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 $1,287 per month in Playa del Carmen vs $880 in Atyrau, rent included.

A couple spends around $2,184 per month in Playa del Carmen vs $1,505 in Atyrau, rent included.

A family of three spends $3,082 per month in Playa del Carmen vs $2,130 in Atyrau, rent included.

Playa del Carmen costs about 46% more than Atyrau, driven mainly by Eating Out.

Both Playa del Carmen and Atyrau are more affordable than the global median – Playa del Carmen 4% lower, Atyrau 34% lower.

Meal at Budget Restaurant

$11.94 MX$209

$9.02 ₸4,170

32.37%

Three-Course Dinner for Two, Mid-Range

$42.75 MX$748

$32.22 ₸14.9K

32.68%

Fast Food Meal (McDonalds, etc)

$10.59 MX$185

$6.19 ₸2,864

71.08%

Cappuccino

$3.62 MX$63.4

$1.81 ₸836

100.00%

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

$1.47 MX$25.69

$1.12 ₸520

31.25%

Water (0.33 liter bottle)

$0.94 MX$16.51

$0.77 ₸355

22.08%

Local Beer (0.5 liter draught)

$3.09 MX$54.1

$1.48 ₸687

108.78%

Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$4.46 MX$78.0

$1.88 ₸868

137.23%

Milk (1 liter)

$1.43 MX$24.94

$1.48 ₸686

-3.38%

White Bread (500g)

$1.88 MX$32.97

$0.37 ₸172

408.11%

Rice (white) (1kg)

$1.63 MX$28.50

$1.58 ₸731

3.16%

Eggs

$2.64 MX$46.26

$1.48 ₸684

78.38%

Local Cheese (1kg)

$8.21 MX$144

$9.10 ₸4,208

-9.78%

Chicken Fillets (1kg)

$8.29 MX$145

$7.46 ₸3,449

11.13%

Beef Round Steak (1kg)

$11.10 MX$194

$7.19 ₸3,324

54.38%

Apples (1kg)

$2.65 MX$46.40

$1.46 ₸676

81.51%

Banana (1kg)

$1.50 MX$26.26

$2.39 ₸1,103

-37.24%

Oranges (1kg)

$1.99 MX$34.79

$1.93 ₸893

3.11%

Tomato (1kg)

$2.08 MX$36.33

$1.45 ₸671

43.45%

Potato (1kg)

$1.79 MX$31.29

$0.58 ₸269

208.62%

Onion (1kg)

$2.18 MX$38.09

$0.37 ₸170

489.19%

Lettuce (1 head)

$1.08 MX$18.84

$1.14 ₸528

-5.26%

Water (1.5 liter bottle)

$1.04 MX$18.15

$1.30 ₸601

-20.00%

Cigarettes 20 Pack (Marlboro, Camel)

$3.97 MX$69.5

$2.10 ₸969

89.05%

Wine (Bottle)

$10.20 MX$179

$9.22 ₸4,262

10.63%

Local Beer (0.5 liter bottle)

$1.73 MX$30.22

$1.22 ₸566

41.80%

Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$2.50 MX$43.71

$1.23 ₸570

103.25%

One-way Ticket (Public Transport)

$0.52 MX$9.07

$0.28 ₸129

85.71%

Public Transport Monthly Pass (Regular Price)

$26.97 MX$472

$19.32 ₸8,933

39.60%

Taxi Start (Normal Tariff)

$3.14 MX$55.0

$1.40 ₸645

124.29%

Taxi (Normal Tariff) (1km)

$2.40 MX$42.04

$0.25 ₸116

860.00%

Taxi 1hour Waiting (Normal Tariff)

$3.09 MX$54.0

$6.01 ₸2,778

-48.59%

Gasoline (1 liter)

$1.27 MX$22.28

$0.49 ₸228

159.18%

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

$30.9K MX$540.4K

$15.8K ₸7.3M

94.84%

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

$23.3K MX$408.0K

$23.7K ₸10.9M

-1.46%

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

$82.0 MX$1,435

$46.89 ₸21.7K

74.90%

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

$22.45 MX$393

$9.41 ₸4,350

138.58%

Internet (50+ Mbps, Unlimited Data)

$29.66 MX$519

$12.79 ₸5,913

131.90%

Gym Membership (Monthly)

$51.9 MX$908

$58.6 ₸27.1K

-11.53%

Tennis Court (1 Hour on Weekend)

$18.67 MX$327

Cinema Ticket

$4.97 MX$87.0

$5.40 ₸2,499

-7.96%

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

$198 MX$3,462

$254 ₸117.6K

-22.24%

International Primary School, 1 Child (Yearly)

$5,273 MX$92.3K

$3,045 ₸1.4M

73.15%

Jeans (Levis 501 Or Similar)

$36.34 MX$636

$29.31 ₸13.6K

23.98%

Summer Dress (H&M, Zara, etc)

$40.05 MX$701

$39.32 ₸18.2K

1.86%

Sport Shoes (Adidas, Nike)

$79.9 MX$1,398

$79.5 ₸36.8K

0.47%

Men's Leather Business Shoes

$88.9 MX$1,555

$78.9 ₸36.5K

12.61%

1-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)

$963 MX$16.9K

$449 ₸207.5K

114.66%

1-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)

$465 MX$8,133

$296 ₸136.8K

57.05%

3-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)

$1,596 MX$27.9K

$975 ₸450.9K

63.68%

3-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)

$1,209 MX$21.2K

$786 ₸363.5K

53.74%

Buy Apartment in City Center (m2)

$3,942 MX$69.0K

$913 ₸422.0K

331.83%

Buy Apartment Outside City Center (m2)

$6,448 MX$112.8K

$689 ₸318.5K

836.15%

Average Monthly Net Salary (After Tax)

$720 MX$12.6K

$695 ₸321.5K

3.61%

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: April 25, 2026

Last update for Atyrau: April 25, 2026

Cost Breakdown

A central one-bedroom costs $963 in Playa del Carmen versus $449 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 4% higher in Playa del Carmen, which partly offsets the higher cost of living there. Purchasing power depends on which expenses matter most to you.

A mid-range dinner for two costs $43.00 in Playa del Carmen versus $32.00 in Atyrau. Monthly groceries follow the same trend: $251 vs $203 – 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: $1,287 in Playa del Carmen, $880 in Atyrau – roughly 46% apart. Playa del Carmen costs more across the board, with Eating Out showing the biggest gap.

For a comfortable life, plan on about $1,930 per month in Playa del Carmen and $1,321 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 $198 per month in Playa del Carmen and $254 in Atyrau. For families with young kids, this one expense can tip the scales when choosing between the two cities.

Groceries cost about 23% 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 $880, than in Playa del Carmen at $1,287. 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 $880 in Atyrau to $1,287 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.