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 $1,271 per month in Playa del Carmen vs $2,718 in Ilulissat, rent included.

A couple spends around $2,126 per month in Playa del Carmen vs $4,086 in Ilulissat, rent included.

A family of three spends $2,980 per month in Playa del Carmen vs $5,454 in Ilulissat, rent included.

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

Playa del Carmen sits 5% below the global median, while Ilulissat is 102% above – they fall on opposite sides of the world average.

Meal at Budget Restaurant

$11.87 MX$204

$23.41 DKK 151

-49.30%

Three-Course Dinner for Two, Mid-Range

$42.90 MX$736

$85.9 DKK 553

-50.06%

Fast Food Meal (McDonalds, etc)

$10.65 MX$183

$19.05 DKK 123

-44.09%

Cappuccino

$3.45 MX$59.2

$4.30 DKK 27.70

-19.77%

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

$1.50 MX$25.81

$1.56 DKK 10.07

-3.85%

Water (0.33 liter bottle)

$0.95 MX$16.28

$2.93 DKK 18.85

-67.58%

Local Beer (0.5 liter draught)

$3.03 MX$51.9

$13.35 DKK 86.0

-77.30%

Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$4.61 MX$79.1

$6.89 DKK 44.36

-33.09%

Milk (1 liter)

$1.38 MX$23.61

$3.06 DKK 19.69

-54.90%

White Bread (500g)

$1.85 MX$31.70

$5.41 DKK 34.86

-65.80%

Rice (white) (1kg)

$1.61 MX$27.65

$4.62 DKK 29.76

-65.15%

Eggs

$2.59 MX$44.51

$3.80 DKK 24.46

-31.84%

Local Cheese (1kg)

$8.26 MX$142

$33.53 DKK 216

-75.37%

Chicken Fillets (1kg)

$8.37 MX$144

$40.01 DKK 258

-79.08%

Beef Round Steak (1kg)

$10.66 MX$183

$26.27 DKK 169

-59.42%

Apples (1kg)

$2.63 MX$45.12

$6.16 DKK 39.68

-57.31%

Banana (1kg)

$1.49 MX$25.53

$5.32 DKK 34.25

-71.99%

Oranges (1kg)

$1.92 MX$32.94

$6.11 DKK 39.38

-68.58%

Tomato (1kg)

$2.09 MX$35.81

$4.69 DKK 30.18

-55.44%

Potato (1kg)

$1.86 MX$31.88

$3.95 DKK 25.44

-52.91%

Onion (1kg)

$2.26 MX$38.81

$5.44 DKK 35.04

-58.46%

Lettuce (1 head)

$1.06 MX$18.23

$7.18 DKK 46.22

-85.24%

Water (1.5 liter bottle)

$1.09 MX$18.67

$3.04 DKK 19.59

-64.14%

Cigarettes 20 Pack (Marlboro, Camel)

$4.15 MX$71.2

$13.70 DKK 88.2

-69.71%

Wine (Bottle)

$10.39 MX$178

$22.77 DKK 147

-54.37%

Local Beer (0.5 liter bottle)

$1.72 MX$29.59

$2.00 DKK 12.87

-14.00%

Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$2.61 MX$44.85

$4.16 DKK 26.82

-37.26%

One-way Ticket (Public Transport)

$0.54 MX$9.30

$3.91 DKK 25.19

-86.19%

Public Transport Monthly Pass (Regular Price)

$26.94 MX$462

$91.9 DKK 592

-70.69%

Taxi Start (Normal Tariff)

$3.13 MX$53.7

$3.08 DKK 19.84

1.62%

Taxi (Normal Tariff) (1km)

$2.51 MX$43.09

Taxi 1hour Waiting (Normal Tariff)

$3.15 MX$54.1

$7.85 DKK 50.6

-59.87%

Gasoline (1 liter)

$1.27 MX$21.88

$0.74 DKK 4.75

71.62%

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

$30.4K MX$521.3K

$40.2K DKK 258.8K

-24.42%

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

$23.6K MX$404.5K

$13.7K DKK 88.5K

71.51%

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

$83.0 MX$1,425

$265 DKK 1,707

-68.68%

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

$22.71 MX$390

$66.6 DKK 429

-65.88%

Internet (50+ Mbps, Unlimited Data)

$29.46 MX$506

$189 DKK 1,214

-84.38%

Gym Membership (Monthly)

$51.0 MX$875

$7.72 DKK 49.70

560.62%

Tennis Court (1 Hour on Weekend)

$18.33 MX$315

Cinema Ticket

$4.93 MX$84.5

$18.37 DKK 118

-73.16%

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

$197 MX$3,386

$618 DKK 3,983

-68.09%

International Primary School, 1 Child (Yearly)

$5,280 MX$90.6K

$11.0K DKK 71.1K

-52.16%

Jeans (Levis 501 Or Similar)

$36.90 MX$633

$175 DKK 1,124

-78.86%

Summer Dress (H&M, Zara, etc)

$39.89 MX$685

$53.5 DKK 345

-25.47%

Sport Shoes (Adidas, Nike)

$80.0 MX$1,373

$170 DKK 1,094

-52.89%

Men's Leather Business Shoes

$89.5 MX$1,536

$233 DKK 1,501

-61.61%

1-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)

$956 MX$16.4K

$496 DKK 3,192

92.97%

1-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)

$477 MX$8,189

$636 DKK 4,097

-25.00%

3-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)

$1,646 MX$28.3K

$906 DKK 5,836

81.65%

3-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)

$1,225 MX$21.0K

$899 DKK 5,792

36.19%

Buy Apartment in City Center (m2)

$3,918 MX$67.2K

$3,848 DKK 24.8K

1.82%

Buy Apartment Outside City Center (m2)

$6,459 MX$110.9K

$4,139 DKK 26.7K

56.07%

Average Monthly Net Salary (After Tax)

$667 MX$11.4K

$2,109 DKK 13.6K

-68.37%

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: June 7, 2026

Last update for Ilulissat: June 9, 2026

Cost Breakdown

A central one-bedroom costs $956 in Playa del Carmen versus $496 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 216% 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 $86.0 in Ilulissat. Monthly groceries follow the same trend: $250 vs $760 – 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: $1,271 in Playa del Carmen, $2,718 in Ilulissat – roughly 114% apart. Ilulissat costs more across the board, with Groceries & Markets showing the biggest gap.

For a comfortable life, plan on about $1,906 per month in Playa del Carmen and $4,078 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 241% less in Playa del Carmen. For daily commuters, that gap adds up to noticeable savings over a year.

Kindergarten costs $197 per month in Playa del Carmen and $618 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 $1,271, than in Ilulissat at $2,718. 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 $1,271 in Playa del Carmen to $2,718 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.