Last update: Oct 2026

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

For one person, living is cheaper in Playa del Carmen: $1,204 a month against $2,270 in Springfield, IL, rent and utilities included – about $12,800 less a year. Rent and utilities account for about half of the difference.

Playa del Carmen, Mexico
Springfield, IL, United States
Playa del Carmen
🇲🇽 Mexico
$1,204
/mo nomad
Springfield, IL
🇺🇸 United States
$2,270
/mo nomad
Monthly Cost of Living

How much you'll spend in Playa del Carmen and in Springfield, 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 Springfield, IL actually costs, broken down by who's living it.

A single person spends $1,204 per month in Playa del Carmen vs $2,270 in Springfield, IL, rent included.

  • Playa del Carmen $1,204
  • Springfield, IL $2,270

A couple spends around $2,082 per month in Playa del Carmen vs $3,350 in Springfield, IL, rent included.

  • Playa del Carmen $2,082
  • Springfield, IL $3,350

A family of three spends $2,959 per month in Playa del Carmen vs $4,429 in Springfield, IL, rent included.

  • Playa del Carmen $2,959
  • Springfield, IL $4,429

Playa del Carmen is about 47% cheaper than Springfield, IL, and outside of rent the biggest gap is in groceries.

Playa del Carmen sits 12% below the global median, while Springfield, IL is 67% above – they fall on opposite sides of the world average.

