Cost of Living Comparison Between Playa del Carmen and Nova Iguacu Cost of Living Comparison Between Playa del Carmen and Nova Iguacu

Monthly Cost of Living

Monthly costs for one person with rent: $1,266 in Playa del Carmen versus $738 in Nova Iguacu.

Estimated couple costs with rent: $2,279 in Playa del Carmen versus $1,203 in Nova Iguacu.

Monthly costs for a family of three with rent: $3,292 in Playa del Carmen versus $1,667 in Nova Iguacu.

Living in Playa del Carmen is roughly 71% more expensive than in Nova Iguacu, driven mainly by Eating Out.

Both cities sit below the global median: Playa del Carmen 7% lower, Nova Iguacu 46% lower.

Meal at Budget Restaurant

$11.60 MX$200

$3.43 R$17.66

238.19%

Three-Course Dinner for Two, Mid-Range

$47.11 MX$811

$29.27 R$151

60.95%

Fast Food Meal (McDonalds, etc)

$11.88 MX$205

$7.46 R$38.36

59.25%

Cappuccino

$3.98 MX$68.5

$1.91 R$9.84

108.38%

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

$1.43 MX$24.57

$1.14 R$5.85

25.44%

Water (0.33 liter bottle)

$0.82 MX$14.20

$0.53 R$2.74

54.72%

Local Beer (0.5 liter draught)

$3.19 MX$54.9

$1.64 R$8.43

94.51%

Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$6.79 MX$117

$1.59 R$8.16

327.04%

Milk (1 liter)

$1.68 MX$28.85

$1.17 R$6.04

43.59%

White Bread (500g)

$2.20 MX$37.83

$1.60 R$8.21

37.50%

Rice (white) (1kg)

$1.71 MX$29.41

$1.13 R$5.80

51.33%

Eggs

$2.74 MX$47.20

$2.00 R$10.29

37.00%

Local Cheese (1kg)

$9.58 MX$165

$8.04 R$41.36

19.15%

Chicken Fillets (1kg)

$9.01 MX$155

$2.75 R$14.14

227.64%

Beef Round Steak (1kg)

$12.81 MX$221

$7.14 R$36.73

79.41%

Apples (1kg)

$2.89 MX$49.74

$1.38 R$7.08

109.42%

Banana (1kg)

$1.50 MX$25.78

$1.37 R$7.06

9.49%

Oranges (1kg)

$2.15 MX$36.98

$0.94 R$4.85

128.72%

Tomato (1kg)

$2.26 MX$38.91

$1.77 R$9.08

27.68%

Potato (1kg)

$1.98 MX$34.10

$1.00 R$5.14

98.00%

Onion (1kg)

$1.99 MX$34.26

$0.94 R$4.82

111.70%

Lettuce (1 head)

$1.23 MX$21.25

$0.37 R$1.92

232.43%

Water (1.5 liter bottle)

$1.20 MX$20.60

$0.37 R$1.93

224.32%

Cigarettes 20 Pack (Marlboro, Camel)

$4.55 MX$78.3

$1.82 R$9.37

150.00%

Wine (Bottle)

$10.37 MX$179

$5.82 R$29.92

78.18%

Local Beer (0.5 liter bottle)

$1.62 MX$27.88

$0.93 R$4.79

74.19%

Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$2.88 MX$49.60

$1.39 R$7.14

107.19%

One-way Ticket (Public Transport)

$0.60 MX$10.34

$1.38 R$7.07

-56.52%

Public Transport Monthly Pass (Regular Price)

$28.80 MX$496

$48.44 R$249

-40.55%

Taxi Start (Normal Tariff)

$5.39 MX$92.8

$1.25 R$6.45

331.20%

Taxi (Normal Tariff) (1km)

$3.73 MX$64.2

$1.39 R$7.15

168.35%

Taxi 1hour Waiting (Normal Tariff)

$5.77 MX$99.3

$9.59 R$49.30

-39.83%

Gasoline (1 liter)

