Cost of Living Comparison Between Islip, NY and Playa del Carmen Cost of Living Comparison Between Islip, NY and Playa del Carmen

Monthly Cost of Living

Monthly costs for one person with rent: $1,056 in Islip, NY versus $1,305 in Playa del Carmen.

Estimated couple costs with rent: $1,685 in Islip, NY versus $2,334 in Playa del Carmen.

Monthly costs for a family of three with rent: $2,314 in Islip, NY versus $3,362 in Playa del Carmen.

Living in Islip, NY costs roughly 19% less than in Playa del Carmen, driven mainly by Eating Out.

Both cities sit below the global median: Islip, NY 23% lower, Playa del Carmen 5% lower.

Meal at Budget Restaurant

$19.64 $19.64

$11.96 MX$203

64.21%

Three-Course Dinner for Two, Mid-Range

$58.9 $58.9

$47.38 MX$804

24.27%

Fast Food Meal (McDonalds, etc)

$11.21 $11.21

$11.75 MX$199

-4.60%

Cappuccino

$3.94 $3.94

$4.12 MX$70.0

-4.37%

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

$2.03 $2.03

$1.40 MX$23.74

45.00%

Water (0.33 liter bottle)

$1.54 $1.54

$0.91 MX$15.48

69.23%

Local Beer (0.5 liter draught)

$8.18 $8.18

$3.21 MX$54.4

154.83%

Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$7.92 $7.92

$7.07 MX$120

12.02%

Milk (1 liter)

$0.75 $0.75

$1.68 MX$28.44

-55.36%

White Bread (500g)

$2.69 $2.69

$2.15 MX$36.48

25.12%

Rice (white) (1kg)

$4.22 $4.22

$1.77 MX$30.10

138.42%

Eggs

$2.23 $2.23

$2.82 MX$47.76

-20.92%

Local Cheese (1kg)

$12.32 $12.32

$9.20 MX$156

33.91%

Chicken Fillets (1kg)

$6.16 $6.16

$9.23 MX$157

-33.26%

Beef Round Steak (1kg)

$11.11 $11.11

$12.64 MX$214

-12.10%

Apples (1kg)

$4.36 $4.36

$2.95 MX$50.1

47.80%

Banana (1kg)

$1.29 $1.29

$1.58 MX$26.79

-18.35%

Oranges (1kg)

$2.13 $2.13

$2.22 MX$37.70

-4.05%

Tomato (1kg)

$2.78 $2.78

$2.36 MX$40.09

17.80%

Potato (1kg)

$1.72 $1.72

$1.99 MX$33.81

-13.57%

Onion (1kg)

$2.24 $2.24

$1.98 MX$33.58

13.13%

Lettuce (1 head)

$1.49 $1.49

$1.24 MX$21.04

20.16%

Water (1.5 liter bottle)

$1.06 $1.06

$1.21 MX$20.55

-12.40%

Cigarettes 20 Pack (Marlboro, Camel)

$11.28 $11.28

$4.60 MX$78.1

145.22%

Wine (Bottle)

$12.78 $12.78

$10.52 MX$178

21.48%

Local Beer (0.5 liter bottle)

$1.71 $1.71

$1.69 MX$28.70

1.18%

Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$5.49 $5.49

$2.77 MX$47.06

98.19%

One-way Ticket (Public Transport)

$4.46 $4.46

$0.60 MX$10.22

643.33%

Public Transport Monthly Pass (Regular Price)

$29.70 MX$504

Taxi Start (Normal Tariff)

$3.08 $3.08

$5.24 MX$88.8

-41.22%

Taxi (Normal Tariff) (1km)

$2.00 $2.00

$3.65 MX$61.9

-45.21%

Taxi 1hour Waiting (Normal Tariff)

$23.74 $23.74

$5.78 MX$98.1

310.73%

Gasoline (1 liter)

$1.01 $1.01

$1.54 MX$26.09

-34.42%

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

$37.3K $37.3K

$22.8K MX$386.8K

63.75%

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

$25.4K $25.4K

$25.8K MX$437.9K

-1.62%

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

$79.9 $79.9

$90.7 MX$1,538

-11.83%

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

$70.6 $70.6

$25.19 MX$427

180.07%

Internet (50+ Mbps, Unlimited Data)

$67.4 $67.4

$31.75 MX$539

112.16%

Gym Membership (Monthly)

$58.3 $58.3

$68.8 MX$1,167

-15.26%

Tennis Court (1 Hour on Weekend)

$29.37 MX$498

Cinema Ticket

$14.37 $14.37

$4.86 MX$82.5

195.68%

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

$2,290 $2,290

$226 MX$3,828

914.90%

International Primary School, 1 Child (Yearly)

$23.7K $23.7K

$4,194 MX$71.1K

464.70%

Jeans (Levis 501 Or Similar)

$41.72 $41.72

$47.38 MX$804

-11.95%

Summer Dress (H&M, Zara, etc)

$27.08 $27.08

$43.45 MX$737

-37.68%

Sport Shoes (Adidas, Nike)

$72.4 $72.4

$80.2 MX$1,361

-9.70%

Men's Leather Business Shoes

$90.2 $90.2

$91.4 MX$1,550

-1.29%

1-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)

$2,015 $2,015

$1,086 MX$18.4K

85.57%

1-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)

$409 MX$6,933

3-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)

$3,406 $3,406

$1,972 MX$33.5K

72.74%

3-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)

$1,281 MX$21.7K

Buy Apartment in City Center (m2)

$4,046 MX$68.6K

Buy Apartment Outside City Center (m2)

$6,704 MX$113.7K

Average Monthly Net Salary (After Tax)

$3,940 $3,940

$773 MX$13.1K

409.53%

20-Year Fixed Mortgage Interest Rate (Annual %)

6.17

11.45

-46.11%

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

Last update for Islip, NY: September 7, 2026

Last update for Playa del Carmen: September 7, 2026

Cost Breakdown

A one-bedroom apartment in the center runs $2,015 in Islip, NY and $1,086 in Playa del Carmen. Housing cost is often the main lever when comparing two cities.

Islip, NY pays 410% more on average while also being the cheaper of the two. The combined effect is a noticeably stronger local purchasing power.

Dining out: $59.0 in Islip, NY vs $47.00 in Playa del Carmen for a mid-range dinner for two. Groceries echo the gap at $287 vs $278 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

Islip, NY vs Playa del Carmen: Cost of Living - Frequently Asked Questions

Islip, NY is cheaper overall, especially in Clothing & Footwear, Getting Around. The 24% gap adds up to real monthly savings that compound significantly over time.

Average pay runs 410% higher in Islip, NY, 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: $2,015 in Islip, NY versus $1,086 in Playa del Carmen. Housing is usually the single largest factor when comparing overall living costs between the two.

Childcare runs $2,290 in Islip, NY versus $226 in Playa del Carmen. Over years of preschool, even a modest monthly gap compounds into a major financial factor for families.

Dining out is cheaper in Islip, NY – a meal for two runs $59.0 versus $47.00 in Playa del Carmen. If you eat out regularly, this makes a real dent in your monthly spending.

At $1,056 in Islip, NY versus $1,305 in Playa del Carmen, a $1,500 budget is realistic in Islip, NY but tight or insufficient in Playa del Carmen. The gap between the two cities makes Islip, NY the clear choice for anyone on this budget.

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

Expats usually find Islip, NY gentler on the wallet – expenses run 24% less than in Playa del Carmen. Beyond cost, consider language, visa policies, and how big the international community is in each city.