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

Monthly Cost of Living

A single person spends $1,271 per month in Playa del Carmen vs $446 in Ilesha, rent included.

A couple spends around $2,126 per month in Playa del Carmen vs $796 in Ilesha, rent included.

A family of three spends $2,980 per month in Playa del Carmen vs $1,146 in Ilesha, rent included.

Playa del Carmen costs about 185% more than Ilesha, driven mainly by Eating Out.

Both Playa del Carmen and Ilesha are more affordable than the global median – Playa del Carmen 5% lower, Ilesha 67% lower.

Meal at Budget Restaurant

$11.87 MX$207

$2.57 ₦3,488

361.87%

Three-Course Dinner for Two, Mid-Range

$42.90 MX$749

$50.5 ₦68.6K

-15.10%

Fast Food Meal (McDonalds, etc)

$10.65 MX$186

$5.20 ₦7,055

104.81%

Cappuccino

$3.45 MX$60.2

$2.13 ₦2,888

61.97%

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

$1.50 MX$26.24

$0.33 ₦453

354.55%

Water (0.33 liter bottle)

$0.95 MX$16.56

$0.20 ₦272

375.00%

Local Beer (0.5 liter draught)

$3.03 MX$52.8

$0.78 ₦1,060

288.46%

Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$4.61 MX$80.4

$1.37 ₦1,858

236.50%

Milk (1 liter)

$1.38 MX$24.01

$2.26 ₦3,072

-38.94%

White Bread (500g)

$1.85 MX$32.24

$1.25 ₦1,702

48.00%

Rice (white) (1kg)

$1.61 MX$28.11

$2.26 ₦3,062

-28.76%

Eggs

$2.59 MX$45.26

$1.72 ₦2,330

50.58%

Local Cheese (1kg)

$8.26 MX$144

$6.31 ₦8,568

30.90%

Chicken Fillets (1kg)

$8.37 MX$146

$4.20 ₦5,699

99.29%

Beef Round Steak (1kg)

$10.66 MX$186

$5.28 ₦7,167

101.89%

Apples (1kg)

$2.63 MX$45.89

$3.47 ₦4,716

-24.21%

Banana (1kg)

$1.49 MX$25.96

$2.06 ₦2,796

-27.67%

Oranges (1kg)

$1.92 MX$33.50

$2.17 ₦2,948

-11.52%

Tomato (1kg)

$2.09 MX$36.41

$2.31 ₦3,138

-9.52%

Potato (1kg)

$1.86 MX$32.42

$2.32 ₦3,147

-19.83%

Onion (1kg)

$2.26 MX$39.47

$1.92 ₦2,609

17.71%

Lettuce (1 head)

$1.06 MX$18.54

$1.99 ₦2,707

-46.73%

Water (1.5 liter bottle)

$1.09 MX$18.98

$0.35 ₦480

211.43%

Cigarettes 20 Pack (Marlboro, Camel)

$4.15 MX$72.4

$1.25 ₦1,704

232.00%

Wine (Bottle)

$10.39 MX$181

$2.62 ₦3,557

296.56%

Local Beer (0.5 liter bottle)

$1.72 MX$30.09

$0.63 ₦857

173.02%

Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$2.61 MX$45.60

$0.93 ₦1,258

180.65%

One-way Ticket (Public Transport)

$0.54 MX$9.46

Public Transport Monthly Pass (Regular Price)

$26.94 MX$470

Taxi Start (Normal Tariff)

$3.13 MX$54.6

$1.20 ₦1,625

160.83%

Taxi (Normal Tariff) (1km)

$2.51 MX$43.82

$2.26 ₦3,075

11.06%

Taxi 1hour Waiting (Normal Tariff)

$3.15 MX$55.0

$4.58 ₦6,214

-31.22%

Gasoline (1 liter)

$1.27 MX$22.25

$0.79 ₦1,068

60.76%

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

$30.4K MX$530.1K

$20.6K ₦27.9M

47.67%

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

$23.6K MX$411.3K

$20.2K ₦27.4M

16.89%

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

$83.0 MX$1,449

$40.76 ₦55.3K

103.63%

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

$22.71 MX$396

$10.05 ₦13.7K

125.97%

Internet (50+ Mbps, Unlimited Data)

$29.46 MX$514

$34.50 ₦46.8K

-14.61%

Gym Membership (Monthly)

$51.0 MX$890

Tennis Court (1 Hour on Weekend)

$18.33 MX$320

Cinema Ticket

$4.93 MX$86.0

$6.16 ₦8,359

-19.97%

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

$197 MX$3,444

$81.8 ₦111.0K

141.35%

International Primary School, 1 Child (Yearly)

$5,280 MX$92.1K

$2,342 ₦3.2M

125.46%

Jeans (Levis 501 Or Similar)

$36.90 MX$644

$19.18 ₦26.0K

92.39%

Summer Dress (H&M, Zara, etc)

$39.89 MX$696

$24.87 ₦33.8K

60.39%

Sport Shoes (Adidas, Nike)

$80.0 MX$1,396

$64.6 ₦87.8K

23.80%

Men's Leather Business Shoes

$89.5 MX$1,561

$57.0 ₦77.3K

57.10%

1-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)

$956 MX$16.7K

1-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)

$477 MX$8,327

3-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)

$1,646 MX$28.7K

3-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)

$1,225 MX$21.4K

Buy Apartment in City Center (m2)

$3,918 MX$68.4K

Buy Apartment Outside City Center (m2)

$6,459 MX$112.7K

Average Monthly Net Salary (After Tax)

$667 MX$11.6K

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: June 7, 2026

Last update for Ilesha: June 6, 2026

Cost Breakdown

A mid-range dinner for two costs $43.00 in Playa del Carmen versus $51.0 in Ilesha. Groceries tell a different story – $250 in Playa del Carmen vs $190 in Ilesha – so Ilesha 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 Ilesha: Cost of Living - Frequently Asked Questions

Yes – Playa del Carmen is pricier by about 185%, and the gap shows up most in Eating Out. It's not just housing either; the difference applies across most spending categories.

For a comfortable life, plan on about $1,906 per month in Playa del Carmen and $669 in Ilesha. That covers rent, food, utilities, transport, and enough left over to feel settled – not just surviving.

A mid-range dinner for two costs $43.00 in Playa del Carmen and $51.0 in Ilesha. That's a good indicator of the overall restaurant and café pricing gap between the two cities.

Groceries cost about 31% 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 $1,500 monthly budget goes further in Ilesha, where all-in costs run around $446, than in Playa del Carmen at $1,271. In Ilesha it covers expenses comfortably, while in Playa del Carmen it requires careful planning or may not stretch far enough.

Families tend to lean toward Ilesha – lower housing and cheaper childcare make a real difference, especially on a single income or when paying for private education.

If budget matters most, go with Ilesha. 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.