Last update: Nov 2026

Cost of Living Comparison Between Playa del Carmen and Kirkjubaejarklaustur

For one person, living is cheaper in Playa del Carmen: $1,202 a month against $1,717 in Kirkjubaejarklaustur, rent and utilities included – about $6,200 less a year. The total is higher in Kirkjubaejarklaustur despite lower rent and utilities.

Playa del Carmen, Mexico
Kirkjubaejarklaustur, Iceland
Playa del Carmen
🇲🇽 Mexico
$1,202
/mo nomad
Kirkjubaejarklaustur
🇮🇸 Iceland
$1,717
/mo nomad
Monthly Cost of Living

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

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

A single person spends $1,202 per month in Playa del Carmen vs $1,717 in Kirkjubaejarklaustur, rent included.

  • Playa del Carmen $1,202
  • Kirkjubaejarklaustur $1,717

A couple spends around $2,082 per month in Playa del Carmen vs $2,922 in Kirkjubaejarklaustur, rent included.

  • Playa del Carmen $2,082
  • Kirkjubaejarklaustur $2,922

A family of three spends $2,962 per month in Playa del Carmen vs $4,127 in Kirkjubaejarklaustur, rent included.

  • Playa del Carmen $2,962
  • Kirkjubaejarklaustur $4,127

Playa del Carmen is about 30% cheaper than Kirkjubaejarklaustur, and outside of rent the biggest gap is in groceries.

Playa del Carmen sits 11% below the global median, while Kirkjubaejarklaustur is 27% above – they fall on opposite sides of the world average.

