Last update: Oct 2026

Cost of Living Comparison Between Selfoss and Playa del Carmen

For one person, living is cheaper in Playa del Carmen: $1,204 a month against $3,416 in Selfoss, rent and utilities included – about $26,500 less a year. Higher rent and utilities in Selfoss outweigh lower spending on other living expenses.

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Cost of Living Index in Playa del Carmen
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Playa del Carmen Living Index

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Selfoss

🇮🇸 Iceland

$3,416

/mo nomad

Playa del Carmen

🇲🇽 Mexico

$1,204

/mo nomad

Monthly Cost of Living

How much you'll spend in Selfoss and in Playa del Carmen

Real prices from locals and on-the-ground checks – rent, groceries, transit and the daily extras. Here's what a month in Selfoss and in Playa del Carmen actually costs, broken down by who's living it.

A single person spends $3,416 per month in Selfoss vs $1,204 in Playa del Carmen, rent included.

Selfoss $3,416
Playa del Carmen $1,204

A couple spends around $2,439 per month in Selfoss vs $2,082 in Playa del Carmen, rent included.

Selfoss $2,439
Playa del Carmen $2,082

A family of three spends $1,461 per month in Selfoss vs $2,959 in Playa del Carmen, rent included.

Selfoss $1,461
Playa del Carmen $2,959

Selfoss costs about 184% more than Playa del Carmen, and outside of rent the biggest gap is in groceries.

Selfoss sits 151% above the global median, while Playa del Carmen is 12% below – they fall on opposite sides of the world average.

Meal at Budget Restaurant

$10.92 MX$205

Three-Course Dinner for Two, Mid-Range

$43.37 MX$814

Fast Food Meal (McDonalds, etc)

$20.39 ISK 2,475

$11.78 MX$221

73.09%

Cappuccino

$3.81 MX$71.5

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

$1.28 MX$24.07

Water (0.33 liter bottle)

$0.78 MX$14.70

Local Beer (0.5 liter draught)

$12.18 ISK 1,478

$3.17 MX$59.5

284.23%

Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$4.93 MX$92.7

Milk (1 liter)

$1.77 ISK 215

$1.41 MX$26.40

25.53%

White Bread (500g)

$7.65 ISK 929

$2.22 MX$41.62

244.59%

Rice (white) (1kg)

$4.55 ISK 552

$1.42 MX$26.61

220.42%

Eggs

$6.49 ISK 787

$2.52 MX$47.36

157.54%

Local Cheese (1kg)

$17.25 ISK 2,094

$7.26 MX$136

137.60%

Chicken Fillets (1kg)

$21.56 ISK 2,617

$7.70 MX$144

180.00%

Beef Round Steak (1kg)

$33.60 ISK 4,078

$12.69 MX$238

164.78%

Apples (1kg)

$2.83 ISK 343

$2.78 MX$52.3

1.80%

Banana (1kg)

$2.70 ISK 328

$1.37 MX$25.68

97.08%

Oranges (1kg)

$2.72 ISK 330

$2.55 MX$47.89

6.67%

Tomato (1kg)

$7.25 ISK 880

$2.12 MX$39.86

241.98%

Potato (1kg)

$3.24 ISK 394

$1.94 MX$36.39

67.01%

Onion (1kg)

$2.07 ISK 252

$1.89 MX$35.41

9.52%

Lettuce (1 head)

$3.70 ISK 449

$1.15 MX$21.53

221.74%

Water (1.5 liter bottle)

$1.34 ISK 163

$1.18 MX$22.13

13.56%

Cigarettes 20 Pack (Marlboro, Camel)

$15.61 ISK 1,895

$4.30 MX$80.6

263.02%

Wine (Bottle)

$9.95 MX$187

Local Beer (0.5 liter bottle)

$1.58 MX$29.73

Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$1.15 ISK 140

$2.67 MX$50.1

-56.93%

One-way Ticket (Public Transport)

$0.55 MX$10.39

Public Transport Monthly Pass (Regular Price)

$26.62 MX$500

Taxi Start (Normal Tariff)

$4.97 MX$93.3

Taxi (Normal Tariff) (1km)

$3.33 MX$62.5

Taxi 1hour Waiting (Normal Tariff)

$5.36 MX$101

Gasoline (1 liter)

