Cost of Living Comparison Between Playa del Carmen and Isla Mujeres Cost of Living Comparison Between Playa del Carmen and Isla Mujeres

Monthly Cost of Living

Monthly costs for one person with rent: $1,297 in Playa del Carmen versus $1,099 in Isla Mujeres.

Estimated couple costs with rent: $2,181 in Playa del Carmen versus $1,775 in Isla Mujeres.

Monthly costs for a family of three with rent: $3,065 in Playa del Carmen versus $2,452 in Isla Mujeres.

Living in Playa del Carmen is roughly 18% more expensive than Isla Mujeres, driven mainly by Getting Around.

Both cities sit below the global median: Playa del Carmen 3% lower, Isla Mujeres 18% lower.

Meal at Budget Restaurant

$11.73 MX$205

$10.64 MX$186

10.24%

Three-Course Dinner for Two, Mid-Range

$41.62 MX$727

$38.90 MX$679

6.99%

Fast Food Meal (McDonalds, etc)

$10.64 MX$186

$7.85 MX$137

35.54%

Cappuccino

$3.52 MX$61.5

$3.25 MX$56.8

8.31%

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

$1.51 MX$26.37

$1.29 MX$22.59

17.05%

Water (0.33 liter bottle)

$0.97 MX$17.00

$0.96 MX$16.72

1.04%

Local Beer (0.5 liter draught)

$2.95 MX$51.5

$2.23 MX$39.02

32.29%

Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$4.45 MX$77.8

$4.00 MX$69.8

11.25%

Milk (1 liter)

$1.38 MX$24.16

$1.44 MX$25.11

-4.17%

White Bread (500g)

$1.89 MX$33.04

$2.59 MX$45.31

-27.03%

Rice (white) (1kg)

$1.64 MX$28.59

$1.61 MX$28.16

1.86%

Eggs

$2.51 MX$43.76

$2.39 MX$41.69

5.02%

Local Cheese (1kg)

$8.34 MX$146

$7.94 MX$139

5.04%

Chicken Fillets (1kg)

$8.34 MX$146

$7.90 MX$138

5.57%

Beef Round Steak (1kg)

$10.73 MX$187

$10.68 MX$186

0.47%

Apples (1kg)

$2.60 MX$45.48

$2.71 MX$47.34

-4.06%

Banana (1kg)

$1.46 MX$25.45

$1.39 MX$24.28

5.04%

Oranges (1kg)

$1.90 MX$33.19

$1.77 MX$30.95

7.34%

Tomato (1kg)

$2.08 MX$36.26

$1.70 MX$29.74

22.35%

Potato (1kg)

$1.78 MX$31.01

$1.84 MX$32.20

-3.26%

Onion (1kg)

$2.19 MX$38.16

$2.02 MX$35.27

8.42%

Lettuce (1 head)

$1.04 MX$18.16

$1.20 MX$21.03

-13.33%

Water (1.5 liter bottle)

$1.08 MX$18.80

$1.02 MX$17.86

5.88%

Cigarettes 20 Pack (Marlboro, Camel)

$4.08 MX$71.3

Wine (Bottle)

$10.32 MX$180

$10.95 MX$191

-5.75%

Local Beer (0.5 liter bottle)

$1.71 MX$29.90

$1.60 MX$27.87

6.87%

Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$2.58 MX$44.98

$2.76 MX$48.24

-6.52%

One-way Ticket (Public Transport)

$0.51 MX$8.90

$0.62 MX$10.76

-17.74%

Public Transport Monthly Pass (Regular Price)

$26.46 MX$462

Taxi Start (Normal Tariff)

$3.26 MX$57.0

$2.64 MX$46.06

23.48%

Taxi (Normal Tariff) (1km)

$2.49 MX$43.51

$1.54 MX$26.83

61.69%

Taxi 1hour Waiting (Normal Tariff)

$3.25 MX$56.7

$8.24 MX$144

-60.56%

Gasoline (1 liter)

