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

Monthly Cost of Living

A single person spends $1,287 per month in Playa del Carmen vs $1,044 in Ikeja, rent included.

A couple spends around $2,184 per month in Playa del Carmen vs $1,666 in Ikeja, rent included.

A family of three spends $3,082 per month in Playa del Carmen vs $2,288 in Ikeja, rent included.

Playa del Carmen costs about 23% more than Ikeja, driven mainly by Eating Out.

Both Playa del Carmen and Ikeja are more affordable than the global median – Playa del Carmen 4% lower, Ikeja 22% lower.

Meal at Budget Restaurant

$11.94 MX$209

$1.55 ₦2,136

670.32%

Three-Course Dinner for Two, Mid-Range

$42.75 MX$748

$32.33 ₦44.5K

32.23%

Fast Food Meal (McDonalds, etc)

$10.59 MX$185

$5.36 ₦7,385

97.57%

Cappuccino

$3.62 MX$63.4

$2.13 ₦2,934

69.95%

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

$1.47 MX$25.69

$0.34 ₦463

332.35%

Water (0.33 liter bottle)

$0.94 MX$16.51

$0.22 ₦303

327.27%

Local Beer (0.5 liter draught)

$3.09 MX$54.1

$0.86 ₦1,185

259.30%

Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$4.46 MX$78.0

$1.37 ₦1,892

225.55%

Milk (1 liter)

$1.43 MX$24.94

$2.12 ₦2,918

-32.55%

White Bread (500g)

$1.88 MX$32.97

$1.20 ₦1,649

56.67%

Rice (white) (1kg)

$1.63 MX$28.50

$2.30 ₦3,171

-29.13%

Eggs

$2.64 MX$46.26

$1.78 ₦2,445

48.31%

Local Cheese (1kg)

$8.21 MX$144

$6.19 ₦8,524

32.63%

Chicken Fillets (1kg)

$8.29 MX$145

$4.26 ₦5,862

94.60%

Beef Round Steak (1kg)

$11.10 MX$194

$5.56 ₦7,657

99.64%

Apples (1kg)

$2.65 MX$46.40

$3.47 ₦4,776

-23.63%

Banana (1kg)

$1.50 MX$26.26

$2.02 ₦2,784

-25.74%

Oranges (1kg)

$1.99 MX$34.79

$2.12 ₦2,916

-6.13%

Tomato (1kg)

$2.08 MX$36.33

$2.32 ₦3,189

-10.34%

Potato (1kg)

$1.79 MX$31.29

$2.32 ₦3,192

-22.84%

Onion (1kg)

$2.18 MX$38.09

$2.00 ₦2,749

9.00%

Lettuce (1 head)

$1.08 MX$18.84

$1.99 ₦2,743

-45.73%

Water (1.5 liter bottle)

$1.04 MX$18.15

$0.38 ₦526

173.68%

Cigarettes 20 Pack (Marlboro, Camel)

$3.97 MX$69.5

$1.31 ₦1,809

203.05%

Wine (Bottle)

$10.20 MX$179

$3.29 ₦4,528

210.03%

Local Beer (0.5 liter bottle)

$1.73 MX$30.22

$0.64 ₦876

170.31%

Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$2.50 MX$43.71

$0.89 ₦1,220

180.90%

One-way Ticket (Public Transport)

$0.52 MX$9.07

$0.34 ₦472

52.94%

Public Transport Monthly Pass (Regular Price)

$26.97 MX$472

$9.76 ₦13.4K

176.33%

Taxi Start (Normal Tariff)

$3.14 MX$55.0

$1.25 ₦1,722

151.20%

Taxi (Normal Tariff) (1km)

$2.40 MX$42.04

$2.25 ₦3,104

6.67%

Taxi 1hour Waiting (Normal Tariff)

$3.09 MX$54.0

$4.72 ₦6,504

-34.53%

Gasoline (1 liter)

