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 $1,305 per month in Playa del Carmen vs $486 in Ilesha, rent included.

A couple spends around $2,334 per month in Playa del Carmen vs $798 in Ilesha, rent included.

A family of three spends $3,362 per month in Playa del Carmen vs $1,110 in Ilesha, rent included.

Playa del Carmen costs about 169% more than Ilesha, driven mainly by Groceries & Markets.

Both Playa del Carmen and Ilesha are more affordable than the global median – Playa del Carmen 5% lower, Ilesha 65% lower.

Meal at Budget Restaurant

$11.96 MX$203

$3.70 ₦4,910

223.24%

Three-Course Dinner for Two, Mid-Range

$47.38 MX$804

$50.3 ₦66.6K

-5.77%

Fast Food Meal (McDonalds, etc)

$11.75 MX$199

$7.33 ₦9,714

60.30%

Cappuccino

$4.12 MX$70.0

$2.78 ₦3,678

48.20%

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

$1.40 MX$23.74

$0.42 ₦552

233.33%

Water (0.33 liter bottle)

$0.91 MX$15.48

$0.23 ₦305

295.65%

Local Beer (0.5 liter draught)

$3.21 MX$54.4

$0.98 ₦1,293

227.55%

Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$7.07 MX$120

$1.95 ₦2,582

262.56%

Milk (1 liter)

$1.68 MX$28.44

$3.19 ₦4,234

-47.34%

White Bread (500g)

$2.15 MX$36.48

$1.48 ₦1,967

45.27%

Rice (white) (1kg)

$1.77 MX$30.10

$1.20 ₦1,595

47.50%

Eggs

$2.82 MX$47.76

$2.24 ₦2,967

25.89%

Local Cheese (1kg)

$9.20 MX$156

$3.48 ₦4,609

164.37%

Chicken Fillets (1kg)

$9.23 MX$157

$3.78 ₦5,006

144.18%

Beef Round Steak (1kg)

$12.64 MX$214

$4.48 ₦5,934

182.14%

Apples (1kg)

$2.95 MX$50.1

$1.68 ₦2,227

75.60%

Banana (1kg)

$1.58 MX$26.79

$1.25 ₦1,656

26.40%

Oranges (1kg)

$2.22 MX$37.70

$1.09 ₦1,450

103.67%

Tomato (1kg)

$2.36 MX$40.09

$1.32 ₦1,755

78.79%

Potato (1kg)

$1.99 MX$33.81

$1.38 ₦1,823

44.20%

Onion (1kg)

$1.98 MX$33.58

$1.30 ₦1,727

52.31%

Lettuce (1 head)

$1.24 MX$21.04

$0.88 ₦1,172

40.91%

Water (1.5 liter bottle)

$1.21 MX$20.55

$0.39 ₦518

210.26%

Cigarettes 20 Pack (Marlboro, Camel)

$4.60 MX$78.1

$0.54 ₦718

751.85%

Wine (Bottle)

$10.52 MX$178

$2.68 ₦3,545

292.54%

Local Beer (0.5 liter bottle)

$1.69 MX$28.70

$0.49 ₦655

244.90%

Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$2.77 MX$47.06

$0.46 ₦614

502.17%

One-way Ticket (Public Transport)

$0.60 MX$10.22

Public Transport Monthly Pass (Regular Price)

$29.70 MX$504

Taxi Start (Normal Tariff)

$5.24 MX$88.8

$0.65 ₦864

706.15%

Taxi (Normal Tariff) (1km)

$3.65 MX$61.9

$0.91 ₦1,208

301.10%

Taxi 1hour Waiting (Normal Tariff)

$5.78 MX$98.1

$2.14 ₦2,831

170.09%

Gasoline (1 liter)

$1.54 MX$26.09

$0.88 ₦1,163

75.00%

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

$22.8K MX$386.8K

$11.4K ₦15.1M

100.33%

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

$25.8K MX$437.9K

$13.7K ₦18.2M

88.42%

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

$90.7 MX$1,538

$112 ₦147.9K

-18.78%

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

$25.19 MX$427

$15.94 ₦21.1K

58.03%

Internet (50+ Mbps, Unlimited Data)

$31.75 MX$539

$32.91 ₦43.6K

-3.52%

Gym Membership (Monthly)

$68.8 MX$1,167

Tennis Court (1 Hour on Weekend)

$29.37 MX$498

Cinema Ticket

$4.86 MX$82.5

$4.78 ₦6,341

1.67%

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

$226 MX$3,828

$674 ₦893.6K

-66.53%

International Primary School, 1 Child (Yearly)

$4,194 MX$71.1K

$20.1K ₦26.6M

-79.11%

Jeans (Levis 501 Or Similar)

$47.38 MX$804

$14.78 ₦19.6K

220.57%

Summer Dress (H&M, Zara, etc)

$43.45 MX$737

$17.84 ₦23.6K

143.55%

Sport Shoes (Adidas, Nike)

$80.2 MX$1,361

$36.01 ₦47.7K

122.77%

Men's Leather Business Shoes

$91.4 MX$1,550

$48.54 ₦64.3K

88.26%

1-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)

$1,086 MX$18.4K

1-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)

$409 MX$6,933

3-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)

$1,972 MX$33.5K

3-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)

$1,281 MX$21.7K

Buy Apartment in City Center (m2)

$4,046 MX$68.6K

Buy Apartment Outside City Center (m2)

$6,704 MX$113.7K

Average Monthly Net Salary (After Tax)

$773 MX$13.1K

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 7, 2026

Last update for Ilesha: September 6, 2026

Cost Breakdown

A mid-range dinner for two costs $47.00 in Playa del Carmen versus $50.0 in Ilesha. Groceries tell a different story – $278 in Playa del Carmen vs $154 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 169%, and the gap shows up most in Groceries & Markets. It's not just housing either; the difference applies across most spending categories.

For a comfortable life, plan on about $1,958 per month in Playa del Carmen and $729 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 $47.00 in Playa del Carmen and $50.0 in Ilesha. That's a good indicator of the overall restaurant and café pricing gap between the two cities.

Groceries cost about 80% 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 $486, than in Playa del Carmen at $1,305. 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.