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

Monthly Cost of Living

Monthly costs for one person with rent: $1,029 in Korolyov versus $1,287 in Playa del Carmen.

Estimated couple costs with rent: $1,442 in Korolyov versus $2,184 in Playa del Carmen.

Monthly costs for a family of three with rent: $1,855 in Korolyov versus $3,082 in Playa del Carmen.

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

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

Currency
🍽 Eating Out
Korolyov
Playa del Carmen
Difference
Meal at Budget Restaurant
$9.09 β‚½683
$11.94 MX$209
-23.87%
Three-Course Dinner for Two, Mid-Range
$20.73 β‚½1,557
$42.75 MX$748
-51.51%
Fast Food Meal (McDonalds, etc)
$5.31 β‚½399
$10.59 MX$185
-49.86%
Cappuccino
$2.05 β‚½154
$3.62 MX$63.4
-43.37%
Coke/Pepsi/Fanta/Sprite (0.33 liter bottle)
$0.87 β‚½65.6
$1.47 MX$25.69
-40.82%
Water (0.33 liter bottle)
$0.39 β‚½29.55
$0.94 MX$16.51
-58.51%
Local Beer (0.5 liter draught)
$4.09 β‚½307
$3.09 MX$54.1
32.36%
Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)
$1.91 β‚½144
$4.46 MX$78.0
-57.17%
πŸ›’ Groceries & Markets
Korolyov
Playa del Carmen
Difference
Milk (1 liter)
$1.18 β‚½88.4
$1.43 MX$24.94
-17.48%
White Bread (500g)
$0.45 β‚½33.85
$1.88 MX$32.97
-76.06%
Rice (white) (1kg)
$1.36 β‚½102
$1.63 MX$28.50
-16.56%
Eggs
$1.56 β‚½117
$2.64 MX$46.26
-40.91%
Local Cheese (1kg)
$12.14 β‚½912
$8.21 MX$144
47.87%
Chicken Fillets (1kg)
$5.27 β‚½396
$8.29 MX$145
-36.43%
Beef Round Steak (1kg)
$7.97 β‚½599
$11.10 MX$194
-28.20%
Apples (1kg)
$1.95 β‚½147
$2.65 MX$46.40
-26.42%
Banana (1kg)
$1.65 β‚½124
$1.50 MX$26.26
10.00%
Oranges (1kg)
$2.30 β‚½173
$1.99 MX$34.79
15.58%
Tomato (1kg)
$4.05 β‚½304
$2.08 MX$36.33
94.71%
Potato (1kg)
$0.43 β‚½32.43
$1.79 MX$31.29
-75.98%
Onion (1kg)
$0.85 β‚½63.9
$2.18 MX$38.09
-61.01%
Lettuce (1 head)
$1.63 β‚½122
$1.08 MX$18.84
50.93%
Water (1.5 liter bottle)
$0.57 β‚½42.83
$1.04 MX$18.15
-45.19%
Cigarettes 20 Pack (Marlboro, Camel)
$2.54 β‚½191
$3.97 MX$69.5
-36.02%
Wine (Bottle)
$10.82 β‚½813
$10.20 MX$179
6.08%
Local Beer (0.5 liter bottle)
$1.13 β‚½84.9
$1.73 MX$30.22
-34.68%
Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)
$1.40 β‚½105
$2.50 MX$43.71
-44.00%
🚌 Getting Around
Korolyov
Playa del Carmen
Difference
One-way Ticket (Public Transport)
$0.70 β‚½52.8
$0.52 MX$9.07
34.62%
Public Transport Monthly Pass (Regular Price)
$21.93 β‚½1,647
$26.97 MX$472
-18.69%
Taxi Start (Normal Tariff)
$2.53 β‚½190
$3.14 MX$55.0
-19.43%
Taxi (Normal Tariff) (1km)
$0.45 β‚½33.72
$2.40 MX$42.04
-81.25%
Taxi 1hour Waiting (Normal Tariff)
$7.97 β‚½598
$3.09 MX$54.0
157.93%
Gasoline (1 liter)
$0.79 β‚½59.1
$1.27 MX$22.28
-37.80%
Midsize Hatchback 1.4l (Volkswagen Golf, Toyota Prius, Honda Civic, etc)
$38.8K β‚½2.9M
$30.9K MX$540.4K
25.57%
Compact Sedan 1.6l (Toyota Corolla, Mazda3, Kia K4, Hyundai Elantra, etc)
$20.5K β‚½1.5M
$23.3K MX$408.0K
-12.28%
🧾 Monthly Utilities & Internet
Korolyov
Playa del Carmen
Difference
Utilities for 2 People in 2-bedroom Apartment (Heating, Electricity, Gas, Water, Garbage) (85m2)
$124 β‚½9,350
$82.0 MX$1,435
51.79%
SIM Card Monthly Plan (Calls and 10GB+ Data)
$5.54 β‚½416
$22.45 MX$393
-75.32%
Internet (50+ Mbps, Unlimited Data)
$8.16 β‚½613
$29.66 MX$519
-72.49%
πŸŽ‰ Sport & Entertainment
Korolyov
Playa del Carmen
Difference
Gym Membership (Monthly)
$31.18 β‚½2,342
$51.9 MX$908
-39.89%
Tennis Court (1 Hour on Weekend)
$15.52 β‚½1,165
$18.67 MX$327
-16.87%
Cinema Ticket
$5.48 β‚½411
$4.97 MX$87.0
10.26%
🧸 Childcare & Education
Korolyov
Playa del Carmen
Difference
Preschool or Kindergarten, Full Day, Private, 1 Child (Monthly)
$711 β‚½53.4K
$198 MX$3,462
259.58%
International Primary School, 1 Child (Yearly)
$14.8K β‚½1.1M
$5,273 MX$92.3K
180.36%
πŸ‘•πŸ‘Ÿ Clothing & Footwear
Korolyov
Playa del Carmen
Difference
Jeans (Levis 501 Or Similar)
$56.8 β‚½4,265
$36.34 MX$636
56.25%
Summer Dress (H&M, Zara, etc)
$25.18 β‚½1,892
$40.05 MX$701
-37.13%
Sport Shoes (Adidas, Nike)
$37.50 β‚½2,816
$79.9 MX$1,398
-53.05%
Men's Leather Business Shoes
$57.9 β‚½4,350
$88.9 MX$1,555
-34.84%
🏠 Accommodation & Living
Korolyov
Playa del Carmen
Difference
1-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)
$462 β‚½34.7K
$963 MX$16.9K
-52.01%
1-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)
$380 β‚½28.6K
$465 MX$8,133
-18.19%
3-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)
$702 β‚½52.7K
$1,596 MX$27.9K
-56.04%
3-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)
$497 β‚½37.3K
$1,209 MX$21.2K
-58.91%
Buy Apartment in City Center (m2)
$2,428 β‚½182.4K
$3,942 MX$69.0K
-38.41%
Buy Apartment Outside City Center (m2)
$1,905 β‚½143.1K
$6,448 MX$112.8K
-70.46%
πŸ’΅ Salaries & Financials
Korolyov
Playa del Carmen
Difference
Average Monthly Net Salary (After Tax)
$1,091 β‚½82.0K
$720 MX$12.6K
51.46%
20-Year Fixed Mortgage Interest Rate (Annual %)
15
11.42
31.35%

