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

Monthly Cost of Living

Monthly costs for one person with rent: $1,256 in Playa del Carmen versus $3,149 in Ashgabat.

Estimated couple costs with rent: $2,137 in Playa del Carmen versus $4,892 in Ashgabat.

Monthly costs for a family of three with rent: $3,017 in Playa del Carmen versus $6,636 in Ashgabat.

Living in Playa del Carmen costs roughly 60% less than in Ashgabat, driven mainly by Groceries & Markets.

The two cities straddle the global median: Playa del Carmen is 6% below, Ashgabat is 136% above.

Meal at Budget Restaurant

$11.99 MX$209

$34.40 TMT 116

-65.15%

Three-Course Dinner for Two, Mid-Range

$41.78 MX$728

$85.5 TMT 287

-51.15%

Fast Food Meal (McDonalds, etc)

$10.75 MX$187

$14.22 TMT 47.77

-24.40%

Cappuccino

$3.50 MX$60.9

$7.19 TMT 24.17

-51.32%

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

$1.45 MX$25.22

$3.17 TMT 10.67

-54.26%

Water (0.33 liter bottle)

$0.88 MX$15.41

$0.94 TMT 3.16

-6.38%

Local Beer (0.5 liter draught)

$2.95 MX$51.3

$5.28 TMT 17.74

-44.13%

Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$4.51 MX$78.6

$14.19 TMT 47.67

-68.22%

Milk (1 liter)

$1.43 MX$24.94

$4.85 TMT 16.29

-70.52%

White Bread (500g)

$1.84 MX$31.99

$2.43 TMT 8.18

-24.28%

Rice (white) (1kg)

$1.57 MX$27.31

$7.15 TMT 24.02

-78.04%

Eggs

$2.51 MX$43.74

$6.12 TMT 20.57

-58.99%

Local Cheese (1kg)

$8.28 MX$144

$40.33 TMT 136

-79.47%

Chicken Fillets (1kg)

$8.43 MX$147

$18.24 TMT 61.3

-53.78%

Beef Round Steak (1kg)

$10.68 MX$186

$18.50 TMT 62.2

-42.27%

Apples (1kg)

$2.61 MX$45.43

$5.59 TMT 18.77

-53.31%

Banana (1kg)

$1.44 MX$25.04

$9.01 TMT 30.27

-84.02%

Oranges (1kg)

$1.96 MX$34.16

$7.83 TMT 26.32

-74.97%

Tomato (1kg)

$2.09 MX$36.47

$3.62 TMT 12.17

-42.27%

Potato (1kg)

$1.85 MX$32.24

$2.25 TMT 7.57

-17.78%

Onion (1kg)

$2.17 MX$37.74

$1.83 TMT 6.14

18.58%

Lettuce (1 head)

$1.03 MX$17.96

$1.98 TMT 6.65

-47.98%

Water (1.5 liter bottle)

$1.07 MX$18.70

$1.14 TMT 3.82

-6.14%

Cigarettes 20 Pack (Marlboro, Camel)

$4.10 MX$71.4

$26.11 TMT 87.7

-84.30%

Wine (Bottle)

$10.17 MX$177

$41.56 TMT 140

-75.53%

Local Beer (0.5 liter bottle)

$1.68 MX$29.17

$4.69 TMT 15.75

-64.18%

Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$2.53 MX$43.98

$2.80 TMT 9.41

-9.64%

One-way Ticket (Public Transport)

$0.51 MX$8.87

$0.16 TMT 0.53

218.75%

Public Transport Monthly Pass (Regular Price)

$26.04 MX$453

$8.37 TMT 28.12

211.11%

Taxi Start (Normal Tariff)

$3.23 MX$56.3

$2.84 TMT 9.56

13.73%

Taxi (Normal Tariff) (1km)

$2.41 MX$41.88

$0.83 TMT 2.78

190.36%

Taxi 1hour Waiting (Normal Tariff)

$3.23 MX$56.2

$8.80 TMT 29.57

-63.30%

Gasoline (1 liter)

$1.32 MX$23.00

$0.45 TMT 1.50

193.33%

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

$29.7K MX$517.1K

$44.8K TMT 150.5K

-33.70%

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

$23.7K MX$412.0K

$57.2K TMT 192.1K

-58.62%

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

$82.0 MX$1,428

$569 TMT 1,911

-85.58%

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

$22.95 MX$400

$57.6 TMT 194

-60.15%

Internet (50+ Mbps, Unlimited Data)