$1.44 MX$27.11

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

$20.7K MX$388.0K

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

$23.5K MX$440.5K

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

$84.8 MX$1,592

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

$23.41 MX$439

Internet (50+ Mbps, Unlimited Data)

$28.66 MX$538

Gym Membership (Monthly)

$57.1 MX$1,071

Tennis Court (1 Hour on Weekend)

$28.91 MX$543

Cinema Ticket

$5.14 MX$96.5

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

$207 MX$3,878

International Primary School, 1 Child (Yearly)

$3,927 MX$73.7K

Jeans (Levis 501 Or Similar)

$43.35 MX$814

Summer Dress (H&M, Zara, etc)

$41.44 MX$778

Sport Shoes (Adidas, Nike)

$74.2 MX$1,393

Men's Leather Business Shoes

$89.3 MX$1,676

1-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)

$980 MX$18.4K

1-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)

$2,771 ISK 336.4K

$381 MX$7,150

627.55%

3-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)

$1,708 MX$32.1K

3-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)

$1,075 MX$20.2K

Buy Apartment in City Center (m2)

$3,943 MX$74.0K

Buy Apartment Outside City Center (m2)

$6,158 MX$115.6K

Average Monthly Net Salary (After Tax)

$735 MX$13.8K

20-Year Fixed Mortgage Interest Rate (Annual %)

11.45

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

Last update for Selfoss: October 25, 2026

Last update for Playa del Carmen: October 25, 2026

Monthly budget structure

Share of the monthly basket for one person, rent included.

Accommodation & Living

Selfoss

–

Playa del Carmen

$381 31.6%

Groceries & Markets

Selfoss

–

Playa del Carmen

$255 21.2%

Eating Out

Selfoss

–

Playa del Carmen

$202 16.8%

Monthly Utilities & Internet

Selfoss

–

Playa del Carmen

$137 11.4%

Clothing & Footwear

Selfoss

–

Playa del Carmen

$112 9.3%

Sport & Entertainment

Selfoss

–

Playa del Carmen

$67 5.6%

Getting Around

Selfoss

–

Playa del Carmen

$50 4.2%

Good to know

🇮🇸 Selfoss

🇲🇽 Playa del Carmen

🕒 Local time

21:38 9:38 PM

16:38 4:38 PM

5 h behind Selfoss

🌤 Weather

👥 Population

9,000

149,923

💱 Currency

Icelandic Króna ISK kr

Mexican Peso MXN $

📈 Exchange rate

1,000 ISK = 8.24 USD

1,000 ISK = 7.38 EUR

100 MXN = 5.33 USD

100 MXN = 4.77 EUR

Exchange rates and currency converter

MXN, USD, EUR to ISK – Icelandic Króna Converter

🇺🇸 United States Dollar ($)

🇮🇸 Icelandic Króna (kr)

Icelandic Króna exchange rates as of November 1, 2026: 1 USD = 121 ISK (1,000 ISK = 8.24 USD). 1 EUR = 136 ISK (1,000 ISK = 7.38 EUR).

Mexican Peso exchange rates as of November 1, 2026: 1 USD = 18.77 MXN (100 MXN = 5.33 USD). 1 EUR = 20.96 MXN (100 MXN = 4.77 EUR).

USD to ISK in detail →

On the map

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Between locations

Selfoss Playa del Carmen 6,790 km ≈ 9 h nonstop flight

From you

Selfoss
Playa del Carmen

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

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

Yes – Selfoss is pricier by about 184%, and outside of rent the gap shows up most in groceries.

For a comfortable life, plan on about $5,124 per month in Selfoss and $1,806 in Playa del Carmen. That covers rent, food, utilities, transport, and enough left over to feel settled – not just surviving.

Monthly expenses with rent come to $3,416 in Selfoss and $1,204 in Playa del Carmen. That makes Playa del Carmen about 65% cheaper.

Groceries cost about 105% more in Selfoss, though the gap depends on what you buy.

A $1,500 monthly budget goes further in Playa del Carmen, where all-in costs run around $1,204, than in Selfoss at $3,416. In Playa del Carmen it covers expenses comfortably, while in Selfoss it requires careful planning or may not stretch far enough.

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 $3,416 in Selfoss. Climate, culture, job market, and personal taste all factor in.