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 $1,330 per month in Playa del Carmen vs $830 in Ekibastuz, rent included.

A couple spends around $2,336 per month in Playa del Carmen vs $1,328 in Ekibastuz, rent included.

A family of three spends $3,341 per month in Playa del Carmen vs $1,827 in Ekibastuz, rent included.

Playa del Carmen costs about 60% more than Ekibastuz, driven mainly by Eating Out.

Both Playa del Carmen and Ekibastuz are more affordable than the global median – Playa del Carmen 3% lower, Ekibastuz 39% lower.

Meal at Budget Restaurant

$13.02 MX$221

$10.13 ₸4,631

28.53%

Three-Course Dinner for Two, Mid-Range

$46.25 MX$784

$36.94 ₸16.9K

25.20%

Fast Food Meal (McDonalds, etc)

$12.59 MX$213

$7.44 ₸3,399

69.22%

Cappuccino

$4.00 MX$67.9

$1.56 ₸713

156.41%

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

$1.42 MX$24.08

$1.08 ₸493

31.48%

Water (0.33 liter bottle)

$0.81 MX$13.73

$0.66 ₸301

22.73%

Local Beer (0.5 liter draught)

$3.05 MX$51.7

$1.27 ₸579

140.16%

Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$6.82 MX$116

$2.14 ₸979

218.69%

Milk (1 liter)

$1.71 MX$29.04

$1.25 ₸573

36.80%

White Bread (500g)

$2.22 MX$37.62

$0.63 ₸287

252.38%

Rice (white) (1kg)

$1.72 MX$29.13

$1.75 ₸799

-1.71%

Eggs

$2.71 MX$45.99

$2.20 ₸1,007

23.18%

Local Cheese (1kg)

$9.37 MX$159

$11.76 ₸5,376

-20.32%

Chicken Fillets (1kg)

$8.86 MX$150

$5.61 ₸2,562

57.93%

Beef Round Steak (1kg)

$12.78 MX$217

$10.03 ₸4,582

27.42%

Apples (1kg)

$3.13 MX$53.0

$1.73 ₸789

80.92%

Banana (1kg)

$1.55 MX$26.24

$2.41 ₸1,103

-35.68%

Oranges (1kg)

$2.15 MX$36.51

$2.18 ₸996

-1.38%

Tomato (1kg)

$2.35 MX$39.89

$2.39 ₸1,093

-1.67%

Potato (1kg)

$2.02 MX$34.23

$0.78 ₸358

158.97%

Onion (1kg)

$1.99 MX$33.67

$0.46 ₸209

332.61%

Lettuce (1 head)

$1.24 MX$21.09

$1.48 ₸679

-16.22%

Water (1.5 liter bottle)

$1.19 MX$20.21

$0.91 ₸416

30.77%

Cigarettes 20 Pack (Marlboro, Camel)

$4.65 MX$78.8

$2.15 ₸983

116.28%

Wine (Bottle)

$10.47 MX$177

$10.31 ₸4,714

1.55%

Local Beer (0.5 liter bottle)

$1.58 MX$26.82

$1.24 ₸566

27.42%

Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$2.92 MX$49.48

$2.30 ₸1,053

26.96%

One-way Ticket (Public Transport)

$0.56 MX$9.53

$0.23 ₸104

143.48%

Public Transport Monthly Pass (Regular Price)

$29.76 MX$504

Taxi Start (Normal Tariff)

$5.32 MX$90.2

$1.11 ₸507

379.28%

Taxi (Normal Tariff) (1km)

$3.72 MX$63.0

$1.09 ₸500

241.28%

Taxi 1hour Waiting (Normal Tariff)

$5.78 MX$97.9

$6.68 ₸3,053

-13.47%

Gasoline (1 liter)

$1.55 MX$26.27

$0.55 ₸249

181.82%

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

$22.4K MX$379.1K

$23.5K ₸10.7M

-4.82%

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

$25.6K MX$433.3K

$30.6K ₸14.0M

-16.40%

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

$89.3 MX$1,513

$66.7 ₸30.5K

33.83%

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

$23.30 MX$395

$10.26 ₸4,689

127.10%

Internet (50+ Mbps, Unlimited Data)

$31.72 MX$538

$17.37 ₸7,938

82.61%

Gym Membership (Monthly)

$68.8 MX$1,165

Tennis Court (1 Hour on Weekend)

$29.40 MX$498

Cinema Ticket

$5.06 MX$85.7

$6.07 ₸2,773

-16.64%

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

$222 MX$3,765

$368 ₸168.2K

-39.64%

International Primary School, 1 Child (Yearly)

$4,293 MX$72.7K

$11.0K ₸5.0M

-60.92%

Jeans (Levis 501 Or Similar)

$46.21 MX$783

$66.4 ₸30.3K

-30.38%

Summer Dress (H&M, Zara, etc)

$44.43 MX$753

$48.97 ₸22.4K

-9.27%

Sport Shoes (Adidas, Nike)

$95.5 MX$1,618

$116 ₸53.2K

-18.01%

Men's Leather Business Shoes

$92.5 MX$1,568

$126 ₸57.6K

-26.54%

1-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)

$1,069 MX$18.1K

$240 ₸109.8K

345.10%

1-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)

$393 MX$6,663

$180 ₸82.2K

118.61%

3-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)

$1,988 MX$33.7K

$439 ₸200.9K

352.42%

3-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)

$1,304 MX$22.1K

$337 ₸154.1K

286.80%

Buy Apartment in City Center (m2)

$4,037 MX$68.4K

Buy Apartment Outside City Center (m2)

$6,627 MX$112.3K

Average Monthly Net Salary (After Tax)

$747 MX$12.7K

$321 ₸146.6K

132.86%

20-Year Fixed Mortgage Interest Rate (Annual %)

11.6

16.2

-28.40%

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

Last update for Playa del Carmen: August 18, 2026

Last update for Ekibastuz: August 18, 2026

Cost Breakdown

A central one-bedroom costs $1,069 in Playa del Carmen versus $240 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 133% 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 $46.00 in Playa del Carmen versus $37.00 in Ekibastuz. Monthly groceries follow the same trend: $277 vs $223 – 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: $1,330 in Playa del Carmen, $830 in Ekibastuz – roughly 60% apart. Playa del Carmen costs more across the board, with Eating Out showing the biggest gap.

For a comfortable life, plan on about $1,995 per month in Playa del Carmen and $1,244 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 $1,330 in Playa del Carmen and $830 in Ekibastuz. The difference isn't just one category – it shows up across housing, food, transport, and services.

Kindergarten costs $222 per month in Playa del Carmen and $368 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 $830, than in Playa del Carmen at $1,330. 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 $830 in Ekibastuz to $1,330 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.