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: $1,024 in Korolyov versus $1,260 in Playa del Carmen.

Estimated couple costs with rent: $1,437 in Korolyov versus $2,125 in Playa del Carmen.

Monthly costs for a family of three with rent: $1,851 in Korolyov versus $2,990 in Playa del Carmen.

Living in Korolyov costs roughly 19% less than in Playa del Carmen, driven mainly by Eating Out.

Both cities sit below the global median: Korolyov 23% lower, Playa del Carmen 5% lower.

Currency
🍽 Eating Out
Korolyov
Playa del Carmen
Difference
Meal at Budget Restaurant
$8.64 ₽690
$11.72 MX$204
-26.28%
Three-Course Dinner for Two, Mid-Range
$20.55 ₽1,640
$41.89 MX$731
-50.94%
Fast Food Meal (McDonalds, etc)
$5.16 ₽412
$10.51 MX$183
-50.90%
Cappuccino
$2.05 ₽164
$3.59 MX$62.5
-42.90%
Coke/Pepsi/Fanta/Sprite (0.33 liter bottle)
$0.90 ₽72.2
$1.51 MX$26.31
-40.40%
Water (0.33 liter bottle)
$0.37 ₽29.41
$0.92 MX$15.96
-59.78%
Local Beer (0.5 liter draught)
$4.23 ₽338
$2.96 MX$51.6
42.91%
Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)
$1.92 ₽153
$4.41 MX$76.9
-56.46%
🛒 Groceries & Markets
Korolyov
Playa del Carmen
Difference
Milk (1 liter)
$1.15 ₽91.7
$1.40 MX$24.35
-17.86%
White Bread (500g)
$0.45 ₽35.63
$1.88 MX$32.87
-76.06%
Rice (white) (1kg)
$1.31 ₽105
$1.56 MX$27.19
-16.03%
Eggs
$1.61 ₽129
$2.61 MX$45.50
-38.31%
Local Cheese (1kg)
$12.09 ₽965
$8.32 MX$145
45.31%
Chicken Fillets (1kg)
$5.19 ₽414
$8.35 MX$146
-37.84%
Beef Round Steak (1kg)
$8.01 ₽639
$10.86 MX$189
-26.24%
Apples (1kg)
$1.88 ₽150
$2.71 MX$47.31
-30.63%
Banana (1kg)
$1.63 ₽130
$1.51 MX$26.25
7.95%
Oranges (1kg)
$2.34 ₽186
$1.87 MX$32.67
25.13%
Tomato (1kg)
$4.18 ₽333
$2.19 MX$38.19
90.87%
Potato (1kg)
$0.44 ₽34.73
$1.86 MX$32.40
-76.34%
Onion (1kg)
$0.81 ₽64.3
$2.23 MX$38.90
-63.68%
Lettuce (1 head)
$1.68 ₽134
$1.07 MX$18.63
57.01%
Water (1.5 liter bottle)
$0.52 ₽41.76
$1.09 MX$18.94
-52.29%
Cigarettes 20 Pack (Marlboro, Camel)
$2.60 ₽207
$4.19 MX$73.0
-37.95%
Wine (Bottle)
$10.15 ₽810
$10.43 MX$182
-2.68%
Local Beer (0.5 liter bottle)
$1.12 ₽89.7
$1.66 MX$28.91
-32.53%
Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)
$1.43 ₽114
$2.61 MX$45.56
-45.21%
🚌 Getting Around
Korolyov
Playa del Carmen
Difference
One-way Ticket (Public Transport)
$0.73 ₽58.4
$0.54 MX$9.45
35.19%
Public Transport Monthly Pass (Regular Price)
$21.71 ₽1,732
$26.16 MX$456
-17.01%
Taxi Start (Normal Tariff)
$2.52 ₽201
$3.08 MX$53.7
-18.18%
Taxi (Normal Tariff) (1km)
$0.47 ₽37.70
$2.40 MX$41.94
-80.42%
Taxi 1hour Waiting (Normal Tariff)
$8.21 ₽655
$3.13 MX$54.5
162.30%
Gasoline (1 liter)
$0.73 ₽58.5
$1.31 MX$22.87
-44.27%
Midsize Hatchback 1.4l (Volkswagen Golf, Toyota Prius, Honda Civic, etc)
$38.2K ₽3.0M
$29.8K MX$519.9K
28.20%
Compact Sedan 1.6l (Toyota Corolla, Mazda3, Kia K4, Hyundai Elantra, etc)
$20.3K ₽1.6M
$23.3K MX$406.8K
-12.81%
🧾 Monthly Utilities & Internet
Korolyov
Playa del Carmen
Difference
Utilities for 2 People in 2-bedroom Apartment (Heating, Electricity, Gas, Water, Garbage) (85m2)
$124 ₽9,924
$81.3 MX$1,418
53.05%
