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

Monthly Cost of Living

A single person spends $1,297 per month in Playa del Carmen vs $666 in Aktobe, rent included.

A couple spends around $2,181 per month in Playa del Carmen vs $1,065 in Aktobe, rent included.

A family of three spends $3,065 per month in Playa del Carmen vs $1,463 in Aktobe, rent included.

Playa del Carmen costs about 95% more than Aktobe, driven mainly by Groceries & Markets.

Both Playa del Carmen and Aktobe are more affordable than the global median – Playa del Carmen 3% lower, Aktobe 50% lower.

Meal at Budget Restaurant

$11.73 MX$203

$7.95 ₸3,898

47.55%

Three-Course Dinner for Two, Mid-Range

$41.62 MX$720

$29.27 ₸14.3K

42.19%

Fast Food Meal (McDonalds, etc)

$10.64 MX$184

$6.29 ₸3,083

69.16%

Cappuccino

$3.52 MX$60.9

$1.78 ₸873

97.75%

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

$1.51 MX$26.12

$1.40 ₸684

7.86%

Water (0.33 liter bottle)

$0.97 MX$16.84

$0.49 ₸240

97.96%

Local Beer (0.5 liter draught)

$2.95 MX$51.0

$1.53 ₸752

92.81%

Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$4.45 MX$77.0

$2.18 ₸1,068

104.13%

Milk (1 liter)

$1.38 MX$23.93

$1.15 ₸562

20.00%

White Bread (500g)

$1.89 MX$32.72

$0.27 ₸133

600.00%

Rice (white) (1kg)

$1.64 MX$28.32

$1.10 ₸537

49.09%

Eggs

$2.51 MX$43.34

$1.47 ₸719

70.75%

Local Cheese (1kg)

$8.34 MX$144

$8.27 ₸4,053

0.85%

Chicken Fillets (1kg)

$8.34 MX$144

$4.82 ₸2,363

73.03%

Beef Round Steak (1kg)

$10.73 MX$186

$7.01 ₸3,433

53.07%

Apples (1kg)

$2.60 MX$45.04

$1.37 ₸670

89.78%

Banana (1kg)

$1.46 MX$25.20

$1.99 ₸977

-26.63%

Oranges (1kg)

$1.90 MX$32.87

$2.32 ₸1,137

-18.10%

Tomato (1kg)

$2.08 MX$35.91

$1.92 ₸941

8.33%

Potato (1kg)

$1.78 MX$30.71

$0.79 ₸385

125.32%

Onion (1kg)

$2.19 MX$37.80

$0.29 ₸140

655.17%

Lettuce (1 head)

$1.04 MX$17.99

$0.75 ₸368

38.67%

Water (1.5 liter bottle)

$1.08 MX$18.62

$0.63 ₸311

71.43%

Cigarettes 20 Pack (Marlboro, Camel)

$4.08 MX$70.6

$1.83 ₸896

122.95%

Wine (Bottle)

$10.32 MX$178

$5.05 ₸2,473

104.36%

Local Beer (0.5 liter bottle)

$1.71 MX$29.61

$0.93 ₸454

83.87%

Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$2.58 MX$44.54

$1.54 ₸757

67.53%

One-way Ticket (Public Transport)

$0.51 MX$8.81

$0.18 ₸86.4

183.33%

Public Transport Monthly Pass (Regular Price)

$26.46 MX$458

Taxi Start (Normal Tariff)

$3.26 MX$56.4

$0.99 ₸485

229.29%

Taxi (Normal Tariff) (1km)

$2.49 MX$43.09

$1.03 ₸506

141.75%

Taxi 1hour Waiting (Normal Tariff)

$3.25 MX$56.2

$4.58 ₸2,244

-29.04%

Gasoline (1 liter)

$1.31 MX$22.61

$0.49 ₸238

167.35%

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

$30.3K MX$523.7K

$17.6K ₸8.6M

71.85%

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

$23.4K MX$405.3K

$19.3K ₸9.5M

21.23%

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

$82.9 MX$1,433

$40.47 ₸19.8K

104.77%

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

$22.22 MX$384

$10.26 ₸5,028

116.57%

Internet (50+ Mbps, Unlimited Data)

$29.34 MX$507

$10.78 ₸5,281

172.17%

Gym Membership (Monthly)

$51.6 MX$893

$28.77 ₸14.1K

79.46%

Tennis Court (1 Hour on Weekend)

$18.32 MX$317

$9.68 ₸4,745

89.26%

Cinema Ticket

$5.07 MX$87.6

$4.95 ₸2,428

2.42%

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

$201 MX$3,473

$212 ₸103.7K

-5.07%

International Primary School, 1 Child (Yearly)

$5,212 MX$90.1K

$4,966 ₸2.4M

4.95%

Jeans (Levis 501 Or Similar)

$36.92 MX$639

$33.99 ₸16.7K

8.62%

Summer Dress (H&M, Zara, etc)

$39.79 MX$688

$29.76 ₸14.6K

33.70%

Sport Shoes (Adidas, Nike)

$78.5 MX$1,357

$90.9 ₸44.6K

-13.72%

Men's Leather Business Shoes

$87.1 MX$1,506

$63.9 ₸31.3K

36.33%

1-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)

$973 MX$16.8K

$225 ₸110.1K

332.74%

1-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)

$468 MX$8,090

$189 ₸92.4K

148.12%

3-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)

$1,641 MX$28.4K

$348 ₸170.6K

371.53%

3-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)

$1,221 MX$21.1K

$282 ₸138.2K

333.05%

Buy Apartment in City Center (m2)

$3,946 MX$68.3K

$775 ₸379.8K

409.12%

Buy Apartment Outside City Center (m2)

$6,498 MX$112.4K

$487 ₸238.6K

1234.38%

Average Monthly Net Salary (After Tax)

$664 MX$11.5K

$510 ₸249.9K

30.21%

20-Year Fixed Mortgage Interest Rate (Annual %)

11.42

18.39

-37.90%

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

Last update for Playa del Carmen: June 2, 2026

Last update for Aktobe: June 1, 2026

Cost Breakdown

A central one-bedroom costs $973 in Playa del Carmen versus $225 in Aktobe. 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 30% 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 $29.00 in Aktobe. Monthly groceries follow the same trend: $249 vs $163 – making Aktobe 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 Aktobe: Cost of Living - Frequently Asked Questions

Yes – Playa del Carmen is pricier by about 95%, and the gap shows up most in Groceries & Markets. It's not just housing either; the difference applies across most spending categories.

For a comfortable life, plan on about $1,945 per month in Playa del Carmen and $999 in Aktobe. That covers rent, food, utilities, transport, and enough left over to feel settled – not just surviving.

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

Monthly expenses with rent come to $1,297 in Playa del Carmen and $666 in Aktobe. The difference isn't just one category – it shows up across housing, food, transport, and services.

Kindergarten costs $201 per month in Playa del Carmen and $212 in Aktobe. For families with young kids, this one expense can tip the scales when choosing between the two cities.

A $1,500 monthly budget goes further in Aktobe, where all-in costs run around $666, than in Playa del Carmen at $1,297. In Aktobe it covers expenses comfortably, while in Playa del Carmen it requires careful planning or may not stretch far enough.

Families tend to lean toward Aktobe – lower housing and cheaper childcare make a real difference, especially on a single income or when paying for private education.

If budget matters most, go with Aktobe. 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.