Cost of Living Comparison Between Playa del Carmen and Reykjavik Cost of Living Comparison Between Playa del Carmen and Reykjavik

Monthly Cost of Living

A single person spends $1,271 per month in Playa del Carmen vs $3,824 in Reykjavik, rent included.

A couple spends around $2,126 per month in Playa del Carmen vs $5,556 in Reykjavik, rent included.

A family of three spends $2,980 per month in Playa del Carmen vs $7,289 in Reykjavik, rent included.

Playa del Carmen is about 67% cheaper than Reykjavik, driven mainly by Groceries & Markets.

Playa del Carmen sits 5% below the global median, while Reykjavik is 184% above – they fall on opposite sides of the world average.

Meal at Budget Restaurant

$11.87 MX$204

$27.13 ISK 3,378

-56.25%

Three-Course Dinner for Two, Mid-Range

$42.90 MX$736

$147 ISK 18.3K

-70.83%

Fast Food Meal (McDonalds, etc)

$10.65 MX$183

$22.15 ISK 2,757

-51.92%

Cappuccino

$3.45 MX$59.2

$6.08 ISK 756

-43.26%

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

$1.50 MX$25.81

$3.24 ISK 404

-53.70%

Water (0.33 liter bottle)

$0.95 MX$16.28

$2.60 ISK 324

-63.46%

Local Beer (0.5 liter draught)

$3.03 MX$51.9

$13.07 ISK 1,627

-76.82%

Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$4.61 MX$79.1

$11.14 ISK 1,387

-58.62%

Milk (1 liter)

$1.38 MX$23.61

$1.86 ISK 231

-25.81%

White Bread (500g)

$1.85 MX$31.70

$4.34 ISK 541

-57.37%

Rice (white) (1kg)

$1.61 MX$27.65

$3.63 ISK 451

-55.65%

Eggs

$2.59 MX$44.51

$6.31 ISK 786

-58.95%

Local Cheese (1kg)

$8.26 MX$142

$18.05 ISK 2,247

-54.24%

Chicken Fillets (1kg)

$8.37 MX$144

$24.02 ISK 2,990

-65.15%

Beef Round Steak (1kg)

$10.66 MX$183

$43.15 ISK 5,372

-75.30%

Apples (1kg)

$2.63 MX$45.12

$3.26 ISK 406

-19.33%

Banana (1kg)

$1.49 MX$25.53

$2.45 ISK 304

-39.18%

Oranges (1kg)

$1.92 MX$32.94

$3.11 ISK 387

-38.26%

Tomato (1kg)

$2.09 MX$35.81

$4.87 ISK 606

-57.08%

Potato (1kg)

$1.86 MX$31.88

$3.68 ISK 459

-49.46%

Onion (1kg)

$2.26 MX$38.81

$2.34 ISK 291

-3.42%

Lettuce (1 head)

$1.06 MX$18.23

$3.04 ISK 379

-65.13%

Water (1.5 liter bottle)

$1.09 MX$18.67

$1.92 ISK 239

-43.23%

Cigarettes 20 Pack (Marlboro, Camel)

$4.15 MX$71.2

$13.59 ISK 1,692

-69.46%

Wine (Bottle)

$10.39 MX$178

$23.29 ISK 2,900

-55.39%

Local Beer (0.5 liter bottle)

$1.72 MX$29.59

$3.71 ISK 462

-53.64%

Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$2.61 MX$44.85

$3.30 ISK 411

-20.91%

One-way Ticket (Public Transport)

$0.54 MX$9.30

$5.08 ISK 633

-89.37%

Public Transport Monthly Pass (Regular Price)

$26.94 MX$462

$88.4 ISK 11.0K

-69.52%

Taxi Start (Normal Tariff)

$3.13 MX$53.7

$6.30 ISK 784

-50.32%

Taxi (Normal Tariff) (1km)

$2.51 MX$43.09

$2.64 ISK 328

-4.92%

Taxi 1hour Waiting (Normal Tariff)

$3.15 MX$54.1

$86.7 ISK 10.8K

-96.37%

Gasoline (1 liter)

$1.27 MX$21.88

$2.48 ISK 308

-48.79%

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

$30.4K MX$521.3K

$46.4K ISK 5.8M

-34.56%

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

$23.6K MX$404.5K

$52.0K ISK 6.5M

-54.67%

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

$83.0 MX$1,425

$89.0 ISK 11.1K

-6.75%

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

$22.71 MX$390

$27.11 ISK 3,376

-16.23%

Internet (50+ Mbps, Unlimited Data)

