Last update: Oct 2026

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

For one person, living is cheaper in Playa del Carmen: $1,204 a month against $2,495 in Ottawa, IL, rent and utilities included – about $15,500 less a year. Rent and utilities account for most of the difference.

120

Cost of Living Index in Ottawa, IL
Learn more

Ottawa, IL Living Index
58

Cost of Living Index in Playa del Carmen
Learn more

Playa del Carmen Living Index

Jump to prices

Ottawa, IL

🇺🇸 United States

$2,495

/mo nomad

Playa del Carmen

🇲🇽 Mexico

$1,204

/mo nomad

Monthly Cost of Living

How much you'll spend in Ottawa, 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 Ottawa, IL and in Playa del Carmen actually costs, broken down by who's living it.

A single person spends $2,495 per month in Ottawa, IL vs $1,204 in Playa del Carmen, rent included.

Ottawa, IL $2,495
Playa del Carmen $1,204

A couple spends around $3,579 per month in Ottawa, IL vs $2,082 in Playa del Carmen, rent included.

Ottawa, IL $3,579
Playa del Carmen $2,082

A family of three spends $4,663 per month in Ottawa, IL vs $2,959 in Playa del Carmen, rent included.

Ottawa, IL $4,663
Playa del Carmen $2,959

Ottawa, IL costs about 107% more than Playa del Carmen, and outside of rent the biggest gap is in utilities.

Ottawa, IL sits 83% above the global median, while Playa del Carmen is 12% below – they fall on opposite sides of the world average.

Meal at Budget Restaurant

$14.87 $14.87

$10.92 MX$204

36.17%

Three-Course Dinner for Two, Mid-Range

$59.8 $59.8

$43.37 MX$808

37.98%

Fast Food Meal (McDonalds, etc)

$9.81 $9.81

$11.78 MX$220

-16.72%

Cappuccino

$4.79 $4.79

$3.81 MX$71.0

25.72%

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

$2.17 $2.17

$1.28 MX$23.90

69.53%

Water (0.33 liter bottle)

$1.79 $1.79

$0.78 MX$14.59

129.49%

Local Beer (0.5 liter draught)

$5.47 $5.47

$3.17 MX$59.0

72.56%

Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$5.36 $5.36

$4.93 MX$92.0

8.72%

Milk (1 liter)

$0.78 $0.78

$1.41 MX$26.22

-44.68%

White Bread (500g)

$3.11 $3.11

$2.22 MX$41.33

40.09%

Rice (white) (1kg)

$3.00 $3.00

$1.42 MX$26.42

111.27%

Eggs

$3.85 $3.85

$2.52 MX$47.03

52.78%

Local Cheese (1kg)

$12.28 $12.28

$7.26 MX$135

69.15%

Chicken Fillets (1kg)

$5.99 $5.99

$7.70 MX$143

-22.21%

Beef Round Steak (1kg)

$12.40 $12.40

$12.69 MX$237

-2.29%

Apples (1kg)

$3.53 $3.53

$2.78 MX$51.9

26.98%

Banana (1kg)

$1.44 $1.44

$1.37 MX$25.50

5.11%

Oranges (1kg)

$3.22 $3.22

$2.55 MX$47.55

26.27%

Tomato (1kg)

$4.36 $4.36

$2.12 MX$39.58

105.66%

Potato (1kg)

$2.02 $2.02

$1.94 MX$36.13

4.12%

Onion (1kg)

$2.26 $2.26

$1.89 MX$35.16

19.58%

Lettuce (1 head)

$2.20 $2.20

$1.15 MX$21.37

91.30%

Water (1.5 liter bottle)

$1.22 $1.22

$1.18 MX$21.98

3.39%

Cigarettes 20 Pack (Marlboro, Camel)

$12.39 $12.39

$4.30 MX$80.1

188.14%

Wine (Bottle)

$14.80 $14.80

$9.95 MX$185

48.74%

Local Beer (0.5 liter bottle)

$2.16 $2.16

$1.58 MX$29.52

36.71%

Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$3.92 $3.92

$2.67 MX$49.79

46.82%

One-way Ticket (Public Transport)

$1.92 $1.92

$0.55 MX$10.31

249.09%

Public Transport Monthly Pass (Regular Price)

$63.2 $63.2

$26.62 MX$496

137.30%

Taxi Start (Normal Tariff)

$2.48 $2.48

$4.97 MX$92.6

-50.10%

Taxi (Normal Tariff) (1km)

$1.58 $1.58

$3.33 MX$62.1

-52.55%

Taxi 1hour Waiting (Normal Tariff)

$28.24 $28.24

$5.36 MX$99.8

426.87%

Gasoline (1 liter)

$1.12 $1.12

$1.44 MX$26.92

-22.22%

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

$27.1K $27.1K

$20.7K MX$385.2K

31.12%

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

$27.1K $27.1K

$23.5K MX$437.4K

15.64%

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

$241 $241

$84.8 MX$1,581

183.75%

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

$45.26 $45.26

$23.41 MX$436

93.34%

Internet (50+ Mbps, Unlimited Data)

$68.2 $68.2

$28.66 MX$534

137.89%

Gym Membership (Monthly)

