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 $1,266 per month in Playa del Carmen vs $1,004 in Atyrau, rent included.

A couple spends around $2,279 per month in Playa del Carmen vs $1,703 in Atyrau, rent included.

A family of three spends $3,292 per month in Playa del Carmen vs $2,401 in Atyrau, rent included.

Playa del Carmen costs about 26% more than Atyrau, driven mainly by Eating Out.

Both Playa del Carmen and Atyrau are more affordable than the global median – Playa del Carmen 7% lower, Atyrau 27% lower.

Currency
🍽 Eating Out
Playa del Carmen
Atyrau
Difference
Meal at Budget Restaurant
$11.60 MX$200
$9.89 ₸4,432
17.29%
Three-Course Dinner for Two, Mid-Range
$47.11 MX$812
$37.33 ₸16.7K
26.20%
Fast Food Meal (McDonalds, etc)
$11.88 MX$205
$6.97 ₸3,127
70.44%
Cappuccino
$3.98 MX$68.6
$2.12 ₸952
87.74%
Coke/Pepsi/Fanta/Sprite (0.33 liter bottle)
$1.43 MX$24.60
$1.12 ₸501
27.68%
Water (0.33 liter bottle)
$0.82 MX$14.22
$0.78 ₸348
5.13%
Local Beer (0.5 liter draught)
$3.19 MX$55.0
$1.73 ₸774
84.39%
Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)
$6.79 MX$117
$2.18 ₸977
211.47%
🛒 Groceries & Markets
Playa del Carmen
Atyrau
Difference
Milk (1 liter)
$1.68 MX$28.89
$1.74 ₸780
-3.45%
White Bread (500g)
$2.20 MX$37.88
$0.48 ₸213
358.33%
Rice (white) (1kg)
$1.71 MX$29.45
$2.06 ₸924
-16.99%
Eggs
$2.74 MX$47.26
$1.61 ₸721
70.19%
Local Cheese (1kg)
$9.58 MX$165
$11.14 ₸4,996
-14.00%
Chicken Fillets (1kg)
$9.01 MX$155
$8.82 ₸3,952
2.15%
Beef Round Steak (1kg)
$12.81 MX$221
$7.91 ₸3,545
61.95%
Apples (1kg)
$2.89 MX$49.81
$1.77 ₸796
63.28%
Banana (1kg)
$1.50 MX$25.81
$2.69 ₸1,207
-44.24%
Oranges (1kg)
$2.15 MX$37.03
$2.25 ₸1,008
-4.44%
Tomato (1kg)
$2.26 MX$38.96
$1.84 ₸825
22.83%
Potato (1kg)
$1.98 MX$34.15
$0.66 ₸296
200.00%
Onion (1kg)
$1.99 MX$34.30
$0.46 ₸207
332.61%
Lettuce (1 head)
$1.23 MX$21.28
$1.26 ₸564
-2.38%
Water (1.5 liter bottle)
$1.20 MX$20.63
$0.92 ₸413
30.43%
Cigarettes 20 Pack (Marlboro, Camel)
$4.55 MX$78.5
$2.39 ₸1,071
90.38%
Wine (Bottle)
$10.37 MX$179
$9.39 ₸4,212
10.44%
Local Beer (0.5 liter bottle)
$1.62 MX$27.91
$1.39 ₸622
16.55%
Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)
$2.88 MX$49.67
$1.40 ₸627
105.71%
🚌 Getting Around
Playa del Carmen
Atyrau
Difference
One-way Ticket (Public Transport)
$0.60 MX$10.35
$0.35 ₸157
71.43%
Public Transport Monthly Pass (Regular Price)
$28.80 MX$497
$22.47 ₸10.1K
28.17%
Taxi Start (Normal Tariff)
$5.39 MX$92.9
$1.57 ₸705
243.31%
Taxi (Normal Tariff) (1km)
$3.73 MX$64.3
$0.66 ₸298
465.15%
Taxi 1hour Waiting (Normal Tariff)
$5.77 MX$99.5
$6.63 ₸2,973
-12.97%
Gasoline (1 liter)
$1.54 MX$26.48
$0.64 ₸287
140.63%
Midsize Hatchback 1.4l (Volkswagen Golf, Toyota Prius, Honda Civic, etc)
$22.5K MX$388.8K
$18.1K ₸8.1M
24.26%
Compact Sedan 1.6l (Toyota Corolla, Mazda3, Kia K4, Hyundai Elantra, etc)
$26.1K MX$449.3K
$29.7K ₸13.3M
-12.37%
🧾 Monthly Utilities & Internet
Playa del Carmen
Atyrau
Difference
Utilities for 2 People in 2-bedroom Apartment (Heating, Electricity, Gas, Water, Garbage) (85m2)
$91.4 MX$1,576
$53.8 ₸24.1K
69.98%
SIM Card Monthly Plan (Calls and 10GB+ Data)
$25.20 MX$435
$10.78 ₸4,834
133.77%
Internet (50+ Mbps, Unlimited Data)
$31.24 MX$539
$14.51 ₸6,506
115.30%
🎉 Sport & Entertainment
Playa del Carmen
Atyrau
Difference
Gym Membership (Monthly)
$67.2 MX$1,159
$64.7 ₸29.0K
3.86%
Tennis Court (1 Hour on Weekend)
$29.11 MX$502
$10.01 ₸4,489
190.81%
Cinema Ticket
$4.86 MX$83.8
$6.18 ₸2,772
-21.36%
🧸 Childcare & Education
Playa del Carmen
Atyrau
Difference
Preschool or Kindergarten, Full Day, Private, 1 Child (Monthly)
$224 MX$3,856
$292 ₸131.1K
-23.53%
International Primary School, 1 Child (Yearly)
$4,229 MX$72.9K
$3,445 ₸1.5M
22.77%
👕👟 Clothing & Footwear
Playa del Carmen
Atyrau
Difference
Jeans (Levis 501 Or Similar)
$47.10 MX$812
$32.89 ₸14.7K
43.20%
Summer Dress (H&M, Zara, etc)
$44.29 MX$764
$43.89 ₸19.7K
0.91%
Sport Shoes (Adidas, Nike)
$80.1 MX$1,381
$88.8 ₸39.8K
-9.78%
Men's Leather Business Shoes
$92.7 MX$1,598
$89.3 ₸40.0K
3.79%
🏠 Accommodation & Living
Playa del Carmen
Atyrau
Difference
1-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)
$1,063 MX$18.3K
$521 ₸233.6K
103.89%
1-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)
$390 MX$6,728
$346 ₸155.2K
12.75%
3-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)
$2,149 MX$37.1K
$1,111 ₸498.1K
93.41%
3-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)
$1,272 MX$21.9K
$782 ₸350.5K
62.71%
Buy Apartment in City Center (m2)
$4,001 MX$69.0K
$974 ₸436.8K
310.66%
Buy Apartment Outside City Center (m2)
$6,502 MX$112.1K
$742 ₸332.5K
776.66%
💵 Salaries & Financials
Playa del Carmen
Atyrau
Difference
Average Monthly Net Salary (After Tax)
$758 MX$13.1K
$742 ₸332.4K
2.25%
20-Year Fixed Mortgage Interest Rate (Annual %)
11.45
30
-61.83%

