Last update: Oct 2026

Cost of Living Comparison Between Playa del Carmen and Isfara

For one person, living is cheaper in Isfara: $106 a month against $1,204 in Playa del Carmen, rent and utilities included – about $13,200 less a year. Other living expenses account for most of the difference.

Playa del Carmen, Mexico
Isfara, Tajikistan
Playa del Carmen
🇲🇽 Mexico
$1,204
/mo nomad
Isfara
🇹🇯 Tajikistan
$106
/mo nomad
Monthly Cost of Living

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

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 Isfara actually costs, broken down by who's living it.

A single person spends $1,204 per month in Playa del Carmen vs $106 in Isfara, rent included.

  • Playa del Carmen $1,204
  • Isfara $106

A couple spends around $2,082 per month in Playa del Carmen vs $210 in Isfara, rent included.

  • Playa del Carmen $2,082
  • Isfara $210

A family of three spends $2,959 per month in Playa del Carmen vs $314 in Isfara, rent included.

  • Playa del Carmen $2,959
  • Isfara $314

Playa del Carmen costs about 1033% more than Isfara, and outside of rent the biggest gap is in groceries.

Both Playa del Carmen and Isfara are more affordable than the global median – Playa del Carmen 12% lower, Isfara 92% lower.

Currency
🍽 Eating Out
Playa del Carmen
Isfara
Difference
Meal at Budget Restaurant
$10.92 MX$205
$8.83 TJS 81.4
23.67%
Three-Course Dinner for Two, Mid-Range
$43.37 MX$815
$13.13 TJS 121
230.31%
Fast Food Meal (McDonalds, etc)
$11.78 MX$221
-
-
Cappuccino
$3.81 MX$71.6
-
-
Coke/Pepsi/Fanta/Sprite (0.33 liter bottle)
$1.28 MX$24.10
$0.85 TJS 7.83
50.59%
Water (0.33 liter bottle)
$0.78 MX$14.71
$0.52 TJS 4.75
50.00%
Local Beer (0.5 liter draught)
$3.17 MX$59.5
-
-
Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)
$4.93 MX$92.7
-
-
🛒 Groceries & Markets
Playa del Carmen
Isfara
Difference
Milk (1 liter)
$1.41 MX$26.43
$0.66 TJS 6.08
113.64%
White Bread (500g)
$2.22 MX$41.66
-
-
Rice (white) (1kg)
$1.42 MX$26.64
-
-
Eggs
$2.52 MX$47.41
$1.67 TJS 15.33
50.90%
Local Cheese (1kg)
$7.26 MX$137
-
-
Chicken Fillets (1kg)
$7.70 MX$145
-
-
Beef Round Steak (1kg)
$12.69 MX$239
-
-
Apples (1kg)
$2.78 MX$52.3
-
-
Banana (1kg)
$1.37 MX$25.71
$2.38 TJS 21.87
-42.44%
Oranges (1kg)
$2.55 MX$47.94
-
-
Tomato (1kg)
$2.12 MX$39.90
$0.53 TJS 4.85
300.00%
Potato (1kg)
$1.94 MX$36.43
-
-
Onion (1kg)
$1.89 MX$35.44
-
-
Lettuce (1 head)
$1.15 MX$21.55
-
-
Water (1.5 liter bottle)
$1.18 MX$22.16
-
-
Cigarettes 20 Pack (Marlboro, Camel)
$4.30 MX$80.7
-
-
Wine (Bottle)
$9.95 MX$187
-
-
Local Beer (0.5 liter bottle)
$1.58 MX$29.76
-
-
Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)
$2.67 MX$50.2
-
-
🚌 Getting Around
Playa del Carmen
Isfara
Difference
One-way Ticket (Public Transport)
$0.55 MX$10.40
-
-
Public Transport Monthly Pass (Regular Price)
$26.62 MX$500
-
-
Taxi Start (Normal Tariff)
$4.97 MX$93.4
-
-
Taxi (Normal Tariff) (1km)
$3.33 MX$62.6
-
-
Taxi 1hour Waiting (Normal Tariff)
$5.36 MX$101
-
-
Gasoline (1 liter)
$1.44 MX$27.14
-
-
Midsize Hatchback 1.4l (Volkswagen Golf, Toyota Prius, Honda Civic, etc)
$20.7K MX$388.4K
-
-
Compact Sedan 1.6l (Toyota Corolla, Mazda3, Kia K4, Hyundai Elantra, etc)
$23.5K MX$441.0K
-
-
🧾 Monthly Utilities & Internet
Playa del Carmen
Isfara
Difference
Utilities for 2 People in 2-bedroom Apartment (Heating, Electricity, Gas, Water, Garbage) (85m2)
$84.8 MX$1,594
-
-
SIM Card Monthly Plan (Calls and 10GB+ Data)
$23.41 MX$440
-
-
Internet (50+ Mbps, Unlimited Data)
$28.66 MX$539
-
-
🎉 Sport & Entertainment
Playa del Carmen
Isfara
Difference
Gym Membership (Monthly)
$57.1 MX$1,072
-
-
Tennis Court (1 Hour on Weekend)
$28.91 MX$543
-
-
Cinema Ticket
$5.14 MX$96.6
-
-
🧸 Childcare & Education
Playa del Carmen
Isfara
Difference
Preschool or Kindergarten, Full Day, Private, 1 Child (Monthly)
$207 MX$3,882
-
-
International Primary School, 1 Child (Yearly)
$3,927 MX$73.8K
-
-
👕👟 Clothing & Footwear
Playa del Carmen
Isfara
Difference
Jeans (Levis 501 Or Similar)
$43.35 MX$815
-
-
Summer Dress (H&M, Zara, etc)
$41.44 MX$779
-
-
Sport Shoes (Adidas, Nike)
$74.2 MX$1,394
-
-
Men's Leather Business Shoes
$89.3 MX$1,677
-
-
🏠 Accommodation & Living
Playa del Carmen
Isfara
Difference
1-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)
$980 MX$18.4K
-
-
1-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)
$381 MX$7,157
-
-
3-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)
$1,708 MX$32.1K
-
-
3-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)
$1,075 MX$20.2K
-
-
Buy Apartment in City Center (m2)
$3,943 MX$74.1K
-
-
Buy Apartment Outside City Center (m2)
$6,158 MX$115.7K
-
-
💵 Salaries & Financials
Playa del Carmen
Isfara
Difference
Average Monthly Net Salary (After Tax)
$735 MX$13.8K
-
-
20-Year Fixed Mortgage Interest Rate (Annual %)
11.45
0
-