Currency
🍽 Eating Out
Playa del Carmen
Kirkjubaejarklaustur
Difference
Meal at Budget Restaurant
$10.67 MX$201
$30.77 ISK 3,739
-65.32%
Three-Course Dinner for Two, Mid-Range
$43.80 MX$824
$124 ISK 15.0K
-64.60%
Fast Food Meal (McDonalds, etc)
$11.79 MX$222
$27.09 ISK 3,291
-56.48%
Cappuccino
$3.79 MX$71.2
$6.62 ISK 804
-42.75%
Coke/Pepsi/Fanta/Sprite (0.33 liter bottle)
$1.30 MX$24.41
$3.40 ISK 413
-61.76%
Water (0.33 liter bottle)
$0.83 MX$15.69
$3.18 ISK 387
-73.90%
Local Beer (0.5 liter draught)
$3.15 MX$59.2
$14.10 ISK 1,714
-77.66%
Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)
$4.93 MX$92.9
$12.08 ISK 1,467
-59.19%
🛒 Groceries & Markets
Playa del Carmen
Kirkjubaejarklaustur
Difference
Milk (1 liter)
$1.41 MX$26.51
$2.08 ISK 253
-32.21%
White Bread (500g)
$2.20 MX$41.32
$4.24 ISK 516
-48.11%
Rice (white) (1kg)
$1.47 MX$27.71
$3.72 ISK 452
-60.48%
Eggs
$2.50 MX$46.99
$7.03 ISK 854
-64.44%
Local Cheese (1kg)
$7.29 MX$137
$22.26 ISK 2,705
-67.25%
Chicken Fillets (1kg)
$7.95 MX$150
$23.92 ISK 2,906
-66.76%
Beef Round Steak (1kg)
$12.86 MX$242
$41.51 ISK 5,044
-69.02%
Apples (1kg)
$2.90 MX$54.5
$3.40 ISK 413
-14.71%
Banana (1kg)
$1.38 MX$26.03
$2.73 ISK 332
-49.45%
Oranges (1kg)
$2.49 MX$46.88
$3.17 ISK 385
-21.45%
Tomato (1kg)
$2.03 MX$38.20
$6.32 ISK 768
-67.88%
Potato (1kg)
$2.02 MX$38.11
$3.83 ISK 465
-47.26%
Onion (1kg)
$1.90 MX$35.82
$1.69 ISK 205
12.43%
Lettuce (1 head)
$1.14 MX$21.54
$3.65 ISK 443
-68.77%
Water (1.5 liter bottle)
$1.24 MX$23.32
$1.80 ISK 219
-31.11%
Cigarettes 20 Pack (Marlboro, Camel)
$4.27 MX$80.4
$13.77 ISK 1,673
-68.99%
Wine (Bottle)
$9.81 MX$185
$24.12 ISK 2,930
-59.33%
Local Beer (0.5 liter bottle)
$1.59 MX$29.85
$3.64 ISK 443
-56.32%
Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)
$2.75 MX$51.7
$3.33 ISK 404
-17.42%
🚌 Getting Around
Playa del Carmen
Kirkjubaejarklaustur
Difference
One-way Ticket (Public Transport)
$0.51 MX$9.69
-
-
Public Transport Monthly Pass (Regular Price)
$27.39 MX$515
-
-
Taxi Start (Normal Tariff)
$4.76 MX$89.6
$6.86 ISK 834
-30.61%
Taxi (Normal Tariff) (1km)
$3.25 MX$61.1
$2.84 ISK 345
14.44%
Taxi 1hour Waiting (Normal Tariff)
$5.39 MX$101
$80.3 ISK 9,759
-93.29%
Gasoline (1 liter)
$1.53 MX$28.76
$2.08 ISK 253
-26.44%
Midsize Hatchback 1.4l (Volkswagen Golf, Toyota Prius, Honda Civic, etc)
$21.2K MX$399.2K
$69.9K ISK 8.5M
-69.63%
Compact Sedan 1.6l (Toyota Corolla, Mazda3, Kia K4, Hyundai Elantra, etc)
$23.3K MX$437.8K
$55.2K ISK 6.7M
-57.86%
🧾 Monthly Utilities & Internet
Playa del Carmen
Kirkjubaejarklaustur
Difference
Utilities for 2 People in 2-bedroom Apartment (Heating, Electricity, Gas, Water, Garbage) (85m2)
$83.5 MX$1,571
$96.0 ISK 11.7K
-13.04%
SIM Card Monthly Plan (Calls and 10GB+ Data)
$23.19 MX$436
$32.99 ISK 4,009
-29.71%
Internet (50+ Mbps, Unlimited Data)
$27.61 MX$520
$87.6 ISK 10.6K
-68.49%
🎉 Sport & Entertainment
Playa del Carmen
Kirkjubaejarklaustur
Difference
Gym Membership (Monthly)
$56.4 MX$1,062
-
-
Tennis Court (1 Hour on Weekend)
$28.19 MX$531
-
-
Cinema Ticket
$5.00 MX$94.1
$19.60 ISK 2,381
-74.49%
🧸 Childcare & Education
Playa del Carmen
Kirkjubaejarklaustur
Difference
Preschool or Kindergarten, Full Day, Private, 1 Child (Monthly)
$207 MX$3,897
$1,177 ISK 143.0K
-82.41%
International Primary School, 1 Child (Yearly)
$5,231 MX$98.4K
$25.7K ISK 3.1M
-79.62%
👕👟 Clothing & Footwear
Playa del Carmen
Kirkjubaejarklaustur
Difference
Jeans (Levis 501 Or Similar)
$43.45 MX$818
$152 ISK 18.5K
-71.47%
Summer Dress (H&M, Zara, etc)
$42.54 MX$801
$65.0 ISK 7,897
-34.55%
Sport Shoes (Adidas, Nike)
$72.8 MX$1,369
$184 ISK 22.3K
-60.43%
Men's Leather Business Shoes
$88.4 MX$1,663
$250 ISK 30.4K
-64.71%
🏠 Accommodation & Living
Playa del Carmen
Kirkjubaejarklaustur
Difference
1-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)
$995 MX$18.7K
-
-
1-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)
$382 MX$7,197
-
-
3-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)
$1,674 MX$31.5K
-
-
3-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)
$1,081 MX$20.3K
-
-
Buy Apartment in City Center (m2)
$3,909 MX$73.6K
-
-
Buy Apartment Outside City Center (m2)
$6,138 MX$115.5K
-
-
💵 Salaries & Financials
Playa del Carmen
Kirkjubaejarklaustur
Difference
Average Monthly Net Salary (After Tax)
$832 MX$15.7K
-
-
20-Year Fixed Mortgage Interest Rate (Annual %)
11.45
8.81
29.97%

