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

Monthly Cost of Living

Monthly costs for one person with rent: $1,256 in Playa del Carmen versus $1,628 in Ilopango.

Estimated couple costs with rent: $2,137 in Playa del Carmen versus $1,856 in Ilopango.

Monthly costs for a family of three with rent: $3,017 in Playa del Carmen versus $2,084 in Ilopango.

Living in Playa del Carmen costs roughly 23% less than in Ilopango, driven mainly by Eating Out.

The two cities straddle the global median: Playa del Carmen is 6% below, Ilopango is 22% above.

Meal at Budget Restaurant

$11.99 MX$209

$3.16 $3.16

279.43%

Three-Course Dinner for Two, Mid-Range

$41.78 MX$728

$44.55 $44.55

-6.22%

Fast Food Meal (McDonalds, etc)

$10.75 MX$187

$5.07 $5.07

112.03%

Cappuccino

$3.50 MX$60.9

$2.96 $2.96

18.24%

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

$1.45 MX$25.22

$0.87 $0.87

66.67%

Water (0.33 liter bottle)

$0.88 MX$15.41

$0.91 $0.91

-3.30%

Local Beer (0.5 liter draught)

$2.95 MX$51.3

$0.98 $0.98

201.02%

Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$4.51 MX$78.6

$1.71 $1.71

163.74%

Milk (1 liter)

$1.43 MX$24.94

$3.18 $3.18

-55.03%

White Bread (500g)

$1.84 MX$31.99

$1.47 $1.47

25.17%

Rice (white) (1kg)

$1.57 MX$27.31

$2.93 $2.93

-46.42%

Eggs

$2.51 MX$43.74

$3.08 $3.08

-18.51%

Local Cheese (1kg)

$8.28 MX$144

$4.86 $4.86

70.37%

Chicken Fillets (1kg)

$8.43 MX$147

$5.82 $5.82

44.85%

Beef Round Steak (1kg)

$10.68 MX$186

$10.06 $10.06

6.16%

Apples (1kg)

$2.61 MX$45.43

$3.03 $3.03

-13.86%

Banana (1kg)

$1.44 MX$25.04

$2.03 $2.03

-29.06%

Oranges (1kg)

$1.96 MX$34.16

$1.98 $1.98

-1.01%

Tomato (1kg)

$2.09 MX$36.47

$1.97 $1.97

6.09%

Potato (1kg)

$1.85 MX$32.24

$2.01 $2.01

-7.96%

Onion (1kg)

$2.17 MX$37.74

$1.95 $1.95

11.28%

Lettuce (1 head)

$1.03 MX$17.96

$0.92 $0.92

11.96%

Water (1.5 liter bottle)

$1.07 MX$18.70

$1.02 $1.02

4.90%

Cigarettes 20 Pack (Marlboro, Camel)

$4.10 MX$71.4

$3.97 $3.97

3.27%

Wine (Bottle)

$10.17 MX$177

$12.05 $12.05

-15.60%

Local Beer (0.5 liter bottle)

$1.68 MX$29.17

$1.03 $1.03

63.11%

Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$2.53 MX$43.98

$1.98 $1.98

27.78%

One-way Ticket (Public Transport)

$0.51 MX$8.87

$0.61 $0.61

-16.39%

Public Transport Monthly Pass (Regular Price)

$26.04 MX$453

$34.47 $34.47

-24.46%

Taxi Start (Normal Tariff)

$3.23 MX$56.3

$7.07 $7.07

-54.31%

Taxi (Normal Tariff) (1km)

$2.41 MX$41.88

$2.18 $2.18

10.55%

Taxi 1hour Waiting (Normal Tariff)

$3.23 MX$56.2

$4.85 $4.85

-33.40%

Gasoline (1 liter)

