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

Monthly Cost of Living

A single person spends $1,271 per month in Playa del Carmen vs $889 in Atyrau, rent included.

A couple spends around $2,126 per month in Playa del Carmen vs $1,517 in Atyrau, rent included.

A family of three spends $2,980 per month in Playa del Carmen vs $2,145 in Atyrau, rent included.

Playa del Carmen costs about 43% more than Atyrau, driven mainly by Eating Out.

Both Playa del Carmen and Atyrau are more affordable than the global median – Playa del Carmen 5% lower, Atyrau 34% lower.

Meal at Budget Restaurant

$11.87 MX$204

$8.75 ₸4,273

35.66%

Three-Course Dinner for Two, Mid-Range

$42.90 MX$736

$32.53 ₸15.9K

31.88%

Fast Food Meal (McDonalds, etc)

$10.65 MX$183

$6.21 ₸3,034

71.50%

Cappuccino

$3.45 MX$59.2

$1.90 ₸930

81.58%

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

$1.50 MX$25.81

$1.13 ₸550

32.74%

Water (0.33 liter bottle)

$0.95 MX$16.28

$0.72 ₸353

31.94%

Local Beer (0.5 liter draught)

$3.03 MX$51.9

$1.51 ₸737

100.66%

Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$4.61 MX$79.1

$1.81 ₸884

154.70%

Milk (1 liter)

$1.38 MX$23.61

$1.45 ₸708

-4.83%

White Bread (500g)

$1.85 MX$31.70

$0.40 ₸195

362.50%

Rice (white) (1kg)

$1.61 MX$27.65

$1.59 ₸777

1.26%

Eggs

$2.59 MX$44.51

$1.44 ₸701

79.86%

Local Cheese (1kg)

$8.26 MX$142

$8.94 ₸4,368

-7.61%

Chicken Fillets (1kg)

$8.37 MX$144

$7.69 ₸3,757

8.84%

Beef Round Steak (1kg)

$10.66 MX$183

$6.98 ₸3,407

52.72%

Apples (1kg)

$2.63 MX$45.12

$1.46 ₸714

80.14%

Banana (1kg)

$1.49 MX$25.53

$2.33 ₸1,136

-36.05%

Oranges (1kg)

$1.92 MX$32.94

$2.04 ₸996

-5.88%

Tomato (1kg)

$2.09 MX$35.81

$1.50 ₸734

39.33%

Potato (1kg)

$1.86 MX$31.88

$0.59 ₸288

215.25%

Onion (1kg)

$2.26 MX$38.81

$0.36 ₸177

527.78%

Lettuce (1 head)

$1.06 MX$18.23

$1.09 ₸532

-2.75%

Water (1.5 liter bottle)

$1.09 MX$18.67

$1.23 ₸603

-11.38%

Cigarettes 20 Pack (Marlboro, Camel)

$4.15 MX$71.2

$2.19 ₸1,070

89.50%

Wine (Bottle)

$10.39 MX$178

$8.70 ₸4,247

19.43%

Local Beer (0.5 liter bottle)

$1.72 MX$29.59

$1.20 ₸588

43.33%

Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$2.61 MX$44.85

$1.28 ₸625

103.91%

One-way Ticket (Public Transport)

$0.54 MX$9.30

$0.28 ₸135

92.86%

Public Transport Monthly Pass (Regular Price)

$26.94 MX$462

$19.82 ₸9,680

35.92%

Taxi Start (Normal Tariff)

$3.13 MX$53.7

$1.40 ₸683

123.57%

Taxi (Normal Tariff) (1km)

$2.51 MX$43.09

$0.23 ₸111

991.30%

Taxi 1hour Waiting (Normal Tariff)

$3.15 MX$54.1

$5.95 ₸2,907

-47.06%

Gasoline (1 liter)

$1.27 MX$21.88

$0.48 ₸235

164.58%

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

$30.4K MX$521.3K

$15.7K ₸7.7M

93.33%

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

$23.6K MX$404.5K

$23.2K ₸11.3M

1.54%

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

$83.0 MX$1,425

$46.02 ₸22.5K

80.36%

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

$22.71 MX$390

$9.36 ₸4,572

142.63%

Internet (50+ Mbps, Unlimited Data)

$29.46 MX$506

$12.73 ₸6,220

131.42%

Gym Membership (Monthly)

$51.0 MX$875

$58.2 ₸28.4K

-12.42%

Tennis Court (1 Hour on Weekend)

$18.33 MX$315

Cinema Ticket

$4.93 MX$84.5

$5.43 ₸2,650

-9.21%

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

$197 MX$3,386

$256 ₸125.3K

-23.07%

International Primary School, 1 Child (Yearly)

$5,280 MX$90.6K

$3,021 ₸1.5M

74.78%

Jeans (Levis 501 Or Similar)

$36.90 MX$633

$28.88 ₸14.1K

27.77%

Summer Dress (H&M, Zara, etc)

$39.89 MX$685

$39.76 ₸19.4K

0.33%

Sport Shoes (Adidas, Nike)

$80.0 MX$1,373

$79.4 ₸38.8K

0.77%

Men's Leather Business Shoes

$89.5 MX$1,536

$77.9 ₸38.0K

14.91%

1-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)

$956 MX$16.4K

$463 ₸226.1K

106.60%

1-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)

$477 MX$8,189

$303 ₸148.0K

57.49%

3-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)

$1,646 MX$28.3K

$969 ₸473.1K

69.92%

3-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)

$1,225 MX$21.0K

$782 ₸382.1K

56.56%

Buy Apartment in City Center (m2)

$3,918 MX$67.2K

$835 ₸407.9K

369.10%

Buy Apartment Outside City Center (m2)

$6,459 MX$110.9K

$652 ₸318.3K

891.10%

Average Monthly Net Salary (After Tax)

$667 MX$11.4K

$669 ₸326.9K

-0.35%

20-Year Fixed Mortgage Interest Rate (Annual %)

11.42

-61.93%

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

Last update for Playa del Carmen: June 7, 2026

Last update for Atyrau: June 9, 2026

Cost Breakdown

A central one-bedroom costs $956 in Playa del Carmen versus $463 in Atyrau. 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 0% higher in Atyrau, 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 $43.00 in Playa del Carmen versus $33.00 in Atyrau. Monthly groceries follow the same trend: $250 vs $201 – making Atyrau 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 Atyrau: Cost of Living - Frequently Asked Questions

Monthly costs with rent: $1,271 in Playa del Carmen, $889 in Atyrau – roughly 43% apart. Playa del Carmen costs more across the board, with Eating Out showing the biggest gap.

For a comfortable life, plan on about $1,906 per month in Playa del Carmen and $1,334 in Atyrau. That covers rent, food, utilities, transport, and enough left over to feel settled – not just surviving.

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

Kindergarten costs $197 per month in Playa del Carmen and $256 in Atyrau. For families with young kids, this one expense can tip the scales when choosing between the two cities.

Groceries cost about 24% 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 $2,000 monthly budget goes further in Atyrau, where all-in costs run around $889, than in Playa del Carmen at $1,271. In Atyrau it covers expenses comfortably, while in Playa del Carmen it requires careful planning or may not stretch far enough.

It depends on your priorities. Playa del Carmen has an edge in some lifestyle areas, with costs from $889 in Atyrau to $1,271 in Playa del Carmen. Climate, culture, job market, and personal taste all factor in.

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 Atyrau. 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.