🙂Monthly costs for one person with rent: $1,287 in Playa del Carmen versus $1,349 in Ioannina.
😐Estimated couple costs with rent: $2,184 in Playa del Carmen versus $2,005 in Ioannina.
😐Monthly costs for a family of three with rent: $3,082 in Playa del Carmen versus $2,661 in Ioannina.
🙂Living in Playa del Carmen costs roughly 5% less than in Ioannina, driven mainly by Eating Out.
📊The two cities straddle the global median: Playa del Carmen is 4% below, Ioannina is 1% above.
Moneda
🍽 Eating Out
Playa del Carmen
Ioannina
Diferencia
Meal at Budget Restaurant
$11.94MX$209
$17.66€15.11
-32.39%
Three-Course Dinner for Two, Mid-Range
$42.75MX$748
$34.59€29.61
23.59%
Fast Food Meal(McDonalds, etc)
$10.59MX$185
$10.05€8.60
5.37%
Cappuccino
$3.62MX$63.4
$3.87€3.31
-6.46%
Coke/Pepsi/Fanta/Sprite(0.33 liter bottle)
$1.47MX$25.69
$2.25€1.92
-34.67%
Water(0.33 liter bottle)
$0.94MX$16.51
$0.55€0.47
70.91%
Local Beer(0.5 liter draught)
$3.09MX$54.1
$4.49€3.85
-31.18%
Imported Beer(0.33 liter bottle)
$4.46MX$78.0
$5.65€4.84
-21.06%
🛒 Groceries & Markets
Playa del Carmen
Ioannina
Diferencia
Milk(1 liter)
$1.43MX$24.94
$1.48€1.27
-3.38%
White Bread(500g)
$1.88MX$32.97
$1.19€1.02
57.98%
Rice(white)(1kg)
$1.63MX$28.50
$2.48€2.12
-34.27%
Eggs
$2.64MX$46.26
$3.43€2.94
-23.03%
Local Cheese(1kg)
$8.21MX$144
$10.22€8.75
-19.67%
Chicken Fillets(1kg)
$8.29MX$145
$8.15€6.98
1.72%
Beef Round Steak(1kg)
$11.10MX$194
$11.01€9.42
0.82%
Apples(1kg)
$2.65MX$46.40
$1.97€1.69
34.52%
Banana(1kg)
$1.50MX$26.26
$1.87€1.60
-19.79%
Oranges(1kg)
$1.99MX$34.79
$1.24€1.06
60.48%
Tomato(1kg)
$2.08MX$36.33
$2.32€1.99
-10.34%
Potato(1kg)
$1.79MX$31.29
$1.25€1.07
43.20%
Onion(1kg)
$2.18MX$38.09
$1.06€0.90
105.66%
Lettuce(1 head)
$1.08MX$18.84
$1.03€0.88
4.85%
Water(1.5 liter bottle)
$1.04MX$18.15
$0.85€0.73
22.35%
Cigarettes 20 Pack(Marlboro, Camel)
$3.97MX$69.5
$5.22€4.47
-23.95%
Wine(Bottle)
$10.20MX$179
$7.09€6.07
43.86%
Local Beer(0.5 liter bottle)
$1.73MX$30.22
$1.95€1.67
-11.28%
Imported Beer(0.33 liter bottle)
$2.50MX$43.71
$2.79€2.39
-10.39%
🚌 Getting Around
Playa del Carmen
Ioannina
Diferencia
One-way Ticket(Public Transport)
$0.52MX$9.07
$1.52€1.30
-65.79%
Public Transport Monthly Pass(Regular Price)
$26.97MX$472
$34.54€29.57
-21.92%
Taxi Start(Normal Tariff)
$3.14MX$55.0
$4.71€4.03
-33.33%
Taxi(Normal Tariff)(1km)
$2.40MX$42.04
-
-
Taxi 1hour Waiting(Normal Tariff)
$3.09MX$54.0
$7.13€6.11
-56.66%
Gasoline(1 liter)
$1.27MX$22.28
$2.09€1.79
-39.23%
Midsize Hatchback 1.4l(Volkswagen Golf, Toyota Prius, Honda Civic, etc)
$30.9KMX$540.4K
$24.7K€21.2K
24.97%
Compact Sedan 1.6l(Toyota Corolla, Mazda3, Kia K4, Hyundai Elantra, etc)
$23.3KMX$408.0K
$26.6K€22.7K
-12.21%
🧾 Monthly Utilities & Internet
Playa del Carmen
Ioannina
Diferencia
Utilities for 2 People in 2-bedroom Apartment(Heating, Electricity, Gas, Water, Garbage)(85m2)
$82.0MX$1,435
$216€185
-62.05%
SIM Card Monthly Plan(Calls and 10GB+ Data)
$22.45MX$393
$20.66€17.68
8.66%
Internet(50+ Mbps, Unlimited Data)
$29.66MX$519
$30.59€26.18
-3.04%
🎉 Sport & Entertainment
Playa del Carmen
Ioannina
Diferencia
Gym Membership(Monthly)
$51.9MX$908
$46.09€39.45
12.54%
Tennis Court(1 Hour on Weekend)
$18.67MX$327
$46.10€39.46
-59.50%
Cinema Ticket
$4.97MX$87.0
$9.14€7.82
-45.62%
🧸 Childcare & Education
Playa del Carmen
Ioannina
Diferencia
Preschool or Kindergarten, Full Day, Private, 1 Child(Monthly)
$198MX$3,462
$341€292
-41.94%
International Primary School, 1 Child(Yearly)
$5,273MX$92.3K
$8,383€7,176
-37.10%
👕👟 Clothing & Footwear
Playa del Carmen
Ioannina
Diferencia
Jeans(Levis 501 Or Similar)
$36.34MX$636
$69.9€59.9
-48.03%
Summer Dress(H&M, Zara, etc)
$40.05MX$701
$36.87€31.56
8.62%
Sport Shoes(Adidas, Nike)
$79.9MX$1,398
$77.7€66.6
2.75%
Men's Leather Business Shoes
$88.9MX$1,555
$118€101
-24.58%
🏠 Accommodation & Living
Playa del Carmen
Ioannina
Diferencia
1-bedroom Apartment, City Center(Monthly)
