Cost of Living Comparison Between Joliet, IL and Playa del Carmen Cost of Living Comparison Between Joliet, IL and Playa del Carmen

Monthly Cost of Living

Monthly costs for one person with rent: $2,553 in Joliet, IL versus $1,266 in Playa del Carmen.

Estimated couple costs with rent: $3,718 in Joliet, IL versus $2,279 in Playa del Carmen.

Monthly costs for a family of three with rent: $4,882 in Joliet, IL versus $3,292 in Playa del Carmen.

Living in Joliet, IL is roughly 102% more expensive than in Playa del Carmen, driven mainly by Groceries & Markets.

The two cities straddle the global median: Joliet, IL is 87% above, Playa del Carmen is 7% below.

Meal at Budget Restaurant

$19.08 $19.08

$11.60 MX$200

64.48%

Three-Course Dinner for Two, Mid-Range

$76.1 $76.1

$47.11 MX$811

61.45%

Fast Food Meal (McDonalds, etc)

$11.10 $11.10

$11.88 MX$205

-6.57%

Cappuccino

$5.03 $5.03

$3.98 MX$68.5

26.38%

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

$2.56 $2.56

$1.43 MX$24.58

79.02%

Water (0.33 liter bottle)

$2.01 $2.01

$0.82 MX$14.20

145.12%

Local Beer (0.5 liter draught)

$6.02 $6.02

$3.19 MX$54.9

88.71%

Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$6.83 $6.83

$6.79 MX$117

0.59%

Milk (1 liter)

$1.01 $1.01

$1.68 MX$28.86

-39.88%

White Bread (500g)

$3.54 $3.54

$2.20 MX$37.84

60.91%

Rice (white) (1kg)

$4.26 $4.26

$1.71 MX$29.42

149.12%

Eggs

$4.24 $4.24

$2.74 MX$47.21

54.74%

Local Cheese (1kg)

$12.19 $12.19

$9.58 MX$165

27.24%

Chicken Fillets (1kg)

$11.35 $11.35

$9.01 MX$155

25.97%

Beef Round Steak (1kg)

$15.68 $15.68

$12.81 MX$221

22.40%

Apples (1kg)

$4.98 $4.98

$2.89 MX$49.75

72.32%

Banana (1kg)

$1.59 $1.59

$1.50 MX$25.79

6.00%

Oranges (1kg)

$4.21 $4.21

$2.15 MX$37.00

95.81%

Tomato (1kg)

$4.76 $4.76

$2.26 MX$38.92

110.62%

Potato (1kg)

$2.81 $2.81

$1.98 MX$34.11

41.92%

Onion (1kg)

$2.74 $2.74

$1.99 MX$34.27

37.69%

Lettuce (1 head)

$2.08 $2.08

$1.23 MX$21.26

69.11%

Water (1.5 liter bottle)

$2.08 $2.08

$1.20 MX$20.61

73.33%

Cigarettes 20 Pack (Marlboro, Camel)

$9.35 $9.35

$4.55 MX$78.4

105.49%

Wine (Bottle)

$13.73 $13.73

$10.37 MX$179

32.40%

Local Beer (0.5 liter bottle)

$1.84 $1.84

$1.62 MX$27.88

13.58%

Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$3.45 $3.45

$2.88 MX$49.61

19.79%

One-way Ticket (Public Transport)

$1.98 $1.98

$0.60 MX$10.34

230.00%

Public Transport Monthly Pass (Regular Price)

$28.80 MX$496

Taxi Start (Normal Tariff)

$3.53 $3.53

$5.39 MX$92.8

-34.51%

Taxi (Normal Tariff) (1km)

$1.58 $1.58

$3.73 MX$64.2

-57.64%

Taxi 1hour Waiting (Normal Tariff)

$29.01 $29.01

$5.77 MX$99.4

402.77%

Gasoline (1 liter)

$0.84 $0.84

$1.54 MX$26.46

-45.45%

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

$30.0K $30.0K

$22.5K MX$388.4K

33.26%

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

$25.2K $25.2K

$26.1K MX$448.8K

-3.31%

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

$184 $184

$91.4 MX$1,574

101.20%

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

$53.5 $53.5

$25.20 MX$434

112.10%

Internet (50+ Mbps, Unlimited Data)

$66.9 $66.9

$31.24 MX$538

114.15%

Gym Membership (Monthly)

$42.35 $42.35

$67.2 MX$1,158

-36.98%

Tennis Court (1 Hour on Weekend)

$29.11 MX$501

Cinema Ticket

$13.66 $13.66

$4.86 MX$83.8

181.07%

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

$1,288 $1,288

$224 MX$3,852

475.96%

International Primary School, 1 Child (Yearly)

$23.1K $23.1K

$4,229 MX$72.8K

446.09%

Jeans (Levis 501 Or Similar)

$50.4 $50.4

$47.10 MX$811

6.94%

Summer Dress (H&M, Zara, etc)

$39.60 $39.60

$44.29 MX$763

-10.59%

Sport Shoes (Adidas, Nike)

$86.4 $86.4

$80.1 MX$1,380

7.79%

Men's Leather Business Shoes

$110 $110

$92.7 MX$1,596

19.10%

1-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)

$1,583 $1,583

$1,063 MX$18.3K

49.01%

1-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)

$1,341 $1,341

$390 MX$6,721

243.68%

3-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)

$2,611 $2,611

$2,149 MX$37.0K

21.50%

3-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)

$2,205 $2,205

$1,272 MX$21.9K

73.33%

Buy Apartment in City Center (m2)

$2,756 $2,756

$4,001 MX$68.9K

-31.12%

Buy Apartment Outside City Center (m2)

$2,438 $2,438

$6,502 MX$112.0K

-62.50%

Average Monthly Net Salary (After Tax)

$758 MX$13.1K

20-Year Fixed Mortgage Interest Rate (Annual %)

6.51

11.45

-43.14%

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

Last update for Joliet, IL: September 12, 2026

Last update for Playa del Carmen: September 12, 2026

Cost Breakdown

A one-bedroom apartment in the center runs $1,583 in Joliet, IL and $1,063 in Playa del Carmen. Housing cost is often the main lever when comparing two cities.

Dining out: $76.0 in Joliet, IL vs $47.00 in Playa del Carmen for a mid-range dinner for two. Groceries echo the gap at $386 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

Joliet, IL vs Playa del Carmen: Cost of Living - Frequently Asked Questions

Joliet, IL and Playa del Carmen differ by about 102% in total monthly costs ($2,553 vs $1,266 including rent). Playa del Carmen is meaningfully more affordable – a gap that matters a lot on a fixed or modest income.

You'd need roughly $3,829 in Joliet, IL 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.

Rent for a central apartment: $1,583 in Joliet, IL versus $1,063 in Playa del Carmen. Housing is usually the single largest factor when comparing overall living costs between the two.

Childcare runs $1,288 in Joliet, IL versus $224 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 Playa del Carmen – a meal for two runs $47.00 versus $76.0 in Joliet, IL. If you eat out regularly, this makes a real dent in your monthly spending.

At $1,266 in Playa del Carmen versus $2,553 in Joliet, IL, a $1,500 budget is realistic in Playa del Carmen but tight or insufficient in Joliet, IL. The gap between the two cities makes Playa del Carmen 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, Joliet, IL 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 102% less than in Joliet, IL. Beyond cost, consider language, visa policies, and how big the international community is in each city.