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

Monthly Cost of Living

A single person spends $1,305 per month in Playa del Carmen vs $1,406 in Iksan, rent included.

A couple spends around $2,334 per month in Playa del Carmen vs $2,148 in Iksan, rent included.

A family of three spends $3,362 per month in Playa del Carmen vs $2,890 in Iksan, rent included.

Playa del Carmen is about 7% cheaper than Iksan, driven mainly by Groceries & Markets.

Playa del Carmen sits 5% below the global median, while Iksan is 2% above – they fall on opposite sides of the world average.

Meal at Budget Restaurant

$11.96 MX$203

$5.95 ₩7,978

101.01%

Three-Course Dinner for Two, Mid-Range

$47.38 MX$804

$33.96 ₩45.5K

39.52%

Fast Food Meal (McDonalds, etc)

$11.75 MX$199

$6.49 ₩8,703

81.05%

Cappuccino

$4.12 MX$70.0

$3.57 ₩4,794

15.41%

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

$1.40 MX$23.74

$1.52 ₩2,036

-7.89%

Water (0.33 liter bottle)

$0.91 MX$15.48

$0.61 ₩823

49.18%

Local Beer (0.5 liter draught)

$3.21 MX$54.4

$3.39 ₩4,543

-5.31%

Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$7.07 MX$120

$4.59 ₩6,154

54.03%

Milk (1 liter)

$1.68 MX$28.44

$2.25 ₩3,017

-25.33%

White Bread (500g)

$2.15 MX$36.48

$3.01 ₩4,036

-28.57%

Rice (white) (1kg)

$1.77 MX$30.10

$2.24 ₩3,002

-20.98%

Eggs

$2.82 MX$47.76

$3.26 ₩4,369

-13.50%

Local Cheese (1kg)

$9.20 MX$156

$15.44 ₩20.7K

-40.41%

Chicken Fillets (1kg)

$9.23 MX$157

$7.67 ₩10.3K

20.34%

Beef Round Steak (1kg)

$12.64 MX$214

$10.99 ₩14.7K

15.01%

Apples (1kg)

$2.95 MX$50.1

$7.49 ₩10.0K

-60.61%

Banana (1kg)

$1.58 MX$26.79

$3.24 ₩4,344

-51.23%

Oranges (1kg)

$2.22 MX$37.70

$7.48 ₩10.0K

-70.32%

Tomato (1kg)

$2.36 MX$40.09

$6.75 ₩9,046

-65.04%

Potato (1kg)

$1.99 MX$33.81

$3.42 ₩4,587

-41.81%

Onion (1kg)

$1.98 MX$33.58

$2.40 ₩3,215

-17.50%

Lettuce (1 head)

$1.24 MX$21.04

$2.08 ₩2,785

-40.38%

Water (1.5 liter bottle)

$1.21 MX$20.55

$1.27 ₩1,704

-4.72%

Cigarettes 20 Pack (Marlboro, Camel)

$4.60 MX$78.1

$3.40 ₩4,562

35.29%

Wine (Bottle)

$10.52 MX$178

$18.75 ₩25.1K

-43.89%

Local Beer (0.5 liter bottle)

$1.69 MX$28.70

$2.29 ₩3,069

-26.20%

Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$2.77 MX$47.06

$3.66 ₩4,905

-24.32%

One-way Ticket (Public Transport)

$0.60 MX$10.22

$1.24 ₩1,659

-51.61%

Public Transport Monthly Pass (Regular Price)

$29.70 MX$504

Taxi Start (Normal Tariff)

$5.24 MX$88.8

$3.69 ₩4,954

42.01%

Taxi (Normal Tariff) (1km)

$3.65 MX$61.9

$0.66 ₩886

453.03%

Taxi 1hour Waiting (Normal Tariff)

$5.78 MX$98.1

$14.88 ₩20.0K

-61.16%

Gasoline (1 liter)

$1.54 MX$26.09

$1.33 ₩1,783

15.79%

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

$22.8K MX$386.8K

$29.8K ₩40.0M

-23.53%

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

$25.8K MX$437.9K

$35.5K ₩47.6M

-27.21%

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

$90.7 MX$1,538

$206 ₩275.9K

-55.93%

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

$25.19 MX$427

$43.05 ₩57.7K

-41.49%

Internet (50+ Mbps, Unlimited Data)

$31.75 MX$539

$21.00 ₩28.2K

51.19%

Gym Membership (Monthly)

$68.8 MX$1,167

$57.4 ₩77.0K

19.84%

Tennis Court (1 Hour on Weekend)

$29.37 MX$498

$12.32 ₩16.5K

138.39%

Cinema Ticket

$4.86 MX$82.5

$11.34 ₩15.2K

-57.14%

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

$226 MX$3,828

$297 ₩398.2K

-23.99%

International Primary School, 1 Child (Yearly)

$4,194 MX$71.1K

$17.8K ₩23.8M

-76.41%

Jeans (Levis 501 Or Similar)

$47.38 MX$804

$65.2 ₩87.5K

-27.38%

Summer Dress (H&M, Zara, etc)

$43.45 MX$737

$64.0 ₩85.9K

-32.13%

Sport Shoes (Adidas, Nike)

$80.2 MX$1,361

$72.6 ₩97.4K

10.50%

Men's Leather Business Shoes

$91.4 MX$1,550

$99.6 ₩133.6K

-8.24%

1-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)

$1,086 MX$18.4K

$459 ₩615.2K

136.65%

1-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)

$409 MX$6,933

$344 ₩461.9K

18.64%

3-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)

$1,972 MX$33.5K

$1,107 ₩1.5M

78.22%

3-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)

$1,281 MX$21.7K

$811 ₩1.1M

58.01%

Buy Apartment in City Center (m2)

$4,046 MX$68.6K

$6,583 ₩8.8M

-38.54%

Buy Apartment Outside City Center (m2)

$6,704 MX$113.7K

$5,663 ₩7.6M

18.38%

Average Monthly Net Salary (After Tax)

$773 MX$13.1K

$1,683 ₩2.3M

-54.06%

20-Year Fixed Mortgage Interest Rate (Annual %)

11.45

4.1

179.27%

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

Last update for Playa del Carmen: September 7, 2026

Last update for Iksan: September 5, 2026

Cost Breakdown

A central one-bedroom costs $1,086 in Playa del Carmen versus $459 in Iksan. 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 118% higher in Iksan, 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 $47.00 in Playa del Carmen versus $34.00 in Iksan. Groceries tell a different story – $278 in Playa del Carmen vs $408 in Iksan – so Playa del Carmen wins on supermarket bills even if dining out costs more.

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 Iksan: Cost of Living - Frequently Asked Questions

Iksan costs about 8% 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 $1,958 per month in Playa del Carmen and $2,108 in Iksan. 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.

A mid-range dinner for two costs $47.00 in Playa del Carmen and $34.00 in Iksan. That's a good indicator of the overall restaurant and café pricing gap between the two cities.

Groceries cost about 47% more in Iksan, though it depends on what you buy. Local produce may be comparable; imported and premium items show the biggest price gap.

A $1,500 monthly budget goes further in Playa del Carmen, where all-in costs run around $1,305, than in Iksan at $1,406. In Playa del Carmen it covers expenses comfortably, while in Iksan it requires careful planning or may not stretch far enough.

For digital nomads, it depends on budget. Playa del Carmen costs $1,305 versus $1,406 in Iksan. 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, Iksan makes more sense. Both are solid long-term options with distinct trade-offs.