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

Monthly Cost of Living

Monthly costs for one person with rent: $3,178 in Ashgabat versus $1,297 in Playa del Carmen.

Estimated couple costs with rent: $4,791 in Ashgabat versus $2,181 in Playa del Carmen.

Monthly costs for a family of three with rent: $6,405 in Ashgabat versus $3,065 in Playa del Carmen.

Living in Ashgabat is roughly 145% more expensive than Playa del Carmen, driven mainly by Groceries & Markets.

The two cities straddle the global median: Ashgabat is 137% above, Playa del Carmen is 3% below.

Meal at Budget Restaurant

$34.57 TMT 116

$11.73 MX$203

194.71%

Three-Course Dinner for Two, Mid-Range

$84.5 TMT 284

$41.62 MX$720

103.00%

Fast Food Meal (McDonalds, etc)

$14.03 TMT 47.15

$10.64 MX$184

31.86%

Cappuccino

$6.85 TMT 23.02

$3.52 MX$60.9

94.60%

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

$3.28 TMT 11.03

$1.51 MX$26.12

117.22%

Water (0.33 liter bottle)

$0.94 TMT 3.17

$0.97 MX$16.84

-3.09%

Local Beer (0.5 liter draught)

$5.17 TMT 17.38

$2.95 MX$51.0

75.25%

Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$14.45 TMT 48.56

$4.45 MX$77.0

224.72%

Milk (1 liter)

$4.78 TMT 16.05

$1.38 MX$23.93

246.38%

White Bread (500g)

$2.45 TMT 8.25

$1.89 MX$32.72

29.63%

Rice (white) (1kg)

$7.14 TMT 23.99

$1.64 MX$28.32

335.37%

Eggs

$6.07 TMT 20.39

$2.51 MX$43.34

141.83%

Local Cheese (1kg)

$40.72 TMT 137

$8.34 MX$144

388.25%

Chicken Fillets (1kg)

$18.21 TMT 61.2

$8.34 MX$144

118.35%

Beef Round Steak (1kg)

$18.32 TMT 61.6

$10.73 MX$186

70.74%

Apples (1kg)

$5.58 TMT 18.75

$2.60 MX$45.04

114.62%

Banana (1kg)

$8.68 TMT 29.17

$1.46 MX$25.20

494.52%

Oranges (1kg)

$7.52 TMT 25.26

$1.90 MX$32.87

295.79%

Tomato (1kg)

$3.56 TMT 11.98

$2.08 MX$35.91

71.15%

Potato (1kg)

$2.24 TMT 7.52

$1.78 MX$30.71

25.84%

Onion (1kg)

$1.82 TMT 6.10

$2.19 MX$37.80

-16.89%

Lettuce (1 head)

$1.97 TMT 6.63

$1.04 MX$17.99

89.42%

Water (1.5 liter bottle)

$1.08 TMT 3.63

$1.08 MX$18.62

Cigarettes 20 Pack (Marlboro, Camel)

$25.93 TMT 87.1

$4.08 MX$70.6

535.54%

Wine (Bottle)

$41.52 TMT 140

$10.32 MX$178

302.33%

Local Beer (0.5 liter bottle)

$4.62 TMT 15.51

$1.71 MX$29.61

170.18%

Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$2.85 TMT 9.56

$2.58 MX$44.54

10.47%

One-way Ticket (Public Transport)

$0.14 TMT 0.48

$0.51 MX$8.81

-72.55%

Public Transport Monthly Pass (Regular Price)

$8.58 TMT 28.84

$26.46 MX$458

-67.57%

Taxi Start (Normal Tariff)

$2.93 TMT 9.85

$3.26 MX$56.4

-10.12%

Taxi (Normal Tariff) (1km)

$0.88 TMT 2.95

$2.49 MX$43.09

-64.66%

Taxi 1hour Waiting (Normal Tariff)

$8.80 TMT 29.57

$3.25 MX$56.2

170.77%

Gasoline (1 liter)

