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

Monthly Cost of Living

Monthly costs for one person with rent: $1,297 in Playa del Carmen versus $182 in Ishkashim.

Estimated couple costs with rent: $2,181 in Playa del Carmen versus $321 in Ishkashim.

Monthly costs for a family of three with rent: $3,065 in Playa del Carmen versus $460 in Ishkashim.

Living in Playa del Carmen is roughly 612% more expensive than Ishkashim, driven mainly by Eating Out.

Both cities sit below the global median: Playa del Carmen 3% lower, Ishkashim 86% lower.

Meal at Budget Restaurant

$11.73 MX$203

$3.61 ؋229

224.93%

Three-Course Dinner for Two, Mid-Range

$41.62 MX$720

$6.98 ؋443

496.28%

Fast Food Meal (McDonalds, etc)

$10.64 MX$184

Local Non-Alcoholic Beer (0.5 liter draught)

$3.64 ؋231

Imported Non-Alcoholic Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$2.91 ؋185

Cappuccino

$3.52 MX$60.9

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

$1.51 MX$26.12

$0.45 ؋28.47

235.56%

Water (0.33 liter bottle)

$0.97 MX$16.84

$0.14 ؋9.02

592.86%

Local Beer (0.5 liter draught)

$2.95 MX$51.0

Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$4.45 MX$77.0

Milk (1 liter)

$1.38 MX$23.93

$0.84 ؋53.5

64.29%

White Bread (500g)

$1.89 MX$32.72

$0.30 ؋19.11

530.00%

Rice (white) (1kg)

$1.64 MX$28.32

$1.48 ؋93.9

10.81%

Eggs

$2.51 MX$43.34

$1.76 ؋112

42.61%

Local Cheese (1kg)

$8.34 MX$144

$2.89 ؋184

188.58%

Chicken Fillets (1kg)

$8.34 MX$144

$5.10 ؋324

63.53%

Beef Round Steak (1kg)

$10.73 MX$186

$5.87 ؋373

82.79%

Apples (1kg)

$2.60 MX$45.04

$0.81 ؋51.3

220.99%

Banana (1kg)

$1.46 MX$25.20

$1.02 ؋65.1

43.14%

Oranges (1kg)

$1.90 MX$32.87

$1.03 ؋65.5

84.47%

Tomato (1kg)

$2.08 MX$35.91

$1.14 ؋72.2

82.46%

Potato (1kg)

$1.78 MX$30.71

$0.34 ؋21.82

423.53%

Onion (1kg)

$2.19 MX$37.80

$0.37 ؋23.52

491.89%

Lettuce (1 head)

$1.04 MX$17.99

Water (1.5 liter bottle)

$1.08 MX$18.62

$0.56 ؋35.37

92.86%

Cigarettes 20 Pack (Marlboro, Camel)

$4.08 MX$70.6

$0.68 ؋43.47

500.00%

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

Public Transport Monthly Pass (Regular Price)

$26.46 MX$458

$14.18 ؋901

86.60%

Taxi Start (Normal Tariff)

$3.26 MX$56.4

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

$1.40 ؋89.0

-6.43%

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

$30.3K MX$523.7K

$8,795 ؋558.5K

244.28%

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

$23.4K MX$405.3K

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

Gym Membership (Monthly)

$51.6 MX$893

$7.18 ؋456

619.08%

Tennis Court (1 Hour on Weekend)

$18.32 MX$317

Cinema Ticket

$5.07 MX$87.6

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

$201 MX$3,473

International Primary School, 1 Child (Yearly)

$5,212 MX$90.1K

Jeans (Levis 501 Or Similar)

$36.92 MX$639

$25.48 ؋1,618

44.90%

Summer Dress (H&M, Zara, etc)

$39.79 MX$688

$29.05 ؋1,845

36.97%

Sport Shoes (Adidas, Nike)

$78.5 MX$1,357

Men's Leather Business Shoes

$87.1 MX$1,506

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

3-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)

$1,221 MX$21.1K

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

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 Ishkashim: June 1, 2026

Cost Breakdown

Dining out: $42.00 in Playa del Carmen vs $7.00 in Ishkashim for a mid-range dinner for two. Groceries echo the gap at $249 vs $105 per month, with Ishkashim 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 Ishkashim: Cost of Living - Frequently Asked Questions

Ishkashim wins on cost – living expenses run 612% lower than in Playa del Carmen. Housing and daily spending are where you'll feel the difference most, making Ishkashim the obvious pick if budget is a priority.

You'd need roughly $1,945 in Playa del Carmen and $273 in Ishkashim 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.

Dining out is cheaper in Ishkashim – a meal for two runs $7.00 versus $42.00 in Playa del Carmen. If you eat out regularly, this makes a real dent in your monthly spending.

A monthly transit pass in Ishkashim runs roughly 87% less than in Playa del Carmen. Both cities have functional networks, but the price difference matters if you're watching your budget.

At $182 in Ishkashim versus $1,297 in Playa del Carmen, a $1,000 budget is realistic in Ishkashim but tight or insufficient in Playa del Carmen. The gap between the two cities makes Ishkashim the clear choice for anyone on this budget.

Both work as nomad bases, but Ishkashim delivers better value – similar infrastructure at $182 monthly. If stretching your runway or maximizing savings is the goal, the price difference makes Ishkashim hard to pass up.

Expats usually find Ishkashim gentler on the wallet – expenses run 612% less than in Playa del Carmen. Beyond cost, consider language, visa policies, and how big the international community is in each city.