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 $1,330 per month in Playa del Carmen vs $3,991 in Reykjavik, rent included.

A couple spends around $2,336 per month in Playa del Carmen vs $5,585 in Reykjavik, rent included.

A family of three spends $3,341 per month in Playa del Carmen vs $7,179 in Reykjavik, rent included.

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

Playa del Carmen sits 3% below the global median, while Reykjavik is 191% above – they fall on opposite sides of the world average.

Meal at Budget Restaurant

$13.02 MX$221

$29.03 ISK 3,528

-55.15%

Three-Course Dinner for Two, Mid-Range

$46.25 MX$784

$133 ISK 16.2K

-65.28%

Fast Food Meal (McDonalds, etc)

$12.59 MX$213

$26.15 ISK 3,177

-51.85%

Cappuccino

$4.00 MX$67.9

$6.64 ISK 806

-39.76%

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

$1.42 MX$24.08

$3.23 ISK 393

-56.04%

Water (0.33 liter bottle)

$0.81 MX$13.73

$3.18 ISK 386

-74.53%

Local Beer (0.5 liter draught)

$3.05 MX$51.7

$13.53 ISK 1,644

-77.46%

Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$6.82 MX$116

$12.41 ISK 1,508

-45.04%

Milk (1 liter)

$1.71 MX$29.04

$2.08 ISK 253

-17.79%

White Bread (500g)

$2.22 MX$37.62

$4.20 ISK 511

-47.14%

Rice (white) (1kg)

$1.72 MX$29.13

$3.53 ISK 429

-51.27%

Eggs

$2.71 MX$45.99

$7.27 ISK 883

-62.72%

Local Cheese (1kg)

$9.37 MX$159

$20.68 ISK 2,513

-54.69%

Chicken Fillets (1kg)

$8.86 MX$150

$24.10 ISK 2,929

-63.24%

Beef Round Steak (1kg)

$12.78 MX$217

$40.84 ISK 4,961

-68.71%

Apples (1kg)

$3.13 MX$53.0

$3.42 ISK 415

-8.48%

Banana (1kg)

$1.55 MX$26.24

$2.82 ISK 343

-45.04%

Oranges (1kg)

$2.15 MX$36.51

$3.16 ISK 384

-31.96%

Tomato (1kg)

$2.35 MX$39.89

$6.30 ISK 765

-62.70%

Potato (1kg)

$2.02 MX$34.23

$3.92 ISK 476

-48.47%

Onion (1kg)

$1.99 MX$33.67

$1.69 ISK 205

17.75%

Lettuce (1 head)

$1.24 MX$21.09

$3.39 ISK 412

-63.42%

Water (1.5 liter bottle)

$1.19 MX$20.21

$1.73 ISK 210

-31.21%

Cigarettes 20 Pack (Marlboro, Camel)

$4.65 MX$78.8

$13.76 ISK 1,671

-66.21%

Wine (Bottle)

$10.47 MX$177

$24.05 ISK 2,922

-56.47%

Local Beer (0.5 liter bottle)

$1.58 MX$26.82

$3.61 ISK 439

-56.23%

Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$2.92 MX$49.48

$3.35 ISK 407

-12.84%

One-way Ticket (Public Transport)

$0.56 MX$9.53

$5.70 ISK 693

-90.18%

Public Transport Monthly Pass (Regular Price)

$29.76 MX$504

$90.7 ISK 11.0K

-67.20%

Taxi Start (Normal Tariff)

$5.32 MX$90.2

$6.76 ISK 822

-21.30%

Taxi (Normal Tariff) (1km)

$3.72 MX$63.0

$2.79 ISK 339

33.33%

Taxi 1hour Waiting (Normal Tariff)

$5.78 MX$97.9

$72.7 ISK 8,830

-92.05%

Gasoline (1 liter)

$1.55 MX$26.27

$2.04 ISK 248

-24.02%

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

$22.4K MX$379.1K

$50.7K ISK 6.2M

-55.92%

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

$25.6K MX$433.3K

$54.3K ISK 6.6M

-52.94%

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

$89.3 MX$1,513

$87.2 ISK 10.6K

2.35%

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

$23.30 MX$395

$32.62 ISK 3,963

-28.57%

Internet (50+ Mbps, Unlimited Data)

$31.72 MX$538

$85.2 ISK 10.4K

-62.77%

Gym Membership (Monthly)

$68.8 MX$1,165

$97.4 ISK 11.8K

-29.38%

Tennis Court (1 Hour on Weekend)

$29.40 MX$498

$48.73 ISK 5,921

-39.67%

Cinema Ticket

$5.06 MX$85.7

$19.87 ISK 2,414

-74.53%

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

$222 MX$3,765

$1,128 ISK 137.1K

-80.31%

International Primary School, 1 Child (Yearly)

$4,293 MX$72.7K

$30.2K ISK 3.7M

-85.78%

Jeans (Levis 501 Or Similar)

$46.21 MX$783

$154 ISK 18.7K

-70.04%

Summer Dress (H&M, Zara, etc)

$44.43 MX$753

$66.5 ISK 8,079

-33.18%

Sport Shoes (Adidas, Nike)

$95.5 MX$1,618

$191 ISK 23.2K

-49.97%

Men's Leather Business Shoes

$92.5 MX$1,568

$244 ISK 29.6K

-62.01%

1-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)

$1,069 MX$18.1K

$2,471 ISK 300.2K

-56.74%

1-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)

$393 MX$6,663

$2,055 ISK 249.7K

-80.87%

3-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)

$1,988 MX$33.7K

$3,400 ISK 413.1K

-41.52%

3-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)

$1,304 MX$22.1K

$2,720 ISK 330.5K

-52.06%

Buy Apartment in City Center (m2)

$4,037 MX$68.4K

$8,029 ISK 975.5K

-49.72%

Buy Apartment Outside City Center (m2)

$6,627 MX$112.3K

$6,365 ISK 773.4K

4.11%

Average Monthly Net Salary (After Tax)

$747 MX$12.7K

$4,758 ISK 578.1K

-84.30%

20-Year Fixed Mortgage Interest Rate (Annual %)

11.6

9.1

27.47%

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

Last update for Playa del Carmen: August 18, 2026

Last update for Reykjavik: August 16, 2026

Cost Breakdown

A central one-bedroom costs $1,069 in Playa del Carmen versus $2,471 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 537% 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 $46.00 in Playa del Carmen versus $133 in Reykjavik. Monthly groceries follow the same trend: $277 vs $612 – 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 200%, 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 $1,995 per month in Playa del Carmen and $5,986 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 $1,330 in Playa del Carmen and $3,991 in Reykjavik. The difference isn't just one category – it shows up across housing, food, transport, and services.

Public transport costs about 205% 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 $1,330, than in Reykjavik at $3,991. 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.