$1.54 MX$26.45

$1.10 R$5.66

40.00%

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

$22.5K MX$388.3K

$22.9K R$117.9K

-1.68%

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

$26.1K MX$448.7K

$32.8K R$168.8K

-20.62%

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

$91.4 MX$1,573

$45.61 R$235

100.35%

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

$25.20 MX$434

$11.81 R$60.8

113.38%

Internet (50+ Mbps, Unlimited Data)

$31.24 MX$538

$17.89 R$92.0

74.62%

Gym Membership (Monthly)

$67.2 MX$1,157

$23.56 R$121

185.23%

Tennis Court (1 Hour on Weekend)

$29.11 MX$501

$38.38 R$197

-24.15%

Cinema Ticket

$4.86 MX$83.7

$5.81 R$29.88

-16.35%

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

$224 MX$3,851

$72.8 R$374

207.40%

International Primary School, 1 Child (Yearly)

$4,229 MX$72.8K

$1,878 R$9,657

125.18%

Jeans (Levis 501 Or Similar)

$47.10 MX$811

$53.9 R$277

-12.68%

Summer Dress (H&M, Zara, etc)

$44.29 MX$763

$37.27 R$192

18.84%

Sport Shoes (Adidas, Nike)

$80.1 MX$1,379

$63.9 R$328

25.41%

Men's Leather Business Shoes

$92.7 MX$1,596

$58.3 R$300

58.88%

1-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)

$1,063 MX$18.3K

$315 R$1,618

237.67%

1-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)

$390 MX$6,719

$211 R$1,083

85.32%

3-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)

$2,149 MX$37.0K

$620 R$3,189

246.55%

3-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)

$1,272 MX$21.9K

$443 R$2,277

187.25%

Buy Apartment in City Center (m2)

$4,001 MX$68.9K

$936 R$4,812

327.63%

Buy Apartment Outside City Center (m2)

$6,502 MX$112.0K

Average Monthly Net Salary (After Tax)

$758 MX$13.1K

$235 R$1,210

222.22%

20-Year Fixed Mortgage Interest Rate (Annual %)

11.45

11.12

2.97%

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

Last update for Playa del Carmen: September 12, 2026

Last update for Nova Iguacu: September 12, 2026

Cost Breakdown

A one-bedroom apartment in the center runs $1,063 in Playa del Carmen and $315 in Nova Iguacu. Housing cost is often the main lever when comparing two cities.

Playa del Carmen pays 222% more on average. The extra income cushions the higher costs, though housing choices and lifestyle decide how much of the gap is truly closed.

Dining out: $47.00 in Playa del Carmen vs $29.00 in Nova Iguacu for a mid-range dinner for two. Groceries echo the gap at $276 vs $157 per month, with Nova Iguacu 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 Nova Iguacu: Cost of Living - Frequently Asked Questions

Playa del Carmen and Nova Iguacu differ by about 71% in total monthly costs ($1,266 vs $738 including rent). Nova Iguacu is meaningfully more affordable – a gap that matters a lot on a fixed or modest income.

Average pay runs 222% higher in Playa del Carmen, which matters when comparing affordability. Whether that higher income actually nets you more depends on your spending habits and housing choices.

Rent for a central apartment: $1,063 in Playa del Carmen versus $315 in Nova Iguacu. Housing is usually the single largest factor when comparing overall living costs between the two.

All in, you'll spend $1,266 per month in Playa del Carmen versus $738 in Nova Iguacu – a 71% gap that adds up to real savings over time for anyone picking the cheaper option.

A monthly transit pass in Nova Iguacu runs roughly 68% less than in Playa del Carmen. Both cities have functional networks, but the price difference matters if you're watching your budget.

At $738 in Nova Iguacu versus $1,266 in Playa del Carmen, a $2,000 budget is realistic in Nova Iguacu but tight or insufficient in Playa del Carmen. The gap between the two cities makes Nova Iguacu 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.

Expats usually find Nova Iguacu gentler on the wallet – expenses run 71% less than in Playa del Carmen. Beyond cost, consider language, visa policies, and how big the international community is in each city.