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

Monthly Cost of Living

Monthly costs for one person with rent: $1,028 in Astrakhan versus $1,287 in Playa del Carmen.

Estimated couple costs with rent: $1,530 in Astrakhan versus $2,184 in Playa del Carmen.

Monthly costs for a family of three with rent: $2,032 in Astrakhan versus $3,082 in Playa del Carmen.

Living in Astrakhan costs roughly 20% less than in Playa del Carmen, driven mainly by Eating Out.

Both cities sit below the global median: Astrakhan 23% lower, Playa del Carmen 4% lower.

Meal at Budget Restaurant

$10.80 ₽811

$11.94 MX$209

-9.55%

Three-Course Dinner for Two, Mid-Range

$33.14 ₽2,489

$42.75 MX$748

-22.48%

Fast Food Meal (McDonalds, etc)

$7.76 ₽583

$10.59 MX$185

-26.72%

Cappuccino

$1.87 ₽141

$3.62 MX$63.4

-48.34%

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

$0.85 ₽64.0

$1.47 MX$25.69

-42.18%

Water (0.33 liter bottle)

$0.52 ₽39.31

$0.94 MX$16.51

-44.68%

Local Beer (0.5 liter draught)

$1.30 ₽97.9

$3.09 MX$54.1

-57.93%

Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$2.57 ₽193

$4.46 MX$78.0

-42.38%

Milk (1 liter)

$1.28 ₽95.9

$1.43 MX$24.94

-10.49%

White Bread (500g)

$1.05 ₽79.1

$1.88 MX$32.97

-44.15%

Rice (white) (1kg)

$1.02 ₽76.9

$1.63 MX$28.50

-37.42%

Eggs

$1.77 ₽133

$2.64 MX$46.26

-32.95%

Local Cheese (1kg)

$24.66 ₽1,853

$8.21 MX$144

200.37%

Chicken Fillets (1kg)

$4.98 ₽374

$8.29 MX$145

-39.93%

Beef Round Steak (1kg)

$6.95 ₽522

$11.10 MX$194

-37.39%

Apples (1kg)

$1.64 ₽123

$2.65 MX$46.40

-38.11%

Banana (1kg)

$1.75 ₽131

$1.50 MX$26.26

16.67%

Oranges (1kg)

$1.62 ₽122

$1.99 MX$34.79

-18.59%

Tomato (1kg)

$2.41 ₽181

$2.08 MX$36.33

15.87%

Potato (1kg)

$0.95 ₽71.6

$1.79 MX$31.29

-46.93%

Onion (1kg)

$0.56 ₽41.78

$2.18 MX$38.09

-74.31%

Lettuce (1 head)

$1.39 ₽105

$1.08 MX$18.84

28.70%

Water (1.5 liter bottle)

$0.66 ₽49.68

$1.04 MX$18.15

-36.54%

Cigarettes 20 Pack (Marlboro, Camel)

$1.89 ₽142

$3.97 MX$69.5

-52.39%

Wine (Bottle)

$6.59 ₽495

$10.20 MX$179

-35.39%

Local Beer (0.5 liter bottle)

$1.06 ₽79.6

$1.73 MX$30.22

-38.73%

Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$1.93 ₽145

$2.50 MX$43.71

-22.80%

One-way Ticket (Public Transport)

$0.53 ₽39.46

$0.52 MX$9.07

1.92%

Public Transport Monthly Pass (Regular Price)

$21.96 ₽1,650

$26.97 MX$472

-18.58%

Taxi Start (Normal Tariff)

$2.47 ₽186

$3.14 MX$55.0

-21.34%

Taxi (Normal Tariff) (1km)

$0.33 ₽24.78

$2.40 MX$42.04

-86.25%

Taxi 1hour Waiting (Normal Tariff)

$3.77 ₽283

$3.09 MX$54.0

22.01%

Gasoline (1 liter)

$0.94 ₽70.6

$1.27 MX$22.28

-25.98%

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

$34.7K ₽2.6M

$30.9K MX$540.4K

12.28%

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

$32.0K ₽2.4M

$23.3K MX$408.0K

37.42%

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

$102 ₽7,629

$82.0 MX$1,435

23.85%

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

$6.47 ₽486

$22.45 MX$393

-71.18%

Internet (50+ Mbps, Unlimited Data)

$5.51 ₽414

$29.66 MX$519

-81.42%

Gym Membership (Monthly)

$48.96 ₽3,677

$51.9 MX$908

-5.61%

Tennis Court (1 Hour on Weekend)

$24.95 ₽1,874

$18.67 MX$327

33.64%

Cinema Ticket

$5.49 ₽412

$4.97 MX$87.0

10.46%

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

$113 ₽8,517

$198 MX$3,462

-42.67%

International Primary School, 1 Child (Yearly)

$6,984 ₽524.5K

$5,273 MX$92.3K

32.44%

Jeans (Levis 501 Or Similar)

$58.2 ₽4,370

$36.34 MX$636

60.10%

Summer Dress (H&M, Zara, etc)

$31.48 ₽2,364

$40.05 MX$701

-21.40%

Sport Shoes (Adidas, Nike)

$90.3 ₽6,784

$79.9 MX$1,398

13.08%

Men's Leather Business Shoes

$126 ₽9,499

$88.9 MX$1,555

42.29%

1-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)

$418 ₽31.4K

$963 MX$16.9K

-56.59%

1-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)

$313 ₽23.5K

$465 MX$8,133

-32.71%

3-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)

$440 ₽33.0K

$1,596 MX$27.9K

-72.46%

3-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)

$382 ₽28.7K

$1,209 MX$21.2K

-68.42%

Buy Apartment in City Center (m2)

$1,686 ₽126.7K

$3,942 MX$69.0K

-57.21%

Buy Apartment Outside City Center (m2)

$1,201 ₽90.2K

$6,448 MX$112.8K

-81.37%

Average Monthly Net Salary (After Tax)

$508 ₽38.1K

$720 MX$12.6K

-29.52%

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 Astrakhan: April 28, 2026

Last update for Playa del Carmen: April 25, 2026

Cost Breakdown

A one-bedroom apartment in the center runs $418 in Astrakhan and $963 in Playa del Carmen. Housing cost is often the main lever when comparing two cities.

Playa del Carmen pays 42% 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: $33.00 in Astrakhan vs $43.00 in Playa del Carmen for a mid-range dinner for two. Groceries echo the gap at $231 vs $251 per month, with Astrakhan 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

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

Astrakhan and Playa del Carmen differ by about 25% in total monthly costs ($1,028 vs $1,287 including rent). Astrakhan is meaningfully more affordable – a gap that matters a lot on a fixed or modest income.

On paper, Playa del Carmen earns 42% less. That's worth factoring in alongside costs, though remote workers earning in a stronger currency may not notice the difference at all.

Rent for a central apartment: $418 in Astrakhan versus $963 in Playa del Carmen. Housing is usually the single largest factor when comparing overall living costs between the two.

A monthly transit pass in Astrakhan runs roughly 23% less than in Playa del Carmen. Both cities have functional networks, but the price difference matters if you're watching your budget.

Childcare runs $113 in Astrakhan versus $198 in Playa del Carmen. Over years of preschool, even a modest monthly gap compounds into a major financial factor for families.

At $1,028 in Astrakhan versus $1,287 in Playa del Carmen, a $2,000 budget is realistic in Astrakhan but tight or insufficient in Playa del Carmen. The gap between the two cities makes Astrakhan 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 Astrakhan gentler on the wallet – expenses run 25% less than in Playa del Carmen. Beyond cost, consider language, visa policies, and how big the international community is in each city.