Cost of Living Comparison Between Playa del Carmen and Isa Town Cost of Living Comparison Between Playa del Carmen and Isa Town

Monthly Cost of Living

A single person spends $1,297 per month in Playa del Carmen vs $721 in Isa Town, rent included.

A couple spends around $2,181 per month in Playa del Carmen vs $1,715 in Isa Town, rent included.

A family of three spends $3,065 per month in Playa del Carmen vs $2,710 in Isa Town, rent included.

Playa del Carmen costs about 80% more than Isa Town, driven mainly by Sport & Entertainment.

Both Playa del Carmen and Isa Town are more affordable than the global median – Playa del Carmen 3% lower, Isa Town 46% lower.

Meal at Budget Restaurant

$11.73 MX$203

$7.91 BHD 2.98

48.29%

Three-Course Dinner for Two, Mid-Range

$41.62 MX$720

$26.15 BHD 9.86

59.16%

Fast Food Meal (McDonalds, etc)

$10.64 MX$184

$6.69 BHD 2.52

59.04%

Cappuccino

$3.52 MX$60.9

$4.56 BHD 1.72

-22.81%

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

$1.51 MX$26.12

$0.89 BHD 0.34

69.66%

Water (0.33 liter bottle)

$0.97 MX$16.84

$0.26 BHD 0.10

273.08%

Local Beer (0.5 liter draught)

$2.95 MX$51.0

$6.48 BHD 2.44

-54.48%

Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$4.45 MX$77.0

Milk (1 liter)

$1.38 MX$23.93

$1.94 BHD 0.73

-28.87%

White Bread (500g)

$1.89 MX$32.72

$1.62 BHD 0.61

16.67%

Rice (white) (1kg)

$1.64 MX$28.32

$3.61 BHD 1.36

-54.57%

Eggs

$2.51 MX$43.34

$2.66 BHD 1.00

-5.64%

Local Cheese (1kg)

$8.34 MX$144

$13.29 BHD 5.01

-37.25%

Chicken Fillets (1kg)

$8.34 MX$144

$6.70 BHD 2.53

24.48%

Beef Round Steak (1kg)

$10.73 MX$186

$16.16 BHD 6.09

-33.60%

Apples (1kg)

$2.60 MX$45.04

$2.27 BHD 0.86

14.54%

Banana (1kg)

$1.46 MX$25.20

$2.29 BHD 0.87

-36.24%

Oranges (1kg)

$1.90 MX$32.87

$2.19 BHD 0.83

-13.24%

Tomato (1kg)

$2.08 MX$35.91

$2.01 BHD 0.76

3.48%

Potato (1kg)

$1.78 MX$30.71

$2.04 BHD 0.77

-12.75%

Onion (1kg)

$2.19 MX$37.80

$1.44 BHD 0.54

52.08%

Lettuce (1 head)

$1.04 MX$17.99

$0.89 BHD 0.34

16.85%

Water (1.5 liter bottle)

$1.08 MX$18.62

$0.77 BHD 0.29

40.26%

Cigarettes 20 Pack (Marlboro, Camel)

$4.08 MX$70.6

Wine (Bottle)

$10.32 MX$178

Local Beer (0.5 liter bottle)

$1.71 MX$29.61

Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$2.58 MX$44.54

One-way Ticket (Public Transport)

$0.51 MX$8.81

$1.04 BHD 0.39

-50.96%

Public Transport Monthly Pass (Regular Price)

$26.46 MX$458

$13.23 BHD 4.99

100.00%

Taxi Start (Normal Tariff)

$3.26 MX$56.4

$5.23 BHD 1.97

-37.67%

Taxi (Normal Tariff) (1km)

$2.49 MX$43.09

Taxi 1hour Waiting (Normal Tariff)

$3.25 MX$56.2

Gasoline (1 liter)

$1.31 MX$22.61

$0.77 BHD 0.29

70.13%

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

$30.3K MX$523.7K

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

$23.4K MX$405.3K

$13.2K BHD 4,994

76.89%

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

$82.9 MX$1,433

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

$22.22 MX$384

Internet (50+ Mbps, Unlimited Data)

$29.34 MX$507

$39.81 BHD 15.01

-26.30%

Gym Membership (Monthly)

$51.6 MX$893

$108 BHD 40.76

-52.25%

Tennis Court (1 Hour on Weekend)

$18.32 MX$317

Cinema Ticket

$5.07 MX$87.6

$10.56 BHD 3.98

-51.99%

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

$201 MX$3,473

International Primary School, 1 Child (Yearly)

$5,212 MX$90.1K

$7,942 BHD 2,994

-34.38%

Jeans (Levis 501 Or Similar)

$36.92 MX$639

$40.48 BHD 15.26

-8.79%

Summer Dress (H&M, Zara, etc)

$39.79 MX$688

$13.46 BHD 5.07

195.62%

Sport Shoes (Adidas, Nike)

$78.5 MX$1,357

$80.5 BHD 30.34

-2.52%

Men's Leather Business Shoes

$87.1 MX$1,506

$105 BHD 39.76

-17.43%

1-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)

$973 MX$16.8K

1-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)

$468 MX$8,090

3-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)

$1,641 MX$28.4K

$1,334 BHD 503

23.03%

3-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)

$1,221 MX$21.1K

$1,046 BHD 394

16.75%

Buy Apartment in City Center (m2)

$3,946 MX$68.3K

Buy Apartment Outside City Center (m2)

$6,498 MX$112.4K

Average Monthly Net Salary (After Tax)

$664 MX$11.5K

$1,058 BHD 399

-37.27%

20-Year Fixed Mortgage Interest Rate (Annual %)

11.42

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

Last update for Playa del Carmen: June 2, 2026

Last update for Isa Town: May 31, 2026

Cost Breakdown

Salaries run about 59% higher in Isa Town, which reinforces the cost advantage – you earn more and spend less. Purchasing power leans clearly in its favor.

A mid-range dinner for two costs $42.00 in Playa del Carmen versus $26.00 in Isa Town. Monthly groceries follow the same trend: $249 vs $248 – making Isa Town 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 Isa Town: Cost of Living - Frequently Asked Questions

Yes – Playa del Carmen is pricier by about 80%, and the gap shows up most in Sport & Entertainment. It's not just housing either; the difference applies across most spending categories.

For a comfortable life, plan on about $1,945 per month in Playa del Carmen and $1,081 in Isa Town. That covers rent, food, utilities, transport, and enough left over to feel settled – not just surviving.

Monthly expenses with rent come to $1,297 in Playa del Carmen and $721 in Isa Town. The difference isn't just one category – it shows up across housing, food, transport, and services.

A mid-range dinner for two costs $42.00 in Playa del Carmen and $26.00 in Isa Town. That's a good indicator of the overall restaurant and café pricing gap between the two cities.

A $1,500 monthly budget goes further in Isa Town, where all-in costs run around $721, than in Playa del Carmen at $1,297. In Isa Town it covers expenses comfortably, while in Playa del Carmen it requires careful planning or may not stretch far enough.

Families tend to lean toward Isa Town – lower housing and cheaper childcare make a real difference, especially on a single income or when paying for private education.

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