Currency
🍽 Eating Out
Playa del Carmen
Springfield, IL
Difference
Meal at Budget Restaurant
$10.92 MX$204
$14.25 $14.25
-23.37%
Three-Course Dinner for Two, Mid-Range
$43.37 MX$808
$43.25 $43.25
0.28%
Fast Food Meal (McDonalds, etc)
$11.78 MX$220
$9.84 $9.84
19.72%
Cappuccino
$3.81 MX$71.0
$5.28 $5.28
-27.84%
Coke/Pepsi/Fanta/Sprite (0.33 liter bottle)
$1.28 MX$23.90
$1.94 $1.94
-34.02%
Water (0.33 liter bottle)
$0.78 MX$14.59
$1.55 $1.55
-49.68%
Local Beer (0.5 liter draught)
$3.17 MX$59.0
$2.96 $2.96
7.09%
Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)
$4.93 MX$92.0
$3.91 $3.91
26.09%
🛒 Groceries & Markets
Playa del Carmen
Springfield, IL
Difference
Milk (1 liter)
$1.41 MX$26.22
$0.75 $0.75
88.00%
White Bread (500g)
$2.22 MX$41.33
$3.30 $3.30
-32.73%
Rice (white) (1kg)
$1.42 MX$26.42
$8.96 $8.96
-84.15%
Eggs
$2.52 MX$47.03
$3.07 $3.07
-17.92%
Local Cheese (1kg)
$7.26 MX$135
$19.30 $19.30
-62.38%
Chicken Fillets (1kg)
$7.70 MX$143
$17.20 $17.20
-55.23%
Beef Round Steak (1kg)
$12.69 MX$237
$32.10 $32.10
-60.47%
Apples (1kg)
$2.78 MX$51.9
$8.29 $8.29
-66.47%
Banana (1kg)
$1.37 MX$25.50
$1.27 $1.27
7.87%
Oranges (1kg)
$2.55 MX$47.55
$8.96 $8.96
-71.54%
Tomato (1kg)
$2.12 MX$39.58
$5.82 $5.82
-63.57%
Potato (1kg)
$1.94 MX$36.13
$3.14 $3.14
-38.22%
Onion (1kg)
$1.89 MX$35.16
$4.62 $4.62
-59.09%
Lettuce (1 head)
$1.15 MX$21.37
$1.87 $1.87
-38.50%
Water (1.5 liter bottle)
$1.18 MX$21.98
$1.61 $1.61
-26.71%
Cigarettes 20 Pack (Marlboro, Camel)
$4.30 MX$80.1
$10.78 $10.78
-60.11%
Wine (Bottle)
$9.95 MX$185
$10.96 $10.96
-9.22%
Local Beer (0.5 liter bottle)
$1.58 MX$29.52
$1.29 $1.29
22.48%
Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)
$2.67 MX$49.79
$1.56 $1.56
71.15%
🚌 Getting Around
Playa del Carmen
Springfield, IL
Difference
One-way Ticket (Public Transport)
$0.55 MX$10.31
$1.21 $1.21
-54.55%
Public Transport Monthly Pass (Regular Price)
$26.62 MX$496
$40.30 $40.30
-33.95%
Taxi Start (Normal Tariff)
$4.97 MX$92.6
$5.67 $5.67
-12.35%
Taxi (Normal Tariff) (1km)
$3.33 MX$62.1
$1.05 $1.05
217.14%
Taxi 1hour Waiting (Normal Tariff)
$5.36 MX$99.8
$18.17 $18.17
-70.50%
Gasoline (1 liter)
$1.44 MX$26.92
$0.97 $0.97
48.45%
Midsize Hatchback 1.4l (Volkswagen Golf, Toyota Prius, Honda Civic, etc)
$20.7K MX$385.2K
$27.4K $27.4K
-24.58%
Compact Sedan 1.6l (Toyota Corolla, Mazda3, Kia K4, Hyundai Elantra, etc)
$23.5K MX$437.4K
$27.3K $27.3K
-14.10%
🧾 Monthly Utilities & Internet
Playa del Carmen
Springfield, IL
Difference
Utilities for 2 People in 2-bedroom Apartment (Heating, Electricity, Gas, Water, Garbage) (85m2)
$84.8 MX$1,581
$229 $229
-63.02%
SIM Card Monthly Plan (Calls and 10GB+ Data)
$23.41 MX$436
$95.2 $95.2
-75.40%
Internet (50+ Mbps, Unlimited Data)
$28.66 MX$534
$63.8 $63.8
-55.04%
🎉 Sport & Entertainment
Playa del Carmen
Springfield, IL
Difference
Gym Membership (Monthly)
$57.1 MX$1,063
$32.48 $32.48
75.65%
Tennis Court (1 Hour on Weekend)
$28.91 MX$539
$19.91 $19.91
45.20%
Cinema Ticket
$5.14 MX$95.8
$12.62 $12.62
-59.27%
🧸 Childcare & Education
Playa del Carmen
Springfield, IL
Difference
Preschool or Kindergarten, Full Day, Private, 1 Child (Monthly)
$207 MX$3,851
$962 $962
-78.52%
International Primary School, 1 Child (Yearly)
$3,927 MX$73.2K
-
-
👕👟 Clothing & Footwear
Playa del Carmen
Springfield, IL
Difference
Jeans (Levis 501 Or Similar)
$43.35 MX$808
$105 $105
-58.86%
Summer Dress (H&M, Zara, etc)
$41.44 MX$772
$54.9 $54.9
-24.48%
Sport Shoes (Adidas, Nike)
$74.2 MX$1,383
$124 $124
-40.00%
Men's Leather Business Shoes
$89.3 MX$1,664
$138 $138
-35.26%
🏠 Accommodation & Living
Playa del Carmen
Springfield, IL
Difference
1-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)
$980 MX$18.3K
$940 $940
4.18%
1-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)
$381 MX$7,099
$815 $815
-53.29%
3-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)
$1,708 MX$31.8K
$1,903 $1,903
-10.23%
3-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)
$1,075 MX$20.0K
$1,339 $1,339
-19.70%
Buy Apartment in City Center (m2)
$3,943 MX$73.5K
$1,456 $1,456
170.82%
Buy Apartment Outside City Center (m2)
$6,158 MX$114.8K
$1,143 $1,143
438.76%
💵 Salaries & Financials
Playa del Carmen
Springfield, IL
Difference
Average Monthly Net Salary (After Tax)
$735 MX$13.7K
$4,009 $4,009
-81.68%
20-Year Fixed Mortgage Interest Rate (Annual %)
11.45
6.55
74.81%

