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 $1,261 per month in Playa del Carmen vs $454 in Ilesha, rent included.

A couple spends around $2,130 per month in Playa del Carmen vs $801 in Ilesha, rent included.

A family of three spends $2,999 per month in Playa del Carmen vs $1,148 in Ilesha, rent included.

Playa del Carmen costs about 178% 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

$11.67 MX$202

$2.51 ₦3,387

364.94%

Three-Course Dinner for Two, Mid-Range

$41.88 MX$726

$50.7 ₦68.3K

-17.33%

Fast Food Meal (McDonalds, etc)

$10.40 MX$180

$5.39 ₦7,268

92.95%

Cappuccino

$3.61 MX$62.6

$2.20 ₦2,965

64.09%

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

$1.47 MX$25.45

$0.37 ₦494

297.30%

Water (0.33 liter bottle)

$0.91 MX$15.80

$0.20 ₦269

355.00%

Local Beer (0.5 liter draught)

$3.03 MX$52.6

$0.80 ₦1,074

278.75%

Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$4.47 MX$77.4

$1.37 ₦1,852

226.28%

Milk (1 liter)

$1.38 MX$23.83

$2.27 ₦3,063

-39.21%

White Bread (500g)

$1.84 MX$31.93

$1.25 ₦1,683

47.20%

Rice (white) (1kg)

$1.61 MX$27.82

$2.34 ₦3,157

-31.20%

Eggs

$2.57 MX$44.52

$1.70 ₦2,287

51.18%

Local Cheese (1kg)

$8.49 MX$147

$6.41 ₦8,646

32.45%

Chicken Fillets (1kg)

$8.49 MX$147

$4.28 ₦5,774

98.36%

Beef Round Steak (1kg)

$10.99 MX$190

$5.52 ₦7,442

99.09%

Apples (1kg)

$2.73 MX$47.25

$3.60 ₦4,859

-24.17%

Banana (1kg)

$1.50 MX$25.92

$2.11 ₦2,847

-28.91%

Oranges (1kg)

$1.96 MX$33.93

$2.18 ₦2,942

-10.09%

Tomato (1kg)

$2.12 MX$36.70

$2.39 ₦3,226

-11.30%

Potato (1kg)

$1.86 MX$32.30

$2.29 ₦3,094

-18.78%

Onion (1kg)

$2.17 MX$37.67

$2.03 ₦2,739

6.90%

Lettuce (1 head)

$1.07 MX$18.59

$2.02 ₦2,723

-47.03%

Water (1.5 liter bottle)

$1.05 MX$18.18

$0.38 ₦516

176.32%

Cigarettes 20 Pack (Marlboro, Camel)

$4.19 MX$72.6

$1.26 ₦1,700

232.54%

Wine (Bottle)

$10.28 MX$178

$3.25 ₦4,379

216.31%

Local Beer (0.5 liter bottle)

$1.67 MX$28.87

$0.69 ₦928

142.03%

Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$2.49 MX$43.12

$0.88 ₦1,188

182.95%

One-way Ticket (Public Transport)

$0.54 MX$9.37

Public Transport Monthly Pass (Regular Price)

$26.27 MX$455

Taxi Start (Normal Tariff)

$3.10 MX$53.8

$1.19 ₦1,612

160.50%

Taxi (Normal Tariff) (1km)

$2.46 MX$42.66

$2.16 ₦2,919

13.89%

Taxi 1hour Waiting (Normal Tariff)

$3.24 MX$56.1

$4.57 ₦6,167

-29.10%

Gasoline (1 liter)

$1.26 MX$21.83

$0.75 ₦1,012

68.00%

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

$30.2K MX$522.8K

$20.5K ₦27.7M

47.17%

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

$23.4K MX$406.3K

$20.7K ₦28.0M

13.00%

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

$84.0 MX$1,456

$41.91 ₦56.5K

100.41%

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

$22.21 MX$385

$10.35 ₦14.0K

114.59%

Internet (50+ Mbps, Unlimited Data)

$29.65 MX$514

$34.40 ₦46.4K

-13.81%

Gym Membership (Monthly)

$52.6 MX$912

Tennis Court (1 Hour on Weekend)

$18.34 MX$318

Cinema Ticket

$4.95 MX$85.7

$6.51 ₦8,776

-23.96%

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

$198 MX$3,438

$83.1 ₦112.1K

138.61%

International Primary School, 1 Child (Yearly)

$5,322 MX$92.2K

$2,275 ₦3.1M

133.94%

Jeans (Levis 501 Or Similar)

$35.95 MX$623

$19.02 ₦25.7K

89.01%

Summer Dress (H&M, Zara, etc)

$40.06 MX$694

$24.91 ₦33.6K

60.82%

Sport Shoes (Adidas, Nike)

$78.8 MX$1,365

$64.1 ₦86.5K

22.94%

Men's Leather Business Shoes

$86.5 MX$1,499

$57.2 ₦77.1K

51.27%

1-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)

$977 MX$16.9K

1-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)

$471 MX$8,158

3-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)

$1,595 MX$27.6K

3-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)

$1,215 MX$21.1K

Buy Apartment in City Center (m2)

$4,032 MX$69.9K

Buy Apartment Outside City Center (m2)

$6,579 MX$114.0K

Average Monthly Net Salary (After Tax)

$714 MX$12.4K

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: April 19, 2026

Last update for Ilesha: April 21, 2026

Cost Breakdown

A central one-bedroom costs $977 in Playa del Carmen versus $0 in Ilesha. Rent is usually the largest line item in a monthly budget, so the gap here sets the tone for the overall comparison.

A mid-range dinner for two costs $42 in Playa del Carmen versus $51 in Ilesha. Groceries tell a different story – $252 in Playa del Carmen vs $195 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 178%, 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 $1,891 per month in Playa del Carmen and $680 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 29% 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 $454, than in Playa del Carmen at $1,261. 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.