😐A single person spends $1,330 per month in Playa del Carmen vs $987 in Apatity, rent included.
😐A couple spends around $2,336 per month in Playa del Carmen vs $1,540 in Apatity, rent included.
😐A family of three spends $3,341 per month in Playa del Carmen vs $2,093 in Apatity, rent included.
😐Playa del Carmen costs about 35% more than Apatity, driven mainly by Groceries & Markets.
📊Both Playa del Carmen and Apatity are more affordable than the global median – Playa del Carmen3% lower, Apatity28% lower.
Currency
🍽 Eating Out
Playa del Carmen
Apatity
Difference
Meal at Budget Restaurant
$13.02MX$221
$9.78₽819
33.13%
Three-Course Dinner for Two, Mid-Range
$46.25MX$784
$36.89₽3,089
25.37%
Fast Food Meal(McDonalds, etc)
$12.59MX$213
$6.02₽504
109.14%
Cappuccino
$4.00MX$67.9
$2.70₽226
48.15%
Coke/Pepsi/Fanta/Sprite(0.33 liter bottle)
$1.42MX$24.08
$1.12₽93.4
26.79%
Water(0.33 liter bottle)
$0.81MX$13.73
$0.57₽47.97
42.11%
Local Beer(0.5 liter draught)
$3.05MX$51.7
$1.85₽155
64.86%
Imported Beer(0.33 liter bottle)
$6.82MX$116
$2.98₽250
128.86%
🛒 Groceries & Markets
Playa del Carmen
Apatity
Difference
Milk(1 liter)
$1.71MX$29.04
$1.14₽95.8
50.00%
White Bread(500g)
$2.22MX$37.62
$0.72₽60.1
208.33%
Rice(white)(1kg)
$1.72MX$29.13
$1.31₽110
31.30%
Eggs
$2.71MX$45.99
$1.59₽133
70.44%
Local Cheese(1kg)
$9.37MX$159
$10.96₽918
-14.51%
Chicken Fillets(1kg)
$8.86MX$150
$5.09₽426
74.07%
Beef Round Steak(1kg)
$12.78MX$217
$9.91₽830
28.96%
Apples(1kg)
$3.13MX$53.0
$1.68₽141
86.31%
Banana(1kg)
$1.55MX$26.24
$1.80₽151
-13.89%
Oranges(1kg)
$2.15MX$36.51
$1.75₽147
22.86%
Tomato(1kg)
$2.35MX$39.89
$2.84₽238
-17.25%
Potato(1kg)
$2.02MX$34.23
$0.79₽66.4
155.70%
Onion(1kg)
$1.99MX$33.67
$0.59₽49.60
237.29%
Lettuce(1 head)
$1.24MX$21.09
$1.35₽113
-8.15%
Water(1.5 liter bottle)
$1.19MX$20.21
$0.71₽59.4
67.61%
Cigarettes 20 Pack(Marlboro, Camel)
$4.65MX$78.8
$2.89₽242
60.90%
Wine(Bottle)
$10.47MX$177
$7.34₽615
42.64%
Local Beer(0.5 liter bottle)
$1.58MX$26.82
$1.02₽85.1
54.90%
Imported Beer(0.33 liter bottle)
$2.92MX$49.48
$1.91₽160
52.88%
🚌 Getting Around
Playa del Carmen
Apatity
Difference
One-way Ticket(Public Transport)
$0.56MX$9.53
$0.50₽41.54
12.00%
Public Transport Monthly Pass(Regular Price)
$29.76MX$504
$21.75₽1,821
36.83%
Taxi Start(Normal Tariff)
$5.32MX$90.2
$2.17₽182
145.16%
Taxi(Normal Tariff)(1km)
$3.72MX$63.0
$0.38₽31.62
878.95%
Taxi 1hour Waiting(Normal Tariff)
$5.78MX$97.9
$5.39₽451
7.24%
Gasoline(1 liter)
$1.55MX$26.27
$0.79₽66.1
96.20%
Midsize Hatchback 1.4l(Volkswagen Golf, Toyota Prius, Honda Civic, etc)
$22.4KMX$379.1K
$30.2K₽2.5M
-25.84%
Compact Sedan 1.6l(Toyota Corolla, Mazda3, Kia K4, Hyundai Elantra, etc)
$25.6KMX$433.3K
$29.9K₽2.5M
-14.46%
🧾 Monthly Utilities & Internet
Playa del Carmen
Apatity
Difference
Utilities for 2 People in 2-bedroom Apartment(Heating, Electricity, Gas, Water, Garbage)(85m2)
$89.3MX$1,513
$115₽9,661
-22.61%
SIM Card Monthly Plan(Calls and 10GB+ Data)
$23.30MX$395
$6.22₽521
274.60%
Internet(50+ Mbps, Unlimited Data)
$31.72MX$538
$8.17₽685
288.25%
🎉 Sport & Entertainment
Playa del Carmen
Apatity
Difference
Gym Membership(Monthly)
$68.8MX$1,165
$36.12₽3,024
90.37%
Tennis Court(1 Hour on Weekend)
$29.40MX$498
-
-
Cinema Ticket
$5.06MX$85.7
$5.32₽445
-4.89%
🧸 Childcare & Education
Playa del Carmen
Apatity
Difference
Preschool or Kindergarten, Full Day, Private, 1 Child(Monthly)
$222MX$3,765
$310₽25.9K
-28.23%
International Primary School, 1 Child(Yearly)
$4,293MX$72.7K
$6,833₽572.2K
-37.17%
👕👟 Clothing & Footwear
Playa del Carmen
Apatity
Difference
