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

Monthly Cost of Living

A single person spends $1,281 per month in Ankara vs $1,256 in Playa del Carmen, rent included.

A couple spends around $1,825 per month in Ankara vs $2,137 in Playa del Carmen, rent included.

A family of three spends $2,370 per month in Ankara vs $3,017 in Playa del Carmen, rent included.

Ankara costs about 2% more than Playa del Carmen, driven mainly by Eating Out.

Both Ankara and Playa del Carmen are more affordable than the global median – Ankara 4% lower, Playa del Carmen 6% lower.

Meal at Budget Restaurant

$9.60 ₺453

$11.99 MX$209

-19.93%

Three-Course Dinner for Two, Mid-Range

$37.78 ₺1,782

$41.78 MX$728

-9.57%

Fast Food Meal (McDonalds, etc)

$8.76 ₺413

$10.75 MX$187

-18.51%

Cappuccino

$3.16 ₺149

$3.50 MX$60.9

-9.71%

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

$1.21 ₺57.3

$1.45 MX$25.22

-16.55%

Water (0.33 liter bottle)

$0.39 ₺18.17

$0.88 MX$15.41

-55.68%

Local Beer (0.5 liter draught)

$3.21 ₺151

$2.95 MX$51.3

8.81%

Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$3.92 ₺185

$4.51 MX$78.6

-13.08%

Milk (1 liter)

$1.01 ₺47.63

$1.43 MX$24.94

-29.37%

White Bread (500g)

$0.71 ₺33.39

$1.84 MX$31.99

-61.41%

Rice (white) (1kg)

$2.30 ₺108

$1.57 MX$27.31

46.50%

Eggs

$2.27 ₺107

$2.51 MX$43.74

-9.56%

Local Cheese (1kg)

$9.32 ₺440

$8.28 MX$144

12.56%

Chicken Fillets (1kg)

$5.97 ₺282

$8.43 MX$147

-29.18%

Beef Round Steak (1kg)

$19.67 ₺928

$10.68 MX$186

84.18%

Apples (1kg)

$1.45 ₺68.6

$2.61 MX$45.43

-44.44%

Banana (1kg)

$2.29 ₺108

$1.44 MX$25.04

59.03%

Oranges (1kg)

$1.33 ₺62.6

$1.96 MX$34.16

-32.14%

Tomato (1kg)

$1.48 ₺69.8

$2.09 MX$36.47

-29.19%

Potato (1kg)

$0.68 ₺31.99

$1.85 MX$32.24

-63.24%

Onion (1kg)

$0.62 ₺29.07

$2.17 MX$37.74

-71.43%

Lettuce (1 head)

$1.13 ₺53.4

$1.03 MX$17.96

9.71%

Water (1.5 liter bottle)

$0.42 ₺19.92

$1.07 MX$18.70

-60.75%

Cigarettes 20 Pack (Marlboro, Camel)

$2.14 ₺101

$4.10 MX$71.4

-47.80%

Wine (Bottle)

$11.72 ₺553

$10.17 MX$177

15.24%

Local Beer (0.5 liter bottle)

$2.02 ₺95.4

$1.68 MX$29.17

20.24%

Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$3.24 ₺153

$2.53 MX$43.98

28.06%

One-way Ticket (Public Transport)

$0.64 ₺30.40

$0.51 MX$8.87

25.49%

Public Transport Monthly Pass (Regular Price)

$9.55 ₺451

$26.04 MX$453

-63.33%

Taxi Start (Normal Tariff)

$0.93 ₺43.71

$3.23 MX$56.3

-71.21%

Taxi (Normal Tariff) (1km)

$0.61 ₺28.57

$2.41 MX$41.88

-74.69%

Taxi 1hour Waiting (Normal Tariff)

$6.18 ₺291

$3.23 MX$56.2

91.33%

Gasoline (1 liter)

$1.18 ₺55.8

$1.32 MX$23.00

-10.61%

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

$43.3K ₺2.0M

$29.7K MX$517.1K

45.93%

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

$42.9K ₺2.0M

$23.7K MX$412.0K

81.50%

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

$84.2 ₺3,971

$82.0 MX$1,428

2.62%

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

$10.61 ₺501

$22.95 MX$400

-53.77%

Internet (50+ Mbps, Unlimited Data)

$13.79 ₺651

$30.11 MX$524

-54.20%

Gym Membership (Monthly)

$54.8 ₺2,586

$52.0 MX$905

5.46%

Tennis Court (1 Hour on Weekend)

$14.53 ₺686

$18.53 MX$323

-21.59%

Cinema Ticket

$6.25 ₺295

$4.98 MX$86.6

25.50%

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

$602 ₺28.4K

$197 MX$3,438

204.87%

International Primary School, 1 Child (Yearly)

$13.4K ₺634.3K

$5,336 MX$92.9K

151.92%

Jeans (Levis 501 Or Similar)

$58.3 ₺2,751

$35.60 MX$620

63.79%

Summer Dress (H&M, Zara, etc)

$45.23 ₺2,134

$40.33 MX$702

12.15%

Sport Shoes (Adidas, Nike)

$107 ₺5,063

$78.8 MX$1,371

36.27%

Men's Leather Business Shoes

$98.7 ₺4,658

$88.9 MX$1,549

11.01%

1-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)

$726 ₺34.3K

$947 MX$16.5K

-23.33%

1-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)

$523 ₺24.7K

$474 MX$8,254

10.25%

3-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)

$1,091 ₺51.5K

$1,644 MX$28.6K

-33.62%

3-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)

$703 ₺33.2K

$1,211 MX$21.1K

-41.94%

Buy Apartment in City Center (m2)

$1,716 ₺81.0K

$4,056 MX$70.6K

-57.68%

Buy Apartment Outside City Center (m2)

$1,137 ₺53.7K

$6,470 MX$112.7K

-82.42%

Average Monthly Net Salary (After Tax)

$1,095 ₺51.7K

$654 MX$11.4K

67.45%

20-Year Fixed Mortgage Interest Rate (Annual %)

48.4

11.42

323.82%

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

Last update for Ankara: July 14, 2026

Last update for Playa del Carmen: July 13, 2026

Cost Breakdown

A central one-bedroom costs $726 in Ankara versus $947 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 67% higher in Ankara, 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 $38.00 in Ankara versus $42.00 in Playa del Carmen. Monthly groceries follow the same trend: $239 vs $249 – making Ankara 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

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

Ankara costs about 2% more than Playa del Carmen, with the gap driven mainly by Eating Out. That's enough to noticeably affect everyday spending and lifestyle for anyone choosing between the two.

For a comfortable life, plan on about $1,921 per month in Ankara and $1,884 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.

Kindergarten costs $602 per month in Ankara and $197 in Playa del Carmen. For families with young kids, this one expense can tip the scales when choosing between the two cities.

Interestingly, groceries are about 4% cheaper in Ankara – one category where the pricier city actually offers better value, probably thanks to stronger retail competition or local farming.

A $1,500 monthly budget goes further in Playa del Carmen, where all-in costs run around $1,256, than in Ankara at $1,281. In Playa del Carmen it covers expenses comfortably, while in Ankara it requires careful planning or may not stretch far enough.

For digital nomads, it depends on budget. Playa del Carmen costs $1,256 versus $1,281 in Ankara. Both have workable remote work infrastructure, but the cost gap matters when income varies month to month.

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, Ankara makes more sense. Both are solid long-term options with distinct trade-offs.