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 $1,287 per month in Playa del Carmen vs $702 in Aktau, rent included.

A couple spends around $2,184 per month in Playa del Carmen vs $1,160 in Aktau, rent included.

A family of three spends $3,082 per month in Playa del Carmen vs $1,619 in Aktau, rent included.

Playa del Carmen costs about 83% more than Aktau, driven mainly by Groceries & Markets.

Both Playa del Carmen and Aktau are more affordable than the global median – Playa del Carmen 4% lower, Aktau 48% lower.

Meal at Budget Restaurant

$11.94 MX$209

$9.63 ₸4,455

23.99%

Three-Course Dinner for Two, Mid-Range

$42.75 MX$748

$38.39 ₸17.7K

11.36%

Fast Food Meal (McDonalds, etc)

$10.59 MX$185

$8.84 ₸4,085

19.80%

Cappuccino

$3.62 MX$63.4

$2.27 ₸1,048

59.47%

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

$1.47 MX$25.69

$0.56 ₸257

162.50%

Water (0.33 liter bottle)

$0.94 MX$16.51

$0.43 ₸200

118.60%

Local Beer (0.5 liter draught)

$3.09 MX$54.1

$1.19 ₸551

159.66%

Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$4.46 MX$78.0

$1.38 ₸639

223.19%

Milk (1 liter)

$1.43 MX$24.94

$1.20 ₸557

19.17%

White Bread (500g)

$1.88 MX$32.97

$0.39 ₸179

382.05%

Rice (white) (1kg)

$1.63 MX$28.50

$1.69 ₸782

-3.55%

Eggs

$2.64 MX$46.26

$1.37 ₸631

92.70%

Local Cheese (1kg)

$8.21 MX$144

$8.90 ₸4,117

-7.75%

Chicken Fillets (1kg)

$8.29 MX$145

$3.89 ₸1,800

113.11%

Beef Round Steak (1kg)

$11.10 MX$194

$7.86 ₸3,634

41.22%

Apples (1kg)

$2.65 MX$46.40

$1.29 ₸597

105.43%

Banana (1kg)

$1.50 MX$26.26

$1.98 ₸916

-24.24%

Oranges (1kg)

$1.99 MX$34.79

$2.14 ₸991

-7.01%

Tomato (1kg)

$2.08 MX$36.33

$2.52 ₸1,166

-17.46%

Potato (1kg)

$1.79 MX$31.29

$0.58 ₸268

208.62%

Onion (1kg)

$2.18 MX$38.09

$0.51 ₸236

327.45%

Lettuce (1 head)

$1.08 MX$18.84

$1.35 ₸626

-20.00%

Water (1.5 liter bottle)

$1.04 MX$18.15

$0.81 ₸376

28.40%

Cigarettes 20 Pack (Marlboro, Camel)

$3.97 MX$69.5

$2.40 ₸1,108

65.42%

Wine (Bottle)

$10.20 MX$179

$9.04 ₸4,179

12.83%

Local Beer (0.5 liter bottle)

$1.73 MX$30.22

$0.63 ₸290

174.60%

Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$2.50 MX$43.71

$0.76 ₸352

228.95%

One-way Ticket (Public Transport)

$0.52 MX$9.07

$0.14 ₸66.8

271.43%

Public Transport Monthly Pass (Regular Price)

$26.97 MX$472

Taxi Start (Normal Tariff)

$3.14 MX$55.0

$1.03 ₸475

204.85%

Taxi (Normal Tariff) (1km)

$2.40 MX$42.04

$0.59 ₸271

306.78%

Taxi 1hour Waiting (Normal Tariff)

$3.09 MX$54.0

$4.77 ₸2,206

-35.22%

Gasoline (1 liter)

$1.27 MX$22.28

$0.47 ₸215

170.21%

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

$30.9K MX$540.4K

$20.5K ₸9.5M

50.97%

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

$23.3K MX$408.0K

$24.5K ₸11.3M

-4.83%

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

$82.0 MX$1,435

$39.58 ₸18.3K

107.20%

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

$22.45 MX$393

$7.58 ₸3,505

196.17%

Internet (50+ Mbps, Unlimited Data)

$29.66 MX$519

$9.75 ₸4,507

204.21%

Gym Membership (Monthly)

$51.9 MX$908

$31.97 ₸14.8K

62.25%

Tennis Court (1 Hour on Weekend)

$18.67 MX$327

Cinema Ticket

$4.97 MX$87.0

$2.69 ₸1,242

84.76%

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

$198 MX$3,462

$128 ₸59.1K

54.77%

International Primary School, 1 Child (Yearly)

$5,273 MX$92.3K

$2,304 ₸1.1M

128.90%

Jeans (Levis 501 Or Similar)

$36.34 MX$636

$58.4 ₸27.0K

-37.78%

Summer Dress (H&M, Zara, etc)

$40.05 MX$701

$34.63 ₸16.0K

15.65%

Sport Shoes (Adidas, Nike)

$79.9 MX$1,398

$64.8 ₸30.0K

23.31%

Men's Leather Business Shoes

$88.9 MX$1,555

$79.7 ₸36.8K

11.56%

1-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)

$963 MX$16.9K

$251 ₸116.3K

283.07%

1-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)

$465 MX$8,133

$179 ₸82.7K

159.89%

3-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)

$1,596 MX$27.9K

$446 ₸206.2K

257.93%

3-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)

$1,209 MX$21.2K

$373 ₸172.2K

224.49%

Buy Apartment in City Center (m2)

$3,942 MX$69.0K

$779 ₸360.2K

405.97%

Buy Apartment Outside City Center (m2)

$6,448 MX$112.8K

$617 ₸285.3K

944.83%

Average Monthly Net Salary (After Tax)

$720 MX$12.6K

$548 ₸253.2K

31.57%

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: April 25, 2026

Last update for Aktau: April 27, 2026

Cost Breakdown

A central one-bedroom costs $963 in Playa del Carmen versus $251 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 32% 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 $38.00 in Aktau. Monthly groceries follow the same trend: $251 vs $178 – 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 83% 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 $1,930 per month in Playa del Carmen and $1,052 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 $38.00 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 $702, than in Playa del Carmen at $1,287. 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 $702 versus $1,287 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.