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 $1,266 per month in Playa del Carmen vs $2,439 in Ikeja, rent included.

A couple spends around $2,279 per month in Playa del Carmen vs $4,172 in Ikeja, rent included.

A family of three spends $3,292 per month in Playa del Carmen vs $5,905 in Ikeja, rent included.

Playa del Carmen is about 48% cheaper than Ikeja, driven mainly by Groceries & Markets.

Playa del Carmen sits 7% below the global median, while Ikeja is 78% above – they fall on opposite sides of the world average.

Meal at Budget Restaurant

$11.60 MX$200

$0.55 ₦729

2009.09%

Three-Course Dinner for Two, Mid-Range

$47.11 MX$811

$11.09 ₦14.7K

324.80%

Fast Food Meal (McDonalds, etc)

$11.88 MX$205

$7.60 ₦10.1K

56.32%

Cappuccino

$3.98 MX$68.5

$2.85 ₦3,791

39.65%

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

$1.43 MX$24.57

$0.12 ₦154

1091.67%

Water (0.33 liter bottle)

$0.82 MX$14.20

$0.08 ₦113

925.00%

Local Beer (0.5 liter draught)

$3.19 MX$54.9

$0.31 ₦417

929.03%

Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$6.79 MX$117

$2.01 ₦2,672

237.81%

Milk (1 liter)

$1.68 MX$28.85

$0.76 ₦1,012

121.05%

White Bread (500g)

$2.20 MX$37.83

$0.79 ₦1,045

178.48%

Rice (white) (1kg)

$1.71 MX$29.41

$1.26 ₦1,670

35.71%

Eggs

$2.74 MX$47.20

$2.28 ₦3,029

20.18%

Local Cheese (1kg)

$9.58 MX$165

$3.64 ₦4,834

163.19%

Chicken Fillets (1kg)

$9.01 MX$155

$3.94 ₦5,238

128.68%

Beef Round Steak (1kg)

$12.81 MX$221

$4.55 ₦6,050

181.54%

Apples (1kg)

$2.89 MX$49.74

$1.69 ₦2,245

71.01%

Banana (1kg)

$1.50 MX$25.78

$1.24 ₦1,643

20.97%

Oranges (1kg)

$2.15 MX$36.98

$1.15 ₦1,530

86.96%

Tomato (1kg)

$2.26 MX$38.91

$1.27 ₦1,694

77.95%

Potato (1kg)

$1.98 MX$34.10

$1.38 ₦1,827

43.48%

Onion (1kg)

$1.99 MX$34.26

$1.31 ₦1,740

51.91%

Lettuce (1 head)

$1.23 MX$21.25

$0.90 ₦1,194

36.67%

Water (1.5 liter bottle)

$1.20 MX$20.60

$0.37 ₦491

224.32%

Cigarettes 20 Pack (Marlboro, Camel)

$4.55 MX$78.3

$0.56 ₦743

712.50%

Wine (Bottle)

$10.37 MX$179

$2.72 ₦3,611

281.25%

Local Beer (0.5 liter bottle)

$1.62 MX$27.88

$0.55 ₦725

194.55%

Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$2.88 MX$49.60

$0.49 ₦657

487.76%

One-way Ticket (Public Transport)

$0.60 MX$10.34

$0.13 ₦167

361.54%

Public Transport Monthly Pass (Regular Price)

$28.80 MX$496

$3.48 ₦4,617

727.59%

Taxi Start (Normal Tariff)

$5.39 MX$92.8

$0.67 ₦884

704.48%

Taxi (Normal Tariff) (1km)

$3.73 MX$64.2

$0.91 ₦1,208

309.89%

Taxi 1hour Waiting (Normal Tariff)

$5.77 MX$99.3

$2.18 ₦2,891

164.68%

Gasoline (1 liter)

$1.54 MX$26.45

$0.16 ₦209

862.50%

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

$22.5K MX$388.3K

$11.2K ₦14.9M

101.10%

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

$26.1K MX$448.7K

$13.8K ₦18.4M

88.28%

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

$91.4 MX$1,573

$110 ₦146.4K

-17.08%

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

$25.20 MX$434

$16.24 ₦21.6K

55.17%

Internet (50+ Mbps, Unlimited Data)

$31.24 MX$538

$32.10 ₦42.6K

-2.68%

Gym Membership (Monthly)

$67.2 MX$1,157

Tennis Court (1 Hour on Weekend)

$29.11 MX$501

Cinema Ticket

$4.86 MX$83.7

$4.89 ₦6,495

-0.61%

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

$224 MX$3,851

$663 ₦880.4K

-66.26%

International Primary School, 1 Child (Yearly)

$4,229 MX$72.8K

$19.8K ₦26.3M

-78.66%

Jeans (Levis 501 Or Similar)

$47.10 MX$811

$14.44 ₦19.2K

226.18%

Summer Dress (H&M, Zara, etc)

$44.29 MX$763

$18.17 ₦24.1K

143.75%

Sport Shoes (Adidas, Nike)

$80.1 MX$1,379

$35.88 ₦47.7K

123.27%

Men's Leather Business Shoes

$92.7 MX$1,596

$48.93 ₦65.0K

89.37%

1-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)

$1,063 MX$18.3K

$3,471 ₦4.6M

-69.39%

1-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)

$390 MX$6,719

$1,968 ₦2.6M

-80.17%

3-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)

$2,149 MX$37.0K

$6,566 ₦8.7M

-67.27%

3-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)

$1,272 MX$21.9K

$4,907 ₦6.5M

-74.08%

Buy Apartment in City Center (m2)

$4,001 MX$68.9K

Buy Apartment Outside City Center (m2)

$6,502 MX$112.0K

Average Monthly Net Salary (After Tax)

$758 MX$13.1K

$74.9 ₦99.5K

912.39%

20-Year Fixed Mortgage Interest Rate (Annual %)

11.45

18.05

-36.57%

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

Last update for Playa del Carmen: September 12, 2026

Last update for Ikeja: September 12, 2026

Cost Breakdown

A central one-bedroom costs $1,063 in Playa del Carmen versus $3,471 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 912% higher in Playa del Carmen, which reinforces the cost advantage – you earn more and spend less. Purchasing power leans clearly in its favor.

A mid-range dinner for two costs $47.00 in Playa del Carmen versus $11.00 in Ikeja. Monthly groceries follow the same trend: $276 vs $125 – 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

Ikeja costs about 93% 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 $1,899 per month in Playa del Carmen and $3,658 in Ikeja. 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.

Interestingly, groceries are about 121% cheaper in Ikeja – one category where the pricier city actually offers better value, probably thanks to stronger retail competition or local farming.

A mid-range dinner for two costs $47.00 in Playa del Carmen and $11.00 in Ikeja. That's a good indicator of the overall restaurant and café pricing gap between the two cities.

A $1,500 monthly budget goes further in Playa del Carmen, where all-in costs run around $1,266, than in Ikeja at $2,439. In Playa del Carmen it covers expenses comfortably, while in Ikeja it requires careful planning or may not stretch far enough.

For digital nomads, it depends on budget. Playa del Carmen costs $1,266 versus $2,439 in Ikeja. 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, Ikeja makes more sense. Both are solid long-term options with distinct trade-offs.