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: $1,297 in Playa del Carmen versus $987 in Ibb.

Estimated couple costs with rent: $2,181 in Playa del Carmen versus $1,658 in Ibb.

Monthly costs for a family of three with rent: $3,065 in Playa del Carmen versus $2,329 in Ibb.

Living in Playa del Carmen is roughly 31% more expensive than Ibb, driven mainly by Groceries & Markets.

Both cities sit below the global median: Playa del Carmen 3% lower, Ibb 26% lower.

Meal at Budget Restaurant

$11.73 MX$203

$6.85 YER 1,633

71.24%

Three-Course Dinner for Two, Mid-Range

$41.62 MX$720

$40.65 YER 9,687

2.39%

Fast Food Meal (McDonalds, etc)

$10.64 MX$184

$12.50 YER 2,978

-14.88%

Cappuccino

$3.52 MX$60.9

$2.08 YER 495

69.23%

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

$1.51 MX$26.12

$1.60 YER 382

-5.63%

Water (0.33 liter bottle)

$0.97 MX$16.84

$0.50 YER 119

94.00%

Local Beer (0.5 liter draught)

$2.95 MX$51.0

Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$4.45 MX$77.0

Milk (1 liter)

$1.38 MX$23.93

$3.26 YER 778

-57.67%

White Bread (500g)

$1.89 MX$32.72

$1.16 YER 276

62.93%

Rice (white) (1kg)

$1.64 MX$28.32

$4.74 YER 1,131

-65.40%

Eggs

$2.51 MX$43.34

$6.43 YER 1,531

-60.96%

Local Cheese (1kg)

$8.34 MX$144

$9.11 YER 2,172

-8.45%

Chicken Fillets (1kg)

$8.34 MX$144

$12.60 YER 3,002

-33.81%

Beef Round Steak (1kg)

$10.73 MX$186

$27.63 YER 6,585

-61.17%

Apples (1kg)

$2.60 MX$45.04

$5.80 YER 1,382

-55.17%

Banana (1kg)

$1.46 MX$25.20

$2.17 YER 517

-32.72%

Oranges (1kg)

$1.90 MX$32.87

$6.45 YER 1,537

-70.54%

Tomato (1kg)

$2.08 MX$35.91

$3.67 YER 876

-43.32%

Potato (1kg)

$1.78 MX$30.71

$2.32 YER 554

-23.28%

Onion (1kg)

$2.19 MX$37.80

$2.02 YER 481

8.42%

Lettuce (1 head)

$1.04 MX$17.99

$0.78 YER 186

33.33%

Water (1.5 liter bottle)

$1.08 MX$18.62

$1.40 YER 334

-22.86%

Bottle of Non-Alcoholic Wine (Mid-Range)

$3.34 YER 795

Cigarettes 20 Pack (Marlboro, Camel)

$4.08 MX$70.6

$4.04 YER 963

0.99%

Wine (Bottle)

$10.32 MX$178

Local Beer (0.5 liter bottle)

$1.71 MX$29.61

Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$2.58 MX$44.54

One-way Ticket (Public Transport)

$0.51 MX$8.81

Public Transport Monthly Pass (Regular Price)

$26.46 MX$458

Taxi Start (Normal Tariff)

$3.26 MX$56.4

$2.08 YER 496

56.73%

Taxi (Normal Tariff) (1km)

$2.49 MX$43.09

Taxi 1hour Waiting (Normal Tariff)

$3.25 MX$56.2

Gasoline (1 liter)

$1.31 MX$22.61

$3.99 YER 952

-67.17%

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

$30.3K MX$523.7K

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

$23.4K MX$405.3K

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

$82.9 MX$1,433

$90.8 YER 21.6K

-8.75%

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

$22.22 MX$384

$15.33 YER 3,652

44.94%

Internet (50+ Mbps, Unlimited Data)

$29.34 MX$507

$77.6 YER 18.5K

-62.17%

Gym Membership (Monthly)

$51.6 MX$893

$80.6 YER 19.2K

-35.91%

Tennis Court (1 Hour on Weekend)

$18.32 MX$317

Cinema Ticket

$5.07 MX$87.6

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

$201 MX$3,473

$28.67 YER 6,833

600.42%

International Primary School, 1 Child (Yearly)

$5,212 MX$90.1K

$3,323 YER 791.9K

56.83%

Jeans (Levis 501 Or Similar)

$36.92 MX$639

$29.35 YER 6,993

25.79%

Summer Dress (H&M, Zara, etc)

$39.79 MX$688

Sport Shoes (Adidas, Nike)

$78.5 MX$1,357

$48.95 YER 11.7K

60.27%

Men's Leather Business Shoes

$87.1 MX$1,506

$57.5 YER 13.7K

51.54%

1-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)

$973 MX$16.8K

$216 YER 51.5K

349.83%

1-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)

$468 MX$8,090

$160 YER 38.2K

191.73%

3-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)

$1,641 MX$28.4K

$571 YER 136.1K

187.39%

3-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)

$1,221 MX$21.1K

$395 YER 94.1K

209.12%

Buy Apartment in City Center (m2)

$3,946 MX$68.3K

Buy Apartment Outside City Center (m2)

$6,498 MX$112.4K

Average Monthly Net Salary (After Tax)

$664 MX$11.5K

$352 YER 83.9K

88.66%

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: June 2, 2026

Last update for Ibb: June 1, 2026

Cost Breakdown

A one-bedroom apartment in the center runs $973 in Playa del Carmen and $216 in Ibb. Housing cost is often the main lever when comparing two cities.

Playa del Carmen pays 89% 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 $379, 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 31% gap adds up to real monthly savings that compound significantly over time.

Playa del Carmen pays 89% more on average, 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: $973 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 52% less for everyday groceries. It's an unusual reversal that partly offsets higher costs elsewhere.

All in, you'll spend $1,297 per month in Playa del Carmen versus $987 in Ibb – a 31% gap that adds up to real savings over time for anyone picking the cheaper option.

At $987 in Ibb versus $1,297 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 31% less than in Playa del Carmen. Beyond cost, consider language, visa policies, and how big the international community is in each city.