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

Last update for Playa del Carmen: October 25, 2026

Last update for Isfara: October 26, 2026

Monthly budget structure
Share of the monthly basket for one person, rent included.
Accommodation & Living
Playa del Carmen
$381
Isfara
–
Groceries & Markets
Playa del Carmen
$255
Isfara
–
Eating Out
Playa del Carmen
$202
Isfara
–
Monthly Utilities & Internet
Playa del Carmen
$137
Isfara
–
Clothing & Footwear
Playa del Carmen
$112
Isfara
–
Sport & Entertainment
Playa del Carmen
$67
Isfara
–
Getting Around
Playa del Carmen
$50
Isfara
–

Cost Breakdown

A mid-range dinner for two costs $43 in Playa del Carmen versus $13 in Isfara. Monthly groceries follow the same trend: $255 vs $30 – making Isfara the more affordable choice for daily food spending.

Good to know
🇲🇽 Playa del Carmen
🇹🇯 Isfara
🕒 Local time
22:23 10:23 PM
08:23 8:23 AM
10 h ahead of Playa del Carmen
🌤 Weather
👥 Population
149,923
274,000
💱 Currency
Exchange rates and currency converter

TJS, USD, EUR to MXN – Mexican Peso Converter

Mexican Peso exchange rates as of November 2, 2026: 1 USD = 18.79 MXN (100 MXN = 5.32 USD). 1 EUR = 20.98 MXN (100 MXN = 4.77 EUR).

Tajikistani Somoni exchange rates as of November 2, 2026: 1 USD = 9.21 TJS (1 TJS = 0.109 USD). 1 EUR = 10.28 TJS (100 TJS = 9.73 EUR).

On the map
Between locations
  • Playa del Carmen Isfara 12,880 km ≈ 17 h nonstop flight
From you
  • Playa del Carmen
  • Isfara

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 Isfara: Cost of Living - Frequently Asked Questions
Is Isfara cheaper than Playa del Carmen?
Yes – Playa del Carmen is pricier by about 1033%, and outside of rent the gap shows up most in groceries.
What income do you need for each city?
For a comfortable life, plan on about $1,806 per month in Playa del Carmen and $159 in Isfara. That covers rent, food, utilities, transport, and enough left over to feel settled – not just surviving.
How do food prices compare in Playa del Carmen and in Isfara?
Groceries cost about 745% more in Playa del Carmen, though the gap depends on what you buy.
Is eating out cheaper in Playa del Carmen or in Isfara?
A mid-range dinner for two costs $43 in Playa del Carmen and $13 in Isfara. That’s a good indicator of the overall restaurant and café pricing gap between the two cities.
Is $1,000 a realistic budget for living in Playa del Carmen or in Isfara?
A $1,000 monthly budget goes further in Isfara, where all-in costs run around $106, than in Playa del Carmen at $1,204. In Isfara it covers expenses comfortably, while in Playa del Carmen it requires careful planning or may not stretch far enough.
Is it better to live in Playa del Carmen or in Isfara?
It depends on your priorities. Playa del Carmen has an edge in some lifestyle areas, with costs from $106 in Isfara to $1,204 in Playa del Carmen. Climate, culture, job market, and personal taste all factor in.

Playa del Carmen vs other spots: cost of living compared

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