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 $1,260 per month in Playa del Carmen vs $714 in Aktau, rent included.

A couple spends around $2,125 per month in Playa del Carmen vs $1,184 in Aktau, rent included.

A family of three spends $2,990 per month in Playa del Carmen vs $1,655 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 46% lower.

Meal at Budget Restaurant

$11.72 MX$203

$9.84 ₸4,666

19.11%

Three-Course Dinner for Two, Mid-Range

$41.89 MX$725

$39.52 ₸18.7K

6.00%

Fast Food Meal (McDonalds, etc)

$10.51 MX$182

$8.85 ₸4,197

18.76%

Cappuccino

$3.59 MX$62.0

$2.21 ₸1,047

62.44%

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

$1.51 MX$26.10

$0.51 ₸242

196.08%

Water (0.33 liter bottle)

$0.92 MX$15.83

$0.40 ₸192

130.00%

Local Beer (0.5 liter draught)

$2.96 MX$51.2

$1.20 ₸569

146.67%

Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$4.41 MX$76.3

$1.33 ₸631

231.58%

Milk (1 liter)

$1.40 MX$24.16

$1.20 ₸568

16.67%

White Bread (500g)

$1.88 MX$32.60

$0.38 ₸181

394.74%

Rice (white) (1kg)

$1.56 MX$26.97

$1.61 ₸765

-3.11%

Eggs

$2.61 MX$45.14

$1.44 ₸682

81.25%

Local Cheese (1kg)

$8.32 MX$144

$8.91 ₸4,225

-6.62%

Chicken Fillets (1kg)

$8.35 MX$145

$3.95 ₸1,872

111.39%

Beef Round Steak (1kg)

$10.86 MX$188

$7.52 ₸3,565

44.41%

Apples (1kg)

$2.71 MX$46.93

$1.34 ₸636

102.24%

Banana (1kg)

$1.51 MX$26.04

$2.09 ₸991

-27.75%

Oranges (1kg)

$1.87 MX$32.41

$2.14 ₸1,015

-12.62%

Tomato (1kg)

$2.19 MX$37.89

$2.46 ₸1,168

-10.98%

Potato (1kg)

$1.86 MX$32.14

$0.56 ₸263

232.14%

Onion (1kg)

$2.23 MX$38.59

$0.47 ₸222

374.47%

Lettuce (1 head)

$1.07 MX$18.48

$1.29 ₸612

-17.05%

Water (1.5 liter bottle)

$1.09 MX$18.79

$0.87 ₸413

25.29%

Cigarettes 20 Pack (Marlboro, Camel)

$4.19 MX$72.4

$2.38 ₸1,130

76.05%

Wine (Bottle)

$10.43 MX$180

$8.78 ₸4,164

18.79%

Local Beer (0.5 liter bottle)

$1.66 MX$28.68

$0.67 ₸318

147.76%

Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$2.61 MX$45.19

$0.81 ₸385

222.22%

One-way Ticket (Public Transport)

$0.54 MX$9.37

$0.15 ₸72.9

260.00%

Public Transport Monthly Pass (Regular Price)

$26.16 MX$453

Taxi Start (Normal Tariff)

$3.08 MX$53.3

$0.97 ₸458

217.53%

Taxi (Normal Tariff) (1km)

$2.40 MX$41.61

$0.62 ₸295

287.10%

Taxi 1hour Waiting (Normal Tariff)

$3.13 MX$54.1

$4.75 ₸2,251

-34.11%

Gasoline (1 liter)

$1.31 MX$22.69

$0.46 ₸220

184.78%

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

$29.8K MX$515.7K

$20.3K ₸9.6M

46.51%

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

$23.3K MX$403.5K

$25.0K ₸11.9M

-6.72%

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

$81.3 MX$1,406

$40.64 ₸19.3K

100.00%

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

$22.56 MX$390

$7.71 ₸3,656

192.61%

Internet (50+ Mbps, Unlimited Data)

$30.05 MX$520

$9.29 ₸4,404

223.47%

Gym Membership (Monthly)

$52.9 MX$915

$31.69 ₸15.0K

66.96%

Tennis Court (1 Hour on Weekend)

$18.39 MX$318

Cinema Ticket

$4.92 MX$85.1

$2.79 ₸1,322

76.34%

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

$201 MX$3,474

$129 ₸61.3K

55.28%

International Primary School, 1 Child (Yearly)

$5,175 MX$89.5K

$2,385 ₸1.1M

116.98%

Jeans (Levis 501 Or Similar)

$35.92 MX$622

$58.4 ₸27.7K

-38.46%

Summer Dress (H&M, Zara, etc)

$40.13 MX$694

$35.67 ₸16.9K

12.50%

Sport Shoes (Adidas, Nike)

$79.7 MX$1,379

$62.5 ₸29.6K

27.58%

Men's Leather Business Shoes

$86.5 MX$1,496

$79.7 ₸37.8K

8.43%

1-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)

$978 MX$16.9K

$253 ₸120.1K

286.10%

1-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)

$470 MX$8,140

$177 ₸84.1K

165.33%

3-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)

$1,651 MX$28.6K

$445 ₸210.8K

271.36%

3-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)

$1,203 MX$20.8K

$367 ₸173.9K

228.08%

Buy Apartment in City Center (m2)

$3,953 MX$68.4K

$755 ₸358.1K

423.38%

Buy Apartment Outside City Center (m2)

$6,607 MX$114.3K

$609 ₸288.7K

985.07%

Average Monthly Net Salary (After Tax)

$677 MX$11.7K

$538 ₸255.0K

25.82%

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: July 27, 2026

Last update for Aktau: July 28, 2026

Cost Breakdown

A central one-bedroom costs $978 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 26% 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 $42.00 in Playa del Carmen versus $40.00 in Aktau. Monthly groceries follow the same trend: $252 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 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 $1,890 per month in Playa del Carmen and $1,071 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 $42.00 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 $714, than in Playa del Carmen at $1,260. 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 $714 versus $1,260 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.