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: $1,266 in Playa del Carmen versus $252 in Astrakhan.

Estimated couple costs with rent: $2,279 in Playa del Carmen versus $495 in Astrakhan.

Monthly costs for a family of three with rent: $3,292 in Playa del Carmen versus $737 in Astrakhan.

Living in Playa del Carmen is roughly 402% more expensive than in Astrakhan, driven mainly by Groceries & Markets.

Both cities sit below the global median: Playa del Carmen 7% lower, Astrakhan 82% lower.

Meal at Budget Restaurant

$11.60 MX$200

$8.69 ₽735

33.49%

Three-Course Dinner for Two, Mid-Range

$47.11 MX$812

$41.77 ₽3,529

12.78%

Fast Food Meal (McDonalds, etc)

$11.88 MX$205

$5.74 ₽485

106.97%

Cappuccino

$3.98 MX$68.6

$1.84 ₽156

116.30%

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

$1.43 MX$24.60

$1.16 ₽97.6

23.28%

Water (0.33 liter bottle)

$0.82 MX$14.22

$0.73 ₽61.5

12.33%

Local Beer (0.5 liter draught)

$3.19 MX$55.0

$1.93 ₽163

65.28%

Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$6.79 MX$117

$3.45 ₽292

96.81%

Milk (1 liter)

$1.68 MX$28.89

White Bread (500g)

$2.20 MX$37.88

Rice (white) (1kg)

$1.71 MX$29.45

Eggs

$2.74 MX$47.26

Local Cheese (1kg)

$9.58 MX$165

Chicken Fillets (1kg)

$9.01 MX$155

Beef Round Steak (1kg)

$12.81 MX$221

Apples (1kg)

$2.89 MX$49.81

Banana (1kg)

$1.50 MX$25.81

Oranges (1kg)

$2.15 MX$37.03

Tomato (1kg)

$2.26 MX$38.96

Potato (1kg)

$1.98 MX$34.15

Onion (1kg)

$1.99 MX$34.30

Lettuce (1 head)

$1.23 MX$21.28

Water (1.5 liter bottle)

$1.20 MX$20.63

Cigarettes 20 Pack (Marlboro, Camel)

$4.55 MX$78.5

Wine (Bottle)

$10.37 MX$179

Local Beer (0.5 liter bottle)

$1.62 MX$27.91

Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$2.88 MX$49.67

One-way Ticket (Public Transport)

$0.60 MX$10.35

$0.50 ₽42.56

20.00%

Public Transport Monthly Pass (Regular Price)

$28.80 MX$497

$21.65 ₽1,830

33.03%

Taxi Start (Normal Tariff)

$5.39 MX$92.9

Taxi (Normal Tariff) (1km)

$3.73 MX$64.3

Taxi 1hour Waiting (Normal Tariff)

$5.77 MX$99.5

Gasoline (1 liter)

$1.54 MX$26.48

$0.84 ₽70.6

83.33%

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

$22.5K MX$388.8K

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

$26.1K MX$449.3K

$27.0K ₽2.3M

-3.51%

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

$91.4 MX$1,576

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

$25.20 MX$435

$4.83 ₽408

421.74%

Internet (50+ Mbps, Unlimited Data)

$31.24 MX$539

$8.05 ₽680

288.07%

Gym Membership (Monthly)

$67.2 MX$1,159

Tennis Court (1 Hour on Weekend)

$29.11 MX$502

Cinema Ticket

$4.86 MX$83.8

$3.00 ₽254

62.00%

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

$224 MX$3,856

International Primary School, 1 Child (Yearly)

$4,229 MX$72.9K

Jeans (Levis 501 Or Similar)

$47.10 MX$812

$35.28 ₽2,981

33.50%

Summer Dress (H&M, Zara, etc)

$44.29 MX$764

Sport Shoes (Adidas, Nike)

$80.1 MX$1,381

$82.5 ₽6,972

-2.91%

Men's Leather Business Shoes

$92.7 MX$1,598

$47.35 ₽4,001

95.69%

1-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)

$1,063 MX$18.3K

1-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)

$390 MX$6,728

3-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)

$2,149 MX$37.1K

3-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)

$1,272 MX$21.9K

Buy Apartment in City Center (m2)

$4,001 MX$69.0K

Buy Apartment Outside City Center (m2)

$6,502 MX$112.1K

Average Monthly Net Salary (After Tax)

$758 MX$13.1K

20-Year Fixed Mortgage Interest Rate (Annual %)

11.45

-39.74%

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

Last update for Playa del Carmen: September 12, 2026

Last update for Astrakhan: September 12, 2026

Cost Breakdown

Dining out at a mid-range restaurant: $47.00 in Playa del Carmen vs $42.00 in Astrakhan for two.

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 402% in total monthly costs ($1,266 vs $252 including rent). Astrakhan is meaningfully more affordable – a gap that matters a lot on a fixed or modest income.

You'd need roughly $1,899 in Playa del Carmen and $378 in Astrakhan to live well. The gap comes down to housing and overall price levels. Both cities are liveable on less, but these numbers represent actual comfort.

Dining out is cheaper in Astrakhan – a meal for two runs $42.00 versus $47.00 in Playa del Carmen. If you eat out regularly, this makes a real dent in your monthly spending.

All in, you'll spend $1,266 per month in Playa del Carmen versus $252 in Astrakhan – a 402% gap that adds up to real savings over time for anyone picking the cheaper option.

At $252 in Astrakhan versus $1,266 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 402% less than in Playa del Carmen. Beyond cost, consider language, visa policies, and how big the international community is in each city.