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 $4,048 per month in Reykjavik vs $1,293 in Playa del Carmen, rent included.

A couple spends around $5,736 per month in Reykjavik vs $2,334 in Playa del Carmen, rent included.

A family of three spends $7,424 per month in Reykjavik vs $3,374 in Playa del Carmen, rent included.

Reykjavik costs about 213% more than Playa del Carmen, driven mainly by Groceries & Markets.

Reykjavik sits 195% above the global median, while Playa del Carmen is 6% below – they fall on opposite sides of the world average.

Meal at Budget Restaurant

$30.26 ISK 3,667

$11.71 MX$199

158.41%

Three-Course Dinner for Two, Mid-Range

$135 ISK 16.4K

$46.59 MX$791

190.77%

Fast Food Meal (McDonalds, etc)

$26.29 ISK 3,186

$11.65 MX$198

125.67%

Cappuccino

$6.95 ISK 842

$4.09 MX$69.5

69.93%

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

$3.30 ISK 400

$1.37 MX$23.34

140.88%

Water (0.33 liter bottle)

$3.35 ISK 406

$0.83 MX$14.16

303.61%

Local Beer (0.5 liter draught)

$14.06 ISK 1,704

$3.35 MX$56.9

319.70%

Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$12.60 ISK 1,527

$6.91 MX$117

82.34%

Milk (1 liter)

$2.10 ISK 254

$1.73 MX$29.33

21.39%

White Bread (500g)

$4.47 ISK 542

$2.26 MX$38.39

97.79%

Rice (white) (1kg)

$3.59 ISK 436

$1.77 MX$30.05

102.82%

Eggs

$7.13 ISK 865

$2.73 MX$46.41

161.17%

Local Cheese (1kg)

$21.34 ISK 2,586

$9.18 MX$156

132.46%

Chicken Fillets (1kg)

$24.37 ISK 2,953

$8.92 MX$151

173.21%

Beef Round Steak (1kg)

$42.10 ISK 5,102

$12.60 MX$214

234.13%

Apples (1kg)

$3.35 ISK 406

$3.02 MX$51.3

10.93%

Banana (1kg)

$2.82 ISK 341

$1.57 MX$26.68

79.62%

Oranges (1kg)

$3.21 ISK 389

$2.13 MX$36.10

50.70%

Tomato (1kg)

$6.24 ISK 756

$2.26 MX$38.46

176.11%

Potato (1kg)

$4.01 ISK 487

$2.00 MX$34.04

100.50%

Onion (1kg)

$1.70 ISK 206

$2.06 MX$35.06

-17.48%

Lettuce (1 head)

$3.83 ISK 464

$1.18 MX$20.04

224.58%

Water (1.5 liter bottle)

$1.78 ISK 216

$1.20 MX$20.45

48.33%

Cigarettes 20 Pack (Marlboro, Camel)

$13.75 ISK 1,666

$4.63 MX$78.7

196.98%

Wine (Bottle)

$24.28 ISK 2,942

$10.69 MX$182

127.13%

Local Beer (0.5 liter bottle)

$3.79 ISK 460

$1.62 MX$27.50

133.95%

Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$3.45 ISK 418

$2.88 MX$48.93

19.79%

One-way Ticket (Public Transport)

$5.81 ISK 704

$0.57 MX$9.74

919.30%

Public Transport Monthly Pass (Regular Price)

$92.7 ISK 11.2K

$29.83 MX$507

210.86%

Taxi Start (Normal Tariff)

$6.84 ISK 829

$5.45 MX$92.5

25.50%

Taxi (Normal Tariff) (1km)

$2.90 ISK 352

$3.70 MX$62.9

-21.62%

Taxi 1hour Waiting (Normal Tariff)

$74.5 ISK 9,033

$5.98 MX$102

1146.49%

Gasoline (1 liter)

$2.00 ISK 242

$1.55 MX$26.38

29.03%

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

$50.6K ISK 6.1M

$22.3K MX$379.2K

126.47%

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

$53.4K ISK 6.5M

$25.9K MX$440.7K

105.87%

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

$89.6 ISK 10.9K

$89.1 MX$1,514

0.50%

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

$33.11 ISK 4,013

$25.04 MX$425

32.23%

Internet (50+ Mbps, Unlimited Data)

$85.1 ISK 10.3K

$31.50 MX$535

170.29%

Gym Membership (Monthly)

$99.0 ISK 12.0K

$67.8 MX$1,151

46.03%

Tennis Court (1 Hour on Weekend)

$50.3 ISK 6,100

$28.92 MX$491

74.07%

Cinema Ticket

$19.43 ISK 2,354

$5.05 MX$85.8

284.75%

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

$1,173 ISK 142.1K

$225 MX$3,820

421.38%

International Primary School, 1 Child (Yearly)

$31.2K ISK 3.8M

$4,222 MX$71.7K

640.09%

Jeans (Levis 501 Or Similar)

$161 ISK 19.5K

$47.44 MX$806

239.21%

Summer Dress (H&M, Zara, etc)

$65.1 ISK 7,890

$44.98 MX$764

44.75%

Sport Shoes (Adidas, Nike)

$183 ISK 22.2K

$82.0 MX$1,392

123.38%

Men's Leather Business Shoes

$249 ISK 30.2K

$92.1 MX$1,564

170.56%

1-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)

$2,506 ISK 303.7K

$1,069 MX$18.2K

134.36%

1-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)

$2,092 ISK 253.5K

$405 MX$6,884

416.10%

3-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)

$3,408 ISK 413.0K

$1,935 MX$32.9K

76.11%

3-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)

$2,752 ISK 333.5K

$1,301 MX$22.1K

111.52%

Buy Apartment in City Center (m2)

$7,972 ISK 966.1K

$3,995 MX$67.9K

99.53%

Buy Apartment Outside City Center (m2)

$6,354 ISK 770.0K

$6,626 MX$112.5K

-4.11%

Average Monthly Net Salary (After Tax)

$4,606 ISK 558.1K

$749 MX$12.7K

515.15%

20-Year Fixed Mortgage Interest Rate (Annual %)

8.88

11.45

-22.45%

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

Last update for Reykjavik: August 29, 2026

Last update for Playa del Carmen: August 29, 2026

Cost Breakdown

A central one-bedroom costs $2,506 in Reykjavik versus $1,069 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 515% 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 $135 in Reykjavik versus $47.00 in Playa del Carmen. Monthly groceries follow the same trend: $625 vs $277 – 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 213%, 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 $6,073 per month in Reykjavik and $1,940 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 $4,048 in Reykjavik and $1,293 in Playa del Carmen. The difference isn't just one category – it shows up across housing, food, transport, and services.

Public transport costs about 211% 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 $1,293, than in Reykjavik at $4,048. 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.