Last update: Nov 2026

Cost of Living Comparison Between Playa del Carmen and Lisle, IL

For one person, living is cheaper in Playa del Carmen: $1,202 a month against $2,667 in Lisle, IL, rent and utilities included – about $17,600 less a year. Rent and utilities account for most of the difference.

Playa del Carmen, Mexico
Lisle, IL, United States
Playa del Carmen
🇲🇽 Mexico
$1,202
/mo nomad
Lisle, IL
🇺🇸 United States
$2,667
/mo nomad
Monthly Cost of Living

How much you'll spend in Playa del Carmen and in Lisle, IL

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

Monthly costs for one person with rent: $1,202 in Playa del Carmen versus $2,667 in Lisle, IL.

  • Playa del Carmen $1,202
  • Lisle, IL $2,667

Estimated couple costs with rent: $2,082 in Playa del Carmen versus $3,806 in Lisle, IL.

  • Playa del Carmen $2,082
  • Lisle, IL $3,806

Monthly costs for a family of three with rent: $2,962 in Playa del Carmen versus $4,945 in Lisle, IL.

  • Playa del Carmen $2,962
  • Lisle, IL $4,945

Living in Playa del Carmen costs roughly 55% less than in Lisle, IL, and outside of rent the biggest gap is in groceries.

The two cities straddle the global median: Playa del Carmen is 11% below, Lisle, IL is 97% above.