$1.31 MX$22.83

$1.30 MX$22.75

0.77%

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

$30.3K MX$528.8K

$21.0K MX$366.0K

44.49%

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

$23.4K MX$409.2K

$22.7K MX$396.6K

3.17%

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

$82.9 MX$1,447

$55.9 MX$976

48.35%

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

$22.22 MX$388

$21.95 MX$383

1.23%

Internet (50+ Mbps, Unlimited Data)

$29.34 MX$512

$27.75 MX$485

5.73%

Gym Membership (Monthly)

$51.6 MX$902

$36.94 MX$645

39.77%

Tennis Court (1 Hour on Weekend)

$18.32 MX$320

$16.11 MX$281

13.72%

Cinema Ticket

$5.07 MX$88.5

$4.50 MX$78.6

12.67%

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

$201 MX$3,507

$209 MX$3,653

-3.99%

International Primary School, 1 Child (Yearly)

$5,212 MX$91.0K

$3,540 MX$61.8K

47.21%

Jeans (Levis 501 Or Similar)

$36.92 MX$645

$52.5 MX$916

-29.62%

Summer Dress (H&M, Zara, etc)

$39.79 MX$695

$39.57 MX$691

0.56%

Sport Shoes (Adidas, Nike)

$78.5 MX$1,370

$90.4 MX$1,579

-13.20%

Men's Leather Business Shoes

$87.1 MX$1,521

$78.0 MX$1,363

11.60%

1-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)

$973 MX$17.0K

$504 MX$8,806

92.89%

1-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)

$468 MX$8,169

$404 MX$7,055

15.78%

3-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)

$1,641 MX$28.7K

$946 MX$16.5K

73.52%

3-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)

$1,221 MX$21.3K

$758 MX$13.2K

61.16%

Buy Apartment in City Center (m2)

$3,946 MX$68.9K

$1,784 MX$31.2K

121.20%

Buy Apartment Outside City Center (m2)

$6,498 MX$113.5K

$1,186 MX$20.7K

448.10%

Average Monthly Net Salary (After Tax)

$664 MX$11.6K

20-Year Fixed Mortgage Interest Rate (Annual %)

11.42

11.48

-0.52%

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 Isla Mujeres: June 1, 2026

Cost Breakdown

A one-bedroom apartment in the center runs $973 in Playa del Carmen and $504 in Isla Mujeres. Housing cost is often the main lever when comparing two cities.

Dining out: $42.00 in Playa del Carmen vs $39.00 in Isla Mujeres. Groceries flip the comparison at $249 vs $251, with Playa del Carmen cheaper for home cooking.

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 Isla Mujeres: Cost of Living - Frequently Asked Questions

Playa del Carmen and Isla Mujeres differ by about 18% in total monthly costs ($1,297 vs $1,099 including rent). Isla Mujeres is meaningfully more affordable – a gap that matters a lot on a fixed or modest income.

You'd need roughly $1,945 in Playa del Carmen and $1,648 in Isla Mujeres 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.

Rent for a central apartment: $973 in Playa del Carmen versus $504 in Isla Mujeres. Housing is usually the single largest factor when comparing overall living costs between the two.

Shoppers in Playa del Carmen pay roughly 1% less for everyday groceries. It's an unusual reversal that partly offsets higher costs elsewhere.

All in, you'll spend $1,297 per month in Playa del Carmen versus $1,099 in Isla Mujeres – a 18% gap that adds up to real savings over time for anyone picking the cheaper option.

At $1,099 in Isla Mujeres versus $1,297 in Playa del Carmen, a $2,000 budget is realistic in Isla Mujeres but tight or insufficient in Playa del Carmen. The gap between the two cities makes Isla Mujeres the clear choice for anyone on this budget.

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.

Safety-wise, Playa del Carmen and Isla Mujeres 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 Isla Mujeres gentler on the wallet – expenses run 18% less than in Playa del Carmen. Beyond cost, consider language, visa policies, and how big the international community is in each city.