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

Monthly Cost of Living

A single person spends $1,266 per month in Playa del Carmen vs $805 in Aktau, rent included.

A couple spends around $2,279 per month in Playa del Carmen vs $1,342 in Aktau, rent included.

A family of three spends $3,292 per month in Playa del Carmen vs $1,880 in Aktau, rent included.

Playa del Carmen costs about 57% more than Aktau, driven mainly by Groceries & Markets.

Both Playa del Carmen and Aktau are more affordable than the global median – Playa del Carmen 7% lower, Aktau 41% lower.

Meal at Budget Restaurant

$11.60 MX$200

$11.12 ₸4,987

4.32%

Three-Course Dinner for Two, Mid-Range

$47.11 MX$812

$44.80 ₸20.1K

5.16%

Fast Food Meal (McDonalds, etc)

$11.88 MX$205

$10.16 ₸4,553

16.93%

Cappuccino

$3.98 MX$68.6

$2.62 ₸1,174

51.91%

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

$1.43 MX$24.60

$0.78 ₸350

83.33%

Water (0.33 liter bottle)

$0.82 MX$14.22

$0.50 ₸225

64.00%

Local Beer (0.5 liter draught)

$3.19 MX$55.0

$1.31 ₸588

143.51%

Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$6.79 MX$117

$1.61 ₸720

321.74%

Milk (1 liter)

$1.68 MX$28.89

$1.49 ₸669

12.75%

White Bread (500g)

$2.20 MX$37.88

$0.45 ₸201

388.89%

Rice (white) (1kg)

$1.71 MX$29.45

$1.91 ₸858

-10.47%

Eggs

$2.74 MX$47.26

$1.75 ₸785

56.57%

Local Cheese (1kg)

$9.58 MX$165

$9.91 ₸4,445

-3.33%

Chicken Fillets (1kg)

$9.01 MX$155

$4.28 ₸1,921

110.51%

Beef Round Steak (1kg)

$12.81 MX$221

$8.81 ₸3,949

45.40%

Apples (1kg)

$2.89 MX$49.81

$1.53 ₸684

88.89%

Banana (1kg)

$1.50 MX$25.81

$2.35 ₸1,053

-36.17%

Oranges (1kg)

$2.15 MX$37.03

$2.43 ₸1,090

-11.52%

Tomato (1kg)

$2.26 MX$38.96

$2.85 ₸1,278

-20.70%

Potato (1kg)

$1.98 MX$34.15

$0.62 ₸279

219.35%

Onion (1kg)

$1.99 MX$34.30

$0.58 ₸261

243.10%

Lettuce (1 head)

$1.23 MX$21.28

$1.49 ₸667

-17.45%

Water (1.5 liter bottle)

$1.20 MX$20.63

$0.92 ₸415

30.43%

Cigarettes 20 Pack (Marlboro, Camel)

$4.55 MX$78.5

$2.74 ₸1,230

66.06%

Wine (Bottle)

$10.37 MX$179

$9.28 ₸4,163

11.75%

Local Beer (0.5 liter bottle)

$1.62 MX$27.91

$0.73 ₸329

121.92%

Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$2.88 MX$49.67

$0.93 ₸417

209.68%

One-way Ticket (Public Transport)

$0.60 MX$10.35

$0.16 ₸69.8

275.00%

Public Transport Monthly Pass (Regular Price)

$28.80 MX$497

Taxi Start (Normal Tariff)

$5.39 MX$92.9

$1.10 ₸494

390.00%

Taxi (Normal Tariff) (1km)

$3.73 MX$64.3

$0.69 ₸308

440.58%

Taxi 1hour Waiting (Normal Tariff)

$5.77 MX$99.5

Gasoline (1 liter)

$1.54 MX$26.48

$0.63 ₸284

144.44%

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

$22.5K MX$388.8K

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

$26.1K MX$449.3K

$31.3K ₸14.0M

-16.73%

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

$91.4 MX$1,576

$45.48 ₸20.4K

100.92%

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

$25.20 MX$435

$8.21 ₸3,680

206.94%

Internet (50+ Mbps, Unlimited Data)

