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

Monthly Cost of Living

Monthly costs for one person with rent: $1,294 in Playa del Carmen versus $1,037 in Astrakhan.

Estimated couple costs with rent: $2,189 in Playa del Carmen versus $1,524 in Astrakhan.

Monthly costs for a family of three with rent: $3,084 in Playa del Carmen versus $2,012 in Astrakhan.

Living in Playa del Carmen is roughly 25% more expensive than Astrakhan, driven mainly by Eating Out.

Both cities sit below the global median: Playa del Carmen 3% lower, Astrakhan 22% lower.

Meal at Budget Restaurant

$11.73 MX$202

$10.95 ₽794

7.12%

Three-Course Dinner for Two, Mid-Range

$41.78 MX$719

$33.35 ₽2,417

25.28%

Fast Food Meal (McDonalds, etc)

$10.41 MX$179

$7.42 ₽537

40.30%

Cappuccino

$3.61 MX$62.1

$1.85 ₽134

95.14%

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

$1.46 MX$25.06

$0.90 ₽65.3

62.22%

Water (0.33 liter bottle)

$0.97 MX$16.70

$0.49 ₽35.66

97.96%

Local Beer (0.5 liter draught)

$2.92 MX$50.3

$1.29 ₽93.3

126.36%

Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$4.62 MX$79.5

$2.48 ₽180

86.29%

Milk (1 liter)

$1.43 MX$24.59

$1.28 ₽92.7

11.72%

White Bread (500g)

$1.90 MX$32.70

$1.06 ₽76.5

79.25%

Rice (white) (1kg)

$1.57 MX$26.95

$1.02 ₽74.2

53.92%

Eggs

$2.64 MX$45.34

$1.75 ₽127

50.86%

Local Cheese (1kg)

$8.44 MX$145

$24.93 ₽1,806

-66.15%

Chicken Fillets (1kg)

$8.58 MX$148

$4.86 ₽352

76.54%

Beef Round Steak (1kg)

$11.00 MX$189

$6.72 ₽487

63.69%

Apples (1kg)

$2.70 MX$46.51

$1.56 ₽113

73.08%

Banana (1kg)

$1.51 MX$25.92

$1.74 ₽126

-13.22%

Oranges (1kg)

$1.91 MX$32.93

$1.60 ₽116

19.37%

Tomato (1kg)

$2.17 MX$37.37

$2.38 ₽173

-8.82%

Potato (1kg)

$1.87 MX$32.25

$0.91 ₽65.8

105.49%

Onion (1kg)

$2.23 MX$38.43

$0.61 ₽43.85

265.57%

Lettuce (1 head)

$1.08 MX$18.60

$1.41 ₽103

-23.40%

Water (1.5 liter bottle)

$1.07 MX$18.47

$0.60 ₽43.41

78.33%

Cigarettes 20 Pack (Marlboro, Camel)

$4.16 MX$71.6

$1.88 ₽136

121.28%

Wine (Bottle)

$10.29 MX$177

$4.19 ₽304

145.58%

Local Beer (0.5 liter bottle)

$1.68 MX$28.95

$1.05 ₽76.2

60.00%

Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$2.53 MX$43.59

$1.86 ₽135

36.02%

One-way Ticket (Public Transport)

$0.55 MX$9.53

$0.49 ₽35.65

12.24%

Public Transport Monthly Pass (Regular Price)

$26.29 MX$452

$22.34 ₽1,619

17.68%

Taxi Start (Normal Tariff)

$3.20 MX$55.0

$2.59 ₽188

23.55%

Taxi (Normal Tariff) (1km)

$2.46 MX$42.37

$0.35 ₽25.52

602.86%

Taxi 1hour Waiting (Normal Tariff)

$3.20 MX$55.0

$3.70 ₽268

-13.51%

Gasoline (1 liter)