$29.46 MX$506

$83.7 ISK 10.4K

-64.81%

Gym Membership (Monthly)

$51.0 MX$875

$83.2 ISK 10.4K

-38.68%

Tennis Court (1 Hour on Weekend)

$18.33 MX$315

$37.19 ISK 4,630

-50.71%

Cinema Ticket

$4.93 MX$84.5

$17.41 ISK 2,167

-71.68%

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

$197 MX$3,386

$319 ISK 39.7K

-38.15%

International Primary School, 1 Child (Yearly)

$5,280 MX$90.6K

$29.8K ISK 3.7M

-82.28%

Jeans (Levis 501 Or Similar)

$36.90 MX$633

$138 ISK 17.1K

-73.18%

Summer Dress (H&M, Zara, etc)

$39.89 MX$685

$60.8 ISK 7,569

-34.38%

Sport Shoes (Adidas, Nike)

$80.0 MX$1,373

$181 ISK 22.5K

-55.82%

Men's Leather Business Shoes

$89.5 MX$1,536

$269 ISK 33.5K

-66.79%

1-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)

$956 MX$16.4K

$2,246 ISK 279.6K

-57.42%

1-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)

$477 MX$8,189

$2,025 ISK 252.1K

-76.44%

3-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)

$1,646 MX$28.3K

$3,220 ISK 400.9K

-48.89%

3-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)

$1,225 MX$21.0K

$2,728 ISK 339.6K

-55.10%

Buy Apartment in City Center (m2)

$3,918 MX$67.2K

$7,686 ISK 957.0K

-49.03%

Buy Apartment Outside City Center (m2)

$6,459 MX$110.9K

$6,267 ISK 780.3K

3.06%

Average Monthly Net Salary (After Tax)

$667 MX$11.4K

$4,442 ISK 553.0K

-84.98%

20-Year Fixed Mortgage Interest Rate (Annual %)

11.42

9.63

18.59%

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

Last update for Playa del Carmen: June 7, 2026

Last update for Reykjavik: June 8, 2026

Cost Breakdown

A central one-bedroom costs $956 in Playa del Carmen versus $2,246 in Reykjavik. Rent is usually the largest line item in a monthly budget, so the gap here sets the tone for the overall comparison.

Salaries run about 566% higher in Reykjavik, which partly offsets the higher cost of living there. Purchasing power depends on which expenses matter most to you.

A mid-range dinner for two costs $43.00 in Playa del Carmen versus $147 in Reykjavik. Monthly groceries follow the same trend: $250 vs $596 – making Playa del Carmen the more affordable choice for daily food spending.

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 Reykjavik: Cost of Living - Frequently Asked Questions

Yes – Reykjavik is pricier by about 201%, and the gap shows up most in Groceries & Markets. It's not just housing either; the difference applies across most spending categories.

For a comfortable life, plan on about $1,906 per month in Playa del Carmen and $5,735 in Reykjavik. That covers rent, food, utilities, transport, and enough left over to feel settled – not just surviving.

Rent is clearly cheaper in Playa del Carmen, especially for central apartments. Housing is actually the single biggest factor behind the overall cost gap between these two cities.

Monthly expenses with rent come to $1,271 in Playa del Carmen and $3,824 in Reykjavik. The difference isn't just one category – it shows up across housing, food, transport, and services.

Public transport costs about 228% less in Playa del Carmen. For daily commuters, that gap adds up to noticeable savings over a year.

A $1,500 monthly budget goes further in Playa del Carmen, where all-in costs run around $1,271, than in Reykjavik at $3,824. In Playa del Carmen it covers expenses comfortably, while in Reykjavik it requires careful planning or may not stretch far enough.

Families tend to lean toward Playa del Carmen – lower housing and cheaper childcare make a real difference, especially on a single income or when paying for private education.

Both have safer and rougher neighborhoods, but overall safety is comparable to other large cities. Neighborhood choice matters more than the city-level comparison – central, well-trafficked areas feel secure in both.

If budget matters most, go with Playa del Carmen. If higher salaries, better infrastructure, or specific career opportunities are the priority, Reykjavik makes more sense. Both are solid long-term options with distinct trade-offs.