Last update: Nov 2026

Cost of Living Comparison Between Playa del Carmen and Isernia

For one person, living is cheaper in Playa del Carmen: $1,202 a month against $1,638 in Isernia, rent and utilities included – about $5,200 less a year. Rent and utilities account for most of the difference.

Playa del Carmen, Mexico
Isernia, Italy
Playa del Carmen
🇲🇽 Mexico
$1,202
/mo nomad
Isernia
🇮🇹 Italy
$1,638
/mo nomad
Monthly Cost of Living

How much you'll spend in Playa del Carmen and in Isernia

Real prices from locals and on-the-ground checks – rent, groceries, transit and the daily extras. Here's what a month in Playa del Carmen and in Isernia actually costs, broken down by who's living it.

Monthly costs for one person with rent: $1,202 in Playa del Carmen versus $1,638 in Isernia.

  • Playa del Carmen $1,202
  • Isernia $1,638

Estimated couple costs with rent: $2,082 in Playa del Carmen versus $2,441 in Isernia.

  • Playa del Carmen $2,082
  • Isernia $2,441

Monthly costs for a family of three with rent: $2,962 in Playa del Carmen versus $3,245 in Isernia.

  • Playa del Carmen $2,962
  • Isernia $3,245

Living in Playa del Carmen costs roughly 27% less than in Isernia, and outside of rent the biggest gap is in clothing.

The two cities straddle the global median: Playa del Carmen is 11% below, Isernia is 21% above.

Currency
🍽 Eating Out
Playa del Carmen
Isernia
Difference
Meal at Budget Restaurant
$10.67 MX$199
$16.59 €14.74
-35.68%
Three-Course Dinner for Two, Mid-Range
$43.80 MX$815
$53.9 €47.88
-18.74%
Fast Food Meal (McDonalds, etc)
$11.79 MX$219
$7.99 €7.10
47.56%
Cappuccino
$3.79 MX$70.5
$1.37 €1.22
176.64%
Coke/Pepsi/Fanta/Sprite (0.33 liter bottle)
$1.30 MX$24.14
$2.23 €1.98
-41.70%
Water (0.33 liter bottle)
$0.83 MX$15.51
$1.14 €1.01
-27.19%
Local Beer (0.5 liter draught)
$3.15 MX$58.6
$3.81 €3.38
-17.32%
Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)
$4.93 MX$91.8
$3.44 €3.06
43.31%
🛒 Groceries & Markets
Playa del Carmen
Isernia
Difference
Milk (1 liter)
$1.41 MX$26.22
$1.52 €1.35
-7.24%
White Bread (500g)
$2.20 MX$40.86
$1.81 €1.61
21.55%
Rice (white) (1kg)
$1.47 MX$27.40
$2.77 €2.46
-46.93%
Eggs
$2.50 MX$46.47
$2.67 €2.37
-6.37%
Local Cheese (1kg)
$7.29 MX$136
$15.08 €13.40
-51.66%
Chicken Fillets (1kg)
$7.95 MX$148
$11.39 €10.11
-30.20%
Beef Round Steak (1kg)
$12.86 MX$239
$16.70 €14.84
-22.99%
Apples (1kg)
$2.90 MX$53.9
$2.31 €2.05
25.54%
Banana (1kg)
$1.38 MX$25.74
$2.03 €1.80
-32.02%
Oranges (1kg)
$2.49 MX$46.36
$2.06 €1.83
20.87%
Tomato (1kg)
$2.03 MX$37.78
$2.21 €1.96
-8.14%
Potato (1kg)
$2.02 MX$37.69
$1.66 €1.48
21.69%
Onion (1kg)
$1.90 MX$35.42
$1.54 €1.37
23.38%
Lettuce (1 head)
$1.14 MX$21.30
$1.14 €1.02
-
Water (1.5 liter bottle)
$1.24 MX$23.06
$0.41 €0.37
202.44%
Cigarettes 20 Pack (Marlboro, Camel)
$4.27 MX$79.5
$6.77 €6.02
-36.93%
Wine (Bottle)
$9.81 MX$183
$7.44 €6.61
31.85%
Local Beer (0.5 liter bottle)
$1.59 MX$29.51
$1.88 €1.67
-15.43%
Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)
$2.75 MX$51.1
$2.30 €2.04
19.57%
🚌 Getting Around
Playa del Carmen
Isernia
Difference
One-way Ticket (Public Transport)
$0.51 MX$9.58
$1.63 €1.45
-68.71%
Public Transport Monthly Pass (Regular Price)
$27.39 MX$510
$42.04 €37.34
-34.85%
Taxi Start (Normal Tariff)
$4.76 MX$88.6
$5.48 €4.86
-13.14%
Taxi (Normal Tariff) (1km)
$3.25 MX$60.5
$2.21 €1.97
47.06%
Taxi 1hour Waiting (Normal Tariff)
$5.39 MX$100
$23.27 €20.67
-76.84%
Gasoline (1 liter)
$1.53 MX$28.44
$2.09 €1.86
-26.79%
Midsize Hatchback 1.4l (Volkswagen Golf, Toyota Prius, Honda Civic, etc)
$21.2K MX$394.8K
$36.0K €32.0K
-41.14%
Compact Sedan 1.6l (Toyota Corolla, Mazda3, Kia K4, Hyundai Elantra, etc)
$23.3K MX$432.9K
$37.5K €33.3K
-37.92%
🧾 Monthly Utilities & Internet
Playa del Carmen
Isernia
Difference
Utilities for 2 People in 2-bedroom Apartment (Heating, Electricity, Gas, Water, Garbage) (85m2)
$83.5 MX$1,554
$208 €184
-59.79%
SIM Card Monthly Plan (Calls and 10GB+ Data)
$23.19 MX$431
$11.62 €10.32
99.57%
Internet (50+ Mbps, Unlimited Data)
$27.61 MX$514
$30.14 €26.78
-8.39%
🎉 Sport & Entertainment
Playa del Carmen
Isernia
Difference
Gym Membership (Monthly)
$56.4 MX$1,050
$54.9 €48.73
2.86%
Tennis Court (1 Hour on Weekend)
$28.19 MX$525
$24.02 €21.33
17.36%
Cinema Ticket
$5.00 MX$93.1
$8.15 €7.24
-38.65%
🧸 Childcare & Education
Playa del Carmen
Isernia
Difference
Preschool or Kindergarten, Full Day, Private, 1 Child (Monthly)
$207 MX$3,854
$757 €672
-72.64%
International Primary School, 1 Child (Yearly)
$5,231 MX$97.4K
$5,604 €4,978
-6.66%
👕👟 Clothing & Footwear
Playa del Carmen
Isernia
Difference
Jeans (Levis 501 Or Similar)
$43.45 MX$809
$83.5 €74.2
-47.98%
Summer Dress (H&M, Zara, etc)
$42.54 MX$792
$46.46 €41.27
-8.44%
Sport Shoes (Adidas, Nike)
$72.8 MX$1,354
$107 €95.0
-31.96%
Men's Leather Business Shoes
$88.4 MX$1,645
$140 €124
-36.85%
🏠 Accommodation & Living
Playa del Carmen
Isernia
Difference
1-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)
$995 MX$18.5K
$729 €648
36.39%
1-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)
$382 MX$7,116
$573 €509
-33.30%
3-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)
$1,674 MX$31.2K
$1,164 €1,034
43.89%
3-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)
$1,081 MX$20.1K
$904 €803
19.47%
Buy Apartment in City Center (m2)
$3,909 MX$72.7K
$2,923 €2,597
33.71%
Buy Apartment Outside City Center (m2)
$6,138 MX$114.2K
$2,029 €1,803
202.47%
💵 Salaries & Financials
Playa del Carmen
Isernia
Difference
Average Monthly Net Salary (After Tax)
$832 MX$15.5K
-
-
20-Year Fixed Mortgage Interest Rate (Annual %)
11.45
3.92
192.09%

