Last update: Oct 2026

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

For one person, living is cheaper in Playa del Carmen: $1,204 a month against $1,693 in Murphysboro, IL, rent and utilities included – about $5,900 less a year. Rent and utilities account for most of the difference.

Murphysboro, IL
🇺🇸 United States
$1,693
/mo nomad
Playa del Carmen
🇲🇽 Mexico
$1,204
/mo nomad
Monthly Cost of Living

How much you'll spend in Murphysboro, IL and in Playa del Carmen

Real prices from locals and on-the-ground checks – rent, groceries, transit and the daily extras. Here's what a month in Murphysboro, IL and in Playa del Carmen actually costs, broken down by who's living it.

A single person spends $1,693 per month in Murphysboro, IL vs $1,204 in Playa del Carmen, rent included.

  • Murphysboro, IL $1,693
  • Playa del Carmen $1,204

A couple spends around $2,573 per month in Murphysboro, IL vs $2,102 in Playa del Carmen, rent included.

  • Murphysboro, IL $2,573
  • Playa del Carmen $2,102

A family of three spends $3,453 per month in Murphysboro, IL vs $3,000 in Playa del Carmen, rent included.

  • Murphysboro, IL $3,453
  • Playa del Carmen $3,000

Murphysboro, IL costs about 41% more than Playa del Carmen, and outside of rent the biggest gap is in eating out.

Murphysboro, IL sits 25% above the global median, while Playa del Carmen is 11% below – they fall on opposite sides of the world average.

