)

$12.08 $12.08

$10.69 MX$180

13.00%

Local Beer (0.5 liter bottle)

$1.72 $1.72

$1.62 MX$27.33

6.17%

Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$3.84 $3.84

$2.88 MX$48.63

33.33%

One-way Ticket (Public Transport)

$2.02 $2.02

$0.57 MX$9.68

254.39%

Public Transport Monthly Pass (Regular Price)

$29.83 MX$503

Taxi Start (Normal Tariff)

$2.99 $2.99

$5.45 MX$91.9

-45.14%

Taxi (Normal Tariff) (1km)

$1.41 $1.41

$3.70 MX$62.5

-61.89%

Taxi 1hour Waiting (Normal Tariff)

$35.57 $35.57

$5.98 MX$101

494.82%

Gasoline (1 liter)

$0.89 $0.89

$1.55 MX$26.22

-42.58%

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

$35.0K $35.0K

$22.3K MX$376.8K

56.91%

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

$26.5K $26.5K

$25.9K MX$438.0K

2.29%

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

$267 $267

$89.1 MX$1,504

199.21%

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

$59.0 $59.0

$25.04 MX$423

135.70%

Internet (50+ Mbps, Unlimited Data)

$73.1 $73.1

$31.50 MX$532

132.10%

Gym Membership (Monthly)

$41.21 $41.21

$67.8 MX$1,144

-39.20%

Tennis Court (1 Hour on Weekend)

$28.92 MX$488

Cinema Ticket

$12.22 $12.22

$5.05 MX$85.2

141.98%

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

$755 $755

$225 MX$3,797

235.73%

International Primary School, 1 Child (Yearly)

$23.6K $23.6K

$4,222 MX$71.3K

459.13%

Jeans (Levis 501 Or Similar)

$73.2 $73.2

$47.44 MX$801

54.36%

Summer Dress (H&M, Zara, etc)

$36.55 $36.55

$44.98 MX$759

-18.74%

Sport Shoes (Adidas, Nike)

$77.3 $77.3

$82.0 MX$1,384

-5.73%

Men's Leather Business Shoes

$127 $127

$92.1 MX$1,555

38.00%

1-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)

$1,583 $1,583

$1,069 MX$18.0K

48.04%

1-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)

$1,282 $1,282

$405 MX$6,842

216.27%

3-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)

$2,476 $2,476

$1,935 MX$32.7K

27.96%

3-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)

$2,169 $2,169

$1,301 MX$22.0K

66.72%

Buy Apartment in City Center (m2)

$2,764 $2,764

$3,995 MX$67.4K

-30.83%

Buy Apartment Outside City Center (m2)

$2,352 $2,352

$6,626 MX$111.8K

-64.50%

Average Monthly Net Salary (After Tax)

$749 MX$12.6K

20-Year Fixed Mortgage Interest Rate (Annual %)

6.12

11.45

-46.55%

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

Last update for Iola, KS: August 30, 2026

Last update for Playa del Carmen: August 29, 2026

Cost Breakdown

A central one-bedroom costs $1,583 in Iola, KS versus $1,069 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.

A mid-range dinner for two costs $60.0 in Iola, KS versus $47.00 in Playa del Carmen. Monthly groceries follow the same trend: $340 vs $277 – 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

Iola, KS vs Playa del Carmen: Cost of Living - Frequently Asked Questions

Iola, KS costs about 103% more than Playa del Carmen, with the gap driven mainly by Eating Out. That's enough to noticeably affect everyday spending and lifestyle for anyone choosing between the two.

For a comfortable life, plan on about $3,930 per month in Iola, KS and $1,940 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.

A mid-range dinner for two costs $60.0 in Iola, KS and $47.00 in Playa del Carmen. That's a good indicator of the overall restaurant and café pricing gap between the two cities.

Groceries cost about 23% more in Iola, KS, though it depends on what you buy. Local produce may be comparable; imported and premium items show the biggest price gap.

A $1,500 monthly budget goes further in Playa del Carmen, where all-in costs run around $1,293, than in Iola, KS at $2,620. In Playa del Carmen it covers expenses comfortably, while in Iola, KS it requires careful planning or may not stretch far enough.

For digital nomads, it depends on budget. Playa del Carmen costs $1,293 versus $2,620 in Iola, KS. Both have workable remote work infrastructure, but the cost gap matters when income varies month to month.

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, Iola, KS makes more sense. Both are solid long-term options with distinct trade-offs.