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

Monthly Cost of Living

Monthly costs for one person with rent: $982 in Arzamas versus $1,287 in Playa del Carmen.

Estimated couple costs with rent: $1,501 in Arzamas versus $2,184 in Playa del Carmen.

Monthly costs for a family of three with rent: $2,021 in Arzamas versus $3,082 in Playa del Carmen.

Living in Arzamas costs roughly 24% less than in Playa del Carmen, driven mainly by Eating Out.

Both cities sit below the global median: Arzamas 27% lower, Playa del Carmen 4% lower.

Meal at Budget Restaurant

$9.38 ₽705

$11.94 MX$209

-21.44%

Three-Course Dinner for Two, Mid-Range

$37.81 ₽2,840

$42.75 MX$748

-11.56%

Fast Food Meal (McDonalds, etc)

$5.79 ₽435

$10.59 MX$185

-45.33%

Cappuccino

$2.30 ₽173

$3.62 MX$63.4

-36.46%

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

$1.08 ₽80.9

$1.47 MX$25.69

-26.53%

Water (0.33 liter bottle)

$0.48 ₽36.03

$0.94 MX$16.51

-48.94%

Local Beer (0.5 liter draught)

$1.43 ₽107

$3.09 MX$54.1

-53.72%

Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$2.49 ₽187

$4.46 MX$78.0

-44.17%

Milk (1 liter)

$1.10 ₽82.4

$1.43 MX$24.94

-23.08%

White Bread (500g)

$0.70 ₽52.3

$1.88 MX$32.97

-62.77%

Rice (white) (1kg)

$1.37 ₽103

$1.63 MX$28.50

-15.95%

Eggs

$1.71 ₽129

$2.64 MX$46.26

-35.23%

Local Cheese (1kg)

$11.03 ₽828

$8.21 MX$144

34.35%

Chicken Fillets (1kg)

$4.72 ₽355

$8.29 MX$145

-43.06%

Beef Round Steak (1kg)

$9.02 ₽677

$11.10 MX$194

-18.74%

Apples (1kg)

$1.82 ₽136

$2.65 MX$46.40

-31.32%

Banana (1kg)

$1.86 ₽140

$1.50 MX$26.26

24.00%

Oranges (1kg)

$1.91 ₽144

$1.99 MX$34.79

-4.02%

Tomato (1kg)

$2.80 ₽210

$2.08 MX$36.33

34.62%

Potato (1kg)

$0.86 ₽64.5

$1.79 MX$31.29

-51.96%

Onion (1kg)

$0.66 ₽49.66

$2.18 MX$38.09

-69.72%

Lettuce (1 head)

$1.42 ₽106

$1.08 MX$18.84

31.48%

Water (1.5 liter bottle)

$0.66 ₽49.35

$1.04 MX$18.15

-36.54%

Cigarettes 20 Pack (Marlboro, Camel)

$2.89 ₽217

$3.97 MX$69.5

-27.20%

Wine (Bottle)

$6.59 ₽495

$10.20 MX$179

-35.39%

Local Beer (0.5 liter bottle)

$0.95 ₽71.5

$1.73 MX$30.22

-45.09%

Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$1.95 ₽146

$2.50 MX$43.71

-22.00%

One-way Ticket (Public Transport)

$0.49 ₽36.83

$0.52 MX$9.07

-5.77%

Public Transport Monthly Pass (Regular Price)

$26.97 MX$472

Taxi Start (Normal Tariff)

$1.85 ₽139

$3.14 MX$55.0

-41.08%

Taxi (Normal Tariff) (1km)

$0.35 ₽26.56

$2.40 MX$42.04

-85.42%

Taxi 1hour Waiting (Normal Tariff)

$6.52 ₽490

$3.09 MX$54.0

111.00%

Gasoline (1 liter)

$0.76 ₽57.2

$1.27 MX$22.28

-40.16%

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

$34.5K ₽2.6M

$30.9K MX$540.4K

11.85%

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

$35.2K ₽2.6M

$23.3K MX$408.0K

50.78%

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

$108 ₽8,077

$82.0 MX$1,435

31.13%

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

$5.83 ₽438

$22.45 MX$393

-74.03%

Internet (50+ Mbps, Unlimited Data)

