Cost of Living Comparison Between Isabela and Playa del Carmen Cost of Living Comparison Between Isabela and Playa del Carmen

Monthly Cost of Living

Monthly costs for one person with rent: $1,267 in Isabela versus $1,266 in Playa del Carmen.

Estimated couple costs with rent: $1,971 in Isabela versus $2,279 in Playa del Carmen.

Monthly costs for a family of three with rent: $2,676 in Isabela versus $3,292 in Playa del Carmen.

Monthly costs are close between Isabela and Playa del Carmen; which city is cheaper depends on the spending category.

Both cities sit below the global median: Isabela 7% lower, Playa del Carmen 7% lower.

Meal at Budget Restaurant

$18.38 $18.38

$11.60 MX$200

58.45%

Three-Course Dinner for Two, Mid-Range

$85.3 $85.3

$47.11 MX$811

81.13%

Fast Food Meal (McDonalds, etc)

$9.15 $9.15

$11.88 MX$205

-22.98%

Cappuccino

$3.72 $3.72

$3.98 MX$68.5

-6.53%

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

$1.84 $1.84

$1.43 MX$24.57

28.67%

Water (0.33 liter bottle)

$1.51 $1.51

$0.82 MX$14.20

84.15%

Local Beer (0.5 liter draught)

$2.94 $2.94

$3.19 MX$54.9

-7.84%

Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$4.87 $4.87

$6.79 MX$117

-28.28%

Milk (1 liter)

$1.87 $1.87

$1.68 MX$28.85

11.31%

White Bread (500g)

$2.92 $2.92

$2.20 MX$37.83

32.73%

Rice (white) (1kg)

$1.20 $1.20

$1.71 MX$29.41

-29.82%

Eggs

$2.94 $2.94

$2.74 MX$47.20

7.30%

Local Cheese (1kg)

$11.15 $11.15

$9.58 MX$165

16.39%

Chicken Fillets (1kg)

$6.64 $6.64

$9.01 MX$155

-26.30%

Beef Round Steak (1kg)

$13.52 $13.52

$12.81 MX$221

5.54%

Apples (1kg)

$4.42 $4.42

$2.89 MX$49.74

52.94%

Banana (1kg)

$2.54 $2.54

$1.50 MX$25.78

69.33%

Oranges (1kg)

$4.84 $4.84

$2.15 MX$36.98

125.12%

Tomato (1kg)

$4.92 $4.92

$2.26 MX$38.91

117.70%

Potato (1kg)

$3.72 $3.72

$1.98 MX$34.10

87.88%

Onion (1kg)

$3.93 $3.93

$1.99 MX$34.26

97.49%

Lettuce (1 head)

$3.43 $3.43

$1.23 MX$21.25

178.86%

Water (1.5 liter bottle)

$1.58 $1.58

$1.20 MX$20.60

31.67%

Cigarettes 20 Pack (Marlboro, Camel)

$11.86 $11.86

$4.55 MX$78.3

160.66%

Wine (Bottle)

$15.49 $15.49

$10.37 MX$179

49.37%

Local Beer (0.5 liter bottle)

$3.07 $3.07

$1.62 MX$27.88

89.51%

Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$3.93 $3.93

$2.88 MX$49.60

36.46%

One-way Ticket (Public Transport)

$0.60 MX$10.34

Public Transport Monthly Pass (Regular Price)

$28.80 MX$496

Taxi Start (Normal Tariff)

$2.48 $2.48

$5.39 MX$92.8

-53.99%

Taxi (Normal Tariff) (1km)

$1.46 $1.46

$3.73 MX$64.2

-60.86%

Taxi 1hour Waiting (Normal Tariff)

$42.07 $42.07

$5.77 MX$99.3

629.12%

Gasoline (1 liter)

$0.83 $0.83

$1.54 MX$26.45

-46.10%

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

$40.4K $40.4K

$22.5K MX$388.3K

79.31%

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

$28.1K $28.1K

$26.1K MX$448.7K

7.92%

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

$319 $319

$91.4 MX$1,573

249.62%

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

$69.0 $69.0

$25.20 MX$434

173.69%

Internet (50+ Mbps, Unlimited Data)

$69.2 $69.2

$31.24 MX$538

121.48%

Gym Membership (Monthly)

$67.2 MX$1,157

Tennis Court (1 Hour on Weekend)

$29.11 MX$501

Cinema Ticket

$10.64 $10.64

$4.86 MX$83.7

118.93%

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

$829 $829

$224 MX$3,851

270.75%

International Primary School, 1 Child (Yearly)

$12.3K $12.3K

$4,229 MX$72.8K

191.31%

Jeans (Levis 501 Or Similar)

$56.4 $56.4

$47.10 MX$811

19.83%

Summer Dress (H&M, Zara, etc)

$60.9 $60.9

$44.29 MX$763

37.39%

Sport Shoes (Adidas, Nike)

$110 $110

$80.1 MX$1,379

36.95%

Men's Leather Business Shoes

$116 $116

$92.7 MX$1,596

25.18%

1-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)

$1,063 MX$18.3K

1-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)

$390 MX$6,719

3-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)

$2,149 MX$37.0K

3-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)

$1,272 MX$21.9K

Buy Apartment in City Center (m2)

$4,001 MX$68.9K

Buy Apartment Outside City Center (m2)

$6,502 MX$112.0K

Average Monthly Net Salary (After Tax)

$758 MX$13.1K

20-Year Fixed Mortgage Interest Rate (Annual %)

6.55

11.45

-42.79%

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

Last update for Isabela: September 13, 2026

Last update for Playa del Carmen: September 12, 2026

Cost Breakdown

Dining out: $85.0 in Isabela vs $47.00 in Playa del Carmen for a mid-range dinner for two. Groceries echo the gap at $359 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

Isabela vs Playa del Carmen: Cost of Living - Frequently Asked Questions

You'd need roughly $1,901 in Isabela and $1,899 in Playa del Carmen to live well. The gap comes down to housing and overall price levels. Both cities are liveable on less, but these numbers represent actual comfort.

Supermarket bills run roughly 30% higher in Isabela. For households that cook at home regularly, that difference adds up over a month.

Dining out is cheaper in Playa del Carmen – a meal for two runs $47.00 versus $85.0 in Isabela. If you eat out regularly, this makes a real dent in your monthly spending.

At $1,266 in Playa del Carmen versus $1,267 in Isabela, a $1,500 budget is realistic in Playa del Carmen but tight or insufficient in Isabela. The gap between the two cities makes Playa del Carmen the clear choice for anyone on this budget.

Both work as nomad bases, but Playa del Carmen delivers better value – similar infrastructure at $1,266 monthly. If stretching your runway or maximizing savings is the goal, the price difference makes Playa del Carmen hard to pass up.

Safety-wise, Isabela 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.

It comes down to priorities – Playa del Carmen wins on affordability, Isabela on earning potential. Factor in climate, language, visa rules, and proximity to places that matter to you before deciding.