Cost of Living Comparison Between Playa del Carmen and Islip, NY Cost of Living Comparison Between Playa del Carmen and Islip, NY

Monthly Cost of Living

Monthly costs for one person with rent: $1,305 in Playa del Carmen versus $1,056 in Islip, NY.

Estimated couple costs with rent: $2,334 in Playa del Carmen versus $1,685 in Islip, NY.

Monthly costs for a family of three with rent: $3,362 in Playa del Carmen versus $2,314 in Islip, NY.

Living in Playa del Carmen is roughly 24% more expensive than in Islip, NY, driven mainly by Eating Out.

Both cities sit below the global median: Playa del Carmen 5% lower, Islip, NY 23% lower.

Meal at Budget Restaurant

$11.96 MX$203

$19.64 $19.64

-39.10%

Three-Course Dinner for Two, Mid-Range

$47.38 MX$804

$58.9 $58.9

-19.53%

Fast Food Meal (McDonalds, etc)

$11.75 MX$199

$11.21 $11.21

4.82%

Cappuccino

$4.12 MX$70.0

$3.94 $3.94

4.57%

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

$1.40 MX$23.74

$2.03 $2.03

-31.03%

Water (0.33 liter bottle)

$0.91 MX$15.48

$1.54 $1.54

-40.91%

Local Beer (0.5 liter draught)

$3.21 MX$54.4

$8.18 $8.18

-60.76%

Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$7.07 MX$120

$7.92 $7.92

-10.73%

Milk (1 liter)

$1.68 MX$28.44

$0.75 $0.75

124.00%

White Bread (500g)

$2.15 MX$36.48

$2.69 $2.69

-20.07%

Rice (white) (1kg)

$1.77 MX$30.10

$4.22 $4.22

-58.06%

Eggs

$2.82 MX$47.76

$2.23 $2.23

26.46%

Local Cheese (1kg)

$9.20 MX$156

$12.32 $12.32

-25.32%

Chicken Fillets (1kg)

$9.23 MX$157

$6.16 $6.16

49.84%

Beef Round Steak (1kg)

$12.64 MX$214

$11.11 $11.11

13.77%

Apples (1kg)

$2.95 MX$50.1

$4.36 $4.36

-32.34%

Banana (1kg)

$1.58 MX$26.79

$1.29 $1.29

22.48%

Oranges (1kg)

$2.22 MX$37.70

$2.13 $2.13

4.23%

Tomato (1kg)

$2.36 MX$40.09

$2.78 $2.78

-15.11%

Potato (1kg)

$1.99 MX$33.81

$1.72 $1.72

15.70%

Onion (1kg)

$1.98 MX$33.58

$2.24 $2.24

-11.61%

Lettuce (1 head)

$1.24 MX$21.04

$1.49 $1.49

-16.78%

Water (1.5 liter bottle)

$1.21 MX$20.55

$1.06 $1.06

14.15%

Cigarettes 20 Pack (Marlboro, Camel)

$4.60 MX$78.1

$11.28 $11.28

-59.22%

Wine (Bottle)

$10.52 MX$178

$12.78 $12.78

-17.68%

Local Beer (0.5 liter bottle)

$1.69 MX$28.70

$1.71 $1.71

-1.17%

Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$2.77 MX$47.06

$5.49 $5.49

-49.54%

One-way Ticket (Public Transport)

$0.60 MX$10.22

$4.46 $4.46

-86.55%

Public Transport Monthly Pass (Regular Price)

$29.70 MX$504

Taxi Start (Normal Tariff)

$5.24 MX$88.8

$3.08 $3.08

70.13%

Taxi (Normal Tariff) (1km)

$3.65 MX$61.9

$2.00 $2.00

82.50%

Taxi 1hour Waiting (Normal Tariff)

$5.78 MX$98.1

$23.74 $23.74

-75.65%

Gasoline (1 liter)

