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 $1,293 per month in Playa del Carmen vs $744 in Isa Town, rent included.

A couple spends around $2,334 per month in Playa del Carmen vs $1,758 in Isa Town, rent included.

A family of three spends $3,374 per month in Playa del Carmen vs $2,771 in Isa Town, rent included.

Playa del Carmen costs about 74% 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 6% lower, Isa Town 46% lower.

Meal at Budget Restaurant

$11.71 MX$198

$8.00 BHD 3.02

46.38%

Three-Course Dinner for Two, Mid-Range

$46.59 MX$787

$26.39 BHD 9.95

76.54%

Fast Food Meal (McDonalds, etc)

$11.65 MX$197

$6.82 BHD 2.57

70.82%

Cappuccino

$4.09 MX$69.2

$4.56 BHD 1.72

-10.31%

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

$1.37 MX$23.23

$0.83 BHD 0.31

65.06%

Water (0.33 liter bottle)

$0.83 MX$14.09

$0.26 BHD 0.10

219.23%

Local Beer (0.5 liter draught)

$3.35 MX$56.7

$6.55 BHD 2.47

-48.85%

Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$6.91 MX$117

Milk (1 liter)

$1.73 MX$29.19

$1.37 BHD 0.52

26.28%

White Bread (500g)

$2.26 MX$38.20

$1.32 BHD 0.50

71.21%

Rice (white) (1kg)

$1.77 MX$29.90

$5.21 BHD 1.96

-66.03%

Eggs

$2.73 MX$46.18

$3.13 BHD 1.18

-12.78%

Local Cheese (1kg)

$9.18 MX$155

$10.82 BHD 4.08

-15.16%

Chicken Fillets (1kg)

$8.92 MX$151

$7.77 BHD 2.93

14.80%

Beef Round Steak (1kg)

$12.60 MX$213

$21.18 BHD 7.98

-40.51%

Apples (1kg)

$3.02 MX$51.1

$2.73 BHD 1.03

10.62%

Banana (1kg)

$1.57 MX$26.54

$2.72 BHD 1.03

-42.28%

Oranges (1kg)

$2.13 MX$35.92

$2.67 BHD 1.01

-20.22%

Tomato (1kg)

$2.26 MX$38.27

$2.57 BHD 0.97

-12.06%

Potato (1kg)

$2.00 MX$33.87

$2.67 BHD 1.00

-25.09%

Onion (1kg)

$2.06 MX$34.89

$1.55 BHD 0.58

32.90%

Lettuce (1 head)

$1.18 MX$19.94

$0.52 BHD 0.20

126.92%

Water (1.5 liter bottle)

$1.20 MX$20.35

$1.08 BHD 0.41

11.11%

Cigarettes 20 Pack (Marlboro, Camel)

$4.63 MX$78.3

Wine (Bottle)

$10.69 MX$181

Local Beer (0.5 liter bottle)

$1.62 MX$27.37

Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$2.88 MX$48.69

One-way Ticket (Public Transport)

$0.57 MX$9.69

$1.07 BHD 0.40

-46.73%

Public Transport Monthly Pass (Regular Price)

$29.83 MX$504

$13.18 BHD 4.97

126.33%

Taxi Start (Normal Tariff)

$5.45 MX$92.1

$5.37 BHD 2.03

1.49%

Taxi (Normal Tariff) (1km)

$3.70 MX$62.6

Taxi 1hour Waiting (Normal Tariff)

$5.98 MX$101

Gasoline (1 liter)

$1.55 MX$26.25

$0.82 BHD 0.31

89.02%

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

$22.3K MX$377.3K

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

$25.9K MX$438.5K

$13.1K BHD 4,931

98.40%

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

$89.1 MX$1,506

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

$25.04 MX$423

Internet (50+ Mbps, Unlimited Data)

$31.50 MX$532

$39.61 BHD 14.93

-20.47%

Gym Membership (Monthly)

$67.8 MX$1,145

$104 BHD 39.20

-34.81%

Tennis Court (1 Hour on Weekend)

$28.92 MX$489

Cinema Ticket

$5.05 MX$85.3

$10.55 BHD 3.98

-52.13%

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

$225 MX$3,802

International Primary School, 1 Child (Yearly)

$4,222 MX$71.4K

$7,916 BHD 2,985

-46.66%

Jeans (Levis 501 Or Similar)

$47.44 MX$802

$40.28 BHD 15.18

17.78%

Summer Dress (H&M, Zara, etc)

$44.98 MX$760

$13.00 BHD 4.90

246.00%

Sport Shoes (Adidas, Nike)

$82.0 MX$1,386

$79.4 BHD 29.94

3.24%

Men's Leather Business Shoes

$92.1 MX$1,556

$107 BHD 40.36

-13.96%

1-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)

$1,069 MX$18.1K

1-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)

$405 MX$6,850

3-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)

$1,935 MX$32.7K

$1,331 BHD 502

45.36%

3-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)

$1,301 MX$22.0K

$1,067 BHD 402

21.99%

Buy Apartment in City Center (m2)

$3,995 MX$67.5K

Buy Apartment Outside City Center (m2)

$6,626 MX$112.0K

Average Monthly Net Salary (After Tax)

$749 MX$12.7K

$1,059 BHD 399

-29.28%

20-Year Fixed Mortgage Interest Rate (Annual %)

11.45

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 Isa Town: September 1, 2026

Cost Breakdown

Salaries run about 41% 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 $47.00 in Playa del Carmen versus $26.00 in Isa Town. Monthly groceries follow the same trend: $277 vs $275 – 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 74%, 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 $1,940 per month in Playa del Carmen and $1,117 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 $1,293 in Playa del Carmen and $744 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 $47.00 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 $744, than in Playa del Carmen at $1,293. 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.