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

Last update for Playa del Carmen: November 2, 2026

Last update for Isernia: November 2, 2026

Monthly budget structure
Share of the monthly basket for one person, rent included.
Accommodation & Living
Playa del Carmen
$382
Isernia
$573 49.9% $191
Groceries & Markets
Playa del Carmen
$257
Isernia
$297 15.3% $39
Eating Out
Playa del Carmen
$200
Isernia
$213 6.1% $12
Monthly Utilities & Internet
Playa del Carmen
$134
Isernia
$249 85.7% $115
Clothing & Footwear
Playa del Carmen
$111
Isernia
$170 52.5% $58
Sport & Entertainment
Playa del Carmen
$66
Isernia
$71 7.1% $4.7
Getting Around
Playa del Carmen
$50
Isernia
$65 29.1% $15

Cost Breakdown

A one-bedroom apartment in the center runs $995 in Playa del Carmen and $729 in Isernia. Housing cost is often the main lever when comparing two cities.

Dining out: $44 in Playa del Carmen vs $54 in Isernia for a mid-range dinner for two. Groceries echo the gap at $257 vs $297 per month, with Playa del Carmen cheaper across the board.

Good to know
🇲🇽 Playa del Carmen
🇮🇹 Isernia
🕒 Local time
12:50 12:50 PM
18:50 6:50 PM
6 h ahead of Playa del Carmen
🌤 Weather
👥 Population
149,923
20,000
💱 Currency
Euro EUR €
Exchange rates and currency converter

EUR, USD to MXN – Mexican Peso Converter

Mexican Peso exchange rates as of November 4, 2026: 1 USD = 18.61 MXN (100 MXN = 5.37 USD). 1 EUR = 20.86 MXN (100 MXN = 4.79 EUR).

Euro exchange rates as of November 4, 2026: 1 USD = 0.888 EUR (1 EUR = 1.13 USD).

On the map
Between locations
  • Playa del Carmen Isernia 9,390 km ≈ 12 h nonstop flight
From you
  • Playa del Carmen
  • Isernia

Distances are measured in a straight line. Your location is detected approximately.

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 Isernia: Cost of Living - Frequently Asked Questions
What is the total cost difference between living in Playa del Carmen and in Isernia?
Total monthly costs including rent come to $1,202 in Playa del Carmen and $1,638 in Isernia, so Playa del Carmen is about 27% cheaper – a gap that matters a lot on a fixed or modest income.
What salary covers living expenses in Playa del Carmen compared to Isernia?
You’d need roughly $1,804 in Playa del Carmen and $2,457 in Isernia 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.
How do apartment prices compare in Playa del Carmen and in Isernia?
Rent for a central apartment: $995 in Playa del Carmen versus $729 in Isernia. Housing is usually the single largest factor when comparing overall living costs between the two.
Which city is more expensive overall: Playa del Carmen or Isernia?
All in, you’ll spend $1,202 per month in Playa del Carmen versus $1,638 in Isernia – Playa del Carmen is about 27% cheaper, which adds up to real savings over time.
How do commuting costs compare in Playa del Carmen and in Isernia?
A monthly transit pass in Playa del Carmen runs roughly 35% less than in Isernia. The price difference matters if you commute daily and watch your budget.
Which city is more doable on $1,500 per month?
At $1,202 in Playa del Carmen versus $1,638 in Isernia, a $1,500 budget is realistic in Playa del Carmen but tight or insufficient in Isernia. 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 Isernia?
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.

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