$36.92 $36.92

$57.1 MX$1,063

-35.28%

Tennis Court (1 Hour on Weekend)

$26.55 $26.55

$28.91 MX$539

-8.16%

Cinema Ticket

$11.43 $11.43

$5.14 MX$95.8

122.37%

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

$1,012 $1,012

$207 MX$3,851

390.12%

International Primary School, 1 Child (Yearly)

$19.8K $19.8K

$3,927 MX$73.2K

404.44%

Jeans (Levis 501 Or Similar)

$49.00 $49.00

$43.35 MX$808

13.03%

Summer Dress (H&M, Zara, etc)

$44.39 $44.39

$41.44 MX$772

7.12%

Sport Shoes (Adidas, Nike)

$118 $118

$74.2 MX$1,383

58.88%

Men's Leather Business Shoes

$121 $121

$89.3 MX$1,664

36.10%

1-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)

$1,494 $1,494

$980 MX$18.3K

52.51%

1-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)

$1,276 $1,276

$381 MX$7,099

235.17%

3-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)

$2,510 $2,510

$1,708 MX$31.8K

46.95%

3-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)

$2,088 $2,088

$1,075 MX$20.0K

94.17%

Buy Apartment in City Center (m2)

$3,189 $3,189

$3,943 MX$73.5K

-19.13%

Buy Apartment Outside City Center (m2)

$2,643 $2,643

$6,158 MX$114.8K

-57.08%

Average Monthly Net Salary (After Tax)

$2,383 $2,383

$735 MX$13.7K

224.48%

20-Year Fixed Mortgage Interest Rate (Annual %)

6.82

11.45

-40.44%

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

Last update for Ottawa, IL: October 26, 2026

Last update for Playa del Carmen: October 25, 2026

Monthly budget structure

Share of the monthly basket for one person, rent included.

Accommodation & Living

Ottawa, IL

$1.3K 51.2%

Playa del Carmen

$381 31.6% 70.2% $896

Monthly Utilities & Internet

Ottawa, IL

$354 14.2%

Playa del Carmen

$137 11.4% 61.3% $217

Groceries & Markets

Ottawa, IL

$314 12.6%

Playa del Carmen

$255 21.2% 18.8% $59

Eating Out

Ottawa, IL

$260 10.4%

Playa del Carmen

$202 16.8% 22.1% $57

Clothing & Footwear

Ottawa, IL

$150 6%

Playa del Carmen

$112 9.3% 25.4% $38

Getting Around

Ottawa, IL

$81 3.3%

Playa del Carmen

$50 4.2% 37.9% $31

Sport & Entertainment

Ottawa, IL

$60 2.4%

Playa del Carmen

$67 5.6% 12.6% $7.5

Cost Breakdown

A central one-bedroom costs $1,494 in Ottawa, IL versus $980 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 in Ottawa, IL are about 3.2 times higher. Purchasing power depends on which expenses matter most to you.

A mid-range dinner for two costs $60 in Ottawa, IL versus $43 in Playa del Carmen. Monthly groceries follow the same trend: $314 vs $255 – making Playa del Carmen the more affordable choice for daily food spending.

Good to know

🇺🇸 Ottawa, IL

🇲🇽 Playa del Carmen

🕒 Local time

17:08 5:08 PM

Same time as Ottawa, IL

🌤 Weather

👥 Population

18,342

149,923

💱 Currency

United States Dollar USD $

Mexican Peso MXN $

📈 Exchange rate

1 USD = 0.898 EUR

100 MXN = 5.36 USD

100 MXN = 4.82 EUR

Exchange rates and currency converter

MXN, EUR to USD – United States Dollar Converter

🇲🇽 Mexican Peso ($)

🇺🇸 United States Dollar ($)

United States Dollar exchange rates as of October 28, 2026: 1 EUR = 1.11 USD (1 USD = 0.898 EUR).

Mexican Peso exchange rates as of October 28, 2026: 1 USD = 18.64 MXN (100 MXN = 5.36 USD). 1 EUR = 20.75 MXN (100 MXN = 4.82 EUR).

MXN to USD in detail →

On the map

Lowest

Highest

Between locations

Ottawa, IL Playa del Carmen 2,310 km ≈ 3 h 30 min nonstop flight

From you

Ottawa, 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

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

Yes – Ottawa, IL is pricier by about 107%, and outside of rent the gap shows up most in utilities.

For a comfortable life, plan on about $3,742 per month in Ottawa, IL and $1,806 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: a one-bedroom in the center costs $980 there versus $1,494 in Ottawa, IL.

Kindergarten costs $1,012 per month in Ottawa, IL and $207 in Playa del Carmen. For families with young kids, this one expense can tip the scales when choosing between the two cities.

Groceries cost about 23% more in Ottawa, IL, though the gap depends on what you buy.

A $1,500 monthly budget goes further in Playa del Carmen, where all-in costs run around $1,204, than in Ottawa, IL at $2,495. In Playa del Carmen it covers expenses comfortably, while in Ottawa, IL it requires careful planning or may not stretch far enough.

Families tend to lean toward Playa del Carmen – lower housing and cheaper childcare make a real difference, especially on a single income or when paying for private education.

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