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: $1,287 in Playa del Carmen versus $3,434 in Akranes.

Estimated couple costs with rent: $2,184 in Playa del Carmen versus $5,592 in Akranes.

Monthly costs for a family of three with rent: $3,082 in Playa del Carmen versus $7,750 in Akranes.

Living in Playa del Carmen costs roughly 63% less than in Akranes, driven mainly by Groceries & Markets.

The two cities straddle the global median: Playa del Carmen is 4% below, Akranes is 156% above.

Meal at Budget Restaurant

$11.94 MX$209

$27.17 ISK 3,327

-56.05%

Three-Course Dinner for Two, Mid-Range

$42.75 MX$748

$145 ISK 17.7K

-70.48%

Fast Food Meal (McDonalds, etc)

$10.59 MX$185

$22.07 ISK 2,702

-52.02%

Cappuccino

$3.62 MX$63.4

$6.13 ISK 751

-40.95%

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

$1.47 MX$25.69

$3.14 ISK 384

-53.18%

Water (0.33 liter bottle)

$0.94 MX$16.51

$2.36 ISK 289

-60.17%

Local Beer (0.5 liter draught)

$3.09 MX$54.1

$10.54 ISK 1,290

-70.68%

Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$4.46 MX$78.0

$8.14 ISK 997

-45.21%

Milk (1 liter)

$1.43 MX$24.94

$1.92 ISK 235

-25.52%

White Bread (500g)

$1.88 MX$32.97

$2.07 ISK 253

-9.18%

Rice (white) (1kg)

$1.63 MX$28.50

$3.59 ISK 439

-54.60%

Eggs

$2.64 MX$46.26

$6.11 ISK 748

-56.79%

Local Cheese (1kg)

$8.21 MX$144

$17.93 ISK 2,195

-54.21%

Chicken Fillets (1kg)

$8.29 MX$145

$24.18 ISK 2,961

-65.72%

Beef Round Steak (1kg)

$11.10 MX$194

$43.23 ISK 5,294

-74.32%

Apples (1kg)

$2.65 MX$46.40

$3.26 ISK 400

-18.71%

Banana (1kg)

$1.50 MX$26.26

$2.42 ISK 296

-38.02%

Oranges (1kg)

$1.99 MX$34.79

$2.98 ISK 364

-33.22%

Tomato (1kg)

$2.08 MX$36.33

$4.93 ISK 603

-57.81%

Potato (1kg)

$1.79 MX$31.29

$3.56 ISK 435

-49.72%

Onion (1kg)

$2.18 MX$38.09

$2.32 ISK 284

-6.03%

Lettuce (1 head)

$1.08 MX$18.84

$3.05 ISK 374

-64.59%

Water (1.5 liter bottle)

$1.04 MX$18.15

$1.93 ISK 236

-46.11%

Cigarettes 20 Pack (Marlboro, Camel)

$3.97 MX$69.5

$13.70 ISK 1,677

-71.02%

Wine (Bottle)

$10.20 MX$179

$22.69 ISK 2,779

-55.05%

Local Beer (0.5 liter bottle)

$1.73 MX$30.22

$2.75 ISK 337

-37.09%

Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$2.50 MX$43.71

$1.98 ISK 242

26.26%

One-way Ticket (Public Transport)

$0.52 MX$9.07

$3.67 ISK 449

-85.83%

Public Transport Monthly Pass (Regular Price)

$26.97 MX$472

$73.5 ISK 9,002

-63.32%

Taxi Start (Normal Tariff)

$3.14 MX$55.0

$6.52 ISK 798

-51.84%

Taxi (Normal Tariff) (1km)

$2.40 MX$42.04

$1.05 ISK 128

128.57%

Taxi 1hour Waiting (Normal Tariff)

$3.09 MX$54.0

$86.4 ISK 10.6K

-96.42%

Gasoline (1 liter)

$1.27 MX$22.28

$2.56 ISK 314

-50.39%

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

$30.9K MX$540.4K

$47.6K ISK 5.8M

-35.17%

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

$23.3K MX$408.0K

$52.3K ISK 6.4M

-55.39%

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

$82.0 MX$1,435

$87.7 ISK 10.7K

-6.49%

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

$22.45 MX$393

$27.18 ISK 3,327

-17.40%

Internet (50+ Mbps, Unlimited Data)

$29.66 MX$519

$87.0 ISK 10.7K

-65.92%

Gym Membership (Monthly)

$51.9 MX$908

Tennis Court (1 Hour on Weekend)

$18.67 MX$327

Cinema Ticket

$4.97 MX$87.0

$17.80 ISK 2,180

-72.08%

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

$198 MX$3,462

$327 ISK 40.0K

-39.46%

International Primary School, 1 Child (Yearly)

$5,273 MX$92.3K

$30.4K ISK 3.7M

-82.64%

Jeans (Levis 501 Or Similar)

$36.34 MX$636

$140 ISK 17.1K

-74.01%

Summer Dress (H&M, Zara, etc)

$40.05 MX$701

$61.9 ISK 7,583

-35.34%

Sport Shoes (Adidas, Nike)

$79.9 MX$1,398

$179 ISK 21.9K

-55.36%

Men's Leather Business Shoes

$88.9 MX$1,555

$263 ISK 32.2K

-66.20%

1-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)

$963 MX$16.9K

$2,958 ISK 362.2K

-67.43%

1-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)

$465 MX$8,133

$1,833 ISK 224.5K

-74.65%

3-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)

$1,596 MX$27.9K

$4,728 ISK 578.9K

-66.24%

3-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)

$1,209 MX$21.2K

$3,569 ISK 437.0K

-66.13%

Buy Apartment in City Center (m2)

$3,942 MX$69.0K

Buy Apartment Outside City Center (m2)

$6,448 MX$112.8K

Average Monthly Net Salary (After Tax)

$720 MX$12.6K

$5,650 ISK 691.8K

-87.25%

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: April 25, 2026

Last update for Akranes: April 25, 2026

Cost Breakdown

A one-bedroom apartment in the center runs $963 in Playa del Carmen and $2,958 in Akranes. Housing cost is often the main lever when comparing two cities.

Akranes pays 684% 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: $43.00 in Playa del Carmen vs $145 in Akranes for a mid-range dinner for two. Groceries echo the gap at $251 vs $564 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 167% 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, Akranes earns 684% less. 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: $963 in Playa del Carmen versus $2,958 in Akranes. Housing is usually the single largest factor when comparing overall living costs between the two.

All in, you'll spend $1,287 per month in Playa del Carmen versus $3,434 in Akranes – a 167% 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 $1,287 in Playa del Carmen versus $3,434 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 $1,287 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 167% less than in Akranes. Beyond cost, consider language, visa policies, and how big the international community is in each city.