$7.60 ₽571

$29.66 MX$519

-74.38%

Gym Membership (Monthly)

$35.09 ₽2,636

$51.9 MX$908

-32.35%

Tennis Court (1 Hour on Weekend)

$18.67 MX$327

Cinema Ticket

$5.19 ₽390

$4.97 MX$87.0

4.43%

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

$322 ₽24.2K

$198 MX$3,462

62.96%

International Primary School, 1 Child (Yearly)

$7,020 ₽527.3K

$5,273 MX$92.3K

33.13%

Jeans (Levis 501 Or Similar)

$69.3 ₽5,208

$36.34 MX$636

90.81%

Summer Dress (H&M, Zara, etc)

$43.57 ₽3,273

$40.05 MX$701

8.79%

Sport Shoes (Adidas, Nike)

$113 ₽8,485

$79.9 MX$1,398

41.42%

Men's Leather Business Shoes

$106 ₽7,971

$88.9 MX$1,555

19.41%

1-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)

$451 ₽33.9K

$963 MX$16.9K

-53.20%

1-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)

$303 ₽22.7K

$465 MX$8,133

-34.86%

3-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)

$774 ₽58.1K

$1,596 MX$27.9K

-51.54%

3-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)

$506 ₽38.0K

$1,209 MX$21.2K

-58.17%

Buy Apartment in City Center (m2)

$2,156 ₽162.0K

$3,942 MX$69.0K

-45.29%

Buy Apartment Outside City Center (m2)

$1,336 ₽100.4K

$6,448 MX$112.8K

-79.27%

Average Monthly Net Salary (After Tax)

$720 MX$12.6K

20-Year Fixed Mortgage Interest Rate (Annual %)

15.33

11.42

34.24%

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

Last update for Arzamas: April 27, 2026

Last update for Playa del Carmen: April 25, 2026

Cost Breakdown

A one-bedroom apartment in the center runs $451 in Arzamas and $963 in Playa del Carmen. Housing cost is often the main lever when comparing two cities.

Dining out: $38.00 in Arzamas vs $43.00 in Playa del Carmen for a mid-range dinner for two. Groceries echo the gap at $195 vs $251 per month, with Arzamas cheaper across the board.

City Median Internet Speeds Comparison (Updated March 2026)

The chart highlights the Precision Threshold for mobile and fixed broadband internet speeds, updated quarterly.

Digital Nomad Cost of Living Index

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

Arzamas and Playa del Carmen differ by about 31% in total monthly costs ($982 vs $1,287 including rent). Arzamas is meaningfully more affordable – a gap that matters a lot on a fixed or modest income.

You'd need roughly $1,472 in Arzamas and $1,930 in Playa del Carmen to live well. The gap comes down to housing and overall price levels. Both cities are liveable on less, but these numbers represent actual comfort.

Rent for a central apartment: $451 in Arzamas versus $963 in Playa del Carmen. Housing is usually the single largest factor when comparing overall living costs between the two.

Supermarket bills run roughly 28% higher in Playa del Carmen. For households that cook at home regularly, that difference adds up over a month.

All in, you'll spend $982 per month in Arzamas versus $1,287 in Playa del Carmen – a 31% gap that adds up to real savings over time for anyone picking the cheaper option.

At $982 in Arzamas versus $1,287 in Playa del Carmen, a $2,000 budget is realistic in Arzamas but tight or insufficient in Playa del Carmen. The gap between the two cities makes Arzamas the clear choice for anyone on this budget.

Both cities offer a good standard of living with different trade-offs. Neither is objectively better – the right pick depends on what matters most: affordability, career, cultural scene, or climate.

Expats usually find Arzamas gentler on the wallet – expenses run 31% less than in Playa del Carmen. Beyond cost, consider language, visa policies, and how big the international community is in each city.