$31.24 MX$539

$11.04 ₸4,950

182.97%

Gym Membership (Monthly)

$67.2 MX$1,159

$37.14 ₸16.7K

80.94%

Tennis Court (1 Hour on Weekend)

$29.11 MX$502

Cinema Ticket

$4.86 MX$83.8

$3.11 ₸1,393

56.27%

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

$224 MX$3,856

$147 ₸65.9K

52.09%

International Primary School, 1 Child (Yearly)

$4,229 MX$72.9K

$2,698 ₸1.2M

56.73%

Jeans (Levis 501 Or Similar)

$47.10 MX$812

$67.8 ₸30.4K

-30.57%

Summer Dress (H&M, Zara, etc)

$44.29 MX$764

$40.78 ₸18.3K

8.61%

Sport Shoes (Adidas, Nike)

$80.1 MX$1,381

$73.3 ₸32.8K

9.35%

Men's Leather Business Shoes

$92.7 MX$1,598

$90.8 ₸40.7K

2.00%

1-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)

$1,063 MX$18.3K

$329 ₸147.3K

223.40%

1-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)

$390 MX$6,728

$200 ₸89.6K

95.35%

3-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)

$2,149 MX$37.1K

$554 ₸248.3K

288.04%

3-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)

$1,272 MX$21.9K

$386 ₸173.2K

229.27%

Buy Apartment in City Center (m2)

$4,001 MX$69.0K

$814 ₸365.1K

391.39%

Buy Apartment Outside City Center (m2)

$6,502 MX$112.1K

$644 ₸288.7K

909.64%

Average Monthly Net Salary (After Tax)

$758 MX$13.1K

$569 ₸255.2K

33.17%

20-Year Fixed Mortgage Interest Rate (Annual %)

11.45

-18.21%

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

Last update for Playa del Carmen: September 12, 2026

Last update for Aktau: September 13, 2026

Cost Breakdown

A central one-bedroom costs $1,063 in Playa del Carmen versus $329 in Aktau. Rent is usually the largest line item in a monthly budget, so the gap here sets the tone for the overall comparison.

Salaries run about 33% higher in Playa del Carmen, which partly offsets the higher cost of living there. Purchasing power depends on which expenses matter most to you.

A mid-range dinner for two costs $47.00 in Playa del Carmen versus $45.00 in Aktau. Monthly groceries follow the same trend: $276 vs $202 – making Aktau the more affordable choice for daily food spending.

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

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

Playa del Carmen costs about 57% more than Aktau, with the gap driven mainly by Groceries & Markets. That's enough to noticeably affect everyday spending and lifestyle for anyone choosing between the two.

For a comfortable life, plan on about $1,899 per month in Playa del Carmen and $1,207 in Aktau. That covers rent, food, utilities, transport, and enough left over to feel settled – not just surviving.

Rent is clearly cheaper in Aktau, especially for central apartments. Housing is actually the single biggest factor behind the overall cost gap between these two cities.

A mid-range dinner for two costs $47.00 in Playa del Carmen and $45.00 in Aktau. That's a good indicator of the overall restaurant and café pricing gap between the two cities.

Groceries cost about 37% more in Playa del Carmen, though it depends on what you buy. Local produce may be comparable; imported and premium items show the biggest price gap.

A $1,000 monthly budget goes further in Aktau, where all-in costs run around $805, than in Playa del Carmen at $1,266. In Aktau it covers expenses comfortably, while in Playa del Carmen it requires careful planning or may not stretch far enough.

For digital nomads, it depends on budget. Aktau costs $805 versus $1,266 in Playa del Carmen. Both have workable remote work infrastructure, but the cost gap matters when income varies month to month.

Both have safer and rougher neighborhoods, but overall safety is comparable to other large cities. Neighborhood choice matters more than the city-level comparison – central, well-trafficked areas feel secure in both.

If budget matters most, go with Aktau. If higher salaries, better infrastructure, or specific career opportunities are the priority, Playa del Carmen makes more sense. Both are solid long-term options with distinct trade-offs.