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

Monthly Cost of Living

A single person spends $1,287 per month in Playa del Carmen vs $2,746 in Ilulissat, rent included.

A couple spends around $2,184 per month in Playa del Carmen vs $4,022 in Ilulissat, rent included.

A family of three spends $3,082 per month in Playa del Carmen vs $5,298 in Ilulissat, rent included.

Playa del Carmen is about 53% cheaper than Ilulissat, driven mainly by Groceries & Markets.

Playa del Carmen sits 4% below the global median, while Ilulissat is 105% above – they fall on opposite sides of the world average.

Meal at Budget Restaurant

$11.94 MX$209

$23.02 DKK 147

-48.13%

Three-Course Dinner for Two, Mid-Range

$42.75 MX$748

$86.6 DKK 553

-50.64%

Fast Food Meal (McDonalds, etc)

$10.59 MX$185

$19.08 DKK 122

-44.50%

Cappuccino

$3.62 MX$63.4

$4.31 DKK 27.53

-16.01%

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

$1.47 MX$25.69

$1.51 DKK 9.65

-2.65%

Water (0.33 liter bottle)

$0.94 MX$16.51

$2.87 DKK 18.28

-67.25%

Local Beer (0.5 liter draught)

$3.09 MX$54.1

$13.41 DKK 85.6

-76.96%

Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$4.46 MX$78.0

$7.13 DKK 45.48

-37.45%

Milk (1 liter)

$1.43 MX$24.94

$3.07 DKK 19.59

-53.42%

White Bread (500g)

$1.88 MX$32.97

$5.36 DKK 34.22

-64.93%

Rice (white) (1kg)

$1.63 MX$28.50

$4.44 DKK 28.30

-63.29%

Eggs

$2.64 MX$46.26

$3.67 DKK 23.41

-28.07%

Local Cheese (1kg)

$8.21 MX$144

$34.11 DKK 218

-75.93%

Chicken Fillets (1kg)

$8.29 MX$145

$40.10 DKK 256

-79.33%

Beef Round Steak (1kg)

$11.10 MX$194

$26.86 DKK 171

-58.67%

Apples (1kg)

$2.65 MX$46.40

$6.23 DKK 39.73

-57.46%

Banana (1kg)

$1.50 MX$26.26

$5.54 DKK 35.32

-72.92%

Oranges (1kg)

$1.99 MX$34.79

$6.18 DKK 39.44

-67.80%

Tomato (1kg)

$2.08 MX$36.33

$4.72 DKK 30.11

-55.93%

Potato (1kg)

$1.79 MX$31.29

$3.99 DKK 25.45

-55.14%

Onion (1kg)

$2.18 MX$38.09

$5.58 DKK 35.62

-60.93%

Lettuce (1 head)

$1.08 MX$18.84

$6.90 DKK 44.02

-84.35%

Water (1.5 liter bottle)

$1.04 MX$18.15

$3.07 DKK 19.56

-66.12%

Cigarettes 20 Pack (Marlboro, Camel)

$3.97 MX$69.5

$14.06 DKK 89.7

-71.76%

Wine (Bottle)

$10.20 MX$179

$23.39 DKK 149

-56.39%

Local Beer (0.5 liter bottle)

$1.73 MX$30.22

$1.97 DKK 12.58

-12.18%

Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$2.50 MX$43.71

$4.29 DKK 27.35

-41.72%

One-way Ticket (Public Transport)

$0.52 MX$9.07

$3.95 DKK 25.17

-86.84%

Public Transport Monthly Pass (Regular Price)

$26.97 MX$472

$93.3 DKK 596

-71.11%

Taxi Start (Normal Tariff)

$3.14 MX$55.0

$3.03 DKK 19.35

3.63%

Taxi (Normal Tariff) (1km)

$2.40 MX$42.04

Taxi 1hour Waiting (Normal Tariff)

$3.09 MX$54.0

$7.77 DKK 49.59

-60.23%

Gasoline (1 liter)

$1.27 MX$22.28

$0.74 DKK 4.71

71.62%

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

$30.9K MX$540.4K

$40.8K DKK 260.1K

-24.26%

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

$23.3K MX$408.0K

$13.9K DKK 88.6K

67.81%

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

$82.0 MX$1,435

$267 DKK 1,701

-69.24%

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

$22.45 MX$393

$68.8 DKK 439

-67.37%

Internet (50+ Mbps, Unlimited Data)

