Cost of Living Comparison Between Isla Mujeres and Playa del Carmen Cost of Living Comparison Between Isla Mujeres and Playa del Carmen

Monthly Cost of Living

Monthly costs for one person with rent: $1,099 in Isla Mujeres versus $1,297 in Playa del Carmen.

Estimated couple costs with rent: $1,775 in Isla Mujeres versus $2,181 in Playa del Carmen.

Monthly costs for a family of three with rent: $2,452 in Isla Mujeres versus $3,065 in Playa del Carmen.

Living in Isla Mujeres costs roughly 15% less than in Playa del Carmen, driven mainly by Getting Around.

Both cities sit below the global median: Isla Mujeres 18% lower, Playa del Carmen 3% lower.

Meal at Budget Restaurant

$10.64 MX$186

$11.73 MX$205

-9.29%

Three-Course Dinner for Two, Mid-Range

$38.90 MX$679

$41.62 MX$727

-6.54%

Fast Food Meal (McDonalds, etc)

$7.85 MX$137

$10.64 MX$186

-26.22%

Cappuccino

$3.25 MX$56.8

$3.52 MX$61.5

-7.67%

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

$1.29 MX$22.59

$1.51 MX$26.37

-14.57%

Water (0.33 liter bottle)

$0.96 MX$16.72

$0.97 MX$17.00

-1.03%

Local Beer (0.5 liter draught)

$2.23 MX$39.02

$2.95 MX$51.5

-24.41%

Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$4.00 MX$69.8

$4.45 MX$77.8

-10.11%

Milk (1 liter)

$1.44 MX$25.11

$1.38 MX$24.16

4.35%

White Bread (500g)

$2.59 MX$45.31

$1.89 MX$33.04

37.04%

Rice (white) (1kg)

$1.61 MX$28.16

$1.64 MX$28.59

-1.83%

Eggs

$2.39 MX$41.69

$2.51 MX$43.76

-4.78%

Local Cheese (1kg)

$7.94 MX$139

$8.34 MX$146

-4.80%

Chicken Fillets (1kg)

$7.90 MX$138

$8.34 MX$146

-5.28%

Beef Round Steak (1kg)

$10.68 MX$186

$10.73 MX$187

-0.47%

Apples (1kg)

$2.71 MX$47.34

$2.60 MX$45.48

4.23%

Banana (1kg)

$1.39 MX$24.28

$1.46 MX$25.45

-4.79%

Oranges (1kg)

$1.77 MX$30.95

$1.90 MX$33.19

-6.84%

Tomato (1kg)

$1.70 MX$29.74

$2.08 MX$36.26

-18.27%

Potato (1kg)

$1.84 MX$32.20

$1.78 MX$31.01

3.37%

Onion (1kg)

$2.02 MX$35.27

$2.19 MX$38.16

-7.76%

Lettuce (1 head)

$1.20 MX$21.03

$1.04 MX$18.16

15.38%

Water (1.5 liter bottle)

$1.02 MX$17.86

$1.08 MX$18.80

-5.56%

Cigarettes 20 Pack (Marlboro, Camel)

$4.08 MX$71.3

Wine (Bottle)

$10.95 MX$191

$10.32 MX$180

6.10%

Local Beer (0.5 liter bottle)

$1.60 MX$27.87

$1.71 MX$29.90

-6.43%

Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$2.76 MX$48.24

$2.58 MX$44.98

6.98%

One-way Ticket (Public Transport)

$0.62 MX$10.76

$0.51 MX$8.90

21.57%

Public Transport Monthly Pass (Regular Price)

$26.46 MX$462

Taxi Start (Normal Tariff)

$2.64 MX$46.06

$3.26 MX$57.0

-19.02%

Taxi (Normal Tariff) (1km)

$1.54 MX$26.83

$2.49 MX$43.51

-38.15%

Taxi 1hour Waiting (Normal Tariff)

$8.24 MX$144

$3.25 MX$56.7

153.54%

Gasoline (1 liter)

