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 $1,271 per month in Playa del Carmen vs $716 in Aktau, rent included.

A couple spends around $2,126 per month in Playa del Carmen vs $1,187 in Aktau, rent included.

A family of three spends $2,980 per month in Playa del Carmen vs $1,657 in Aktau, rent included.

Playa del Carmen costs about 77% more than Aktau, driven mainly by Groceries & Markets.

Both Playa del Carmen and Aktau are more affordable than the global median – Playa del Carmen 5% lower, Aktau 47% lower.

Meal at Budget Restaurant

$11.87 MX$204

$10.02 ₸4,892

18.46%

Three-Course Dinner for Two, Mid-Range

$42.90 MX$736

$39.56 ₸19.3K

8.44%

Fast Food Meal (McDonalds, etc)

$10.65 MX$183

$8.90 ₸4,348

19.66%

Cappuccino

$3.45 MX$59.2

$2.26 ₸1,103

52.65%

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

$1.50 MX$25.81

$0.55 ₸271

172.73%

Water (0.33 liter bottle)

$0.95 MX$16.28

$0.44 ₸215

115.91%

Local Beer (0.5 liter draught)

$3.03 MX$51.9

$1.20 ₸585

152.50%

Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$4.61 MX$79.1

$1.34 ₸656

244.03%

Milk (1 liter)

$1.38 MX$23.61

$1.20 ₸585

15.00%

White Bread (500g)

$1.85 MX$31.70

$0.39 ₸189

374.36%

Rice (white) (1kg)

$1.61 MX$27.65

$1.71 ₸833

-5.85%

Eggs

$2.59 MX$44.51

$1.44 ₸701

79.86%

Local Cheese (1kg)

$8.26 MX$142

$8.88 ₸4,336

-6.98%

Chicken Fillets (1kg)

$8.37 MX$144

$3.90 ₸1,902

114.62%

Beef Round Steak (1kg)

$10.66 MX$183

$7.60 ₸3,713

40.26%

Apples (1kg)

$2.63 MX$45.12

$1.34 ₸655

96.27%

Banana (1kg)

$1.49 MX$25.53

$1.99 ₸972

-25.13%

Oranges (1kg)

$1.92 MX$32.94

$2.10 ₸1,026

-8.57%

Tomato (1kg)

$2.09 MX$35.81

$2.44 ₸1,190

-14.34%

Potato (1kg)

$1.86 MX$31.88

$0.58 ₸286

220.69%

Onion (1kg)

$2.26 MX$38.81

$0.51 ₸247

343.14%

Lettuce (1 head)

$1.06 MX$18.23

$1.29 ₸631

-17.83%

Water (1.5 liter bottle)

$1.09 MX$18.67

$0.85 ₸417

28.24%

Cigarettes 20 Pack (Marlboro, Camel)

$4.15 MX$71.2

$2.41 ₸1,178

72.20%

Wine (Bottle)

$10.39 MX$178

$8.97 ₸4,382

15.83%

Local Beer (0.5 liter bottle)

$1.72 MX$29.59

$0.65 ₸316

164.62%

Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$2.61 MX$44.85

$0.77 ₸377

238.96%

One-way Ticket (Public Transport)

$0.54 MX$9.30

$0.13 ₸62.1

315.38%

Public Transport Monthly Pass (Regular Price)

$26.94 MX$462

Taxi Start (Normal Tariff)

$3.13 MX$53.7

$0.93 ₸456

236.56%

Taxi (Normal Tariff) (1km)

$2.51 MX$43.09

$0.62 ₸301

304.84%

Taxi 1hour Waiting (Normal Tariff)

$3.15 MX$54.1

$4.62 ₸2,256

-31.82%

Gasoline (1 liter)

$1.27 MX$21.88

$0.50 ₸244

154.00%

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

$30.4K MX$521.3K

$20.3K ₸9.9M

49.70%

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

$23.6K MX$404.5K

$24.7K ₸12.1M

-4.52%

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

$83.0 MX$1,425

$40.96 ₸20.0K

102.64%

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

$22.71 MX$390

$7.78 ₸3,801

191.90%

Internet (50+ Mbps, Unlimited Data)

$29.46 MX$506

$9.42 ₸4,601

212.74%

Gym Membership (Monthly)

$51.0 MX$875

$32.76 ₸16.0K

55.68%

Tennis Court (1 Hour on Weekend)

$18.33 MX$315

Cinema Ticket

$4.93 MX$84.5

$2.82 ₸1,376

74.82%

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

$197 MX$3,386

$125 ₸60.9K

58.23%

International Primary School, 1 Child (Yearly)

$5,280 MX$90.6K

$2,306 ₸1.1M

128.96%

Jeans (Levis 501 Or Similar)

$36.90 MX$633

$58.6 ₸28.6K

-37.01%

Summer Dress (H&M, Zara, etc)

$39.89 MX$685

$34.88 ₸17.0K

14.36%

Sport Shoes (Adidas, Nike)

$80.0 MX$1,373

$63.8 ₸31.1K

25.49%

Men's Leather Business Shoes

$89.5 MX$1,536

$77.3 ₸37.8K

15.74%

1-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)

$956 MX$16.4K

$253 ₸123.6K

277.93%

1-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)

$477 MX$8,189

$181 ₸88.5K

163.26%

3-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)

$1,646 MX$28.3K

$448 ₸219.0K

267.01%

3-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)

$1,225 MX$21.0K

$362 ₸176.7K

238.45%

Buy Apartment in City Center (m2)

$3,918 MX$67.2K

$775 ₸378.3K

405.80%

Buy Apartment Outside City Center (m2)

$6,459 MX$110.9K

$620 ₸302.8K

941.86%

Average Monthly Net Salary (After Tax)

$667 MX$11.4K

$521 ₸254.5K

28.02%

20-Year Fixed Mortgage Interest Rate (Annual %)

11.42

42.75%

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

Last update for Playa del Carmen: June 7, 2026

Last update for Aktau: June 6, 2026

Cost Breakdown

A central one-bedroom costs $956 in Playa del Carmen versus $253 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 28% 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 $43.00 in Playa del Carmen versus $40.00 in Aktau. Monthly groceries follow the same trend: $250 vs $177 – 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 77% 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 $1,906 per month in Playa del Carmen and $1,075 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 $43.00 in Playa del Carmen and $40.00 in Aktau. That's a good indicator of the overall restaurant and café pricing gap between the two cities.

Groceries cost about 41% 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 $716, than in Playa del Carmen at $1,271. 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 $716 versus $1,271 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.