Currency
🍽 Eating Out
Murphysboro, IL
Playa del Carmen
Difference
Meal at Budget Restaurant
$17.97 $17.97
$10.86 MX$201
65.47%
Three-Course Dinner for Two, Mid-Range
$86.1 $86.1
$44.21 MX$817
94.68%
Fast Food Meal (McDonalds, etc)
$11.82 $11.82
$11.76 MX$217
0.51%
Cappuccino
$6.94 $6.94
$3.68 MX$68.0
88.59%
Coke/Pepsi/Fanta/Sprite (0.33 liter bottle)
$2.85 $2.85
$1.34 MX$24.79
112.69%
Water (0.33 liter bottle)
$2.40 $2.40
$0.82 MX$15.24
192.68%
Local Beer (0.5 liter draught)
$6.85 $6.85
$3.06 MX$56.6
123.86%
Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)
$8.05 $8.05
$4.94 MX$91.2
62.96%
🛒 Groceries & Markets
Murphysboro, IL
Playa del Carmen
Difference
Milk (1 liter)
$0.81 $0.81
$1.47 MX$27.17
-44.90%
White Bread (500g)
$1.82 $1.82
$2.22 MX$40.95
-18.02%
Rice (white) (1kg)
$4.00 $4.00
$1.48 MX$27.32
170.27%
Eggs
$4.20 $4.20
$2.49 MX$45.99
68.67%
Local Cheese (1kg)
$13.12 $13.12
$7.52 MX$139
74.47%
Chicken Fillets (1kg)
$9.67 $9.67
$7.96 MX$147
21.48%
Beef Round Steak (1kg)
$15.51 $15.51
$12.57 MX$232
23.39%
Apples (1kg)
$5.74 $5.74
$2.78 MX$51.3
106.47%
Banana (1kg)
$1.59 $1.59
$1.43 MX$26.37
11.19%
Oranges (1kg)
$4.18 $4.18
$2.62 MX$48.37
59.54%
Tomato (1kg)
$5.08 $5.08
$2.14 MX$39.49
137.38%
Potato (1kg)
$1.07 $1.07
$2.02 MX$37.38
-47.03%
Onion (1kg)
$2.00 $2.00
$1.99 MX$36.74
0.50%
Lettuce (1 head)
$1.58 $1.58
$1.14 MX$21.01
38.60%
Water (1.5 liter bottle)
$0.77 $0.77
$1.20 MX$22.18
-35.83%
Cigarettes 20 Pack (Marlboro, Camel)
$9.14 $9.14
$4.26 MX$78.7
114.55%
Wine (Bottle)
$10.15 $10.15
$10.02 MX$185
1.30%
Local Beer (0.5 liter bottle)
$2.38 $2.38
$1.54 MX$28.41
54.55%
Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)
$4.18 $4.18
$2.66 MX$49.17
57.14%
🚌 Getting Around
Murphysboro, IL
Playa del Carmen
Difference
One-way Ticket (Public Transport)
$2.16 $2.16
$0.53 MX$9.73
307.55%
Public Transport Monthly Pass (Regular Price)
-
$27.51 MX$508
-
Taxi Start (Normal Tariff)
$5.03 $5.03
$4.90 MX$90.6
2.65%
Taxi (Normal Tariff) (1km)
$1.57 $1.57
$3.43 MX$63.5
-54.23%
Taxi 1hour Waiting (Normal Tariff)
$20.95 $20.95
$5.38 MX$99.4
289.41%
Gasoline (1 liter)
$0.99 $0.99
$1.45 MX$26.76
-31.72%
Midsize Hatchback 1.4l (Volkswagen Golf, Toyota Prius, Honda Civic, etc)
$37.5K $37.5K
$21.2K MX$391.0K
77.28%
Compact Sedan 1.6l (Toyota Corolla, Mazda3, Kia K4, Hyundai Elantra, etc)
$26.7K $26.7K
$23.0K MX$425.3K
15.96%
🧾 Monthly Utilities & Internet
Murphysboro, IL
Playa del Carmen
Difference
Utilities for 2 People in 2-bedroom Apartment (Heating, Electricity, Gas, Water, Garbage) (85m2)
$189 $189
$85.4 MX$1,577
121.98%
SIM Card Monthly Plan (Calls and 10GB+ Data)
$33.50 $33.50
$23.46 MX$434
42.80%
Internet (50+ Mbps, Unlimited Data)
$38.96 $38.96
$28.43 MX$525
37.04%
🎉 Sport & Entertainment
Murphysboro, IL
Playa del Carmen
Difference
Gym Membership (Monthly)
$37.79 $37.79
$62.2 MX$1,149
-39.23%
Tennis Court (1 Hour on Weekend)
-
$28.68 MX$530
-
Cinema Ticket
$8.84 $8.84
$5.10 MX$94.3
73.33%
🧸 Childcare & Education
Murphysboro, IL
Playa del Carmen
Difference
Preschool or Kindergarten, Full Day, Private, 1 Child (Monthly)
$1,463 $1,463
$201 MX$3,715
627.52%
International Primary School, 1 Child (Yearly)
$30.0K $30.0K
$3,947 MX$72.9K
659.53%
👕👟 Clothing & Footwear
Murphysboro, IL
Playa del Carmen
Difference
Jeans (Levis 501 Or Similar)
$33.16 $33.16
$44.39 MX$820
-25.30%
Summer Dress (H&M, Zara, etc)
$34.71 $34.71
$41.35 MX$764
-16.06%
Sport Shoes (Adidas, Nike)
$93.2 $93.2
$72.7 MX$1,344
28.06%
Men's Leather Business Shoes
$114 $114
$89.6 MX$1,656
26.75%
🏠 Accommodation & Living
Murphysboro, IL
Playa del Carmen
Difference
1-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)
$643 $643
$979 MX$18.1K
-34.35%
1-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)
$560 $560
$373 MX$6,887
50.19%
3-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)
$894 $894
$1,681 MX$31.1K
-46.79%
3-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)
$842 $842
$1,095 MX$20.2K
-23.11%
Buy Apartment in City Center (m2)
$934 $934
$3,949 MX$73.0K
-76.34%
Buy Apartment Outside City Center (m2)
$993 $993
$6,137 MX$113.4K
-83.82%
💵 Salaries & Financials
Murphysboro, IL
Playa del Carmen
Difference
Average Monthly Net Salary (After Tax)
$2,534 $2,534
$738 MX$13.6K
243.63%
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 Murphysboro, IL: October 19, 2026

Last update for Playa del Carmen: October 17, 2026

Monthly budget structure
Share of the monthly basket for one person, rent included.
Accommodation & Living
Murphysboro, IL
$560
Playa del Carmen
$373 33.4% $187
Groceries & Markets
Murphysboro, IL
$337
Playa del Carmen
$258 23.4% $79
Eating Out
Murphysboro, IL
$334
Playa del Carmen
$200 40% $134
Monthly Utilities & Internet
Murphysboro, IL
$262
Playa del Carmen
$137 47.6% $125
Clothing & Footwear
Murphysboro, IL
$124
Playa del Carmen
$112 9.7% $12
Sport & Entertainment
Murphysboro, IL
$55
Playa del Carmen
$72 30.5% $17
Getting Around
Murphysboro, IL
$22 *
Playa del Carmen
$52 140% $30

Categories marked with * are only partly priced – their share counts the items that do have prices.