$963MX$16.9K
$417€357
130.89%
1-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center(Monthly)
$465MX$8,133
$308€264
50.91%
3-bedroom Apartment, City Center(Monthly)
$1,596MX$27.9K
$684€586
133.31%
3-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center(Monthly)
$1,209MX$21.2K
$549€470
120.13%
Buy Apartment in City Center(m2)
$3,942MX$69.0K
$3,133€2,681
25.83%
Buy Apartment Outside City Center(m2)
$6,448MX$112.8K
$2,605€2,230
147.57%
💵 Salaries & Financials
Playa del Carmen
Ioannina
Diferencia
Average Monthly Net Salary(After Tax)
$720MX$12.6K
$1,124€962
-35.89%
20-Year Fixed Mortgage Interest Rate(Annual %)
11.42
4.68
144.02%
Los datos de CityCost se basan en IA y aportaciones de usuarios. Puede haber pequeñas variaciones.
Última actualización para Playa del Carmen: April 25, 2026
Última actualización para Ioannina: April 28, 2026
Cost Breakdown
🏠A one-bedroom apartment in the center runs $963 in Playa del Carmen and $417 in Ioannina. Housing cost is often the main lever when comparing two cities.
💰Ioannina pays 56% 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: $43.00 in Playa del Carmen vs $35.00 in Ioannina for a mid-range dinner for two. Groceries echo the gap at $251 vs $242 per month, with Ioannina cheaper across the board.
Comparación de velocidades medias de internet por ciudad (actualizado April 2026)
El gráfico resalta el umbral de precisión para velocidades de internet móvil y fija, actualizado trimestralmente.
Índice del coste de vida para nómadas digitales
Playa del Carmen vs Ioannina: Coste de vida - preguntas frecuentes
What is the total cost difference between living in Playa del Carmen and Ioannina?
Playa del Carmen and Ioannina differ by about 5% in total monthly costs ($1,287 vs $1,349 including rent). Playa del Carmen is meaningfully more affordable – a gap that matters a lot on a fixed or modest income.
Which city has better-paying jobs?
On paper, Ioannina earns 56% less. That's worth factoring in alongside costs, though remote workers earning in a stronger currency may not notice the difference at all.
How do apartment prices compare in Playa del Carmen and Ioannina?
Rent for a central apartment: $963 in Playa del Carmen versus $417 in Ioannina. Housing is usually the single largest factor when comparing overall living costs between the two.
What is the difference in childcare costs between Playa del Carmen and Ioannina?
Childcare runs $198 in Playa del Carmen versus $341 in Ioannina. Over years of preschool, even a modest monthly gap compounds into a major financial factor for families.
Which city has cheaper grocery shopping?
Shoppers in Ioannina pay roughly 3% less for everyday groceries. It's an unusual reversal that partly offsets higher costs elsewhere.
Which city is more doable on $1,500 per month?
At $1,287 in Playa del Carmen versus $1,349 in Ioannina, a $1,500 budget is realistic in Playa del Carmen but tight or insufficient in Ioannina. The gap between the two cities makes Playa del Carmen the clear choice for anyone on this budget.
How does quality of life compare between Playa del Carmen and Ioannina?
Both cities offer a good standard of living with different trade-offs. Neither is objectively better – the right pick depends on what matters most: affordability, career, cultural scene, or climate.
Is Playa del Carmen or Ioannina safer for residents?
Safety-wise, Playa del Carmen and Ioannina are on par. Petty crime is typical for cities this size, and most residents feel comfortable going about their daily routines in either place.
Where should expats move: Playa del Carmen or Ioannina?
Expats usually find Playa del Carmen gentler on the wallet – expenses run 5% less than in Ioannina. Beyond cost, consider language, visa policies, and how big the international community is in each city.
Playa del Carmen vs otros destinos: coste de vida comparado