Last update: Oct 2026

Cost of Living Comparison Between Playa del Carmen and Egilsstadir

For one person, living is cheaper in Egilsstadir: $623 a month against $1,215 in Playa del Carmen, rent and utilities included – about $7,100 less a year. Rent and utilities account for most of the difference.

Playa del Carmen
🇲🇽 Mexico
$1,215
/mo nomad
Egilsstadir
🇮🇸 Iceland
$623
/mo nomad
Monthly Cost of Living

How much you'll spend in Playa del Carmen and in Egilsstadir

Real prices from locals and on-the-ground checks – rent, groceries, transit and the daily extras. Here's what a month in Playa del Carmen and in Egilsstadir actually costs, broken down by who's living it.

Monthly costs for one person with rent: $1,215 in Playa del Carmen versus $623 in Egilsstadir.

  • Playa del Carmen $1,215
  • Egilsstadir $623

Estimated couple costs with rent: $2,144 in Playa del Carmen versus $1,044 in Egilsstadir.

  • Playa del Carmen $2,144
  • Egilsstadir $1,044

Monthly costs for a family of three with rent: $3,072 in Playa del Carmen versus $1,465 in Egilsstadir.

  • Playa del Carmen $3,072
  • Egilsstadir $1,465

Living in Playa del Carmen is roughly 95% more expensive than in Egilsstadir, and outside of rent the biggest gap is in groceries.

Both cities sit below the global median: Playa del Carmen 9% lower, Egilsstadir 53% lower.

Currency
🍽 Eating Out
Playa del Carmen
Egilsstadir
Difference
Meal at Budget Restaurant
$10.97 MX$201
-
-
Three-Course Dinner for Two, Mid-Range
$44.85 MX$823
-
-
Fast Food Meal (McDonalds, etc)
$11.92 MX$219
-
-
Cappuccino
$3.80 MX$69.9
-
-
Coke/Pepsi/Fanta/Sprite (0.33 liter bottle)
$1.31 MX$24.08
-
-
Water (0.33 liter bottle)
$0.86 MX$15.72
-
-
Local Beer (0.5 liter draught)
$3.21 MX$59.0
-
-
Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)
$5.01 MX$92.0
-
-
🛒 Groceries & Markets
Playa del Carmen
Egilsstadir
Difference
Milk (1 liter)
$1.46 MX$26.77
$1.70 ISK 207
-14.12%
White Bread (500g)
$2.33 MX$42.72
$2.85 ISK 348
-18.25%
Rice (white) (1kg)
$1.44 MX$26.48
$2.48 ISK 302
-41.94%
Eggs
$2.46 MX$45.20
$5.85 ISK 713
-57.95%
Local Cheese (1kg)
$7.70 MX$141
$22.28 ISK 2,717
-65.44%
Chicken Fillets (1kg)
$7.89 MX$145
$33.23 ISK 4,052
-76.26%
Beef Round Steak (1kg)
$12.80 MX$235
$43.56 ISK 5,312
-70.62%
Apples (1kg)
$2.92 MX$53.6
$2.70 ISK 329
8.15%
Banana (1kg)
$1.42 MX$26.11
$2.45 ISK 298
-42.04%
Oranges (1kg)
$2.57 MX$47.10
$2.54 ISK 310
1.18%
Tomato (1kg)
$2.14 MX$39.24
$3.85 ISK 469
-44.42%
Potato (1kg)
$1.95 MX$35.75
$4.40 ISK 536
-55.68%
Onion (1kg)
$1.94 MX$35.55
$2.11 ISK 257
-8.06%
Lettuce (1 head)
$1.15 MX$21.13
$2.20 ISK 268
-47.73%
Water (1.5 liter bottle)
$1.22 MX$22.42
$2.22 ISK 271
-45.05%
Cigarettes 20 Pack (Marlboro, Camel)
$4.38 MX$80.3
-
-
Wine (Bottle)
$9.85 MX$181
$22.37 ISK 2,728
-55.97%
Local Beer (0.5 liter bottle)
$1.54 MX$28.23
$3.99 ISK 487
-61.40%
Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)
$2.72 MX$49.86
$3.56 ISK 434
-23.60%
🚌 Getting Around
Playa del Carmen
Egilsstadir
Difference
One-way Ticket (Public Transport)
$0.52 MX$9.64
-
-
Public Transport Monthly Pass (Regular Price)
$27.42 MX$503
-
-
Taxi Start (Normal Tariff)
$4.91 MX$90.2
$6.11 ISK 745
-19.64%
Taxi (Normal Tariff) (1km)
$3.52 MX$64.7
-
-
Taxi 1hour Waiting (Normal Tariff)
$5.69 MX$104
-
-
Gasoline (1 liter)
$1.54 MX$28.27
$2.33 ISK 284
-33.91%
Midsize Hatchback 1.4l (Volkswagen Golf, Toyota Prius, Honda Civic, etc)
$21.2K MX$389.9K
-
-
Compact Sedan 1.6l (Toyota Corolla, Mazda3, Kia K4, Hyundai Elantra, etc)
$24.5K MX$449.6K
-
-
🧾 Monthly Utilities & Internet
Playa del Carmen
Egilsstadir
Difference
Utilities for 2 People in 2-bedroom Apartment (Heating, Electricity, Gas, Water, Garbage) (85m2)
$83.6 MX$1,535
-
-
SIM Card Monthly Plan (Calls and 10GB+ Data)
$24.03 MX$441
-
-
Internet (50+ Mbps, Unlimited Data)
$29.33 MX$539
-
-
🎉 Sport & Entertainment
Playa del Carmen
Egilsstadir
Difference
Gym Membership (Monthly)
$64.9 MX$1,191
-
-
Tennis Court (1 Hour on Weekend)
$29.46 MX$541
-
-
Cinema Ticket
$5.09 MX$93.4
-
-
🧸 Childcare & Education
Playa del Carmen
Egilsstadir
Difference
Preschool or Kindergarten, Full Day, Private, 1 Child (Monthly)
$208 MX$3,813
-
-
International Primary School, 1 Child (Yearly)
$4,045 MX$74.3K
-
-
👕👟 Clothing & Footwear
Playa del Carmen
Egilsstadir
Difference
Jeans (Levis 501 Or Similar)
$44.55 MX$818
-
-
Summer Dress (H&M, Zara, etc)
$42.06 MX$772
-
-
Sport Shoes (Adidas, Nike)
$75.5 MX$1,387
-
-
Men's Leather Business Shoes
$91.4 MX$1,678
-
-
🏠 Accommodation & Living
Playa del Carmen
Egilsstadir
Difference
1-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)
$986 MX$18.1K
-
-
1-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)
$385 MX$7,072
-
-
3-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)
$1,713 MX$31.5K
-
-
3-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)
$1,108 MX$20.4K
-
-
Buy Apartment in City Center (m2)
$4,016 MX$73.7K
-
-
Buy Apartment Outside City Center (m2)
$6,247 MX$114.7K
-
-
💵 Salaries & Financials
Playa del Carmen
Egilsstadir
Difference
Average Monthly Net Salary (After Tax)
$758 MX$13.9K
-
-
20-Year Fixed Mortgage Interest Rate (Annual %)
11.45
0
-