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

Last update for Korolyov: April 27, 2026

Last update for Playa del Carmen: April 25, 2026

Cost Breakdown

A one-bedroom apartment in the center runs $462 in Korolyov and $963 in Playa del Carmen. Housing cost is often the main lever when comparing two cities.

Korolyov pays 51% more on average while also being the cheaper of the two. The combined effect is a noticeably stronger local purchasing power.

Dining out: $21.00 in Korolyov vs $43.00 in Playa del Carmen for a mid-range dinner for two. Groceries echo the gap at $210 vs $251 per month, with Korolyov 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
Korolyov vs Playa del Carmen: Cost of Living - Frequently Asked Questions
Which city is more expensive, Korolyov or Playa del Carmen?
Korolyov wins on cost – living expenses run 25% lower than in Playa del Carmen. Housing and daily spending are where you'll feel the difference most, making Korolyov the obvious pick if budget is a priority.
Are salaries higher in Korolyov or Playa del Carmen?
Korolyov pays 51% more on average, which matters when comparing affordability. Whether that higher income actually nets you more depends on your spending habits and housing choices.
How much does a 1-bedroom apartment cost in Korolyov vs Playa del Carmen?
Rent for a central apartment: $462 in Korolyov versus $963 in Playa del Carmen. Housing is usually the single largest factor when comparing overall living costs between the two.
How expensive is transport in Korolyov vs Playa del Carmen?
A monthly transit pass in Korolyov 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.
How do childcare costs compare in Korolyov and Playa del Carmen?
Childcare runs $711 in Korolyov versus $198 in Playa del Carmen. Over years of preschool, even a modest monthly gap compounds into a major financial factor for families.
Can you live on $1,000/month in Korolyov or Playa del Carmen?
At $1,029 in Korolyov versus $1,287 in Playa del Carmen, a $1,000 budget is realistic in Korolyov but tight or insufficient in Playa del Carmen. The gap between the two cities makes Korolyov the clear choice for anyone on this budget.
Which city is better for digital nomads, Korolyov or Playa del Carmen?
Both work as nomad bases, but Korolyov delivers better value – similar infrastructure at $1,029 monthly. If stretching your runway or maximizing savings is the goal, the price difference makes Korolyov hard to pass up.
How safe is Korolyov compared to Playa del Carmen?
Safety-wise, Korolyov 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.
Which city is more affordable for expats?
Expats usually find Korolyov 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.

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