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

Monthly Cost of Living

A single person spends $1,271 per month in Playa del Carmen vs $3,661 in Hafnarfjordur, rent included.

A couple spends around $2,126 per month in Playa del Carmen vs $5,235 in Hafnarfjordur, rent included.

A family of three spends $2,980 per month in Playa del Carmen vs $6,808 in Hafnarfjordur, rent included.

Playa del Carmen is about 65% cheaper than Hafnarfjordur, driven mainly by Groceries & Markets.

Playa del Carmen sits 5% below the global median, while Hafnarfjordur is 172% above – they fall on opposite sides of the world average.

Meal at Budget Restaurant

$11.87 MX$204

$27.17 ISK 3,383

-56.31%

Three-Course Dinner for Two, Mid-Range

$42.90 MX$736

$145 ISK 18.0K

-70.38%

Fast Food Meal (McDonalds, etc)

$10.65 MX$183

$16.06 ISK 2,000

-33.69%

Cappuccino

$3.45 MX$59.2

$6.26 ISK 779

-44.89%

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

$1.50 MX$25.81

$3.33 ISK 414

-54.95%

Water (0.33 liter bottle)

$0.95 MX$16.28

$2.50 ISK 312

-62.00%

Local Beer (0.5 liter draught)

$3.03 MX$51.9

$12.85 ISK 1,599

-76.42%

Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$4.61 MX$79.1

$11.35 ISK 1,413

-59.38%

Milk (1 liter)

$1.38 MX$23.61

$1.68 ISK 209

-17.86%

White Bread (500g)

$1.85 MX$31.70

$4.25 ISK 529

-56.47%

Rice (white) (1kg)

$1.61 MX$27.65

$3.56 ISK 443

-54.78%

Eggs

$2.59 MX$44.51

$6.51 ISK 810

-60.22%

Local Cheese (1kg)

$8.26 MX$142

$18.32 ISK 2,281

-54.91%

Chicken Fillets (1kg)

$8.37 MX$144

$24.43 ISK 3,042

-65.74%

Beef Round Steak (1kg)

$10.66 MX$183

$41.97 ISK 5,225

-74.60%

Apples (1kg)

$2.63 MX$45.12

$3.35 ISK 417

-21.49%

Banana (1kg)

$1.49 MX$25.53

$2.46 ISK 306

-39.43%

Oranges (1kg)

$1.92 MX$32.94

$3.02 ISK 376

-36.42%

Tomato (1kg)

$2.09 MX$35.81

$5.05 ISK 629

-58.61%

Potato (1kg)

$1.86 MX$31.88

$3.57 ISK 444

-47.90%

Onion (1kg)

$2.26 MX$38.81

$2.45 ISK 305

-7.76%

Lettuce (1 head)

$1.06 MX$18.23

$3.19 ISK 397

-66.77%

Water (1.5 liter bottle)

$1.09 MX$18.67

$2.01 ISK 250

-45.77%

Cigarettes 20 Pack (Marlboro, Camel)

$4.15 MX$71.2

$13.54 ISK 1,686

-69.35%

Wine (Bottle)

$10.39 MX$178

$23.20 ISK 2,888

-55.22%

Local Beer (0.5 liter bottle)

$1.72 MX$29.59

$3.70 ISK 460

-53.51%

Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$2.61 MX$44.85

$3.25 ISK 405

-19.69%

One-way Ticket (Public Transport)

$0.54 MX$9.30

$5.09 ISK 634

-89.39%

Public Transport Monthly Pass (Regular Price)

$26.94 MX$462

$84.4 ISK 10.5K

-68.09%

Taxi Start (Normal Tariff)

$3.13 MX$53.7

$6.25 ISK 778

-49.92%

Taxi (Normal Tariff) (1km)

$2.51 MX$43.09

$2.63 ISK 328

-4.56%

Taxi 1hour Waiting (Normal Tariff)

$3.15 MX$54.1

$85.6 ISK 10.7K

-96.32%

Gasoline (1 liter)

