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

Monthly Cost of Living

Monthly costs for one person with rent: $1,256 in Playa del Carmen versus $987 in Ibb.

Estimated couple costs with rent: $2,137 in Playa del Carmen versus $1,625 in Ibb.

Monthly costs for a family of three with rent: $3,017 in Playa del Carmen versus $2,263 in Ibb.

Living in Playa del Carmen is roughly 27% more expensive than in Ibb, driven mainly by Groceries & Markets.

Both cities sit below the global median: Playa del Carmen 6% lower, Ibb 26% lower.

Meal at Budget Restaurant

$11.99 MX$209

$6.79 YER 1,606

76.58%

Three-Course Dinner for Two, Mid-Range

$41.78 MX$728

$41.32 YER 9,781

1.11%

Fast Food Meal (McDonalds, etc)

$10.75 MX$187

$12.77 YER 3,023

-15.82%

Cappuccino

$3.50 MX$60.9

$2.03 YER 480

72.41%

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

$1.45 MX$25.22

$1.67 YER 395

-13.17%

Water (0.33 liter bottle)

$0.88 MX$15.41

$0.53 YER 126

66.04%

Local Beer (0.5 liter draught)

$2.95 MX$51.3

Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$4.51 MX$78.6

Milk (1 liter)

$1.43 MX$24.94

$3.29 YER 778

-56.53%

White Bread (500g)

$1.84 MX$31.99

$1.17 YER 277

57.26%

Rice (white) (1kg)

$1.57 MX$27.31

$4.82 YER 1,140

-67.43%

Eggs

$2.51 MX$43.74

$6.53 YER 1,545

-61.56%

Local Cheese (1kg)

$8.28 MX$144

$9.58 YER 2,268

-13.57%

Chicken Fillets (1kg)

$8.43 MX$147

$12.30 YER 2,912

-31.46%

Beef Round Steak (1kg)

$10.68 MX$186

$27.51 YER 6,512

-61.18%

Apples (1kg)

$2.61 MX$45.43

$5.71 YER 1,352

-54.29%

Banana (1kg)

$1.44 MX$25.04

$2.14 YER 507

-32.71%

Oranges (1kg)

$1.96 MX$34.16

$6.26 YER 1,482

-68.69%

Tomato (1kg)

$2.09 MX$36.47

$3.73 YER 883

-43.97%

Potato (1kg)

$1.85 MX$32.24

$2.30 YER 545

-19.57%

Onion (1kg)

$2.17 MX$37.74

$2.10 YER 496

3.33%

Lettuce (1 head)

$1.03 MX$17.96

$0.77 YER 182

33.77%

Water (1.5 liter bottle)

$1.07 MX$18.70

$1.46 YER 346

-26.71%

Bottle of Non-Alcoholic Wine (Mid-Range)

$3.43 YER 813

Cigarettes 20 Pack (Marlboro, Camel)

$4.10 MX$71.4

$4.18 YER 988

-1.91%

Wine (Bottle)

$10.17 MX$177

Local Beer (0.5 liter bottle)

$1.68 MX$29.17

Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$2.53 MX$43.98

One-way Ticket (Public Transport)

$0.51 MX$8.87

Public Transport Monthly Pass (Regular Price)

$26.04 MX$453

Taxi Start (Normal Tariff)

$3.23 MX$56.3

$2.06 YER 488

56.80%

Taxi (Normal Tariff) (1km)

$2.41 MX$41.88

Taxi 1hour Waiting (Normal Tariff)

$3.23 MX$56.2

Gasoline (1 liter)

$1.32 MX$23.00

$4.06 YER 961

-67.49%

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

$29.7K MX$517.1K

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

$23.7K MX$412.0K

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

$82.0 MX$1,428

$91.3 YER 21.6K

-10.17%

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

$22.95 MX$400

$15.57 YER 3,685

47.40%

Internet (50+ Mbps, Unlimited Data)

$30.11 MX$524

$76.6 YER 18.1K

-60.68%

Gym Membership (Monthly)

$52.0 MX$905

$82.2 YER 19.4K

-36.74%

Tennis Court (1 Hour on Weekend)

$18.53 MX$323

Cinema Ticket

$4.98 MX$86.6

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

$197 MX$3,438

$29.42 YER 6,963

571.11%

International Primary School, 1 Child (Yearly)

$5,336 MX$92.9K

$3,391 YER 802.6K

57.37%

Jeans (Levis 501 Or Similar)

$35.60 MX$620

$28.45 YER 6,735

25.13%

Summer Dress (H&M, Zara, etc)

$40.33 MX$702

Sport Shoes (Adidas, Nike)

$78.8 MX$1,371

$48.93 YER 11.6K

60.94%

Men's Leather Business Shoes

$88.9 MX$1,549

$58.1 YER 13.7K

53.09%

1-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)

$947 MX$16.5K

$216 YER 51.2K

337.49%

1-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)

$474 MX$8,254

$161 YER 38.2K

193.61%

3-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)

$1,644 MX$28.6K

$586 YER 138.7K

180.48%

3-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)

$1,211 MX$21.1K

$396 YER 93.7K

205.78%

Buy Apartment in City Center (m2)

$4,056 MX$70.6K

Buy Apartment Outside City Center (m2)

$6,470 MX$112.7K

Average Monthly Net Salary (After Tax)

$654 MX$11.4K

$354 YER 83.8K

84.73%

20-Year Fixed Mortgage Interest Rate (Annual %)

11.42

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

Last update for Playa del Carmen: July 13, 2026

Last update for Ibb: July 11, 2026

Cost Breakdown

A one-bedroom apartment in the center runs $947 in Playa del Carmen and $216 in Ibb. Housing cost is often the main lever when comparing two cities.

Playa del Carmen pays 85% 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 $41.00 in Ibb. Groceries flip the comparison at $249 vs $380, with Playa del Carmen cheaper for home cooking.

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 Ibb: Cost of Living - Frequently Asked Questions

Ibb is cheaper overall, especially in Eating Out, Clothing & Footwear, Getting Around. The 27% gap adds up to real monthly savings that compound significantly over time.

Average pay runs 85% higher in Playa del Carmen, which matters when comparing affordability. Whether that higher income actually nets you more depends on your spending habits and housing choices.

Rent for a central apartment: $947 in Playa del Carmen versus $216 in Ibb. Housing is usually the single largest factor when comparing overall living costs between the two.

Shoppers in Playa del Carmen pay roughly 53% less for everyday groceries. It's an unusual reversal that partly offsets higher costs elsewhere.

All in, you'll spend $1,256 per month in Playa del Carmen versus $987 in Ibb – a 27% gap that adds up to real savings over time for anyone picking the cheaper option.

At $987 in Ibb versus $1,256 in Playa del Carmen, a $1,500 budget is realistic in Ibb but tight or insufficient in Playa del Carmen. The gap between the two cities makes Ibb the clear choice for anyone on this budget.

For families, Ibb 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.

Expats usually find Ibb gentler on the wallet – expenses run 27% less than in Playa del Carmen. Beyond cost, consider language, visa policies, and how big the international community is in each city.