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

Monthly Cost of Living

A single person spends $3,883 per month in Reykjavik vs $1,297 in Playa del Carmen, rent included.

A couple spends around $5,535 per month in Reykjavik vs $2,181 in Playa del Carmen, rent included.

A family of three spends $7,188 per month in Reykjavik vs $3,065 in Playa del Carmen, rent included.

Reykjavik costs about 199% more than Playa del Carmen, driven mainly by Groceries & Markets.

Reykjavik sits 190% above the global median, while Playa del Carmen is 3% below – they fall on opposite sides of the world average.

Meal at Budget Restaurant

$27.17 ISK 3,346

$11.73 MX$203

131.63%

Three-Course Dinner for Two, Mid-Range

$144 ISK 17.7K

$41.62 MX$721

244.86%

Fast Food Meal (McDonalds, etc)

$22.42 ISK 2,761

$10.64 MX$184

110.71%

Cappuccino

$6.19 ISK 763

$3.52 MX$61.0

75.85%

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

$3.28 ISK 405

$1.51 MX$26.17

117.22%

Water (0.33 liter bottle)

$2.53 ISK 311

$0.97 MX$16.87

160.82%

Local Beer (0.5 liter draught)

$13.11 ISK 1,615

$2.95 MX$51.1

344.41%

Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$11.43 ISK 1,408

$4.45 MX$77.2

156.85%

Milk (1 liter)

$1.94 ISK 239

$1.38 MX$23.97

40.58%

White Bread (500g)

$4.29 ISK 528

$1.89 MX$32.78

126.98%

Rice (white) (1kg)

$3.72 ISK 458

$1.64 MX$28.37

126.83%

Eggs

$6.53 ISK 804

$2.51 MX$43.42

160.16%

Local Cheese (1kg)

$17.88 ISK 2,202

$8.34 MX$145

114.39%

Chicken Fillets (1kg)

$24.10 ISK 2,968

$8.34 MX$145

188.97%

Beef Round Steak (1kg)

$42.88 ISK 5,281

$10.73 MX$186

299.63%

Apples (1kg)

$3.35 ISK 412

$2.60 MX$45.12

28.85%

Banana (1kg)

$2.51 ISK 309

$1.46 MX$25.25

71.92%

Oranges (1kg)

$3.13 ISK 385

$1.90 MX$32.94

64.74%

Tomato (1kg)

$4.89 ISK 602

$2.08 MX$35.98

135.10%

Potato (1kg)

$3.71 ISK 457

$1.78 MX$30.77

108.43%

Onion (1kg)

$2.32 ISK 285

$2.19 MX$37.87

5.94%

Lettuce (1 head)

$3.07 ISK 378

$1.04 MX$18.02

195.19%

Water (1.5 liter bottle)

$1.99 ISK 246

$1.08 MX$18.66

84.26%

Cigarettes 20 Pack (Marlboro, Camel)

$13.85 ISK 1,705

$4.08 MX$70.7

239.46%

Wine (Bottle)

$23.47 ISK 2,891

$10.32 MX$179

127.42%

Local Beer (0.5 liter bottle)

$3.62 ISK 446

$1.71 MX$29.67

111.70%

Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$3.38 ISK 416

$2.58 MX$44.63

31.01%

One-way Ticket (Public Transport)

$5.10 ISK 628

$0.51 MX$8.83

900.00%

Public Transport Monthly Pass (Regular Price)

$85.4 ISK 10.5K

$26.46 MX$459

222.60%

Taxi Start (Normal Tariff)

$6.28 ISK 773

$3.26 MX$56.5

92.64%

Taxi (Normal Tariff) (1km)

$2.57 ISK 317

$2.49 MX$43.17

3.21%

Taxi 1hour Waiting (Normal Tariff)

$85.8 ISK 10.6K

$3.25 MX$56.3

2539.08%

Gasoline (1 liter)

$2.52 ISK 310

$1.31 MX$22.65

92.37%

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

$47.2K ISK 5.8M

$30.3K MX$524.7K

55.80%

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

$51.8K ISK 6.4M

$23.4K MX$406.0K

121.15%

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

$86.9 ISK 10.7K

$82.9 MX$1,436

4.80%

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

$26.94 ISK 3,317

$22.22 MX$385

21.24%

Internet (50+ Mbps, Unlimited Data)

$85.9 ISK 10.6K

$29.34 MX$508

192.84%

Gym Membership (Monthly)

$83.4 ISK 10.3K

$51.6 MX$895

61.57%

Tennis Court (1 Hour on Weekend)

$37.54 ISK 4,623

$18.32 MX$317

104.91%

Cinema Ticket

$17.53 ISK 2,159

$5.07 MX$87.8

245.76%

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

$321 ISK 39.5K

$201 MX$3,480

59.73%

International Primary School, 1 Child (Yearly)

$30.2K ISK 3.7M

$5,212 MX$90.3K

478.72%

Jeans (Levis 501 Or Similar)

$140 ISK 17.2K

$36.92 MX$640

278.82%

Summer Dress (H&M, Zara, etc)

$60.6 ISK 7,456

$39.79 MX$689

52.17%

Sport Shoes (Adidas, Nike)

$181 ISK 22.3K

$78.5 MX$1,360

130.48%

Men's Leather Business Shoes

$263 ISK 32.4K

$87.1 MX$1,509

202.48%

1-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)

$2,175 ISK 267.8K

$973 MX$16.9K

123.64%

1-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)

$2,023 ISK 249.2K

$468 MX$8,105

332.58%

3-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)

$3,139 ISK 386.6K

$1,641 MX$28.4K

91.28%

3-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)

$2,738 ISK 337.1K

$1,221 MX$21.2K

124.24%

Buy Apartment in City Center (m2)

$8,022 ISK 987.9K

$3,946 MX$68.4K

103.29%

Buy Apartment Outside City Center (m2)

$6,223 ISK 766.3K

$6,498 MX$112.6K

-4.23%

Average Monthly Net Salary (After Tax)

$4,441 ISK 546.9K

$664 MX$11.5K

568.90%

20-Year Fixed Mortgage Interest Rate (Annual %)

9.63

11.42

-15.67%

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

Last update for Reykjavik: May 30, 2026

Last update for Playa del Carmen: June 2, 2026

Cost Breakdown

A central one-bedroom costs $2,175 in Reykjavik versus $973 in Playa del Carmen. 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 569% 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 $144 in Reykjavik versus $42.00 in Playa del Carmen. Monthly groceries follow the same trend: $599 vs $249 – 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

Reykjavik vs Playa del Carmen: Cost of Living - Frequently Asked Questions

Yes – Reykjavik is pricier by about 199%, 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 $5,824 per month in Reykjavik and $1,945 in Playa del Carmen. 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 $3,883 in Reykjavik and $1,297 in Playa del Carmen. The difference isn't just one category – it shows up across housing, food, transport, and services.

Public transport costs about 223% 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 $1,297, than in Reykjavik at $3,883. 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.