Jeans(Levis 501 Or Similar)
$46.21MX$783
$59.6₽4,987
-22.41%
Summer Dress(H&M, Zara, etc)
$44.43MX$753
$44.56₽3,731
-0.29%
Sport Shoes(Adidas, Nike)
$95.5MX$1,618
$107₽8,991
-11.09%
Men's Leather Business Shoes
$92.5MX$1,568
$102₽8,533
-9.19%
🏠 Accommodation & Living
Playa del Carmen
Apatity
Difference
1-bedroom Apartment, City Center(Monthly)
$1,069MX$18.1K
$445₽37.3K
139.95%
1-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center(Monthly)
$393MX$6,663
$308₽25.8K
27.57%
3-bedroom Apartment, City Center(Monthly)
$1,988MX$33.7K
$768₽64.3K
158.89%
3-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center(Monthly)
$1,304MX$22.1K
$537₽45.0K
142.67%
Buy Apartment in City Center(m2)
$4,037MX$68.4K
$2,135₽178.8K
89.11%
Buy Apartment Outside City Center(m2)
$6,627MX$112.3K
$1,460₽122.3K
353.91%
💵 Salaries & Financials
Playa del Carmen
Apatity
Difference
Average Monthly Net Salary(After Tax)
$747MX$12.7K
-
-
20-Year Fixed Mortgage Interest Rate(Annual %)
11.6
27.67
-58.08%
CityCost data is based on AI and user input – minor inaccuracies may occur.
Last update for Playa del Carmen: August 18, 2026
Last update for Apatity: August 17, 2026
Cost Breakdown
🏠A central one-bedroom costs $1,069 in Playa del Carmen versus $445 in Apatity. Rent is usually the largest line item in a monthly budget, so the gap here sets the tone for the overall comparison.
🛒A mid-range dinner for two costs $46.00 in Playa del Carmen versus $37.00 in Apatity. Monthly groceries follow the same trend: $277 vs $200 – making Apatity 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 Apatity: Cost of Living - Frequently Asked Questions
Is Apatity cheaper than Playa del Carmen?
Yes – Playa del Carmen is pricier by about 35%, and the gap shows up most in Groceries & Markets. It's not just housing either; the difference applies across most spending categories.
What income do you need for each city?
For a comfortable life, plan on about $1,995 per month in Playa del Carmen and $1,481 in Apatity. That covers rent, food, utilities, transport, and enough left over to feel settled – not just surviving.
Which city has lower housing costs?
Rent is clearly cheaper in Apatity, especially for central apartments. Housing is actually the single biggest factor behind the overall cost gap between these two cities.
Which city has cheaper public transport?
Public transport costs about 37% less in Apatity. For daily commuters, that gap adds up to noticeable savings over a year.
Which city has cheaper kindergarten?
Kindergarten costs $222 per month in Playa del Carmen and $310 in Apatity. For families with young kids, this one expense can tip the scales when choosing between the two cities.
Is $1,500 a realistic budget for living in Playa del Carmen or in Apatity?
A $1,500 monthly budget goes further in Apatity, where all-in costs run around $987, than in Playa del Carmen at $1,330. In Apatity it covers expenses comfortably, while in Playa del Carmen it requires careful planning or may not stretch far enough.
Is Playa del Carmen or Apatity more family-friendly?
Families tend to lean toward Apatity – lower housing and cheaper childcare make a real difference, especially on a single income or when paying for private education.
Which city is safer, Playa del Carmen or Apatity?
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.
Which city is the better choice to relocate to?
If budget matters most, go with Apatity. 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.
Playa del Carmen vs other spots: cost of living compared