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 Atyrau: September 13, 2026

Cost Breakdown

A central one-bedroom costs $1,063 in Playa del Carmen versus $521 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 2% 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 $47.00 in Playa del Carmen versus $37.00 in Atyrau. Monthly groceries follow the same trend: $276 vs $229 – 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
How do living costs in Playa del Carmen and in Atyrau compare overall?
Monthly costs with rent: $1,266 in Playa del Carmen, $1,004 in Atyrau – roughly 26% apart. Playa del Carmen costs more across the board, with Eating Out showing the biggest gap.
What salary covers living expenses in Playa del Carmen compared to Atyrau?
For a comfortable life, plan on about $1,899 per month in Playa del Carmen and $1,507 in Atyrau. That covers rent, food, utilities, transport, and enough left over to feel settled – not just surviving.
How do rents compare between Playa del Carmen and Atyrau?
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.
What is the difference in childcare costs between Playa del Carmen and Atyrau?
Kindergarten costs $224 per month in Playa del Carmen and $292 in Atyrau. For families with young kids, this one expense can tip the scales when choosing between the two cities.
Which city has cheaper grocery shopping?
Groceries cost about 21% 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.
Which city is more doable on $2,000 per month?
A $2,000 monthly budget goes further in Atyrau, where all-in costs run around $1,004, than in Playa del Carmen at $1,266. In Atyrau it covers expenses comfortably, while in Playa del Carmen it requires careful planning or may not stretch far enough.
How does quality of life compare between Playa del Carmen and Atyrau?
It depends on your priorities. Playa del Carmen has an edge in some lifestyle areas, with costs from $1,004 in Atyrau to $1,266 in Playa del Carmen. Climate, culture, job market, and personal taste all factor in.
Is Playa del Carmen or Atyrau safer for residents?
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.
How do I decide between Playa del Carmen and Atyrau?
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.

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