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

Last update for Playa del Carmen: October 25, 2026

Last update for Springfield, IL: October 26, 2026

Monthly budget structure
Share of the monthly basket for one person, rent included.
Accommodation & Living
Playa del Carmen
$381
Springfield, IL
$815 114% $435
Groceries & Markets
Playa del Carmen
$255
Springfield, IL
$520 104% $265
Eating Out
Playa del Carmen
$202
Springfield, IL
$244 20.3% $41
Monthly Utilities & Internet
Playa del Carmen
$137
Springfield, IL
$388 184% $251
Clothing & Footwear
Playa del Carmen
$112
Springfield, IL
$190 69.9% $78
Sport & Entertainment
Playa del Carmen
$67
Springfield, IL
$58 14.3% $9.6
Getting Around
Playa del Carmen
$50
Springfield, IL
$56 11.2% $5.6

Cost Breakdown

A central one-bedroom costs $980 in Playa del Carmen versus $940 in Springfield, IL. Rent is usually the largest line item in a monthly budget, so the gap here sets the tone for the overall comparison.

Salaries in Springfield, IL are about 5.5 times higher. Purchasing power depends on which expenses matter most to you.

A mid-range dinner for two costs $43 in Playa del Carmen versus $43 in Springfield, IL. Monthly groceries follow the same trend: $255 vs $520 – making Playa del Carmen the more affordable choice for daily food spending.

Good to know
🇲🇽 Playa del Carmen
🇺🇸 Springfield, IL
🕒 Local time
20:03 8:03 PM
20:03 8:03 PM
Same time as Playa del Carmen
🌤 Weather
👥 Population
149,923
116,482
💱 Currency
Exchange rates and currency converter

USD, EUR to MXN – Mexican Peso Converter

Mexican Peso exchange rates as of October 29, 2026: 1 USD = 18.64 MXN (100 MXN = 5.36 USD). 1 EUR = 20.75 MXN (100 MXN = 4.82 EUR).

United States Dollar exchange rates as of October 29, 2026: 1 EUR = 1.11 USD (1 USD = 0.898 EUR).

On the map
Between locations
  • Playa del Carmen Springfield, IL 2,150 km ≈ 3 h 15 min nonstop flight
From you
  • Playa del Carmen
  • Springfield, 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 Springfield, IL: Cost of Living - Frequently Asked Questions
Is Playa del Carmen cheaper than Springfield, IL?
Yes – Springfield, IL is pricier by about 89%, 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 $1,806 per month in Playa del Carmen and $3,406 in Springfield, IL. That covers rent, food, utilities, transport, and enough left over to feel settled – not just surviving.
What is the rent difference between Playa del Carmen and Springfield, IL?
A central 1-bedroom goes for about $980 in Playa del Carmen and $940 in Springfield, IL. The gap holds across neighborhoods – outer areas show a similar spread, just at lower price points.
What are total monthly expenses in Playa del Carmen and in Springfield, IL?
Monthly expenses with rent come to $1,204 in Playa del Carmen and $2,270 in Springfield, IL. That makes Playa del Carmen about 47% cheaper.
Which city has cheaper kindergarten?
Kindergarten costs $207 per month in Playa del Carmen and $962 in Springfield, IL. For families with young kids, this one expense can tip the scales when choosing between the two cities.
Is $1,500 a realistic budget for living in Playa del Carmen or in Springfield, IL?
A $1,500 monthly budget goes further in Playa del Carmen, where all-in costs run around $1,204, than in Springfield, IL at $2,270. In Playa del Carmen it covers expenses comfortably, while in Springfield, IL it requires careful planning or may not stretch far enough.
Is it better to live in Playa del Carmen or in Springfield, IL?
It depends on your priorities. Playa del Carmen has an edge in some lifestyle areas, with costs from $1,204 in Playa del Carmen to $2,270 in Springfield, IL. Climate, culture, job market, and personal taste all factor in.
Which city is the better choice to relocate to?
If budget matters most, go with Playa del Carmen. If higher salaries or specific career opportunities are the priority, Springfield, IL makes more sense. Both are solid long-term options with distinct trade-offs.

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