$29.66 MX$519

$184 DKK 1,172

-83.85%

Gym Membership (Monthly)

$51.9 MX$908

$7.71 DKK 49.21

572.76%

Tennis Court (1 Hour on Weekend)

$18.67 MX$327

Cinema Ticket

$4.97 MX$87.0

$18.98 DKK 121

-73.81%

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

$198 MX$3,462

$611 DKK 3,896

-67.61%

International Primary School, 1 Child (Yearly)

$5,273 MX$92.3K

$10.7K DKK 68.5K

-50.89%

Jeans (Levis 501 Or Similar)

$36.34 MX$636

$174 DKK 1,111

-79.12%

Summer Dress (H&M, Zara, etc)

$40.05 MX$701

$54.0 DKK 345

-25.89%

Sport Shoes (Adidas, Nike)

$79.9 MX$1,398

$169 DKK 1,081

-52.85%

Men's Leather Business Shoes

$88.9 MX$1,555

$232 DKK 1,477

-61.61%

1-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)

$963 MX$16.9K

$484 DKK 3,086

99.18%

1-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)

$465 MX$8,133

$632 DKK 4,032

-26.46%

3-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)

$1,596 MX$27.9K

$905 DKK 5,772

76.43%

3-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)

$1,209 MX$21.2K

$899 DKK 5,736

34.45%

Buy Apartment in City Center (m2)

$3,942 MX$69.0K

$3,874 DKK 24.7K

1.76%

Buy Apartment Outside City Center (m2)

$6,448 MX$112.8K

$4,212 DKK 26.9K

53.08%

Average Monthly Net Salary (After Tax)

$720 MX$12.6K

$2,146 DKK 13.7K

-66.44%

20-Year Fixed Mortgage Interest Rate (Annual %)

11.42

4.95

130.71%

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

Last update for Playa del Carmen: April 25, 2026

Last update for Ilulissat: April 28, 2026

Cost Breakdown

A central one-bedroom costs $963 in Playa del Carmen versus $484 in Ilulissat. Rent is usually the largest line item in a monthly budget, so the gap here sets the tone for the overall comparison.

Salaries run about 198% higher in Ilulissat, which partly offsets the higher cost of living there. Purchasing power depends on which expenses matter most to you.

A mid-range dinner for two costs $43.00 in Playa del Carmen versus $87.0 in Ilulissat. Monthly groceries follow the same trend: $251 vs $766 – making Playa del Carmen the more affordable choice for daily food spending.

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 Ilulissat: Cost of Living - Frequently Asked Questions

Monthly costs with rent: $1,287 in Playa del Carmen, $2,746 in Ilulissat – roughly 113% apart. Ilulissat costs more across the board, with Groceries & Markets showing the biggest gap.

For a comfortable life, plan on about $1,930 per month in Playa del Carmen and $4,118 in Ilulissat. That covers rent, food, utilities, transport, and enough left over to feel settled – not just surviving.

Rent is clearly cheaper in Playa del Carmen, especially for central apartments. Housing is actually the single biggest factor behind the overall cost gap between these two cities.

Public transport costs about 246% less in Playa del Carmen. For daily commuters, that gap adds up to noticeable savings over a year.

Kindergarten costs $198 per month in Playa del Carmen and $611 in Ilulissat. For families with young kids, this one expense can tip the scales when choosing between the two cities.

A $1,500 monthly budget goes further in Playa del Carmen, where all-in costs run around $1,287, than in Ilulissat at $2,746. In Playa del Carmen it covers expenses comfortably, while in Ilulissat it requires careful planning or may not stretch far enough.

It depends on your priorities. Playa del Carmen has an edge in some lifestyle areas, with costs from $1,287 in Playa del Carmen to $2,746 in Ilulissat. Climate, culture, job market, and personal taste all factor in.

Both have safer and rougher neighborhoods, but overall safety is comparable to other large cities. Neighborhood choice matters more than the city-level comparison – central, well-trafficked areas feel secure in both.

If budget matters most, go with Playa del Carmen. If higher salaries, better infrastructure, or specific career opportunities are the priority, Ilulissat makes more sense. Both are solid long-term options with distinct trade-offs.