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

Last update for Playa del Carmen: October 4, 2026

Last update for Egilsstadir: October 5, 2026

Monthly budget structure
Share of the monthly basket for one person, rent included.
Accommodation & Living
Playa del Carmen
$385
Egilsstadir
–
Groceries & Markets
Playa del Carmen
$260
Egilsstadir
–
Eating Out
Playa del Carmen
$204
Egilsstadir
–
Monthly Utilities & Internet
Playa del Carmen
$137
Egilsstadir
–
Clothing & Footwear
Playa del Carmen
$114
Egilsstadir
–
Sport & Entertainment
Playa del Carmen
$75
Egilsstadir
–
Getting Around
Playa del Carmen
$52
Egilsstadir
–
Good to know
🇲🇽 Playa del Carmen
🇮🇸 Egilsstadir
🕒 Local time
05:40 5:40 AM
10:40 10:40 AM
5 h ahead of Playa del Carmen
🌤 Weather
👥 Population
149,923
2,500
💱 Currency
Exchange rates and currency converter

ISK, USD, EUR to MXN – Mexican Peso Converter

Mexican Peso exchange rates as of October 10, 2026: 1 USD = 18.36 MXN (100 MXN = 5.45 USD). 1 EUR = 20.57 MXN (100 MXN = 4.86 EUR).

Icelandic Króna exchange rates as of October 10, 2026: 1 USD = 122 ISK (1,000 ISK = 8.2 USD). 1 EUR = 137 ISK (1,000 ISK = 7.32 EUR).

On the map
Between locations
  • Playa del Carmen Egilsstadir 7,130 km ≈ 9 h nonstop flight
From you
  • Playa del Carmen
  • Egilsstadir

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
Playa del Carmen vs Egilsstadir: Cost of Living - Frequently Asked Questions
Is Egilsstadir cheaper than Playa del Carmen?
Egilsstadir is cheaper overall, especially in eating out, clothing, and leisure. The 95% gap adds up to real monthly savings that compound significantly over time.
What income do you need for each city?
You'd need roughly $1,823 in Playa del Carmen and $935 in Egilsstadir to live well. The gap comes down to housing and overall price levels. Both cities are liveable on less, but these numbers represent actual comfort.
How do food prices compare in Playa del Carmen and in Egilsstadir?
Shoppers in Playa del Carmen pay roughly 140% less for everyday groceries. It's an unusual reversal that partly offsets higher costs elsewhere.
What are total monthly expenses in Playa del Carmen and in Egilsstadir?
All in, you'll spend $1,215 per month in Playa del Carmen versus $623 in Egilsstadir – a 95% gap that adds up to real savings over time for anyone picking the cheaper option.
Is $1,500 a realistic budget for living in Playa del Carmen or in Egilsstadir?
At $623 in Egilsstadir versus $1,215 in Playa del Carmen, a $1,500 budget is realistic in Egilsstadir but tight or insufficient in Playa del Carmen. The gap between the two cities makes Egilsstadir the clear choice for anyone on this budget.
Is Playa del Carmen or Egilsstadir more family-friendly?
For families, Egilsstadir is more practical. Housing and childcare are both notably cheaper than in Playa del Carmen, and the savings on those two alone free up budget for education, activities, and family trips.
Which city is safer, Playa del Carmen or Egilsstadir?
Safety-wise, Playa del Carmen and Egilsstadir are on par. Petty crime is typical for cities this size, and most residents feel comfortable going about their daily routines in either place.
Which city is easier to live in as a foreigner?
Expats usually find Egilsstadir gentler on the wallet – expenses run 95% less than in Playa del Carmen. Beyond cost, consider language, visa policies, and how big the international community is in each city.

Playa del Carmen vs other spots: cost of living compared

Similar cities

Show times on the 12-hour clock, temperatures in °F and distances in miles?