$1.27 MX$22.28

$0.42 ₦572

202.38%

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

$30.9K MX$540.4K

$20.3K ₦27.9M

52.43%

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

$23.3K MX$408.0K

$20.5K ₦28.3M

13.58%

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

$82.0 MX$1,435

$41.58 ₦57.3K

97.23%

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

$22.45 MX$393

$10.15 ₦14.0K

121.18%

Internet (50+ Mbps, Unlimited Data)

$29.66 MX$519

$34.07 ₦46.9K

-12.94%

Gym Membership (Monthly)

$51.9 MX$908

Tennis Court (1 Hour on Weekend)

$18.67 MX$327

Cinema Ticket

$4.97 MX$87.0

$6.18 ₦8,514

-19.58%

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

$198 MX$3,462

$82.3 ₦113.3K

140.47%

International Primary School, 1 Child (Yearly)

$5,273 MX$92.3K

$2,324 ₦3.2M

126.89%

Jeans (Levis 501 Or Similar)

$36.34 MX$636

$19.08 ₦26.3K

90.46%

Summer Dress (H&M, Zara, etc)

$40.05 MX$701

$24.77 ₦34.1K

61.69%

Sport Shoes (Adidas, Nike)

$79.9 MX$1,398

$65.2 ₦89.7K

22.55%

Men's Leather Business Shoes

$88.9 MX$1,555

$58.0 ₦79.9K

53.16%

1-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)

$963 MX$16.9K

$826 ₦1.1M

16.59%

1-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)

$465 MX$8,133

$611 ₦841.7K

-23.98%

3-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)

$1,596 MX$27.9K

$1,939 ₦2.7M

-17.67%

3-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)

$1,209 MX$21.2K

$1,206 ₦1.7M

0.23%

Buy Apartment in City Center (m2)

$3,942 MX$69.0K

Buy Apartment Outside City Center (m2)

$6,448 MX$112.8K

Average Monthly Net Salary (After Tax)

$720 MX$12.6K

$126 ₦173.7K

471.02%

20-Year Fixed Mortgage Interest Rate (Annual %)

11.42

16.33

-30.07%

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

Last update for Playa del Carmen: April 25, 2026

Last update for Ikeja: April 26, 2026

Cost Breakdown

A central one-bedroom costs $963 in Playa del Carmen versus $826 in Ikeja. 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 471% higher in Playa del Carmen, 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 $32.00 in Ikeja. Monthly groceries follow the same trend: $251 vs $191 – making Ikeja 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 Ikeja: Cost of Living - Frequently Asked Questions

Playa del Carmen costs about 23% more than Ikeja, with the gap driven mainly by Eating Out. That's enough to noticeably affect everyday spending and lifestyle for anyone choosing between the two.

For a comfortable life, plan on about $1,930 per month in Playa del Carmen and $1,566 in Ikeja. That covers rent, food, utilities, transport, and enough left over to feel settled – not just surviving.

Rent is clearly cheaper in Ikeja, especially for central apartments. Housing is actually the single biggest factor behind the overall cost gap between these two cities.

Groceries cost about 32% more in Playa del Carmen, though it depends on what you buy. Local produce may be comparable; imported and premium items show the biggest price gap.

A mid-range dinner for two costs $43.00 in Playa del Carmen and $32.00 in Ikeja. That's a good indicator of the overall restaurant and café pricing gap between the two cities.

A $1,000 monthly budget goes further in Ikeja, where all-in costs run around $1,044, than in Playa del Carmen at $1,287. In Ikeja it covers expenses comfortably, while in Playa del Carmen it requires careful planning or may not stretch far enough.

For digital nomads, it depends on budget. Ikeja costs $1,044 versus $1,287 in Playa del Carmen. 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 Ikeja. If higher salaries, better infrastructure, or specific career opportunities are the priority, Playa del Carmen makes more sense. Both are solid long-term options with distinct trade-offs.