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

Monthly Cost of Living

A single person spends $1,294 per month in Playa del Carmen vs $2,873 in Akureyri, rent included.

A couple spends around $2,189 per month in Playa del Carmen vs $3,846 in Akureyri, rent included.

A family of three spends $3,084 per month in Playa del Carmen vs $4,818 in Akureyri, rent included.

Playa del Carmen is about 55% cheaper than Akureyri, driven mainly by Eating Out.

Playa del Carmen sits 3% below the global median, while Akureyri is 116% above – they fall on opposite sides of the world average.

Meal at Budget Restaurant

$11.73 MX$202

$24.15 ISK 3,001

-51.43%

Three-Course Dinner for Two, Mid-Range

$41.78 MX$719

$128 ISK 15.9K

-67.27%

Fast Food Meal (McDonalds, etc)

$10.41 MX$179

$22.00 ISK 2,733

-52.68%

Cappuccino

$3.61 MX$62.1

$4.99 ISK 620

-27.66%

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

$1.46 MX$25.06

$3.34 ISK 415

-56.29%

Water (0.33 liter bottle)

$0.97 MX$16.70

$2.95 ISK 367

-67.12%

Local Beer (0.5 liter draught)

$2.92 MX$50.3

$10.74 ISK 1,335

-72.81%

Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$4.62 MX$79.5

$9.42 ISK 1,171

-50.96%

Milk (1 liter)

$1.43 MX$24.59

$2.87 ISK 356

-50.17%

White Bread (500g)

$1.90 MX$32.70

$2.31 ISK 287

-17.75%

Rice (white) (1kg)

$1.57 MX$26.95

$3.10 ISK 385

-49.35%

Eggs

$2.64 MX$45.34

$8.23 ISK 1,023

-67.92%

Local Cheese (1kg)

$8.44 MX$145

Chicken Fillets (1kg)

$8.58 MX$148

$24.47 ISK 3,040

-64.94%

Beef Round Steak (1kg)

$11.00 MX$189

Apples (1kg)

$2.70 MX$46.51

Banana (1kg)

$1.51 MX$25.92

Oranges (1kg)

$1.91 MX$32.93

Tomato (1kg)

$2.17 MX$37.37

Potato (1kg)

$1.87 MX$32.25

Onion (1kg)

$2.23 MX$38.43

Lettuce (1 head)

$1.08 MX$18.60

Water (1.5 liter bottle)

$1.07 MX$18.47

Cigarettes 20 Pack (Marlboro, Camel)

$4.16 MX$71.6

$13.68 ISK 1,700

-69.59%

Wine (Bottle)

$10.29 MX$177

Local Beer (0.5 liter bottle)

$1.68 MX$28.95

Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$2.53 MX$43.59

One-way Ticket (Public Transport)

$0.55 MX$9.53

Public Transport Monthly Pass (Regular Price)

$26.29 MX$452

Taxi Start (Normal Tariff)

$3.20 MX$55.0

Taxi (Normal Tariff) (1km)

$2.46 MX$42.37

Taxi 1hour Waiting (Normal Tariff)

$3.20 MX$55.0

Gasoline (1 liter)

$1.32 MX$22.72

$2.59 ISK 322

-49.03%

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

$30.2K MX$518.8K

$40.7K ISK 5.1M

-25.98%

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

$23.4K MX$402.5K

$63.9K ISK 7.9M

-63.41%

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

$81.4 MX$1,400

$119 ISK 14.8K

-31.78%

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

$22.41 MX$386

$24.95 ISK 3,100

-10.18%

Internet (50+ Mbps, Unlimited Data)

$29.97 MX$516

$161 ISK 20.0K

-81.42%

Gym Membership (Monthly)

$51.6 MX$887

$84.5 ISK 10.5K

-38.98%

Tennis Court (1 Hour on Weekend)

$18.39 MX$316

Cinema Ticket

$5.16 MX$88.9

$14.92 ISK 1,853

-65.42%

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

$202 MX$3,471

$360 ISK 44.7K

-43.91%

International Primary School, 1 Child (Yearly)

$5,311 MX$91.4K

Jeans (Levis 501 Or Similar)

$35.61 MX$613

$80.1 ISK 9,954

-55.55%

Summer Dress (H&M, Zara, etc)

$40.37 MX$695

Sport Shoes (Adidas, Nike)

$78.6 MX$1,353

$119 ISK 14.8K

-33.85%

Men's Leather Business Shoes

$86.9 MX$1,495

1-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)

$950 MX$16.3K

$1,748 ISK 217.2K

-45.66%

1-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)

$478 MX$8,227

$1,800 ISK 223.7K

-73.44%

3-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)

$1,621 MX$27.9K

3-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)

$1,223 MX$21.0K

$2,122 ISK 263.6K

-42.37%

Buy Apartment in City Center (m2)

$4,009 MX$69.0K

$6,414 ISK 796.9K

-37.49%

Buy Apartment Outside City Center (m2)

$6,473 MX$111.4K

$6,402 ISK 795.5K

1.10%

Average Monthly Net Salary (After Tax)

$673 MX$11.6K

20-Year Fixed Mortgage Interest Rate (Annual %)

11.42

9.4

21.49%

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

Last update for Playa del Carmen: June 15, 2026

Last update for Akureyri: June 15, 2026

Cost Breakdown

A central one-bedroom costs $950 in Playa del Carmen versus $1,748 in Akureyri. Rent is usually the largest line item in a monthly budget, so the gap here sets the tone for the overall comparison.

A mid-range dinner for two costs $42.00 in Playa del Carmen versus $128 in Akureyri. Groceries tell a different story – $254 in Playa del Carmen vs $219 in Akureyri – so Akureyri wins on supermarket bills even if dining out costs more.

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 Akureyri: Cost of Living - Frequently Asked Questions

Yes – Akureyri is pricier by about 122%, and the gap shows up most in Eating Out. It's not just housing either; the difference applies across most spending categories.

For a comfortable life, plan on about $1,941 per month in Playa del Carmen and $4,310 in Akureyri. 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.

A mid-range dinner for two costs $42.00 in Playa del Carmen and $128 in Akureyri. That's a good indicator of the overall restaurant and café pricing gap between the two cities.

Interestingly, groceries are about 16% cheaper in Akureyri – one category where the pricier city actually offers better value, probably thanks to stronger retail competition or local farming.

A $1,500 monthly budget goes further in Playa del Carmen, where all-in costs run around $1,294, than in Akureyri at $2,873. In Playa del Carmen it covers expenses comfortably, while in Akureyri 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.

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, Akureyri makes more sense. Both are solid long-term options with distinct trade-offs.