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 $1,260 per month in Playa del Carmen vs $891 in Atyrau, rent included.

A couple spends around $2,125 per month in Playa del Carmen vs $1,525 in Atyrau, rent included.

A family of three spends $2,990 per month in Playa del Carmen vs $2,158 in Atyrau, rent included.

Playa del Carmen costs about 41% 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 33% lower.

Meal at Budget Restaurant

$11.72 MX$203

$8.63 ₸4,093

35.81%

Three-Course Dinner for Two, Mid-Range

$41.89 MX$725

$31.68 ₸15.0K

32.23%

Fast Food Meal (McDonalds, etc)

$10.51 MX$182

$6.26 ₸2,966

67.89%

Cappuccino

$3.59 MX$62.0

$1.90 ₸903

88.95%

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

$1.51 MX$26.10

$1.16 ₸550

30.17%

Water (0.33 liter bottle)

$0.92 MX$15.83

$0.72 ₸343

27.78%

Local Beer (0.5 liter draught)

$2.96 MX$51.2

$1.48 ₸702

100.00%

Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$4.41 MX$76.3

$1.89 ₸897

133.33%

Milk (1 liter)

$1.40 MX$24.16

$1.50 ₸710

-6.67%

White Bread (500g)

$1.88 MX$32.60

$0.37 ₸176

408.11%

Rice (white) (1kg)

$1.56 MX$26.97

$1.59 ₸755

-1.89%

Eggs

$2.61 MX$45.14

$1.49 ₸706

75.17%

Local Cheese (1kg)

$8.32 MX$144

$8.97 ₸4,253

-7.25%

Chicken Fillets (1kg)

$8.35 MX$145

$7.69 ₸3,644

8.58%

Beef Round Steak (1kg)

$10.86 MX$188

$7.12 ₸3,377

52.53%

Apples (1kg)

$2.71 MX$46.93

$1.53 ₸724

77.12%

Banana (1kg)

$1.51 MX$26.04

$2.32 ₸1,100

-34.91%

Oranges (1kg)

$1.87 MX$32.41

$1.97 ₸932

-5.08%

Tomato (1kg)

$2.19 MX$37.89

$1.49 ₸708

46.98%

Potato (1kg)

$1.86 MX$32.14

$0.60 ₸283

210.00%

Onion (1kg)

$2.23 MX$38.59

$0.36 ₸172

519.44%

Lettuce (1 head)

$1.07 MX$18.48

$1.14 ₸543

-6.14%

Water (1.5 liter bottle)

$1.09 MX$18.79

$1.24 ₸589

-12.10%

Cigarettes 20 Pack (Marlboro, Camel)

$4.19 MX$72.4

$2.20 ₸1,045

90.45%

Wine (Bottle)

$10.43 MX$180

$9.20 ₸4,361

13.37%

Local Beer (0.5 liter bottle)

$1.66 MX$28.68

$1.18 ₸559

40.68%

Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$2.61 MX$45.19

$1.23 ₸585

112.20%

One-way Ticket (Public Transport)

$0.54 MX$9.37

$0.30 ₸143

80.00%

Public Transport Monthly Pass (Regular Price)

$26.16 MX$453

$19.64 ₸9,309

33.20%

Taxi Start (Normal Tariff)

$3.08 MX$53.3

$1.36 ₸644

126.47%

Taxi (Normal Tariff) (1km)

$2.40 MX$41.61

$0.25 ₸119

860.00%

Taxi 1hour Waiting (Normal Tariff)

$3.13 MX$54.1

$5.95 ₸2,822

-47.39%

Gasoline (1 liter)

$1.31 MX$22.69

$0.48 ₸229

172.92%

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

$29.8K MX$515.7K

$15.8K ₸7.5M

88.39%

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

$23.3K MX$403.5K

$23.0K ₸10.9M

1.43%

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

$81.3 MX$1,406

$46.58 ₸22.1K

74.50%

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

$22.56 MX$390

$9.68 ₸4,587

133.06%

Internet (50+ Mbps, Unlimited Data)

$30.05 MX$520

$12.93 ₸6,128

132.41%

Gym Membership (Monthly)

$52.9 MX$915

$57.9 ₸27.5K

-8.63%

Tennis Court (1 Hour on Weekend)

$18.39 MX$318

Cinema Ticket

$4.92 MX$85.1

$5.49 ₸2,605

-10.38%

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

$201 MX$3,474

$250 ₸118.3K

-19.53%

International Primary School, 1 Child (Yearly)

$5,175 MX$89.5K

$3,032 ₸1.4M

70.66%

Jeans (Levis 501 Or Similar)

$35.92 MX$622

$28.82 ₸13.7K

24.64%

Summer Dress (H&M, Zara, etc)

$40.13 MX$694

$38.46 ₸18.2K

4.34%

Sport Shoes (Adidas, Nike)

$79.7 MX$1,379

$77.2 ₸36.6K

3.25%

Men's Leather Business Shoes

$86.5 MX$1,496

$78.6 ₸37.3K

9.96%

1-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)

$978 MX$16.9K

$463 ₸219.3K

111.45%

1-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)

$470 MX$8,140

$298 ₸141.5K

57.64%

3-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)

$1,651 MX$28.6K

$969 ₸459.3K

70.43%

3-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)

$1,203 MX$20.8K

$792 ₸375.3K

52.03%

Buy Apartment in City Center (m2)

$3,953 MX$68.4K

$858 ₸406.7K

360.81%

Buy Apartment Outside City Center (m2)

$6,607 MX$114.3K

$645 ₸305.8K

924.21%

Average Monthly Net Salary (After Tax)

$677 MX$11.7K

$682 ₸323.4K

-0.80%

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: July 27, 2026

Last update for Atyrau: July 26, 2026

Cost Breakdown

A central one-bedroom costs $978 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 1% 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 $42.00 in Playa del Carmen versus $32.00 in Atyrau. Monthly groceries follow the same trend: $252 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: $1,260 in Playa del Carmen, $891 in Atyrau – roughly 41% apart. Playa del Carmen costs more across the board, with Eating Out showing the biggest gap.

For a comfortable life, plan on about $1,890 per month in Playa del Carmen and $1,337 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 $201 per month in Playa del Carmen and $250 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 $891, than in Playa del Carmen at $1,260. 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 $891 in Atyrau to $1,260 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.