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

Monthly Cost of Living

Monthly costs for one person with rent: $1,260 in Playa del Carmen versus $3,536 in Akranes.

Estimated couple costs with rent: $2,125 in Playa del Carmen versus $5,655 in Akranes.

Monthly costs for a family of three with rent: $2,990 in Playa del Carmen versus $7,774 in Akranes.

Living in Playa del Carmen costs roughly 64% less than in Akranes, driven mainly by Groceries & Markets.

The two cities straddle the global median: Playa del Carmen is 5% below, Akranes is 166% above.

Meal at Budget Restaurant

$11.72 MX$203

$26.91 ISK 3,326

-56.45%

Three-Course Dinner for Two, Mid-Range

$41.89 MX$725

$146 ISK 18.1K

-71.40%

Fast Food Meal (McDonalds, etc)

$10.51 MX$182

$22.78 ISK 2,816

-53.86%

Cappuccino

$3.59 MX$62.0

$5.95 ISK 736

-39.66%

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

$1.51 MX$26.10

$3.25 ISK 402

-53.54%

Water (0.33 liter bottle)

$0.92 MX$15.83

$2.35 ISK 291

-60.85%

Local Beer (0.5 liter draught)

$2.96 MX$51.2

$10.47 ISK 1,294

-71.73%

Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$4.41 MX$76.3

$7.99 ISK 988

-44.81%

Milk (1 liter)

$1.40 MX$24.16

$1.93 ISK 238

-27.46%

White Bread (500g)

$1.88 MX$32.60

$2.03 ISK 251

-7.39%

Rice (white) (1kg)

$1.56 MX$26.97

$3.59 ISK 443

-56.55%

Eggs

$2.61 MX$45.14

$6.12 ISK 756

-57.35%

Local Cheese (1kg)

$8.32 MX$144

$17.79 ISK 2,198

-53.23%

Chicken Fillets (1kg)

$8.35 MX$145

$24.14 ISK 2,983

-65.41%

Beef Round Steak (1kg)

$10.86 MX$188

$41.83 ISK 5,170

-74.04%

Apples (1kg)

$2.71 MX$46.93

$3.37 ISK 417

-19.58%

Banana (1kg)

$1.51 MX$26.04

$2.51 ISK 311

-39.84%

Oranges (1kg)

$1.87 MX$32.41

$3.12 ISK 386

-40.06%

Tomato (1kg)

$2.19 MX$37.89

$4.80 ISK 593

-54.37%

Potato (1kg)

$1.86 MX$32.14

$3.67 ISK 453

-49.32%

Onion (1kg)

$2.23 MX$38.59

$2.31 ISK 286

-3.46%

Lettuce (1 head)

$1.07 MX$18.48

$3.03 ISK 375

-64.69%

Water (1.5 liter bottle)

$1.09 MX$18.79

$2.00 ISK 247

-45.50%

Cigarettes 20 Pack (Marlboro, Camel)

$4.19 MX$72.4

$13.81 ISK 1,707

-69.66%

Wine (Bottle)

$10.43 MX$180

$22.94 ISK 2,835

-54.53%

Local Beer (0.5 liter bottle)

$1.66 MX$28.68

$2.88 ISK 356

-42.36%

Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$2.61 MX$45.19

$2.05 ISK 253

27.32%

One-way Ticket (Public Transport)

$0.54 MX$9.37

$3.56 ISK 440

-84.83%

Public Transport Monthly Pass (Regular Price)

$26.16 MX$453

$71.3 ISK 8,813

-63.31%

Taxi Start (Normal Tariff)

$3.08 MX$53.3

$6.30 ISK 778

-51.11%

Taxi (Normal Tariff) (1km)

$2.40 MX$41.61

$1.06 ISK 131

126.42%

Taxi 1hour Waiting (Normal Tariff)

$3.13 MX$54.1

$85.3 ISK 10.5K

-96.33%

Gasoline (1 liter)