$1.27 MX$21.88

$2.49 ISK 311

-49.00%

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

$30.4K MX$521.3K

$48.1K ISK 6.0M

-36.81%

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

$23.6K MX$404.5K

$52.4K ISK 6.5M

-55.06%

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

$83.0 MX$1,425

$68.0 ISK 8,465

22.08%

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

$22.71 MX$390

$27.22 ISK 3,389

-16.57%

Internet (50+ Mbps, Unlimited Data)

$29.46 MX$506

$86.1 ISK 10.7K

-65.79%

Gym Membership (Monthly)

$51.0 MX$875

$64.7 ISK 8,053

-21.16%

Tennis Court (1 Hour on Weekend)

$18.33 MX$315

Cinema Ticket

$4.93 MX$84.5

$16.66 ISK 2,074

-70.41%

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

$197 MX$3,386

$325 ISK 40.5K

-39.38%

International Primary School, 1 Child (Yearly)

$5,280 MX$90.6K

$30.6K ISK 3.8M

-82.73%

Jeans (Levis 501 Or Similar)

$36.90 MX$633

$119 ISK 14.8K

-68.99%

Summer Dress (H&M, Zara, etc)

$39.89 MX$685

$62.5 ISK 7,778

-36.15%

Sport Shoes (Adidas, Nike)

$80.0 MX$1,373

$119 ISK 14.8K

-32.80%

Men's Leather Business Shoes

$89.5 MX$1,536

$266 ISK 33.1K

-66.37%

1-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)

$956 MX$16.4K

$2,423 ISK 301.6K

-60.53%

1-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)

$477 MX$8,189

$2,037 ISK 253.6K

-76.58%

3-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)

$1,646 MX$28.3K

$3,250 ISK 404.7K

-49.36%

3-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)

$1,225 MX$21.0K

$2,547 ISK 317.0K

-51.91%

Buy Apartment in City Center (m2)

$3,918 MX$67.2K

$6,850 ISK 852.8K

-42.80%

Buy Apartment Outside City Center (m2)

$6,459 MX$110.9K

$6,826 ISK 849.8K

-5.37%

Average Monthly Net Salary (After Tax)

$667 MX$11.4K

$4,665 ISK 580.8K

-85.70%

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: June 7, 2026

Last update for Hafnarfjordur: June 7, 2026

Cost Breakdown

A central one-bedroom costs $956 in Playa del Carmen versus $2,423 in Hafnarfjordur. Rent is usually the largest line item in a monthly budget, so the gap here sets the tone for the overall comparison.

Salaries run about 599% higher in Hafnarfjordur, which partly offsets the higher cost of living there. Purchasing power depends on which expenses matter most to you.

A mid-range dinner for two costs $43.00 in Playa del Carmen versus $145 in Hafnarfjordur. Monthly groceries follow the same trend: $250 vs $595 – making Playa del Carmen the more affordable choice for daily food spending.

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 Hafnarfjordur: Cost of Living - Frequently Asked Questions

Hafnarfjordur costs about 188% more than Playa del Carmen, with the gap driven mainly by Groceries & Markets. That's enough to noticeably affect everyday spending and lifestyle for anyone choosing between the two.

For a comfortable life, plan on about $1,906 per month in Playa del Carmen and $5,492 in Hafnarfjordur. 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.

Monthly expenses with rent come to $1,271 in Playa del Carmen and $3,661 in Hafnarfjordur. The difference isn't just one category – it shows up across housing, food, transport, and services.

Public transport costs about 213% less in Playa del Carmen. For daily commuters, that gap adds up to noticeable savings over a year.

A $1,500 monthly budget goes further in Playa del Carmen, where all-in costs run around $1,271, than in Hafnarfjordur at $3,661. In Playa del Carmen it covers expenses comfortably, while in Hafnarfjordur it requires careful planning or may not stretch far enough.

For digital nomads, it depends on budget. Playa del Carmen costs $1,271 versus $3,661 in Hafnarfjordur. Both have workable remote work infrastructure, but the cost gap matters when income varies month to month.

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