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 $1,271 per month in Playa del Carmen vs $714 in Ekibastuz, rent included.

A couple spends around $2,126 per month in Playa del Carmen vs $1,133 in Ekibastuz, rent included.

A family of three spends $2,980 per month in Playa del Carmen vs $1,553 in Ekibastuz, rent included.

Playa del Carmen costs about 78% more than Ekibastuz, driven mainly by Eating Out.

Both Playa del Carmen and Ekibastuz are more affordable than the global median – Playa del Carmen 5% lower, Ekibastuz 47% lower.

Meal at Budget Restaurant

$11.87 MX$204

$8.49 ₸4,147

39.81%

Three-Course Dinner for Two, Mid-Range

$42.90 MX$736

$29.01 ₸14.2K

47.88%

Fast Food Meal (McDonalds, etc)

$10.65 MX$183

$5.79 ₸2,827

83.94%

Cappuccino

$3.45 MX$59.2

$1.35 ₸657

155.56%

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

$1.50 MX$25.81

$0.89 ₸436

68.54%

Water (0.33 liter bottle)

$0.95 MX$16.28

$0.57 ₸280

66.67%

Local Beer (0.5 liter draught)

$3.03 MX$51.9

$1.19 ₸580

154.62%

Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$4.61 MX$79.1

$2.99 ₸1,462

54.18%

Milk (1 liter)

$1.38 MX$23.61

$0.94 ₸461

46.81%

White Bread (500g)

$1.85 MX$31.70

$0.50 ₸243

270.00%

Rice (white) (1kg)

$1.61 MX$27.65

$1.40 ₸682

15.00%

Eggs

$2.59 MX$44.51

$1.76 ₸858

47.16%

Local Cheese (1kg)

$8.26 MX$142

$9.39 ₸4,585

-12.03%

Chicken Fillets (1kg)

$8.37 MX$144

$4.72 ₸2,306

77.33%

Beef Round Steak (1kg)

$10.66 MX$183

$6.99 ₸3,412

52.50%

Apples (1kg)

$2.63 MX$45.12

$1.32 ₸644

99.24%

Banana (1kg)

$1.49 MX$25.53

$1.82 ₸891

-18.13%

Oranges (1kg)

$1.92 MX$32.94

$1.91 ₸933

0.52%

Tomato (1kg)

$2.09 MX$35.81

$1.98 ₸969

5.56%

Potato (1kg)

$1.86 MX$31.88

$0.60 ₸292

210.00%

Onion (1kg)

$2.26 MX$38.81

$0.40 ₸195

465.00%

Lettuce (1 head)

$1.06 MX$18.23

$0.96 ₸471

10.42%

Water (1.5 liter bottle)

$1.09 MX$18.67

$0.70 ₸342

55.71%

Cigarettes 20 Pack (Marlboro, Camel)

$4.15 MX$71.2

$1.82 ₸889

128.02%

Wine (Bottle)

$10.39 MX$178

$9.15 ₸4,471

13.55%

Local Beer (0.5 liter bottle)

$1.72 MX$29.59

$1.01 ₸495

70.30%

Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$2.61 MX$44.85

$1.61 ₸788

62.11%

One-way Ticket (Public Transport)

$0.54 MX$9.30

$0.23 ₸113

134.78%

Public Transport Monthly Pass (Regular Price)

$26.94 MX$462

Taxi Start (Normal Tariff)

$3.13 MX$53.7

$0.95 ₸465

229.47%

Taxi (Normal Tariff) (1km)

$2.51 MX$43.09

$0.67 ₸329

274.63%

Taxi 1hour Waiting (Normal Tariff)

$3.15 MX$54.1

$4.46 ₸2,177

-29.37%

Gasoline (1 liter)

$1.27 MX$21.88

$0.41 ₸198

209.76%

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

$30.4K MX$521.3K

$20.7K ₸10.1M

47.00%

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

$23.6K MX$404.5K

$25.3K ₸12.4M

-6.81%

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

$83.0 MX$1,425

$54.3 ₸26.5K

52.97%

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

$22.71 MX$390

$8.45 ₸4,126

168.76%

Internet (50+ Mbps, Unlimited Data)

$29.46 MX$506

$13.67 ₸6,675

115.51%

Gym Membership (Monthly)

$51.0 MX$875

$32.67 ₸16.0K

56.11%

Tennis Court (1 Hour on Weekend)

$18.33 MX$315

Cinema Ticket

$4.93 MX$84.5

$5.15 ₸2,515

-4.27%

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

$197 MX$3,386

$238 ₸116.1K

-16.99%

International Primary School, 1 Child (Yearly)

$5,280 MX$90.6K

$4,880 ₸2.4M

8.20%

Jeans (Levis 501 Or Similar)

$36.90 MX$633

$57.6 ₸28.1K

-35.89%

Summer Dress (H&M, Zara, etc)

$39.89 MX$685

$34.66 ₸16.9K

15.09%

Sport Shoes (Adidas, Nike)

$80.0 MX$1,373

$88.9 ₸43.4K

-9.97%

Men's Leather Business Shoes

$89.5 MX$1,536

$88.2 ₸43.1K

1.45%

1-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)

$956 MX$16.4K

$212 ₸103.4K

351.52%

1-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)

$477 MX$8,189

$160 ₸78.3K

197.47%

3-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)

$1,646 MX$28.3K

$394 ₸192.4K

317.92%

3-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)

$1,225 MX$21.0K

$304 ₸148.3K

303.36%

Buy Apartment in City Center (m2)

$3,918 MX$67.2K

$916 ₸447.5K

327.66%

Buy Apartment Outside City Center (m2)

$6,459 MX$110.9K

$829 ₸405.0K

678.90%

Average Monthly Net Salary (After Tax)

$667 MX$11.4K

$305 ₸148.9K

118.84%

20-Year Fixed Mortgage Interest Rate (Annual %)

11.42

16.12

-29.16%

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 Ekibastuz: June 7, 2026

Cost Breakdown

A central one-bedroom costs $956 in Playa del Carmen versus $212 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 119% 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 $29.00 in Ekibastuz. Monthly groceries follow the same trend: $250 vs $176 – 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: $1,271 in Playa del Carmen, $714 in Ekibastuz – roughly 78% 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 $1,070 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 $1,271 in Playa del Carmen and $714 in Ekibastuz. The difference isn't just one category – it shows up across housing, food, transport, and services.

Kindergarten costs $197 per month in Playa del Carmen and $238 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 $714, than in Playa del Carmen at $1,271. 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 $714 in Ekibastuz to $1,271 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.