$1.32 MX$22.72

$0.86 ₽62.2

53.49%

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

$30.2K MX$518.8K

$34.3K ₽2.5M

-12.22%

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

$23.4K MX$402.5K

$31.2K ₽2.3M

-25.08%

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

$81.4 MX$1,400

$103 ₽7,463

-21.02%

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

$22.41 MX$386

$6.51 ₽472

244.24%

Internet (50+ Mbps, Unlimited Data)

$29.97 MX$516

$5.36 ₽388

459.14%

Gym Membership (Monthly)

$51.6 MX$887

$49.57 ₽3,592

4.01%

Tennis Court (1 Hour on Weekend)

$18.39 MX$316

$24.56 ₽1,780

-25.12%

Cinema Ticket

$5.16 MX$88.9

$5.51 ₽400

-6.35%

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

$202 MX$3,471

$115 ₽8,331

75.46%

International Primary School, 1 Child (Yearly)

$5,311 MX$91.4K

$7,031 ₽509.5K

-24.47%

Jeans (Levis 501 Or Similar)

$35.61 MX$613

$57.8 ₽4,191

-38.43%

Summer Dress (H&M, Zara, etc)

$40.37 MX$695

$31.81 ₽2,305

26.91%

Sport Shoes (Adidas, Nike)

$78.6 MX$1,353

$90.0 ₽6,519

-12.59%

Men's Leather Business Shoes

$86.9 MX$1,495

$126 ₽9,094

-30.79%

1-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)

$950 MX$16.3K

$421 ₽30.5K

125.92%

1-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)

$478 MX$8,227

$323 ₽23.4K

47.87%

3-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)

$1,621 MX$27.9K

$447 ₽32.4K

262.36%

3-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)

$1,223 MX$21.0K

$381 ₽27.6K

221.16%

Buy Apartment in City Center (m2)

$4,009 MX$69.0K

$1,395 ₽101.1K

187.35%

Buy Apartment Outside City Center (m2)

$6,473 MX$111.4K

$688 ₽49.9K

840.72%

Average Monthly Net Salary (After Tax)

$673 MX$11.6K

$443 ₽32.1K

52.00%

20-Year Fixed Mortgage Interest Rate (Annual %)

11.42

15.33

-25.51%

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

Last update for Playa del Carmen: June 15, 2026

Last update for Astrakhan: June 16, 2026

Cost Breakdown

A one-bedroom apartment in the center runs $950 in Playa del Carmen and $421 in Astrakhan. Housing cost is often the main lever when comparing two cities.

Playa del Carmen pays 52% 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 $33.00 in Astrakhan for a mid-range dinner for two. Groceries echo the gap at $254 vs $224 per month, with Astrakhan 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 Astrakhan: Cost of Living - Frequently Asked Questions

Playa del Carmen and Astrakhan differ by about 25% in total monthly costs ($1,294 vs $1,037 including rent). Astrakhan is meaningfully more affordable – a gap that matters a lot on a fixed or modest income.

Playa del Carmen pays 52% more on average, which matters when comparing affordability. Whether that higher income actually nets you more depends on your spending habits and housing choices.

Rent for a central apartment: $950 in Playa del Carmen versus $421 in Astrakhan. Housing is usually the single largest factor when comparing overall living costs between the two.

A monthly transit pass in Astrakhan runs roughly 18% less than in Playa del Carmen. Both cities have functional networks, but the price difference matters if you're watching your budget.

Childcare runs $202 in Playa del Carmen versus $115 in Astrakhan. Over years of preschool, even a modest monthly gap compounds into a major financial factor for families.

At $1,037 in Astrakhan versus $1,294 in Playa del Carmen, a $2,000 budget is realistic in Astrakhan but tight or insufficient in Playa del Carmen. The gap between the two cities makes Astrakhan 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.

Expats usually find Astrakhan gentler on the wallet – expenses run 25% less than in Playa del Carmen. Beyond cost, consider language, visa policies, and how big the international community is in each city.