$1.32 MX$23.00

$0.62 $0.62

112.90%

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

$29.7K MX$517.1K

$20.5K $20.5K

45.20%

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

$23.7K MX$412.0K

$26.1K $26.1K

-9.30%

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

$82.0 MX$1,428

$35.32 $35.32

132.19%

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

$22.95 MX$400

$10.05 $10.05

128.36%

Internet (50+ Mbps, Unlimited Data)

$30.11 MX$524

$39.50 $39.50

-23.77%

Gym Membership (Monthly)

$52.0 MX$905

$40.74 $40.74

27.57%

Tennis Court (1 Hour on Weekend)

$18.53 MX$323

$10.20 $10.20

81.67%

Cinema Ticket

$4.98 MX$86.6

$5.01 $5.01

-0.60%

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

$197 MX$3,438

$103 $103

90.97%

International Primary School, 1 Child (Yearly)

$5,336 MX$92.9K

$1,886 $1,886

183.00%

Jeans (Levis 501 Or Similar)

$35.60 MX$620

$19.93 $19.93

78.63%

Summer Dress (H&M, Zara, etc)

$40.33 MX$702

$30.43 $30.43

32.53%

Sport Shoes (Adidas, Nike)

$78.8 MX$1,371

$75.1 $75.1

4.80%

Men's Leather Business Shoes

$88.9 MX$1,549

$60.0 $60.0

48.27%

1-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)

$947 MX$16.5K

$661 $661

43.30%

1-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)

$474 MX$8,254

$1,016 $1,016

-53.34%

3-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)

$1,644 MX$28.6K

$600 $600

174.09%

3-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)

$1,211 MX$21.1K

$619 $619

95.65%

Buy Apartment in City Center (m2)

$4,056 MX$70.6K

$1,684 $1,684

140.83%

Buy Apartment Outside City Center (m2)

$6,470 MX$112.7K

$946 $946

583.79%

Average Monthly Net Salary (After Tax)

$654 MX$11.4K

$1,006 $1,006

-35.00%

20-Year Fixed Mortgage Interest Rate (Annual %)

11.42

90.33%

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

Last update for Playa del Carmen: July 13, 2026

Last update for Ilopango: July 12, 2026

Cost Breakdown

A one-bedroom apartment in the center runs $947 in Playa del Carmen and $661 in Ilopango. Housing cost is often the main lever when comparing two cities.

Ilopango pays 54% more on average. The extra income cushions the higher costs, though housing choices and lifestyle decide how much of the gap is truly closed.

Dining out: $42.00 in Playa del Carmen vs $45.00 in Ilopango for a mid-range dinner for two. Groceries echo the gap at $249 vs $249 per month, with Playa del Carmen cheaper across the board.

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 Ilopango: Cost of Living - Frequently Asked Questions

Playa del Carmen is cheaper overall, especially in Getting Around. The 30% gap adds up to real monthly savings that compound significantly over time.

On paper, salaries run 54% lower in Ilopango. That's worth factoring in alongside costs, though remote workers earning in a stronger currency may not notice the difference at all.

Rent for a central apartment: $947 in Playa del Carmen versus $661 in Ilopango. Housing is usually the single largest factor when comparing overall living costs between the two.

Childcare runs $197 in Playa del Carmen versus $103 in Ilopango. Over years of preschool, even a modest monthly gap compounds into a major financial factor for families.

Shoppers in Ilopango pay roughly 0% less for everyday groceries. It's an unusual reversal that partly offsets higher costs elsewhere.

At $1,256 in Playa del Carmen versus $1,628 in Ilopango, a $1,500 budget is realistic in Playa del Carmen but tight or insufficient in Ilopango. The gap between the two cities makes Playa del Carmen the clear choice for anyone on this budget.

For families, Playa del Carmen is more practical. Housing and childcare are both notably cheaper than in Ilopango, and the savings on those two alone free up budget for education, activities, and family trips.

Expats usually find Playa del Carmen gentler on the wallet – expenses run 30% less than in Ilopango. Beyond cost, consider language, visa policies, and how big the international community is in each city.