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

Monthly Cost of Living

A single person spends $2,953 per month in Naperville, IL vs $1,261 in Playa del Carmen, rent included.

A couple spends around $4,054 per month in Naperville, IL vs $2,130 in Playa del Carmen, rent included.

A family of three spends $5,156 per month in Naperville, IL vs $2,999 in Playa del Carmen, rent included.

Naperville, IL costs about 134% more than Playa del Carmen, driven mainly by Getting Around.

Naperville, IL sits 120% above the global median, while Playa del Carmen is 6% below – they fall on opposite sides of the world average.

Meal at Budget Restaurant

$15.19 $15.19

$11.67 MX$202

30.16%

Three-Course Dinner for Two, Mid-Range

$60.9 $60.9

$41.88 MX$726

45.46%

Fast Food Meal (McDonalds, etc)

$10.18 $10.18

$10.40 MX$180

-2.12%

Cappuccino

$4.14 $4.14

$3.61 MX$62.6

14.68%

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

$2.31 $2.31

$1.47 MX$25.45

57.14%

Water (0.33 liter bottle)

$2.33 $2.33

$0.91 MX$15.80

156.04%

Local Beer (0.5 liter draught)

$4.18 $4.18

$3.03 MX$52.6

37.95%

Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$6.11 $6.11

$4.47 MX$77.4

36.69%

Milk (1 liter)

$0.76 $0.76

$1.38 MX$23.83

-44.93%

White Bread (500g)

$4.55 $4.55

$1.84 MX$31.93

147.28%

Rice (white) (1kg)

$3.34 $3.34

$1.61 MX$27.82

107.45%

Eggs

$4.79 $4.79

$2.57 MX$44.52

86.38%

Local Cheese (1kg)

$7.52 $7.52

$8.49 MX$147

-11.43%

Chicken Fillets (1kg)

$10.84 $10.84

$8.49 MX$147

27.68%

Beef Round Steak (1kg)

$11.27 $11.27

$10.99 MX$190

2.55%

Apples (1kg)

$5.61 $5.61

$2.73 MX$47.25

105.49%

Banana (1kg)

$1.69 $1.69

$1.50 MX$25.92

12.67%

Oranges (1kg)

$2.94 $2.94

$1.96 MX$33.93

50.00%

Tomato (1kg)

$3.42 $3.42

$2.12 MX$36.70

61.32%

Potato (1kg)

$1.28 $1.28

$1.86 MX$32.30

-31.18%

Onion (1kg)

$2.37 $2.37

$2.17 MX$37.67

9.22%

Lettuce (1 head)

$1.61 $1.61

$1.07 MX$18.59

50.47%

Water (1.5 liter bottle)

$1.46 $1.46

$1.05 MX$18.18

39.05%

Cigarettes 20 Pack (Marlboro, Camel)

$8.37 $8.37

$4.19 MX$72.6

99.76%

Wine (Bottle)

$8.01 $8.01

$10.28 MX$178

-22.08%

Local Beer (0.5 liter bottle)

$1.75 $1.75

$1.67 MX$28.87

4.79%

Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$3.70 $3.70

$2.49 MX$43.12

48.59%

One-way Ticket (Public Transport)

$5.85 $5.85

$0.54 MX$9.37

983.33%

Public Transport Monthly Pass (Regular Price)

$130 $130

$26.27 MX$455

394.33%

Taxi Start (Normal Tariff)

$5.08 $5.08

$3.10 MX$53.8

63.87%

Taxi (Normal Tariff) (1km)

$1.75 $1.75

$2.46 MX$42.66

-28.86%

Taxi 1hour Waiting (Normal Tariff)

$49.70 $49.70

$3.24 MX$56.1

1433.95%

Gasoline (1 liter)

$0.90 $0.90

$1.26 MX$21.83

-28.57%

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

$24.7K $24.7K

$30.2K MX$522.8K

-17.99%

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

$25.3K $25.3K

$23.4K MX$406.3K

8.00%

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

$174 $174

$84.0 MX$1,456

107.35%

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

$51.4 $51.4

$22.21 MX$385

131.56%

Internet (50+ Mbps, Unlimited Data)

$51.6 $51.6

$29.65 MX$514

73.96%

Gym Membership (Monthly)

$102 $102

$52.6 MX$912

93.28%

Tennis Court (1 Hour on Weekend)

$18.34 MX$318

Cinema Ticket

$11.11 $11.11

$4.95 MX$85.7

124.44%

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

$939 $939

$198 MX$3,438

373.41%

International Primary School, 1 Child (Yearly)

$23.7K $23.7K

$5,322 MX$92.2K

345.94%

Jeans (Levis 501 Or Similar)

$45.60 $45.60

$35.95 MX$623

26.84%

Summer Dress (H&M, Zara, etc)

$46.67 $46.67

$40.06 MX$694

16.50%

Sport Shoes (Adidas, Nike)

$67.9 $67.9

$78.8 MX$1,365

-13.80%

Men's Leather Business Shoes

$99.4 $99.4

$86.5 MX$1,499

14.84%

1-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)

$1,987 $1,987

$977 MX$16.9K

103.40%

1-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)

$1,685 $1,685

$471 MX$8,158

257.91%

3-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)

$3,338 $3,338

$1,595 MX$27.6K

109.23%

3-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)

$2,406 $2,406

$1,215 MX$21.1K

98.09%

Buy Apartment in City Center (m2)

$2,220 $2,220

$4,032 MX$69.9K

-44.95%

Buy Apartment Outside City Center (m2)

$2,177 $2,177

$6,579 MX$114.0K

-66.92%

Average Monthly Net Salary (After Tax)

$6,566 $6,566

$714 MX$12.4K

819.42%

20-Year Fixed Mortgage Interest Rate (Annual %)

6.52

11.42

-42.91%

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

Last update for Naperville, IL: April 20, 2026

Last update for Playa del Carmen: April 19, 2026

Cost Breakdown

A central one-bedroom costs $1,987 in Naperville, IL versus $977 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 819% higher in Naperville, 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 $61 in Naperville, IL versus $42 in Playa del Carmen. Monthly groceries follow the same trend: $328 vs $252 – making Playa del Carmen 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

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

Naperville, IL costs about 134% more than Playa del Carmen, with the gap driven mainly by Getting Around. That's enough to noticeably affect everyday spending and lifestyle for anyone choosing between the two.

For a comfortable life, plan on about $4,429 per month in Naperville, IL and $1,891 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 Playa del Carmen, especially for central apartments. Housing is actually the single biggest factor behind the overall cost gap between these two cities.

Public transport costs about 394% less in Playa del Carmen. For daily commuters, that gap adds up to noticeable savings over a year.

Kindergarten costs $939 per month in Naperville, IL and $198 in Playa del Carmen. For families with young kids, this one expense can tip the scales when choosing between the two cities.

A $1,500 monthly budget goes further in Playa del Carmen, where all-in costs run around $1,261, than in Naperville, IL at $2,953. In Playa del Carmen it covers expenses comfortably, while in Naperville, IL it requires careful planning or may not stretch far enough.

For digital nomads, it depends on budget. Playa del Carmen costs $1,261 versus $2,953 in Naperville, IL. Both have workable remote work infrastructure, but the cost gap matters when income varies month to month.

Both have safer and rougher neighborhoods, but overall safety is comparable to other large cities. Neighborhood choice matters more than the city-level comparison – central, well-trafficked areas feel secure in both.

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