Cost Breakdown

A central one-bedroom costs $643 in Murphysboro, IL versus $979 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 244% higher in Murphysboro, IL, 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 $86.0 in Murphysboro, IL versus $44.00 in Playa del Carmen. Monthly groceries follow the same trend: $337 vs $258 – making Playa del Carmen the more affordable choice for daily food spending.

Good to know
🇺🇸 Murphysboro, IL
🇲🇽 Playa del Carmen
🕒 Local time
01:01 1:01 AM
01:01 1:01 AM
Same time as Murphysboro, IL
🌤 Weather
👥 Population
7,500
149,923
💱 Currency
Exchange rates and currency converter

MXN, EUR to USD – United States Dollar Converter

United States Dollar exchange rates as of October 22, 2026: 1 EUR = 1.12 USD (1 USD = 0.89 EUR).

Mexican Peso exchange rates as of October 22, 2026: 1 USD = 18.48 MXN (100 MXN = 5.41 USD). 1 EUR = 20.77 MXN (100 MXN = 4.81 EUR).

On the map
Between locations
  • Murphysboro, IL Playa del Carmen 1,920 km ≈ 3 h nonstop flight
From you
  • Murphysboro, IL
  • Playa del Carmen

Distances are measured in a straight line. Your location is detected approximately.

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
Murphysboro, IL vs Playa del Carmen: Cost of Living - Frequently Asked Questions
Which city is more expensive, Murphysboro, IL or Playa del Carmen?
Murphysboro, IL costs about 41% more than Playa del Carmen, and outside of rent the gap comes mainly from eating out. That's enough to noticeably affect everyday spending and lifestyle for anyone choosing between the two.
How much do you need to earn to live comfortably in Murphysboro, IL and in Playa del Carmen?
For a comfortable life, plan on about $2,540 per month in Murphysboro, IL and $1,806 in Playa del Carmen. That covers rent, food, utilities, transport, and enough left over to feel settled – not just surviving.
Where is rent cheaper, Murphysboro, IL or Playa del Carmen?
Rent is clearly cheaper in Playa del Carmen, especially for central apartments. Housing is actually the single biggest factor behind the overall cost gap between these two cities.
How do dining costs compare in Murphysboro, IL and in Playa del Carmen?
A mid-range dinner for two costs $86.0 in Murphysboro, IL and $44.00 in Playa del Carmen. That's a good indicator of the overall restaurant and café pricing gap between the two cities.
Are groceries more expensive in Murphysboro, IL or in Playa del Carmen?
Groceries cost about 30% more in Murphysboro, IL, though it depends on what you buy. Local produce may be comparable; imported and premium items show the biggest price gap.
Can you live on $1,500/month in Murphysboro, IL or in Playa del Carmen?
A $1,500 monthly budget goes further in Playa del Carmen, where all-in costs run around $1,204, than in Murphysboro, IL at $1,693. In Playa del Carmen it covers expenses comfortably, while in Murphysboro, IL it requires careful planning or may not stretch far enough.
Which city is better for digital nomads, Murphysboro, IL or Playa del Carmen?
For digital nomads, it depends on budget. Playa del Carmen costs $1,204 versus $1,693 in Murphysboro, IL. Both have workable remote work infrastructure, but the cost gap matters when income varies month to month.
Should I move to Murphysboro, IL or to Playa del Carmen?
If budget matters most, go with Playa del Carmen. If higher salaries, better infrastructure, or specific career opportunities are the priority, Murphysboro, IL makes more sense. Both are solid long-term options with distinct trade-offs.

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