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

Monthly Cost of Living

A single person spends $1,239 per month in Playa del Carmen vs $853 in Ekibastuz, rent included.

A couple spends around $2,168 per month in Playa del Carmen vs $1,393 in Ekibastuz, rent included.

A family of three spends $3,096 per month in Playa del Carmen vs $1,933 in Ekibastuz, rent included.

Playa del Carmen costs about 45% more than Ekibastuz, driven mainly by Sport & Entertainment.

Both Playa del Carmen and Ekibastuz are more affordable than the global median – Playa del Carmen 8% lower, Ekibastuz 37% lower.

Meal at Budget Restaurant

$11.17 MX$202

$10.55 ₸4,810

5.88%

Three-Course Dinner for Two, Mid-Range

$44.61 MX$806

$39.22 ₸17.9K

13.74%

Fast Food Meal (McDonalds, etc)

$11.91 MX$215

$8.19 ₸3,732

45.42%

Cappuccino

$3.81 MX$68.9

$1.62 ₸738

135.19%

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

$1.38 MX$24.86

$1.12 ₸512

23.21%

Water (0.33 liter bottle)

$0.80 MX$14.39

$0.62 ₸284

29.03%

Local Beer (0.5 liter draught)

$3.12 MX$56.3

$1.38 ₸628

126.09%

Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$4.97 MX$89.8

$2.31 ₸1,055

115.15%

Milk (1 liter)

$1.51 MX$27.30

$1.28 ₸585

17.97%

White Bread (500g)

$2.25 MX$40.59

$0.67 ₸306

235.82%

Rice (white) (1kg)

$1.51 MX$27.23

$1.71 ₸778

-11.70%

Eggs

$2.46 MX$44.52

$2.22 ₸1,014

10.81%

Local Cheese (1kg)

$7.50 MX$136

$12.58 ₸5,734

-40.38%

Chicken Fillets (1kg)

$8.07 MX$146

$6.06 ₸2,762

33.17%

Beef Round Steak (1kg)

$13.08 MX$236

$10.97 ₸5,002

19.23%

Apples (1kg)

$2.83 MX$51.2

$1.80 ₸819

57.22%

Banana (1kg)

$1.47 MX$26.66

$2.52 ₸1,150

-41.67%

Oranges (1kg)

$2.69 MX$48.68

$2.30 ₸1,047

16.96%

Tomato (1kg)

$2.08 MX$37.58

$2.43 ₸1,108

-14.40%

Potato (1kg)

$1.96 MX$35.36

$0.73 ₸333

168.49%

Onion (1kg)

$2.01 MX$36.34

$0.44 ₸199

356.82%

Lettuce (1 head)

$1.21 MX$21.87

$1.57 ₸714

-22.93%

Water (1.5 liter bottle)

$1.23 MX$22.24

$0.93 ₸423

32.26%

Cigarettes 20 Pack (Marlboro, Camel)

$4.46 MX$80.7

$2.32 ₸1,059

92.24%

Wine (Bottle)

$9.98 MX$180

$11.59 ₸5,283

-13.89%

Local Beer (0.5 liter bottle)

$1.63 MX$29.49

$1.37 ₸625

18.98%

Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$2.80 MX$50.6

$2.46 ₸1,120

13.82%

One-way Ticket (Public Transport)

$0.58 MX$10.45

$0.26 ₸119

123.08%

Public Transport Monthly Pass (Regular Price)

$28.28 MX$511

Taxi Start (Normal Tariff)

$4.85 MX$87.7

$1.16 ₸527

318.10%

Taxi (Normal Tariff) (1km)

$3.50 MX$63.2

$1.17 ₸535

199.15%

Taxi 1hour Waiting (Normal Tariff)

$5.65 MX$102

$6.78 ₸3,093

-16.67%

Gasoline (1 liter)

$1.46 MX$26.31

$0.62 ₸282

135.48%

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

$21.4K MX$386.7K

$25.3K ₸11.5M

-15.33%

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

$24.0K MX$433.6K

$31.5K ₸14.3M

-23.74%

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

$86.3 MX$1,560

$67.1 ₸30.6K

28.64%

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

$23.96 MX$433

$10.16 ₸4,633

135.83%

Internet (50+ Mbps, Unlimited Data)

$28.93 MX$523

$18.34 ₸8,361

57.74%

Gym Membership (Monthly)

$64.6 MX$1,168

Tennis Court (1 Hour on Weekend)

$29.07 MX$525

Cinema Ticket

$5.13 MX$92.7

$6.21 ₸2,830

-17.39%

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

$211 MX$3,820

$381 ₸173.8K

-44.57%

International Primary School, 1 Child (Yearly)

$4,045 MX$73.1K

$11.9K ₸5.4M

-65.94%

Jeans (Levis 501 Or Similar)

$44.23 MX$799

$68.0 ₸31.0K

-34.95%

Summer Dress (H&M, Zara, etc)

$43.35 MX$784

$48.23 ₸22.0K

-10.12%

Sport Shoes (Adidas, Nike)

$76.9 MX$1,390

$124 ₸56.6K

-38.03%

Men's Leather Business Shoes

$88.4 MX$1,598

$131 ₸59.5K

-32.30%

1-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)

$996 MX$18.0K

$249 ₸113.7K

299.29%

1-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)

$379 MX$6,843

$186 ₸84.8K

103.57%

3-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)

$1,767 MX$31.9K

$457 ₸208.4K

286.51%

3-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)

$1,127 MX$20.4K

$348 ₸158.9K

223.40%

Buy Apartment in City Center (m2)

$4,010 MX$72.5K

Buy Apartment Outside City Center (m2)

$6,392 MX$115.5K

Average Monthly Net Salary (After Tax)

$768 MX$13.9K

$341 ₸155.3K

125.49%

20-Year Fixed Mortgage Interest Rate (Annual %)

11.45

15.5

-26.13%

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

Last update for Playa del Carmen: September 27, 2026

Last update for Ekibastuz: September 26, 2026

Cost Breakdown

A central one-bedroom costs $996 in Playa del Carmen versus $249 in Ekibastuz. 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 125% 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 $45.00 in Playa del Carmen versus $39.00 in Ekibastuz. Monthly groceries follow the same trend: $263 vs $237 – making Ekibastuz 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 Ekibastuz: Cost of Living - Frequently Asked Questions

Monthly costs with rent: $1,239 in Playa del Carmen, $853 in Ekibastuz – roughly 45% apart. Playa del Carmen costs more across the board, with Sport & Entertainment showing the biggest gap.

For a comfortable life, plan on about $1,859 per month in Playa del Carmen and $1,279 in Ekibastuz. That covers rent, food, utilities, transport, and enough left over to feel settled – not just surviving.

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

Monthly expenses with rent come to $1,239 in Playa del Carmen and $853 in Ekibastuz. The difference isn't just one category – it shows up across housing, food, transport, and services.

Kindergarten costs $211 per month in Playa del Carmen and $381 in Ekibastuz. For families with young kids, this one expense can tip the scales when choosing between the two cities.

A $2,000 monthly budget goes further in Ekibastuz, where all-in costs run around $853, than in Playa del Carmen at $1,239. In Ekibastuz 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 $853 in Ekibastuz to $1,239 in Playa del Carmen. Climate, culture, job market, and personal taste all factor in.

If budget matters most, go with Ekibastuz. 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.