SIM Card Monthly Plan (Calls and 10GB+ Data)
$5.57 ₽444
$22.56 MX$393
-75.31%
Internet (50+ Mbps, Unlimited Data)
$7.77 ₽620
$30.05 MX$524
-74.14%
🎉 Sport & Entertainment
Korolyov
Playa del Carmen
Difference
Gym Membership (Monthly)
$32.03 ₽2,555
$52.9 MX$923
-39.46%
Tennis Court (1 Hour on Weekend)
$15.50 ₽1,237
$18.39 MX$321
-15.72%
Cinema Ticket
$5.43 ₽434
$4.92 MX$85.8
10.37%
🧸 Childcare & Education
Korolyov
Playa del Carmen
Difference
Preschool or Kindergarten, Full Day, Private, 1 Child (Monthly)
$687 ₽54.8K
$201 MX$3,502
242.05%
International Primary School, 1 Child (Yearly)
$14.6K ₽1.2M
$5,175 MX$90.2K
183.08%
👕👟 Clothing & Footwear
Korolyov
Playa del Carmen
Difference
Jeans (Levis 501 Or Similar)
$56.7 ₽4,520
$35.92 MX$627
57.71%
Summer Dress (H&M, Zara, etc)
$25.70 ₽2,050
$40.13 MX$700
-35.96%
Sport Shoes (Adidas, Nike)
$37.46 ₽2,989
$79.7 MX$1,390
-53.00%
Men's Leather Business Shoes
$57.9 ₽4,616
$86.5 MX$1,508
-33.08%
🏠 Accommodation & Living
Korolyov
Playa del Carmen
Difference
1-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)
$460 ₽36.7K
$978 MX$17.1K
-52.96%
1-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)
$370 ₽29.5K
$470 MX$8,206
-21.42%
3-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)
$695 ₽55.5K
$1,651 MX$28.8K
-57.88%
3-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)
$500 ₽39.8K
$1,203 MX$21.0K
-58.49%
Buy Apartment in City Center (m2)
$2,566 ₽204.7K
$3,953 MX$69.0K
-35.08%
Buy Apartment Outside City Center (m2)
$2,334 ₽186.2K
$6,607 MX$115.2K
-64.67%
💵 Salaries & Financials
Korolyov
Playa del Carmen
Difference
Average Monthly Net Salary (After Tax)
$1,029 ₽82.1K
$677 MX$11.8K
52.04%
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: July 25, 2026

Last update for Playa del Carmen: July 27, 2026

Cost Breakdown

A one-bedroom apartment in the center runs $460 in Korolyov and $978 in Playa del Carmen. Housing cost is often the main lever when comparing two cities.

Korolyov pays 52% 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 $42.00 in Playa del Carmen for a mid-range dinner for two. Groceries echo the gap at $208 vs $252 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 23% 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 in Playa del Carmen?
Average pay runs 52% higher in Korolyov, 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 compared to Playa del Carmen?
Rent for a central apartment: $460 in Korolyov versus $978 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 compared to Playa del Carmen?
A monthly transit pass in Korolyov runs roughly 20% 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 in Playa del Carmen?
Childcare runs $687 in Korolyov versus $201 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 in Playa del Carmen?
At $1,024 in Korolyov versus $1,260 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 $1,024 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 23% 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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