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

Monthly Cost of Living

Monthly costs for one person with rent: $1,260 in Playa del Carmen versus $1,324 in Isabela.

Estimated couple costs with rent: $2,125 in Playa del Carmen versus $1,940 in Isabela.

Monthly costs for a family of three with rent: $2,990 in Playa del Carmen versus $2,557 in Isabela.

Living in Playa del Carmen costs roughly 5% less than in Isabela, driven mainly by Monthly Utilities & Internet.

Both cities sit below the global median: Playa del Carmen 5% lower, Isabela 1% lower.

Meal at Budget Restaurant

$11.72 MX$203

$12.08 $12.08

-2.98%

Three-Course Dinner for Two, Mid-Range

$41.89 MX$725

$60.2 $60.2

-30.45%

Fast Food Meal (McDonalds, etc)

$10.51 MX$182

$8.22 $8.22

27.86%

Cappuccino

$3.59 MX$62.0

$3.68 $3.68

-2.45%

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

$1.51 MX$26.10

$1.27 $1.27

18.90%

Water (0.33 liter bottle)

$0.92 MX$15.83

$1.28 $1.28

-28.13%

Local Beer (0.5 liter draught)

$2.96 MX$51.2

$2.32 $2.32

27.59%

Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$4.41 MX$76.3

$3.95 $3.95

11.65%

Milk (1 liter)

$1.40 MX$24.16

$1.98 $1.98

-29.29%

White Bread (500g)

$1.88 MX$32.60

$2.86 $2.86

-34.27%

Rice (white) (1kg)

$1.56 MX$26.97

$1.25 $1.25

24.80%

Eggs

$2.61 MX$45.14

$3.05 $3.05

-14.43%

Local Cheese (1kg)

$8.32 MX$144

$8.95 $8.95

-7.04%

Chicken Fillets (1kg)

$8.35 MX$145

$6.44 $6.44

29.66%

Beef Round Steak (1kg)

$10.86 MX$188

$12.73 $12.73

-14.69%

Apples (1kg)

$2.71 MX$46.93

$4.45 $4.45

-39.10%

Banana (1kg)

$1.51 MX$26.04

$2.63 $2.63

-42.59%

Oranges (1kg)

$1.87 MX$32.41

$3.80 $3.80

-50.79%

Tomato (1kg)

$2.19 MX$37.89

$4.09 $4.09

-46.45%

Potato (1kg)

$1.86 MX$32.14

$3.91 $3.91

-52.43%

Onion (1kg)

$2.23 MX$38.59

$3.06 $3.06

-27.12%

Lettuce (1 head)

$1.07 MX$18.48

$3.02 $3.02

-64.57%

Water (1.5 liter bottle)

$1.09 MX$18.79

$1.93 $1.93

-43.52%

Cigarettes 20 Pack (Marlboro, Camel)

$4.19 MX$72.4

$11.85 $11.85

-64.64%

Wine (Bottle)

$10.43 MX$180

$15.33 $15.33

-31.96%

Local Beer (0.5 liter bottle)

$1.66 MX$28.68

$2.49 $2.49

-33.33%

Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$2.61 MX$45.19

$3.16 $3.16

-17.41%

One-way Ticket (Public Transport)

$0.54 MX$9.37

Public Transport Monthly Pass (Regular Price)

$26.16 MX$453

Taxi Start (Normal Tariff)

$3.08 MX$53.3

Taxi (Normal Tariff) (1km)

$2.40 MX$41.61

$1.53 $1.53

56.86%

Taxi 1hour Waiting (Normal Tariff)

$3.13 MX$54.1

$15.27 $15.27

-79.50%

Gasoline (1 liter)

$1.31 MX$22.69

$0.93 $0.93

40.86%

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

$29.8K MX$515.7K

$35.5K $35.5K

-15.96%

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

$23.3K MX$403.5K

$26.7K $26.7K

-12.53%

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

$81.3 MX$1,406

$495 $495

-83.58%

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

$22.56 MX$390

$77.6 $77.6

-70.93%

Internet (50+ Mbps, Unlimited Data)

$30.05 MX$520

$72.9 $72.9

-58.78%

Gym Membership (Monthly)

$52.9 MX$915

Tennis Court (1 Hour on Weekend)

$18.39 MX$318

Cinema Ticket

$4.92 MX$85.1

$11.83 $11.83

-58.41%

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

$201 MX$3,474

$476 $476

-57.77%

International Primary School, 1 Child (Yearly)

$5,175 MX$89.5K

$10.6K $10.6K

-51.18%

Jeans (Levis 501 Or Similar)

$35.92 MX$622

$46.32 $46.32

-22.45%

Summer Dress (H&M, Zara, etc)

$40.13 MX$694

$57.0 $57.0

-29.60%

Sport Shoes (Adidas, Nike)

$79.7 MX$1,379

$89.5 $89.5

-10.98%

Men's Leather Business Shoes

$86.5 MX$1,496

$106 $106

-18.63%

1-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)

$978 MX$16.9K

1-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)

$470 MX$8,140

3-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)

$1,651 MX$28.6K

$1,834 $1,834

-9.97%

3-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)

$1,203 MX$20.8K

Buy Apartment in City Center (m2)

$3,953 MX$68.4K

Buy Apartment Outside City Center (m2)

$6,607 MX$114.3K

Average Monthly Net Salary (After Tax)

$677 MX$11.7K

20-Year Fixed Mortgage Interest Rate (Annual %)

11.42

5.71

100.00%

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

Last update for Playa del Carmen: July 27, 2026

Last update for Isabela: July 26, 2026

Cost Breakdown

Dining out: $42.00 in Playa del Carmen vs $60.0 in Isabela for a mid-range dinner for two. Groceries echo the gap at $252 vs $339 per month, with Playa del Carmen cheaper across the board.

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 Isabela: Cost of Living - Frequently Asked Questions

Playa del Carmen wins on cost – living expenses run 5% lower than in Isabela. Housing and daily spending are where you'll feel the difference most, making Playa del Carmen the obvious pick if budget is a priority.

You'd need roughly $1,890 in Playa del Carmen and $1,986 in Isabela to live well. The gap comes down to housing and overall price levels. Both cities are liveable on less, but these numbers represent actual comfort.

Childcare runs $201 in Playa del Carmen versus $476 in Isabela. Over years of preschool, even a modest monthly gap compounds into a major financial factor for families.

Dining out is cheaper in Playa del Carmen – a meal for two runs $42.00 versus $60.0 in Isabela. If you eat out regularly, this makes a real dent in your monthly spending.

At $1,260 in Playa del Carmen versus $1,324 in Isabela, a $1,500 budget is realistic in Playa del Carmen but tight or insufficient in Isabela. The gap between the two cities makes Playa del Carmen the clear choice for anyone on this budget.

Both work as nomad bases, but Playa del Carmen delivers better value – similar infrastructure at $1,260 monthly. If stretching your runway or maximizing savings is the goal, the price difference makes Playa del Carmen hard to pass up.

Safety-wise, Playa del Carmen and Isabela are on par. Petty crime is typical for cities this size, and most residents feel comfortable going about their daily routines in either place.

Expats usually find Playa del Carmen gentler on the wallet – expenses run 5% less than in Isabela. Beyond cost, consider language, visa policies, and how big the international community is in each city.