Cost of Living Comparison Between Iowa City, IA and Playa del Carmen Cost of Living Comparison Between Iowa City, IA and Playa del Carmen

Monthly Cost of Living

Monthly costs for one person with rent: $2,394 in Iowa City, IA versus $1,266 in Playa del Carmen.

Estimated couple costs with rent: $3,329 in Iowa City, IA versus $2,279 in Playa del Carmen.

Monthly costs for a family of three with rent: $4,264 in Iowa City, IA versus $3,292 in Playa del Carmen.

Living in Iowa City, IA is roughly 89% more expensive than in Playa del Carmen, driven mainly by Groceries & Markets.

The two cities straddle the global median: Iowa City, IA is 75% above, Playa del Carmen is 7% below.

Meal at Budget Restaurant

$13.86 $13.86

$11.60 MX$199

19.48%

Three-Course Dinner for Two, Mid-Range

$66.8 $66.8

$47.11 MX$809

41.73%

Fast Food Meal (McDonalds, etc)

$9.10 $9.10

$11.88 MX$204

-23.40%

Cappuccino

$5.80 $5.80

$3.98 MX$68.2

45.73%

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

$2.90 $2.90

$1.43 MX$24.49

102.80%

Water (0.33 liter bottle)

$2.22 $2.22

$0.82 MX$14.16

170.73%

Local Beer (0.5 liter draught)

$5.05 $5.05

$3.19 MX$54.7

58.31%

Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$6.83 $6.83

$6.79 MX$117

0.59%

Milk (1 liter)

$0.87 $0.87

$1.68 MX$28.76

-48.21%

White Bread (500g)

$2.54 $2.54

$2.20 MX$37.71

15.45%

Rice (white) (1kg)

$4.42 $4.42

$1.71 MX$29.32

158.48%

Eggs

$3.47 $3.47

$2.74 MX$47.05

26.64%

Local Cheese (1kg)

$9.28 $9.28

$9.58 MX$164

-3.13%

Chicken Fillets (1kg)

$10.53 $10.53

$9.01 MX$155

16.87%

Beef Round Steak (1kg)

$20.54 $20.54

$12.81 MX$220

60.34%

Apples (1kg)

$3.38 $3.38

$2.89 MX$49.58

16.96%

Banana (1kg)

$1.22 $1.22

$1.50 MX$25.70

-18.67%

Oranges (1kg)

$2.69 $2.69

$2.15 MX$36.87

25.12%

Tomato (1kg)

$4.73 $4.73

$2.26 MX$38.79

109.29%

Potato (1kg)

$2.05 $2.05

$1.98 MX$34.00

3.54%

Onion (1kg)

$3.09 $3.09

$1.99 MX$34.15

55.28%

Lettuce (1 head)

$1.96 $1.96

$1.23 MX$21.18

59.35%

Water (1.5 liter bottle)

$2.44 $2.44

$1.20 MX$20.54

103.33%

Cigarettes 20 Pack (Marlboro, Camel)

$9.07 $9.07

$4.55 MX$78.1

99.34%

Wine (Bottle)

$15.69 $15.69

$10.37 MX$178

51.30%

Local Beer (0.5 liter bottle)

$1.71 $1.71

$1.62 MX$27.79

5.56%

Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$4.43 $4.43

$2.88 MX$49.44

53.82%

One-way Ticket (Public Transport)

$0.60 MX$10.30

Public Transport Monthly Pass (Regular Price)

$16.07 $16.07

$28.80 MX$494

-44.20%

Taxi Start (Normal Tariff)

$3.92 $3.92

$5.39 MX$92.5

-27.27%

Taxi (Normal Tariff) (1km)

$1.95 $1.95

$3.73 MX$64.0

-47.72%

Taxi 1hour Waiting (Normal Tariff)

$43.35 $43.35

$5.77 MX$99.0

651.30%

Gasoline (1 liter)

$0.99 $0.99

$1.54 MX$26.37

-35.71%

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

$35.4K $35.4K

$22.5K MX$387.0K

56.86%

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

$25.1K $25.1K

$26.1K MX$447.3K

-3.69%

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

$270 $270

$91.4 MX$1,569

195.40%

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

$53.0 $53.0

$25.20 MX$433

110.32%

Internet (50+ Mbps, Unlimited Data)

