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 $1,287 per month in Playa del Carmen vs $691 in Ekibastuz, rent included.

A couple spends around $2,184 per month in Playa del Carmen vs $1,130 in Ekibastuz, rent included.

A family of three spends $3,082 per month in Playa del Carmen vs $1,569 in Ekibastuz, rent included.

Playa del Carmen costs about 86% more than Ekibastuz, driven mainly by Eating Out.

Both Playa del Carmen and Ekibastuz are more affordable than the global median – Playa del Carmen 4% lower, Ekibastuz 48% lower.

Meal at Budget Restaurant

$11.94 MX$209

$8.10 ₸3,744

47.41%

Three-Course Dinner for Two, Mid-Range

$42.75 MX$748

$29.80 ₸13.8K

43.46%

Fast Food Meal (McDonalds, etc)

$10.59 MX$185

$6.03 ₸2,787

75.62%

Cappuccino

$3.62 MX$63.4

$1.38 ₸639

162.32%

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

$1.47 MX$25.69

$0.96 ₸446

53.13%

Water (0.33 liter bottle)

$0.94 MX$16.51

$0.53 ₸243

77.36%

Local Beer (0.5 liter draught)

$3.09 MX$54.1

$1.14 ₸526

171.05%

Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$4.46 MX$78.0

$2.85 ₸1,320

56.49%

Milk (1 liter)

$1.43 MX$24.94

$0.95 ₸441

50.53%

White Bread (500g)

$1.88 MX$32.97

$0.50 ₸231

276.00%

Rice (white) (1kg)

$1.63 MX$28.50

$1.46 ₸674

11.64%

Eggs

$2.64 MX$46.26

$1.71 ₸793

54.39%

Local Cheese (1kg)

$8.21 MX$144

$9.31 ₸4,305

-11.82%

Chicken Fillets (1kg)

$8.29 MX$145

$4.59 ₸2,120

80.61%

Beef Round Steak (1kg)

$11.10 MX$194

$7.33 ₸3,387

51.43%

Apples (1kg)

$2.65 MX$46.40

$1.32 ₸611

100.76%

Banana (1kg)

$1.50 MX$26.26

$1.82 ₸843

-17.58%

Oranges (1kg)

$1.99 MX$34.79

$2.00 ₸926

-0.50%

Tomato (1kg)

$2.08 MX$36.33

$1.88 ₸870

10.64%

Potato (1kg)

$1.79 MX$31.29

$0.58 ₸269

208.62%

Onion (1kg)

$2.18 MX$38.09

$0.38 ₸174

473.68%

Lettuce (1 head)

$1.08 MX$18.84

$0.94 ₸434

14.89%

Water (1.5 liter bottle)

$1.04 MX$18.15

$0.70 ₸323

48.57%

Cigarettes 20 Pack (Marlboro, Camel)

$3.97 MX$69.5

$1.82 ₸843

118.13%

Wine (Bottle)

$10.20 MX$179

$8.63 ₸3,991

18.19%

Local Beer (0.5 liter bottle)

$1.73 MX$30.22

$1.03 ₸475

67.96%

Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$2.50 MX$43.71

$1.62 ₸748

54.32%

One-way Ticket (Public Transport)

$0.52 MX$9.07

$0.21 ₸97.0

147.62%

Public Transport Monthly Pass (Regular Price)

$26.97 MX$472

Taxi Start (Normal Tariff)

$3.14 MX$55.0

$1.02 ₸471

207.84%

Taxi (Normal Tariff) (1km)

$2.40 MX$42.04

$0.67 ₸309

258.21%

Taxi 1hour Waiting (Normal Tariff)

$3.09 MX$54.0

$4.50 ₸2,079

-31.33%

Gasoline (1 liter)

$1.27 MX$22.28

$0.40 ₸186

217.50%

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

$30.9K MX$540.4K

$20.4K ₸9.4M

51.14%

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

$23.3K MX$408.0K

$24.7K ₸11.4M

-5.67%

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

$82.0 MX$1,435

$53.1 ₸24.6K

54.33%

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

$22.45 MX$393

$8.16 ₸3,773

175.12%

Internet (50+ Mbps, Unlimited Data)

$29.66 MX$519

$14.05 ₸6,495

111.10%

Gym Membership (Monthly)

$51.9 MX$908

$32.63 ₸15.1K

58.96%

Tennis Court (1 Hour on Weekend)

$18.67 MX$327

Cinema Ticket

$4.97 MX$87.0

$5.42 ₸2,505

-8.30%

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

$198 MX$3,462

$242 ₸111.7K

-18.09%

International Primary School, 1 Child (Yearly)

$5,273 MX$92.3K

$4,840 ₸2.2M

8.95%

Jeans (Levis 501 Or Similar)

$36.34 MX$636

$56.7 ₸26.2K

-35.92%

Summer Dress (H&M, Zara, etc)

$40.05 MX$701

$35.12 ₸16.2K

14.04%

Sport Shoes (Adidas, Nike)

$79.9 MX$1,398

$87.5 ₸40.5K

-8.70%

Men's Leather Business Shoes

$88.9 MX$1,555

$88.2 ₸40.8K

0.76%

1-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)

$963 MX$16.9K

$218 ₸100.6K

342.84%

1-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)

$465 MX$8,133

$161 ₸74.3K

189.18%

3-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)

$1,596 MX$27.9K

$398 ₸184.1K

300.80%

3-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)

$1,209 MX$21.2K

$304 ₸140.3K

298.27%

Buy Apartment in City Center (m2)

$3,942 MX$69.0K

$1,220 ₸564.1K

223.06%

Buy Apartment Outside City Center (m2)

$6,448 MX$112.8K

$848 ₸392.1K

660.33%

Average Monthly Net Salary (After Tax)

$720 MX$12.6K

$327 ₸151.0K

120.60%

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: April 25, 2026

Last update for Ekibastuz: April 27, 2026

Cost Breakdown

A central one-bedroom costs $963 in Playa del Carmen versus $218 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 121% 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 $30.00 in Ekibastuz. Monthly groceries follow the same trend: $251 vs $175 – 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: $1,287 in Playa del Carmen, $691 in Ekibastuz – roughly 86% apart. Playa del Carmen costs more across the board, with Eating Out showing the biggest gap.

For a comfortable life, plan on about $1,930 per month in Playa del Carmen and $1,037 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 $1,287 in Playa del Carmen and $691 in Ekibastuz. The difference isn't just one category – it shows up across housing, food, transport, and services.

Kindergarten costs $198 per month in Playa del Carmen and $242 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 $691, than in Playa del Carmen at $1,287. 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 $691 in Ekibastuz to $1,287 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.