Currency
🍽 Eating Out
Playa del Carmen
Lisle, IL
Difference
Meal at Budget Restaurant
$10.67 MX$199
$21.47 $21.47
-50.30%
Three-Course Dinner for Two, Mid-Range
$43.80 MX$815
$74.8 $74.8
-41.44%
Fast Food Meal (McDonalds, etc)
$11.79 MX$219
$10.22 $10.22
15.36%
Cappuccino
$3.79 MX$70.5
$5.77 $5.77
-34.32%
Coke/Pepsi/Fanta/Sprite (0.33 liter bottle)
$1.30 MX$24.14
$2.99 $2.99
-56.52%
Water (0.33 liter bottle)
$0.83 MX$15.51
$2.21 $2.21
-62.44%
Local Beer (0.5 liter draught)
$3.15 MX$58.6
$5.77 $5.77
-45.41%
Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)
$4.93 MX$91.8
$7.26 $7.26
-32.09%
🛒 Groceries & Markets
Playa del Carmen
Lisle, IL
Difference
Milk (1 liter)
$1.41 MX$26.22
$1.03 $1.03
36.89%
White Bread (500g)
$2.20 MX$40.86
$4.10 $4.10
-46.34%
Rice (white) (1kg)
$1.47 MX$27.40
$4.66 $4.66
-68.45%
Eggs
$2.50 MX$46.47
$4.22 $4.22
-40.76%
Local Cheese (1kg)
$7.29 MX$136
$13.42 $13.42
-45.68%
Chicken Fillets (1kg)
$7.95 MX$148
$10.84 $10.84
-26.66%
Beef Round Steak (1kg)
$12.86 MX$239
$16.51 $16.51
-22.11%
Apples (1kg)
$2.90 MX$53.9
$5.34 $5.34
-45.69%
Banana (1kg)
$1.38 MX$25.74
$1.51 $1.51
-8.61%
Oranges (1kg)
$2.49 MX$46.36
$4.09 $4.09
-39.12%
Tomato (1kg)
$2.03 MX$37.78
$5.31 $5.31
-61.77%
Potato (1kg)
$2.02 MX$37.69
$2.84 $2.84
-28.87%
Onion (1kg)
$1.90 MX$35.42
$3.04 $3.04
-37.50%
Lettuce (1 head)
$1.14 MX$21.30
$1.88 $1.88
-39.36%
Water (1.5 liter bottle)
$1.24 MX$23.06
$2.35 $2.35
-47.23%
Cigarettes 20 Pack (Marlboro, Camel)
$4.27 MX$79.5
$11.10 $11.10
-61.53%
Wine (Bottle)
$9.81 MX$183
$17.07 $17.07
-42.53%
Local Beer (0.5 liter bottle)
$1.59 MX$29.51
$1.91 $1.91
-16.75%
Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)
$2.75 MX$51.1
$3.31 $3.31
-16.92%
🚌 Getting Around
Playa del Carmen
Lisle, IL
Difference
One-way Ticket (Public Transport)
$0.51 MX$9.58
$2.23 $2.23
-77.13%
Public Transport Monthly Pass (Regular Price)
$27.39 MX$510
$60.2 $60.2
-54.52%
Taxi Start (Normal Tariff)
$4.76 MX$88.6
$3.62 $3.62
31.49%
Taxi (Normal Tariff) (1km)
$3.25 MX$60.5
$1.78 $1.78
82.58%
Taxi 1hour Waiting (Normal Tariff)
$5.39 MX$100
$29.58 $29.58
-81.78%
Gasoline (1 liter)
$1.53 MX$28.44
$1.21 $1.21
26.45%
Midsize Hatchback 1.4l (Volkswagen Golf, Toyota Prius, Honda Civic, etc)
$21.2K MX$394.8K
$24.2K $24.2K
-12.45%
Compact Sedan 1.6l (Toyota Corolla, Mazda3, Kia K4, Hyundai Elantra, etc)
$23.3K MX$432.9K
$24.6K $24.6K
-5.27%
🧾 Monthly Utilities & Internet
Playa del Carmen
Lisle, IL
Difference
Utilities for 2 People in 2-bedroom Apartment (Heating, Electricity, Gas, Water, Garbage) (85m2)
$83.5 MX$1,554
$224 $224
-62.71%
SIM Card Monthly Plan (Calls and 10GB+ Data)
$23.19 MX$431
$60.4 $60.4
-61.63%
Internet (50+ Mbps, Unlimited Data)
$27.61 MX$514
$69.2 $69.2
-60.12%
🎉 Sport & Entertainment
Playa del Carmen
Lisle, IL
Difference
Gym Membership (Monthly)
$56.4 MX$1,050
$42.59 $42.59
32.50%
Tennis Court (1 Hour on Weekend)
$28.19 MX$525
-
-
Cinema Ticket
$5.00 MX$93.1
$12.92 $12.92
-61.30%
🧸 Childcare & Education
Playa del Carmen
Lisle, IL
Difference
Preschool or Kindergarten, Full Day, Private, 1 Child (Monthly)
$207 MX$3,854
$1,447 $1,447
-85.69%
International Primary School, 1 Child (Yearly)
$5,231 MX$97.4K
$22.8K $22.8K
-77.06%
👕👟 Clothing & Footwear
Playa del Carmen
Lisle, IL
Difference
Jeans (Levis 501 Or Similar)
$43.45 MX$809
$49.83 $49.83
-12.80%
Summer Dress (H&M, Zara, etc)
$42.54 MX$792
$36.34 $36.34
17.06%
Sport Shoes (Adidas, Nike)
$72.8 MX$1,354
$91.3 $91.3
-20.29%
Men's Leather Business Shoes
$88.4 MX$1,645
$126 $126
-29.82%
🏠 Accommodation & Living
Playa del Carmen
Lisle, IL
Difference
1-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)
$995 MX$18.5K
$1,565 $1,565
-36.42%
1-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)
$382 MX$7,116
$1,281 $1,281
-70.15%
3-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)
$1,674 MX$31.2K
$2,873 $2,873
-41.73%
3-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)
$1,081 MX$20.1K
$1,931 $1,931
-44.04%
Buy Apartment in City Center (m2)
$3,909 MX$72.7K
$2,779 $2,779
40.63%
Buy Apartment Outside City Center (m2)
$6,138 MX$114.2K
$2,358 $2,358
160.26%
💵 Salaries & Financials
Playa del Carmen
Lisle, IL
Difference
Average Monthly Net Salary (After Tax)
$832 MX$15.5K
-
-
20-Year Fixed Mortgage Interest Rate (Annual %)
11.45
6.59
73.75%