$83.0 $83.0

$31.24 MX$536

165.69%

Gym Membership (Monthly)

$49.70 $49.70

$67.2 MX$1,154

-26.04%

Tennis Court (1 Hour on Weekend)

$20.39 $20.39

$29.11 MX$500

-29.96%

Cinema Ticket

$13.57 $13.57

$4.86 MX$83.5

179.22%

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

$1,291 $1,291

$224 MX$3,839

477.25%

International Primary School, 1 Child (Yearly)

$23.6K $23.6K

$4,229 MX$72.6K

458.04%

Jeans (Levis 501 Or Similar)

$63.0 $63.0

$47.10 MX$808

33.82%

Summer Dress (H&M, Zara, etc)

$49.61 $49.61

$44.29 MX$760

12.01%

Sport Shoes (Adidas, Nike)

$102 $102

$80.1 MX$1,375

27.24%

Men's Leather Business Shoes

$114 $114

$92.7 MX$1,591

23.02%

1-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)

$1,205 $1,205

$1,063 MX$18.2K

13.45%

1-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)

$1,066 $1,066

$390 MX$6,698

173.24%

3-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)

$2,311 $2,311

$2,149 MX$36.9K

7.51%

3-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)

$1,530 $1,530

$1,272 MX$21.8K

20.27%

Buy Apartment in City Center (m2)

$3,763 $3,763

$4,001 MX$68.7K

-5.95%

Buy Apartment Outside City Center (m2)

$1,899 $1,899

$6,502 MX$111.6K

-70.80%

Average Monthly Net Salary (After Tax)

$3,661 $3,661

$758 MX$13.0K

382.83%

20-Year Fixed Mortgage Interest Rate (Annual %)

6.26

11.45

-45.33%

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

Last update for Iowa City, IA: September 14, 2026

Last update for Playa del Carmen: September 12, 2026

Cost Breakdown

A one-bedroom apartment in the center runs $1,205 in Iowa City, IA and $1,063 in Playa del Carmen. Housing cost is often the main lever when comparing two cities.

Iowa City, IA pays 383% 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: $67.0 in Iowa City, IA vs $47.00 in Playa del Carmen for a mid-range dinner for two. Groceries echo the gap at $365 vs $276 per month, with Playa del Carmen cheaper across the board.

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

Iowa City, IA vs Playa del Carmen: Cost of Living - Frequently Asked Questions

Playa del Carmen is cheaper overall, especially in Groceries & Markets, Eating Out, Clothing & Footwear, Monthly Utilities & Internet. The 89% gap adds up to real monthly savings that compound significantly over time.

Average pay runs 383% higher in Iowa City, IA, which matters when comparing affordability. Whether that higher income actually nets you more depends on your spending habits and housing choices.

Rent for a central apartment: $1,205 in Iowa City, IA versus $1,063 in Playa del Carmen. Housing is usually the single largest factor when comparing overall living costs between the two.

A monthly transit pass in Playa del Carmen runs roughly 79% less than in Iowa City, IA. Both cities have functional networks, but the price difference matters if you're watching your budget.

Childcare runs $1,291 in Iowa City, IA versus $224 in Playa del Carmen. Over years of preschool, even a modest monthly gap compounds into a major financial factor for families.

At $1,266 in Playa del Carmen versus $2,394 in Iowa City, IA, a $1,500 budget is realistic in Playa del Carmen but tight or insufficient in Iowa City, IA. The gap between the two cities makes Playa del Carmen the clear choice for anyone on this budget.

For families, Playa del Carmen is more practical. Housing and childcare are both notably cheaper than in Iowa City, IA, and the savings on those two alone free up budget for education, activities, and family trips.

Safety-wise, Iowa City, IA 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.

Expats usually find Playa del Carmen gentler on the wallet – expenses run 89% less than in Iowa City, IA. Beyond cost, consider language, visa policies, and how big the international community is in each city.