$1.30 MX$22.75

$1.31 MX$22.83

-0.76%

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

$21.0K MX$366.0K

$30.3K MX$528.8K

-30.79%

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

$22.7K MX$396.6K

$23.4K MX$409.2K

-3.07%

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

$55.9 MX$976

$82.9 MX$1,447

-32.59%

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

$21.95 MX$383

$22.22 MX$388

-1.22%

Internet (50+ Mbps, Unlimited Data)

$27.75 MX$485

$29.34 MX$512

-5.42%

Gym Membership (Monthly)

$36.94 MX$645

$51.6 MX$902

-28.45%

Tennis Court (1 Hour on Weekend)

$16.11 MX$281

$18.32 MX$320

-12.06%

Cinema Ticket

$4.50 MX$78.6

$5.07 MX$88.5

-11.24%

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

$209 MX$3,653

$201 MX$3,507

4.15%

International Primary School, 1 Child (Yearly)

$3,540 MX$61.8K

$5,212 MX$91.0K

-32.07%

Jeans (Levis 501 Or Similar)

$52.5 MX$916

$36.92 MX$645

42.09%

Summer Dress (H&M, Zara, etc)

$39.57 MX$691

$39.79 MX$695

-0.55%

Sport Shoes (Adidas, Nike)

$90.4 MX$1,579

$78.5 MX$1,370

15.21%

Men's Leather Business Shoes

$78.0 MX$1,363

$87.1 MX$1,521

-10.39%

1-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)

$504 MX$8,806

$973 MX$17.0K

-48.16%

1-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)

$404 MX$7,055

$468 MX$8,169

-13.63%

3-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)

$946 MX$16.5K

$1,641 MX$28.7K

-42.37%

3-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)

$758 MX$13.2K

$1,221 MX$21.3K

-37.95%

Buy Apartment in City Center (m2)

$1,784 MX$31.2K

$3,946 MX$68.9K

-54.79%

Buy Apartment Outside City Center (m2)

$1,186 MX$20.7K

$6,498 MX$113.5K

-81.76%

Average Monthly Net Salary (After Tax)

$664 MX$11.6K

20-Year Fixed Mortgage Interest Rate (Annual %)

11.48

11.42

0.53%

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

Last update for Isla Mujeres: June 1, 2026

Last update for Playa del Carmen: June 2, 2026

Cost Breakdown

A one-bedroom apartment in the center runs $504 in Isla Mujeres and $973 in Playa del Carmen. Housing cost is often the main lever when comparing two cities.

Dining out: $39.00 in Isla Mujeres vs $42.00 in Playa del Carmen. Groceries flip the comparison at $251 vs $249, with Playa del Carmen cheaper for home cooking.

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

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

Isla Mujeres and Playa del Carmen differ by about 18% in total monthly costs ($1,099 vs $1,297 including rent). Isla Mujeres is meaningfully more affordable – a gap that matters a lot on a fixed or modest income.

You'd need roughly $1,648 in Isla Mujeres and $1,945 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.

Rent for a central apartment: $504 in Isla Mujeres versus $973 in Playa del Carmen. Housing is usually the single largest factor when comparing overall living costs between the two.

Shoppers in Playa del Carmen pay roughly 1% less for everyday groceries. It's an unusual reversal that partly offsets higher costs elsewhere.

All in, you'll spend $1,099 per month in Isla Mujeres versus $1,297 in Playa del Carmen – a 18% gap that adds up to real savings over time for anyone picking the cheaper option.

At $1,099 in Isla Mujeres versus $1,297 in Playa del Carmen, a $2,000 budget is realistic in Isla Mujeres but tight or insufficient in Playa del Carmen. The gap between the two cities makes Isla Mujeres the clear choice for anyone on this budget.

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.

Safety-wise, Isla Mujeres 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 Isla Mujeres gentler on the wallet – expenses run 18% less than in Playa del Carmen. Beyond cost, consider language, visa policies, and how big the international community is in each city.