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

Monthly Cost of Living

Monthly costs for one person with rent: $557 in Magadan versus $1,305 in Playa del Carmen.

Estimated couple costs with rent: $1,087 in Magadan versus $2,334 in Playa del Carmen.

Monthly costs for a family of three with rent: $1,617 in Magadan versus $3,362 in Playa del Carmen.

Living in Magadan costs roughly 57% less than in Playa del Carmen, driven mainly by Clothing & Footwear.

Both cities sit below the global median: Magadan 60% lower, Playa del Carmen 5% lower.

Meal at Budget Restaurant

$22.85 ₽1,920

$11.96 MX$203

91.05%

Three-Course Dinner for Two, Mid-Range

$63.7 ₽5,353

$47.38 MX$804

34.42%

Fast Food Meal (McDonalds, etc)

$11.75 MX$199

Cappuccino

$3.68 ₽310

$4.12 MX$70.0

-10.68%

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

$1.36 ₽115

$1.40 MX$23.74

-2.86%

Water (0.33 liter bottle)

$0.91 ₽76.7

$0.91 MX$15.48

Local Beer (0.5 liter draught)

$3.21 MX$54.4

Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$7.07 MX$120

Milk (1 liter)

$1.64 ₽138

$1.68 MX$28.44

-2.38%

White Bread (500g)

$1.11 ₽93.1

$2.15 MX$36.48

-48.37%

Rice (white) (1kg)

$1.36 ₽114

$1.77 MX$30.10

-23.16%

Eggs

$2.88 ₽242

$2.82 MX$47.76

2.13%

Local Cheese (1kg)

$13.75 ₽1,156

$9.20 MX$156

49.46%

Chicken Fillets (1kg)

$9.46 ₽795

$9.23 MX$157

2.49%

Beef Round Steak (1kg)

$14.42 ₽1,212

$12.64 MX$214

14.08%

Apples (1kg)

$3.61 ₽303

$2.95 MX$50.1

22.37%

Banana (1kg)

$3.34 ₽281

$1.58 MX$26.79

111.39%

Oranges (1kg)

$3.15 ₽265

$2.22 MX$37.70

41.89%

Tomato (1kg)

$7.11 ₽598

$2.36 MX$40.09

201.27%

Potato (1kg)

$1.17 ₽98.4

$1.99 MX$33.81

-41.21%

Onion (1kg)

$1.11 ₽93.0

$1.98 MX$33.58

-43.94%

Lettuce (1 head)

$0.85 ₽71.4

$1.24 MX$21.04

-31.45%

Water (1.5 liter bottle)

$1.12 ₽94.5

$1.21 MX$20.55

-7.44%

Cigarettes 20 Pack (Marlboro, Camel)

$2.84 ₽239

$4.60 MX$78.1

-38.26%

Wine (Bottle)

$10.87 ₽913

$10.52 MX$178

3.33%

Local Beer (0.5 liter bottle)

$1.96 ₽164

$1.69 MX$28.70

15.98%

Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$2.28 ₽191

$2.77 MX$47.06

-17.69%

One-way Ticket (Public Transport)

$0.99 ₽83.1

$0.60 MX$10.22

65.00%

Public Transport Monthly Pass (Regular Price)

$29.70 MX$504

Taxi Start (Normal Tariff)

$2.84 ₽239

$5.24 MX$88.8

-45.80%

Taxi (Normal Tariff) (1km)

$3.65 MX$61.9

Taxi 1hour Waiting (Normal Tariff)

$5.78 MX$98.1

Gasoline (1 liter)

$0.81 ₽68.0

$1.54 MX$26.09

-47.40%

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

$21.4K ₽1.8M

$22.8K MX$386.8K

-6.35%

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

$32.1K ₽2.7M

$25.8K MX$437.9K

24.46%

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

$90.7 MX$1,538

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

$25.19 MX$427

Internet (50+ Mbps, Unlimited Data)

$31.75 MX$539

Gym Membership (Monthly)

$68.8 MX$1,167

Tennis Court (1 Hour on Weekend)

$29.37 MX$498

Cinema Ticket

$4.86 MX$82.5

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

$226 MX$3,828

International Primary School, 1 Child (Yearly)

$4,194 MX$71.1K

Jeans (Levis 501 Or Similar)

$47.38 MX$804

Summer Dress (H&M, Zara, etc)

$43.45 MX$737

Sport Shoes (Adidas, Nike)

$80.2 MX$1,361

Men's Leather Business Shoes

$91.4 MX$1,550

1-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)

$1,086 MX$18.4K

1-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)

$409 MX$6,933

3-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)

$1,972 MX$33.5K

3-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)

$1,281 MX$21.7K

Buy Apartment in City Center (m2)

$4,046 MX$68.6K

Buy Apartment Outside City Center (m2)

$6,704 MX$113.7K

Average Monthly Net Salary (After Tax)

$938 ₽78.8K

$773 MX$13.1K

21.26%

20-Year Fixed Mortgage Interest Rate (Annual %)

11.45

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

Last update for Magadan: September 6, 2026

Last update for Playa del Carmen: September 7, 2026

Cost Breakdown

Magadan pays 21% more on average while also being the cheaper of the two. The combined effect is a noticeably stronger local purchasing power.

Dining out: $64.0 in Magadan vs $47.00 in Playa del Carmen for a mid-range dinner for two. Groceries echo the gap at $321 vs $278 per month, with Playa del Carmen 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

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

Magadan wins on cost – living expenses run 134% lower than in Playa del Carmen. Housing and daily spending are where you'll feel the difference most, making Magadan the obvious pick if budget is a priority.

Average pay runs 21% higher in Magadan, which matters when comparing affordability. Whether that higher income actually nets you more depends on your spending habits and housing choices.

All in, you'll spend $557 per month in Magadan versus $1,305 in Playa del Carmen – a 134% gap that adds up to real savings over time for anyone picking the cheaper option.

Shoppers in Playa del Carmen pay roughly 16% less for everyday groceries. It's an unusual reversal that partly offsets higher costs elsewhere.

At $557 in Magadan versus $1,305 in Playa del Carmen, a $1,000 budget is realistic in Magadan but tight or insufficient in Playa del Carmen. The gap between the two cities makes Magadan the clear choice for anyone on this budget.

Both work as nomad bases, but Magadan delivers better value – similar infrastructure at $557 monthly. If stretching your runway or maximizing savings is the goal, the price difference makes Magadan hard to pass up.

Expats usually find Magadan gentler on the wallet – expenses run 134% less than in Playa del Carmen. Beyond cost, consider language, visa policies, and how big the international community is in each city.