$1.54 MX$26.09

$1.01 $1.01

52.48%

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

$22.8K MX$386.8K

$37.3K $37.3K

-38.93%

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

$25.8K MX$437.9K

$25.4K $25.4K

1.65%

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

$90.7 MX$1,538

$79.9 $79.9

13.42%

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

$25.19 MX$427

$70.6 $70.6

-64.29%

Internet (50+ Mbps, Unlimited Data)

$31.75 MX$539

$67.4 $67.4

-52.87%

Gym Membership (Monthly)

$68.8 MX$1,167

$58.3 $58.3

18.01%

Tennis Court (1 Hour on Weekend)

$29.37 MX$498

Cinema Ticket

$4.86 MX$82.5

$14.37 $14.37

-66.18%

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

$226 MX$3,828

$2,290 $2,290

-90.15%

International Primary School, 1 Child (Yearly)

$4,194 MX$71.1K

$23.7K $23.7K

-82.29%

Jeans (Levis 501 Or Similar)

$47.38 MX$804

$41.72 $41.72

13.57%

Summer Dress (H&M, Zara, etc)

$43.45 MX$737

$27.08 $27.08

60.45%

Sport Shoes (Adidas, Nike)

$80.2 MX$1,361

$72.4 $72.4

10.74%

Men's Leather Business Shoes

$91.4 MX$1,550

$90.2 $90.2

1.31%

1-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)

$1,086 MX$18.4K

$2,015 $2,015

-46.11%

1-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)

$409 MX$6,933

3-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)

$1,972 MX$33.5K

$3,406 $3,406

-42.11%

3-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)

$1,281 MX$21.7K

Buy Apartment in City Center (m2)

$4,046 MX$68.6K

Buy Apartment Outside City Center (m2)

$6,704 MX$113.7K

Average Monthly Net Salary (After Tax)

$773 MX$13.1K

$3,940 $3,940

-80.37%

20-Year Fixed Mortgage Interest Rate (Annual %)

11.45

6.17

85.58%

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

Last update for Playa del Carmen: September 7, 2026

Last update for Islip, NY: September 7, 2026

Cost Breakdown

A one-bedroom apartment in the center runs $1,086 in Playa del Carmen and $2,015 in Islip, NY. Housing cost is often the main lever when comparing two cities.

Islip, NY pays 410% more on average while also being the cheaper of the two. The combined effect is a noticeably stronger local purchasing power.

Dining out: $47.00 in Playa del Carmen vs $59.0 in Islip, NY for a mid-range dinner for two. Groceries echo the gap at $278 vs $287 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 Islip, NY: Cost of Living - Frequently Asked Questions

Islip, NY is cheaper overall, especially in Clothing & Footwear, Getting Around. The 24% gap adds up to real monthly savings that compound significantly over time.

On paper, salaries run 410% lower in Islip, NY. That's worth factoring in alongside costs, though remote workers earning in a stronger currency may not notice the difference at all.

Rent for a central apartment: $1,086 in Playa del Carmen versus $2,015 in Islip, NY. Housing is usually the single largest factor when comparing overall living costs between the two.

Childcare runs $226 in Playa del Carmen versus $2,290 in Islip, NY. Over years of preschool, even a modest monthly gap compounds into a major financial factor for families.

Dining out is cheaper in Islip, NY – a meal for two runs $59.0 versus $47.00 in Playa del Carmen. If you eat out regularly, this makes a real dent in your monthly spending.

At $1,056 in Islip, NY versus $1,305 in Playa del Carmen, a $1,500 budget is realistic in Islip, NY but tight or insufficient in Playa del Carmen. The gap between the two cities makes Islip, NY the clear choice for anyone on this budget.

For families, Islip, NY is more practical. Housing and childcare are both notably cheaper than in Playa del Carmen, and the savings on those two alone free up budget for education, activities, and family trips.

Expats usually find Islip, NY gentler on the wallet – expenses run 24% less than in Playa del Carmen. Beyond cost, consider language, visa policies, and how big the international community is in each city.