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: $1,293 in Playa del Carmen versus $1,662 in Ilopango.

Estimated couple costs with rent: $2,334 in Playa del Carmen versus $1,904 in Ilopango.

Monthly costs for a family of three with rent: $3,374 in Playa del Carmen versus $2,146 in Ilopango.

Living in Playa del Carmen costs roughly 22% less than in Ilopango, driven mainly by Eating Out.

The two cities straddle the global median: Playa del Carmen is 6% below, Ilopango is 21% above.

Meal at Budget Restaurant

$11.71 MX$198

$3.14 $3.14

272.93%

Three-Course Dinner for Two, Mid-Range

$46.59 MX$787

$45.85 $45.85

1.61%

Fast Food Meal (McDonalds, etc)

$11.65 MX$197

$5.04 $5.04

131.15%

Cappuccino

$4.09 MX$69.1

$2.96 $2.96

38.18%

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

$1.37 MX$23.21

$0.88 $0.88

55.68%

Water (0.33 liter bottle)

$0.83 MX$14.08

$0.92 $0.92

-9.78%

Local Beer (0.5 liter draught)

$3.35 MX$56.6

$0.90 $0.90

272.22%

Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$6.91 MX$117

$1.67 $1.67

313.77%

Milk (1 liter)

$1.73 MX$29.16

$3.18 $3.18

-45.60%

White Bread (500g)

$2.26 MX$38.17

$1.46 $1.46

54.79%

Rice (white) (1kg)

$1.77 MX$29.88

$3.05 $3.05

-41.97%

Eggs

$2.73 MX$46.14

$3.05 $3.05

-10.49%

Local Cheese (1kg)

$9.18 MX$155

$5.06 $5.06

81.42%

Chicken Fillets (1kg)

$8.92 MX$151

$5.88 $5.88

51.70%

Beef Round Steak (1kg)

$12.60 MX$213

$10.16 $10.16

24.02%

Apples (1kg)

$3.02 MX$51.0

$3.02 $3.02

Banana (1kg)

$1.57 MX$26.52

$2.06 $2.06

-23.79%

Oranges (1kg)

$2.13 MX$35.89

$1.95 $1.95

9.23%

Tomato (1kg)

$2.26 MX$38.23

$2.03 $2.03

11.33%

Potato (1kg)

$2.00 MX$33.84

$1.94 $1.94

3.09%

Onion (1kg)

$2.06 MX$34.86

$2.03 $2.03

1.48%

Lettuce (1 head)

$1.18 MX$19.92

$0.99 $0.99

19.19%

Water (1.5 liter bottle)

$1.20 MX$20.33

$0.99 $0.99

21.21%

Cigarettes 20 Pack (Marlboro, Camel)

$4.63 MX$78.3

$4.11 $4.11

12.65%

Wine (Bottle)

$10.69 MX$180

$12.04 $12.04

-11.21%

Local Beer (0.5 liter bottle)

$1.62 MX$27.35

$0.98 $0.98

65.31%

Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$2.88 MX$48.65

$1.97 $1.97

46.19%

One-way Ticket (Public Transport)

$0.57 MX$9.68

$0.92 $0.92

-38.04%

Public Transport Monthly Pass (Regular Price)

$29.83 MX$504

$35.64 $35.64

-16.30%

Taxi Start (Normal Tariff)

$5.45 MX$92.0

$7.18 $7.18

-24.09%

Taxi (Normal Tariff) (1km)

$3.70 MX$62.6

$2.23 $2.23

65.92%

Taxi 1hour Waiting (Normal Tariff)

$5.98 MX$101

$4.90 $4.90

22.04%

Gasoline (1 liter)

$1.55 MX$26.23

$0.67 $0.67

131.34%

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

$22.3K MX$377.0K

$20.3K $20.3K

9.74%

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

$25.9K MX$438.2K

$26.1K $26.1K

-0.61%

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

$89.1 MX$1,505

$35.52 $35.52

150.93%

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

$25.04 MX$423

$9.95 $9.95

151.66%

Internet (50+ Mbps, Unlimited Data)

$31.50 MX$532

$39.43 $39.43

-20.11%

Gym Membership (Monthly)

$67.8 MX$1,145

$40.37 $40.37

67.90%

Tennis Court (1 Hour on Weekend)

$28.92 MX$488

$9.93 $9.93

191.24%

Cinema Ticket

$5.05 MX$85.3

$5.06 $5.06

-0.20%

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

$225 MX$3,798

$106 $106

111.60%

International Primary School, 1 Child (Yearly)

$4,222 MX$71.3K

$1,923 $1,923

119.57%

Jeans (Levis 501 Or Similar)

$47.44 MX$801

$20.08 $20.08

136.25%

Summer Dress (H&M, Zara, etc)

$44.98 MX$759

$30.49 $30.49

47.52%

Sport Shoes (Adidas, Nike)

$82.0 MX$1,384

$74.3 $74.3

10.34%

Men's Leather Business Shoes

$92.1 MX$1,555

$60.2 $60.2

53.06%

1-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)

$1,069 MX$18.1K

$664 $664

61.00%

1-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)

$405 MX$6,844

$1,001 $1,001

-59.50%

3-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)

$1,935 MX$32.7K

$581 $581

233.30%

3-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)

$1,301 MX$22.0K

$619 $619

110.35%

Buy Apartment in City Center (m2)

$3,995 MX$67.5K

$1,729 $1,729

131.04%

Buy Apartment Outside City Center (m2)

$6,626 MX$111.9K

$946 $946

600.66%

Average Monthly Net Salary (After Tax)

$749 MX$12.6K

$1,014 $1,014

-26.20%

20-Year Fixed Mortgage Interest Rate (Annual %)

11.45

90.83%

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

Last update for Playa del Carmen: August 29, 2026

Last update for Ilopango: August 29, 2026

Cost Breakdown

A one-bedroom apartment in the center runs $1,069 in Playa del Carmen and $664 in Ilopango. Housing cost is often the main lever when comparing two cities.

Ilopango pays 35% 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: $47.00 in Playa del Carmen vs $46.00 in Ilopango for a mid-range dinner for two. Groceries echo the gap at $277 vs $250 per month, with Ilopango 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 29% gap adds up to real monthly savings that compound significantly over time.

On paper, salaries run 35% 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: $1,069 in Playa del Carmen versus $664 in Ilopango. Housing is usually the single largest factor when comparing overall living costs between the two.

Childcare runs $225 in Playa del Carmen versus $106 in Ilopango. Over years of preschool, even a modest monthly gap compounds into a major financial factor for families.

Shoppers in Ilopango pay roughly 11% less for everyday groceries. It's an unusual reversal that partly offsets higher costs elsewhere.

At $1,293 in Playa del Carmen versus $1,662 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 29% less than in Ilopango. Beyond cost, consider language, visa policies, and how big the international community is in each city.