$1.31 MX$22.69

$2.54 ISK 314

-48.43%

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

$29.8K MX$515.7K

$46.8K ISK 5.8M

-36.26%

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

$23.3K MX$403.5K

$52.5K ISK 6.5M

-55.54%

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

$81.3 MX$1,406

$88.4 ISK 10.9K

-8.02%

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

$22.56 MX$390

$27.48 ISK 3,396

-17.90%

Internet (50+ Mbps, Unlimited Data)

$30.05 MX$520

$86.9 ISK 10.7K

-65.42%

Gym Membership (Monthly)

$52.9 MX$915

Tennis Court (1 Hour on Weekend)

$18.39 MX$318

Cinema Ticket

$4.92 MX$85.1

$17.65 ISK 2,181

-72.12%

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

$201 MX$3,474

$319 ISK 39.5K

-37.11%

International Primary School, 1 Child (Yearly)

$5,175 MX$89.5K

$29.8K ISK 3.7M

-82.61%

Jeans (Levis 501 Or Similar)

$35.92 MX$622

$139 ISK 17.2K

-74.18%

Summer Dress (H&M, Zara, etc)

$40.13 MX$694

$62.5 ISK 7,729

-35.82%

Sport Shoes (Adidas, Nike)

$79.7 MX$1,379

$186 ISK 23.0K

-57.08%

Men's Leather Business Shoes

$86.5 MX$1,496

$268 ISK 33.1K

-67.69%

1-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)

$978 MX$16.9K

$2,962 ISK 366.1K

-66.98%

1-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)

$470 MX$8,140

$1,880 ISK 232.3K

-74.97%

3-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)

$1,651 MX$28.6K

$4,874 ISK 602.4K

-66.12%

3-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)

$1,203 MX$20.8K

$3,636 ISK 449.5K

-66.91%

Buy Apartment in City Center (m2)

$3,953 MX$68.4K

Buy Apartment Outside City Center (m2)

$6,607 MX$114.3K

Average Monthly Net Salary (After Tax)

$677 MX$11.7K

$5,683 ISK 702.4K

-88.09%

20-Year Fixed Mortgage Interest Rate (Annual %)

11.42

9.63

18.59%

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

Last update for Playa del Carmen: July 27, 2026

Last update for Akranes: July 25, 2026

Cost Breakdown

A one-bedroom apartment in the center runs $978 in Playa del Carmen and $2,962 in Akranes. Housing cost is often the main lever when comparing two cities.

Akranes pays 740% more on average. The extra income cushions the higher costs, though housing choices and lifestyle decide how much of the gap is truly closed.

Dining out: $42.00 in Playa del Carmen vs $146 in Akranes for a mid-range dinner for two. Groceries echo the gap at $252 vs $562 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

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

Playa del Carmen wins on cost – living expenses run 181% lower than in Akranes. Housing and daily spending are where you'll feel the difference most, making Playa del Carmen the obvious pick if budget is a priority.

On paper, salaries run 740% lower in Akranes. That's worth factoring in alongside costs, though remote workers earning in a stronger currency may not notice the difference at all.

Rent for a central apartment: $978 in Playa del Carmen versus $2,962 in Akranes. Housing is usually the single largest factor when comparing overall living costs between the two.

All in, you'll spend $1,260 per month in Playa del Carmen versus $3,536 in Akranes – a 181% gap that adds up to real savings over time for anyone picking the cheaper option.

A monthly transit pass in Playa del Carmen runs roughly 173% less than in Akranes. Both cities have functional networks, but the price difference matters if you're watching your budget.

At $1,260 in Playa del Carmen versus $3,536 in Akranes, a $1,500 budget is realistic in Playa del Carmen but tight or insufficient in Akranes. The gap between the two cities makes Playa del Carmen the clear choice for anyone on this budget.

Both work as nomad bases, but Playa del Carmen delivers better value – similar infrastructure at $1,260 monthly. If stretching your runway or maximizing savings is the goal, the price difference makes Playa del Carmen hard to pass up.

Safety-wise, Playa del Carmen and Akranes 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 181% less than in Akranes. Beyond cost, consider language, visa policies, and how big the international community is in each city.