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 $1,259 per month in Playa del Carmen vs $448 in Ilesha, rent included.

A couple spends around $2,177 per month in Playa del Carmen vs $793 in Ilesha, rent included.

A family of three spends $3,095 per month in Playa del Carmen vs $1,137 in Ilesha, rent included.

Playa del Carmen costs about 181% more than Ilesha, driven mainly by Eating Out.

Both Playa del Carmen and Ilesha are more affordable than the global median – Playa del Carmen 6% lower, Ilesha 66% lower.

Meal at Budget Restaurant

$11.95 MX$208

$2.53 ₦3,443

372.33%

Three-Course Dinner for Two, Mid-Range

$41.94 MX$731

$50.9 ₦69.4K

-17.64%

Fast Food Meal (McDonalds, etc)

$10.42 MX$182

$5.22 ₦7,112

99.62%

Cappuccino

$3.51 MX$61.3

$2.21 ₦3,008

58.82%

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

$1.52 MX$26.44

$0.34 ₦459

347.06%

Water (0.33 liter bottle)

$0.91 MX$15.88

$0.22 ₦300

313.64%

Local Beer (0.5 liter draught)

$3.04 MX$53.0

$0.86 ₦1,165

253.49%

Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$4.37 MX$76.2

$1.45 ₦1,979

201.38%

Milk (1 liter)

$1.42 MX$24.78

$2.34 ₦3,187

-39.32%

White Bread (500g)

$1.83 MX$31.93

$1.19 ₦1,619

53.78%

Rice (white) (1kg)

$1.63 MX$28.51

$2.31 ₦3,154

-29.44%

Eggs

$2.54 MX$44.29

$1.77 ₦2,417

43.50%

Local Cheese (1kg)

$8.57 MX$149

$6.42 ₦8,747

33.49%

Chicken Fillets (1kg)

$8.49 MX$148

$4.19 ₦5,709

102.63%

Beef Round Steak (1kg)

$10.80 MX$188

$5.50 ₦7,489

96.36%

Apples (1kg)

$2.75 MX$48.04

$3.62 ₦4,927

-24.03%

Banana (1kg)

$1.44 MX$25.05

$2.01 ₦2,741

-28.36%

Oranges (1kg)

$1.89 MX$32.90

$2.09 ₦2,853

-9.57%

Tomato (1kg)

$2.17 MX$37.84

$2.30 ₦3,131

-5.65%

Potato (1kg)

$1.78 MX$31.03

$2.33 ₦3,174

-23.61%

Onion (1kg)

$2.22 MX$38.79

$1.97 ₦2,678

12.69%

Lettuce (1 head)

$1.07 MX$18.64

$2.00 ₦2,720

-46.50%

Water (1.5 liter bottle)

$1.08 MX$18.83

$0.36 ₦486

200.00%

Cigarettes 20 Pack (Marlboro, Camel)

$4.15 MX$72.3

$1.29 ₦1,765

221.71%

Wine (Bottle)

$10.45 MX$182

$2.61 ₦3,554

300.38%

Local Beer (0.5 liter bottle)

$1.74 MX$30.40

$0.65 ₦885

167.69%

Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$2.58 MX$45.01

$0.95 ₦1,300

171.58%

One-way Ticket (Public Transport)

$0.51 MX$8.95

Public Transport Monthly Pass (Regular Price)

$25.94 MX$452

Taxi Start (Normal Tariff)

$3.21 MX$56.0

$1.24 ₦1,693

158.87%

Taxi (Normal Tariff) (1km)

$2.50 MX$43.64

$2.22 ₦3,026

12.61%

Taxi 1hour Waiting (Normal Tariff)

$3.19 MX$55.6

$4.61 ₦6,283

-30.80%

Gasoline (1 liter)

$1.26 MX$21.91

$0.77 ₦1,052

63.64%

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

$29.7K MX$517.7K

$20.7K ₦28.3M

43.18%

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

$23.7K MX$413.0K

$20.8K ₦28.3M

14.02%

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

$82.0 MX$1,430

$41.79 ₦57.0K

96.29%

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

$22.73 MX$396

$10.02 ₦13.7K

126.85%

Internet (50+ Mbps, Unlimited Data)

$29.42 MX$513

$33.69 ₦45.9K

-12.67%

Gym Membership (Monthly)

$52.2 MX$910

Tennis Court (1 Hour on Weekend)

$18.45 MX$322

Cinema Ticket

$4.93 MX$86.0

$6.41 ₦8,730

-23.09%

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

$202 MX$3,519

$82.5 ₦112.4K

144.58%

International Primary School, 1 Child (Yearly)

$5,217 MX$91.0K

$2,301 ₦3.1M

126.71%

Jeans (Levis 501 Or Similar)

$35.93 MX$627

$19.37 ₦26.4K

85.49%

Summer Dress (H&M, Zara, etc)

$40.33 MX$703

$24.73 ₦33.7K

63.08%

Sport Shoes (Adidas, Nike)

$79.9 MX$1,393

$63.6 ₦86.6K

25.68%

Men's Leather Business Shoes

$89.3 MX$1,557

$56.1 ₦76.4K

59.34%

1-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)

$948 MX$16.5K

1-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)

$465 MX$8,114

3-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)

$1,630 MX$28.4K

3-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)

$1,193 MX$20.8K

Buy Apartment in City Center (m2)

$3,933 MX$68.6K

Buy Apartment Outside City Center (m2)

$6,428 MX$112.1K

Average Monthly Net Salary (After Tax)

$658 MX$11.5K

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: July 20, 2026

Last update for Ilesha: July 19, 2026

Cost Breakdown

A mid-range dinner for two costs $42.00 in Playa del Carmen versus $51.0 in Ilesha. Groceries tell a different story – $252 in Playa del Carmen vs $192 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 181%, 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 $1,888 per month in Playa del Carmen and $672 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 $42.00 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 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 $1,500 monthly budget goes further in Ilesha, where all-in costs run around $448, than in Playa del Carmen at $1,259. 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.