$30.11 MX$524

$103 TMT 345

-70.68%

Gym Membership (Monthly)

$52.0 MX$905

$195 TMT 657

-73.41%

Tennis Court (1 Hour on Weekend)

$18.53 MX$323

$44.83 TMT 151

-58.67%

Cinema Ticket

$4.98 MX$86.6

$14.37 TMT 48.27

-65.34%

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

$197 MX$3,438

$22.96 TMT 77.2

759.93%

International Primary School, 1 Child (Yearly)

$5,336 MX$92.9K

$25.2K TMT 84.8K

-78.86%

Jeans (Levis 501 Or Similar)

$35.60 MX$620

$66.5 TMT 223

-46.43%

Summer Dress (H&M, Zara, etc)

$40.33 MX$702

$121 TMT 407

-66.69%

Sport Shoes (Adidas, Nike)

$78.8 MX$1,371

$304 TMT 1,021

-74.08%

Men's Leather Business Shoes

$88.9 MX$1,549

$187 TMT 627

-52.38%

1-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)

$947 MX$16.5K

$1,109 TMT 3,726

-14.60%

1-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)

$474 MX$8,254

$739 TMT 2,482

-35.83%

3-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)

$1,644 MX$28.6K

$1,797 TMT 6,038

-8.52%

3-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)

$1,211 MX$21.1K

$1,578 TMT 5,301

-23.27%

Buy Apartment in City Center (m2)

$4,056 MX$70.6K

$3,489 TMT 11.7K

16.24%

Buy Apartment Outside City Center (m2)

$6,470 MX$112.7K

$2,850 TMT 9,575

127.04%

Average Monthly Net Salary (After Tax)

$654 MX$11.4K

$763 TMT 2,564

-14.30%

20-Year Fixed Mortgage Interest Rate (Annual %)

11.42

9.5

20.21%

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

Last update for Playa del Carmen: July 13, 2026

Last update for Ashgabat: July 12, 2026

Cost Breakdown

A one-bedroom apartment in the center runs $947 in Playa del Carmen and $1,109 in Ashgabat. Housing cost is often the main lever when comparing two cities.

Ashgabat pays 17% more on average. The extra income cushions the higher costs, though housing choices and lifestyle decide how much of the gap is truly closed.

Dining out: $42.00 in Playa del Carmen vs $86.0 in Ashgabat for a mid-range dinner for two. Groceries echo the gap at $249 vs $669 per month, with Playa del Carmen cheaper across the board.

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 Ashgabat: Cost of Living - Frequently Asked Questions

Playa del Carmen and Ashgabat differ by about 151% in total monthly costs ($1,256 vs $3,149 including rent). Playa del Carmen is meaningfully more affordable – a gap that matters a lot on a fixed or modest income.

On paper, salaries run 17% lower in Ashgabat. That's worth factoring in alongside costs, though remote workers earning in a stronger currency may not notice the difference at all.

Rent for a central apartment: $947 in Playa del Carmen versus $1,109 in Ashgabat. Housing is usually the single largest factor when comparing overall living costs between the two.

Childcare runs $197 in Playa del Carmen versus $22.96 in Ashgabat. Over years of preschool, even a modest monthly gap compounds into a major financial factor for families.

Supermarket bills run roughly 169% higher in Ashgabat. For households that cook at home regularly, that difference adds up over a month.

At $1,256 in Playa del Carmen versus $3,149 in Ashgabat, a $1,500 budget is realistic in Playa del Carmen but tight or insufficient in Ashgabat. The gap between the two cities makes Playa del Carmen the clear choice for anyone on this budget.

Both cities offer a good standard of living with different trade-offs. Neither is objectively better – the right pick depends on what matters most: affordability, career, cultural scene, or climate.

Safety-wise, Playa del Carmen and Ashgabat are on par. Petty crime is typical for cities this size, and most residents feel comfortable going about their daily routines in either place.

Expats usually find Playa del Carmen gentler on the wallet – expenses run 151% less than in Ashgabat. Beyond cost, consider language, visa policies, and how big the international community is in each city.