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

Monthly Cost of Living

A single person spends $1,297 per month in Playa del Carmen vs $1,266 in Ankara, rent included.

A couple spends around $2,181 per month in Playa del Carmen vs $1,842 in Ankara, rent included.

A family of three spends $3,065 per month in Playa del Carmen vs $2,418 in Ankara, rent included.

Playa del Carmen costs about 2% more than Ankara, driven mainly by Eating Out.

Both Playa del Carmen and Ankara are more affordable than the global median – Playa del Carmen 3% lower, Ankara 6% lower.

Meal at Budget Restaurant

$11.73 MX$203

$9.67 ₺445

21.30%

Three-Course Dinner for Two, Mid-Range

$41.62 MX$719

$37.89 ₺1,745

9.84%

Fast Food Meal (McDonalds, etc)

$10.64 MX$184

$8.95 ₺412

18.88%

Cappuccino

$3.52 MX$60.8

$3.19 ₺147

10.34%

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

$1.51 MX$26.09

$1.21 ₺55.8

24.79%

Water (0.33 liter bottle)

$0.97 MX$16.82

$0.38 ₺17.67

155.26%

Local Beer (0.5 liter draught)

$2.95 MX$51.0

$3.21 ₺148

-8.10%

Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$4.45 MX$77.0

$3.79 ₺175

17.41%

Milk (1 liter)

$1.38 MX$23.90

$0.94 ₺43.44

46.81%

White Bread (500g)

$1.89 MX$32.69

$0.65 ₺30.15

190.77%

Rice (white) (1kg)

$1.64 MX$28.29

$2.31 ₺106

-29.00%

Eggs

$2.51 MX$43.30

$2.30 ₺106

9.13%

Local Cheese (1kg)

$8.34 MX$144

$9.37 ₺432

-10.99%

Chicken Fillets (1kg)

$8.34 MX$144

$5.87 ₺270

42.08%

Beef Round Steak (1kg)

$10.73 MX$185

$19.66 ₺905

-45.42%

Apples (1kg)

$2.60 MX$45.00

$1.47 ₺67.5

76.87%

Banana (1kg)

$1.46 MX$25.18

$2.28 ₺105

-35.96%

Oranges (1kg)

$1.90 MX$32.84

$1.30 ₺59.9

46.15%

Tomato (1kg)

$2.08 MX$35.88

$1.54 ₺71.1

35.06%

Potato (1kg)

$1.78 MX$30.68

$0.74 ₺34.04

140.54%

Onion (1kg)

$2.19 MX$37.76

$0.57 ₺26.31

284.21%

Lettuce (1 head)

$1.04 MX$17.97

$1.08 ₺49.62

-3.70%

Water (1.5 liter bottle)

$1.08 MX$18.60

$0.40 ₺18.36

170.00%

Cigarettes 20 Pack (Marlboro, Camel)

$4.08 MX$70.5

$2.14 ₺98.6

90.65%

Wine (Bottle)

$10.32 MX$178

$10.73 ₺494

-3.82%

Local Beer (0.5 liter bottle)

$1.71 MX$29.59

$2.11 ₺97.3

-18.96%

Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$2.58 MX$44.50

$3.14 ₺145

-17.83%

One-way Ticket (Public Transport)

$0.51 MX$8.81

$0.63 ₺29.18

-19.05%

Public Transport Monthly Pass (Regular Price)

$26.46 MX$457

$9.40 ₺433

181.49%

Taxi Start (Normal Tariff)

$3.26 MX$56.4

$0.91 ₺42.01

258.24%

Taxi (Normal Tariff) (1km)

$2.49 MX$43.05

$0.60 ₺27.85

315.00%

Taxi 1hour Waiting (Normal Tariff)

$3.25 MX$56.1

$6.31 ₺290

-48.49%

Gasoline (1 liter)

$1.31 MX$22.59

$1.23 ₺56.8

6.50%

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

$30.3K MX$523.2K

$42.7K ₺2.0M

-29.07%

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

$23.4K MX$404.9K

$42.9K ₺2.0M

-45.39%

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

$82.9 MX$1,432

$84.6 ₺3,897

-2.08%

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

$22.22 MX$384

$10.99 ₺506

102.18%

Internet (50+ Mbps, Unlimited Data)

$29.34 MX$507

$14.09 ₺649

108.23%

Gym Membership (Monthly)

$51.6 MX$892

$55.5 ₺2,555

-6.92%

Tennis Court (1 Hour on Weekend)

$18.32 MX$317

$14.44 ₺665

26.87%

Cinema Ticket

$5.07 MX$87.5

$6.21 ₺286

-18.36%

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

$201 MX$3,470

$617 ₺28.4K

-67.43%

International Primary School, 1 Child (Yearly)

$5,212 MX$90.1K

$13.9K ₺638.8K

-62.43%

Jeans (Levis 501 Or Similar)

$36.92 MX$638

$58.7 ₺2,705

-37.14%

Summer Dress (H&M, Zara, etc)

$39.79 MX$688

$43.93 ₺2,023

-9.42%

Sport Shoes (Adidas, Nike)

$78.5 MX$1,356

$104 ₺4,800

-24.73%

Men's Leather Business Shoes

$87.1 MX$1,505

$96.3 ₺4,435

-9.57%

1-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)

$973 MX$16.8K

$741 ₺34.1K

31.20%

1-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)

$468 MX$8,082

$515 ₺23.7K

-9.16%

3-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)

$1,641 MX$28.4K

$1,093 ₺50.3K

50.16%

3-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)

$1,221 MX$21.1K

$702 ₺32.3K

73.94%

Buy Apartment in City Center (m2)

$3,946 MX$68.2K

$1,700 ₺78.3K

132.08%

Buy Apartment Outside City Center (m2)

$6,498 MX$112.3K

$1,162 ₺53.5K

459.43%

Average Monthly Net Salary (After Tax)

$664 MX$11.5K

$1,076 ₺49.5K

-38.29%

20-Year Fixed Mortgage Interest Rate (Annual %)

11.42

48.4

-76.40%

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 Ankara: May 30, 2026

Cost Breakdown

A central one-bedroom costs $973 in Playa del Carmen versus $741 in Ankara. 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 62% higher in Ankara, which reinforces the cost advantage – you earn more and spend less. Purchasing power leans clearly in its favor.

A mid-range dinner for two costs $42.00 in Playa del Carmen versus $38.00 in Ankara. Monthly groceries follow the same trend: $249 vs $236 – making Ankara 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 Ankara: Cost of Living - Frequently Asked Questions

Playa del Carmen costs about 2% more than Ankara, with the gap driven mainly by Eating Out. That's enough to noticeably affect everyday spending and lifestyle for anyone choosing between the two.

For a comfortable life, plan on about $1,945 per month in Playa del Carmen and $1,899 in Ankara. That covers rent, food, utilities, transport, and enough left over to feel settled – not just surviving.

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

Kindergarten costs $201 per month in Playa del Carmen and $617 in Ankara. For families with young kids, this one expense can tip the scales when choosing between the two cities.

Groceries cost about 6% 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 Ankara, where all-in costs run around $1,266, than in Playa del Carmen at $1,297. In Ankara 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. Ankara costs $1,266 versus $1,297 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 Ankara. 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.