$0.42 TMT 1.40

$1.31 MX$22.61

-67.94%

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

$44.7K TMT 150.3K

$30.3K MX$523.7K

47.74%

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

$57.6K TMT 193.5K

$23.4K MX$405.3K

145.80%

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

$565 TMT 1,898

$82.9 MX$1,433

581.65%

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

$56.7 TMT 191

$22.22 MX$384

155.27%

Internet (50+ Mbps, Unlimited Data)

$103 TMT 347

$29.34 MX$507

252.42%

Gym Membership (Monthly)

$192 TMT 645

$51.6 MX$893

271.55%

Tennis Court (1 Hour on Weekend)

$44.56 TMT 150

$18.32 MX$317

143.23%

Cinema Ticket

$14.24 TMT 47.86

$5.07 MX$87.6

180.87%

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

$23.29 TMT 78.3

$201 MX$3,473

-88.40%

International Primary School, 1 Child (Yearly)

$26.2K TMT 87.9K

$5,212 MX$90.1K

401.82%

Jeans (Levis 501 Or Similar)

$64.8 TMT 218

$36.92 MX$639

75.49%

Summer Dress (H&M, Zara, etc)

$122 TMT 411

$39.79 MX$688

207.61%

Sport Shoes (Adidas, Nike)

$305 TMT 1,025

$78.5 MX$1,357

288.82%

Men's Leather Business Shoes

$187 TMT 629

$87.1 MX$1,506

114.93%

1-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)

$1,132 TMT 3,804

$973 MX$16.8K

16.42%

1-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)

$736 TMT 2,474

$468 MX$8,090

57.45%

3-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)

$1,786 TMT 6,000

$1,641 MX$28.4K

8.80%

3-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)

$1,588 TMT 5,336

$1,221 MX$21.1K

30.09%

Buy Apartment in City Center (m2)

$3,519 TMT 11.8K

$3,946 MX$68.3K

-10.82%

Buy Apartment Outside City Center (m2)

$2,912 TMT 9,783

$6,498 MX$112.4K

-55.19%

Average Monthly Net Salary (After Tax)

$742 TMT 2,494

$664 MX$11.5K

11.80%

20-Year Fixed Mortgage Interest Rate (Annual %)

9.5

11.42

-16.81%

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

Last update for Ashgabat: June 2, 2026

Last update for Playa del Carmen: June 2, 2026

Cost Breakdown

A one-bedroom apartment in the center runs $1,132 in Ashgabat and $973 in Playa del Carmen. Housing cost is often the main lever when comparing two cities.

Ashgabat pays 12% more on average. The extra income cushions the higher costs, though housing choices and lifestyle decide how much of the gap is truly closed.

Dining out: $84.0 in Ashgabat vs $42.00 in Playa del Carmen for a mid-range dinner for two. Groceries echo the gap at $664 vs $249 per month, with Playa del Carmen cheaper across the board.

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

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

Ashgabat and Playa del Carmen differ by about 145% in total monthly costs ($3,178 vs $1,297 including rent). Playa del Carmen is meaningfully more affordable – a gap that matters a lot on a fixed or modest income.

Ashgabat pays 12% more on average, which matters when comparing affordability. Whether that higher income actually nets you more depends on your spending habits and housing choices.

Rent for a central apartment: $1,132 in Ashgabat versus $973 in Playa del Carmen. Housing is usually the single largest factor when comparing overall living costs between the two.

Childcare runs $23.29 in Ashgabat versus $201 in Playa del Carmen. Over years of preschool, even a modest monthly gap compounds into a major financial factor for families.

Supermarket bills run roughly 167% higher in Ashgabat. For households that cook at home regularly, that difference adds up over a month.

At $1,297 in Playa del Carmen versus $3,178 in Ashgabat, a $1,500 budget is realistic in Playa del Carmen but tight or insufficient in Ashgabat. The gap between the two cities makes Playa del Carmen 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.

Safety-wise, Ashgabat and Playa del Carmen are on par. Petty crime is typical for cities this size, and most residents feel comfortable going about their daily routines in either place.

Expats usually find Playa del Carmen gentler on the wallet – expenses run 145% less than in Ashgabat. Beyond cost, consider language, visa policies, and how big the international community is in each city.