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

Monthly Cost of Living

A single person spends $728 per month in Itu vs $1,305 in Playa del Carmen, rent included.

A couple spends around $1,343 per month in Itu vs $2,334 in Playa del Carmen, rent included.

A family of three spends $1,958 per month in Itu vs $3,362 in Playa del Carmen, rent included.

Itu is about 44% cheaper than Playa del Carmen, driven mainly by Eating Out.

Both Itu and Playa del Carmen are more affordable than the global median – Itu 47% lower, Playa del Carmen 5% lower.

Meal at Budget Restaurant

$5.34 R$27.38

$11.96 MX$203

-55.35%

Three-Course Dinner for Two, Mid-Range

$38.20 R$196

$47.38 MX$804

-19.38%

Fast Food Meal (McDonalds, etc)

$6.30 R$32.28

$11.75 MX$199

-46.38%

Cappuccino

$1.88 R$9.63

$4.12 MX$70.0

-54.37%

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

$0.74 R$3.80

$1.40 MX$23.74

-47.14%

Water (0.33 liter bottle)

$0.50 R$2.54

$0.91 MX$15.48

-45.05%

Local Beer (0.5 liter draught)

$2.45 R$12.55

$3.21 MX$54.4

-23.68%

Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$4.78 R$24.52

$7.07 MX$120

-32.39%

Milk (1 liter)

$1.04 R$5.31

$1.68 MX$28.44

-38.10%

White Bread (500g)

$1.43 R$7.33

$2.15 MX$36.48

-33.49%

Rice (white) (1kg)

$1.14 R$5.86

$1.77 MX$30.10

-35.59%

Eggs

$2.59 R$13.29

$2.82 MX$47.76

-8.16%

Local Cheese (1kg)

$8.70 R$44.61

$9.20 MX$156

-5.43%

Chicken Fillets (1kg)

$3.77 R$19.30

$9.23 MX$157

-59.15%

Beef Round Steak (1kg)

$5.68 R$29.12

$12.64 MX$214

-55.06%

Apples (1kg)

$1.70 R$8.72

$2.95 MX$50.1

-42.37%

Banana (1kg)

$1.37 R$7.02

$1.58 MX$26.79

-13.29%

Oranges (1kg)

$0.75 R$3.85

$2.22 MX$37.70

-66.22%

Tomato (1kg)

$1.73 R$8.86

$2.36 MX$40.09

-26.69%

Potato (1kg)

$0.93 R$4.75

$1.99 MX$33.81

-53.27%

Onion (1kg)

$1.32 R$6.79

$1.98 MX$33.58

-33.33%

Lettuce (1 head)

$0.76 R$3.89

$1.24 MX$21.04

-38.71%

Water (1.5 liter bottle)

$0.49 R$2.53

$1.21 MX$20.55

-59.50%

Cigarettes 20 Pack (Marlboro, Camel)

$2.67 R$13.67

$4.60 MX$78.1

-41.96%

Wine (Bottle)

$5.64 R$28.90

$10.52 MX$178

-46.39%

Local Beer (0.5 liter bottle)

$1.65 R$8.48

$1.69 MX$28.70

-2.37%

Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$2.85 R$14.59

$2.77 MX$47.06

2.89%

One-way Ticket (Public Transport)

$0.93 R$4.75

$0.60 MX$10.22

55.00%

Public Transport Monthly Pass (Regular Price)

$42.88 R$220

$29.70 MX$504

44.38%

Taxi Start (Normal Tariff)

$0.97 R$4.98

$5.24 MX$88.8

-81.49%

Taxi (Normal Tariff) (1km)

$1.00 R$5.14

$3.65 MX$61.9

-72.60%

Taxi 1hour Waiting (Normal Tariff)

$9.37 R$48.04

$5.78 MX$98.1

62.11%

Gasoline (1 liter)

$0.95 R$4.86

$1.54 MX$26.09

-38.31%

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

$23.4K R$119.7K

$22.8K MX$386.8K

2.41%

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

$26.9K R$137.9K

$25.8K MX$437.9K

4.20%

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

$43.80 R$225

$90.7 MX$1,538

-51.69%

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

$11.75 R$60.2

$25.19 MX$427

-53.35%

Internet (50+ Mbps, Unlimited Data)

$16.37 R$83.9

$31.75 MX$539

-48.44%

Gym Membership (Monthly)

$25.27 R$130

$68.8 MX$1,167

-63.27%

Tennis Court (1 Hour on Weekend)

$26.18 R$134

$29.37 MX$498

-10.86%

Cinema Ticket

$4.76 R$24.42

$4.86 MX$82.5

-2.06%

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

$418 R$2,142

$226 MX$3,828

85.13%

International Primary School, 1 Child (Yearly)

$7,279 R$37.3K

$4,194 MX$71.1K

73.56%

Jeans (Levis 501 Or Similar)

$47.33 R$243

$47.38 MX$804

-0.11%

Summer Dress (H&M, Zara, etc)

$38.73 R$199

$43.45 MX$737

-10.86%

Sport Shoes (Adidas, Nike)

$68.4 R$351

$80.2 MX$1,361

-14.70%

Men's Leather Business Shoes

$47.74 R$245

$91.4 MX$1,550

-47.76%

1-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)

$307 R$1,574

$1,086 MX$18.4K

-71.71%

1-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)

$193 R$989

$409 MX$6,933

-52.77%

3-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)

$765 R$3,922

$1,972 MX$33.5K

-61.20%

3-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)

$633 R$3,246

$1,281 MX$21.7K

-50.58%

Buy Apartment in City Center (m2)

$1,600 R$8,201

$4,046 MX$68.6K

-60.46%

Buy Apartment Outside City Center (m2)

$1,106 R$5,671

$6,704 MX$113.7K

-83.50%

Average Monthly Net Salary (After Tax)

$285 R$1,460

$773 MX$13.1K

-63.16%

20-Year Fixed Mortgage Interest Rate (Annual %)

11.12

11.45

-2.88%

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

Last update for Itu: September 6, 2026

Last update for Playa del Carmen: September 7, 2026

Cost Breakdown

A central one-bedroom costs $307 in Itu versus $1,086 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.

Salaries run about 171% higher in Playa del Carmen, which partly offsets the higher cost of living there. Purchasing power depends on which expenses matter most to you.

A mid-range dinner for two costs $38.00 in Itu versus $47.00 in Playa del Carmen. Monthly groceries follow the same trend: $170 vs $278 – making Itu 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

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

Monthly costs with rent: $728 in Itu, $1,305 in Playa del Carmen – roughly 79% apart. Playa del Carmen costs more across the board, with Eating Out showing the biggest gap.

For a comfortable life, plan on about $1,092 per month in Itu and $1,958 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 Itu, 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 $38.00 in Itu and $47.00 in Playa del Carmen. That's a good indicator of the overall restaurant and café pricing gap between the two cities.

Monthly expenses with rent come to $728 in Itu and $1,305 in Playa del Carmen. The difference isn't just one category – it shows up across housing, food, transport, and services.

A $2,000 monthly budget goes further in Itu, where all-in costs run around $728, than in Playa del Carmen at $1,305. In Itu it covers expenses comfortably, while in Playa del Carmen it requires careful planning or may not stretch far enough.

It depends on your priorities. Playa del Carmen has an edge in some lifestyle areas, with costs from $728 in Itu to $1,305 in Playa del Carmen. Climate, culture, job market, and personal taste all factor in.

If budget matters most, go with Itu. If higher salaries, better infrastructure, or specific career opportunities are the priority, Playa del Carmen makes more sense. Both are solid long-term options with distinct trade-offs.