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 Lisle, IL: October 31, 2026

Monthly budget structure
Share of the monthly basket for one person, rent included.
Accommodation & Living
Playa del Carmen
$382
Lisle, IL
$1.3K 235% $899
Groceries & Markets
Playa del Carmen
$257
Lisle, IL
$410 59.3% $153
Eating Out
Playa del Carmen
$200
Lisle, IL
$336 67.7% $135
Monthly Utilities & Internet
Playa del Carmen
$134
Lisle, IL
$354 163% $219
Clothing & Footwear
Playa del Carmen
$111
Lisle, IL
$137 22.8% $25
Sport & Entertainment
Playa del Carmen
$66
Lisle, IL
$68 3% $2
Getting Around
Playa del Carmen
$50
Lisle, IL
$82 61.9% $31

Cost Breakdown

A one-bedroom apartment in the center runs $995 in Playa del Carmen and $1,565 in Lisle, IL. Housing cost is often the main lever when comparing two cities.

Dining out: $44 in Playa del Carmen vs $75 in Lisle, IL for a mid-range dinner for two. Groceries echo the gap at $257 vs $410 per month, with Playa del Carmen cheaper across the board.

Good to know
🇲🇽 Playa del Carmen
🇺🇸 Lisle, IL
🕒 Local time
18:13 6:13 PM
17:13 5:13 PM
1 h behind Playa del Carmen
🌤 Weather
👥 Population
149,923
24,223
💱 Currency
Exchange rates and currency converter

USD, EUR to MXN – Mexican Peso Converter

Mexican Peso exchange rates as of November 4, 2026: 1 USD = 18.61 MXN (100 MXN = 5.37 USD). 1 EUR = 20.95 MXN (100 MXN = 4.77 EUR).

United States Dollar exchange rates as of November 4, 2026: 1 EUR = 1.13 USD (1 USD = 0.888 EUR).

On the map
Between locations
  • Playa del Carmen Lisle, IL 2,360 km ≈ 3 h 30 min nonstop flight
From you
  • Playa del Carmen
  • Lisle, IL

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 Lisle, IL: Cost of Living - Frequently Asked Questions
Which city is more expensive, Playa del Carmen or Lisle, IL?
Playa del Carmen wins on cost – living expenses run 55% lower than in Lisle, IL. Housing and daily spending are where you’ll feel the difference most, making Playa del Carmen the obvious pick if budget is a priority.
How much do you need to earn to live comfortably in Playa del Carmen and in Lisle, IL?
You’d need roughly $1,804 in Playa del Carmen and $4,001 in Lisle, IL 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.
How much does a 1-bedroom apartment cost in Playa del Carmen compared to Lisle, IL?
Rent for a central apartment: $995 in Playa del Carmen versus $1,565 in Lisle, IL. Housing is usually the single largest factor when comparing overall living costs between the two.
Are groceries more expensive in Playa del Carmen or in Lisle, IL?
Supermarket bills run roughly 59% higher in Lisle, IL. For households that cook at home regularly, that difference adds up over a month.
How do dining costs compare in Playa del Carmen and in Lisle, IL?
Dining out is cheaper in Playa del Carmen – a meal for two runs $44 versus $75 in Lisle, IL. If you eat out regularly, this makes a real dent in your monthly spending.
Can you live on $1,500/month in Playa del Carmen or in Lisle, IL?
At $1,202 in Playa del Carmen versus $2,667 in Lisle, IL, a $1,500 budget is realistic in Playa del Carmen but tight or insufficient in Lisle, IL. The gap between the two cities makes Playa del Carmen the clear choice for anyone on this budget.
Which city offers a better quality of life: Playa del Carmen or Lisle, IL?
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.
Which city is more affordable for expats?
Expats usually find Playa del Carmen gentler on the wallet – expenses run 55% less than in Lisle, IL. Beyond cost, consider language, visa policies, and how big the international community is in each city.

Playa del Carmen vs other spots: cost of living compared

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