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 Kirkjubaejarklaustur: November 3, 2026

Monthly budget structure
Share of the monthly basket for one person, rent included.
Accommodation & Living
Playa del Carmen
$382
Kirkjubaejarklaustur
- * 100%
Groceries & Markets
Playa del Carmen
$257
Kirkjubaejarklaustur
$619 141% $362
Eating Out
Playa del Carmen
$200
Kirkjubaejarklaustur
$528 164% $328
Monthly Utilities & Internet
Playa del Carmen
$134
Kirkjubaejarklaustur
$217 61.3% $82
Clothing & Footwear
Playa del Carmen
$111
Kirkjubaejarklaustur
$293 164% $182
Sport & Entertainment
Playa del Carmen
$66
Kirkjubaejarklaustur
$39 * 41% $27
Getting Around
Playa del Carmen
$50
Kirkjubaejarklaustur
$21 * 58.2% $29

Categories marked with * are only partly priced – their share counts the items that do have prices.

Cost Breakdown

A mid-range dinner for two costs $44 in Playa del Carmen versus $124 in Kirkjubaejarklaustur. Monthly groceries follow the same trend: $257 vs $619 – making Playa del Carmen the more affordable choice for daily food spending.

Good to know
🇲🇽 Playa del Carmen
🇮🇸 Kirkjubaejarklaustur
🕒 Local time
04:37 4:37 AM
09:37 9:37 AM
5 h ahead of Playa del Carmen
🌤 Weather
👥 Population
149,923
500
💱 Currency
Exchange rates and currency converter

ISK, USD, EUR to MXN – Mexican Peso Converter

Mexican Peso exchange rates as of November 4, 2026: 1 USD = 18.82 MXN (100 MXN = 5.31 USD). 1 EUR = 21.1 MXN (100 MXN = 4.74 EUR).

Icelandic Króna exchange rates as of November 4, 2026: 1 USD = 122 ISK (1,000 ISK = 8.23 USD). 1 EUR = 136 ISK (1,000 ISK = 7.34 EUR).

On the map
Between locations
  • Playa del Carmen Kirkjubaejarklaustur 6,930 km ≈ 9 h nonstop flight
From you
  • Playa del Carmen
  • Kirkjubaejarklaustur

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 Kirkjubaejarklaustur: Cost of Living - Frequently Asked Questions
Is Playa del Carmen cheaper than Kirkjubaejarklaustur?
Yes – Kirkjubaejarklaustur is pricier by about 43%, 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 $1,804 per month in Playa del Carmen and $2,576 in Kirkjubaejarklaustur. That covers rent, food, utilities, transport, and enough left over to feel settled – not just surviving.
Is eating out cheaper in Playa del Carmen or in Kirkjubaejarklaustur?
A mid-range dinner for two costs $44 in Playa del Carmen and $124 in Kirkjubaejarklaustur. That’s a good indicator of the overall restaurant and café pricing gap between the two cities.
How do food prices compare in Playa del Carmen and in Kirkjubaejarklaustur?
Groceries cost about 140% more in Kirkjubaejarklaustur, though the gap depends on what you buy.
Is $1,500 a realistic budget for living in Playa del Carmen or in Kirkjubaejarklaustur?
A $1,500 monthly budget goes further in Playa del Carmen, where all-in costs run around $1,202, than in Kirkjubaejarklaustur at $1,717. In Playa del Carmen it covers expenses comfortably, while in Kirkjubaejarklaustur it requires careful planning or may not stretch far enough.
Is it better to live in Playa del Carmen or in Kirkjubaejarklaustur?
It depends on your priorities. Playa del Carmen has an edge in some lifestyle areas, with costs from $1,202 in Playa del Carmen to $1,717 in Kirkjubaejarklaustur. Climate, culture, job market, and personal taste all factor in.

Playa del Carmen vs other spots: cost of living compared

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