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

Monthly Cost of Living

Monthly costs for one person with rent: $1,287 in Playa del Carmen versus $1,058 in Gatchina.

Estimated couple costs with rent: $2,184 in Playa del Carmen versus $1,651 in Gatchina.

Monthly costs for a family of three with rent: $3,082 in Playa del Carmen versus $2,244 in Gatchina.

Living in Playa del Carmen is roughly 22% more expensive than Gatchina, driven mainly by Clothing & Footwear.

Both cities sit below the global median: Playa del Carmen 4% lower, Gatchina 21% lower.

Meal at Budget Restaurant

$11.94 MX$209

$9.58 ₽719

24.63%

Three-Course Dinner for Two, Mid-Range

$42.75 MX$748

$48.55 ₽3,646

-11.95%

Fast Food Meal (McDonalds, etc)

$10.59 MX$185

$5.78 ₽434

83.22%

Cappuccino

$3.62 MX$63.4

$2.70 ₽203

34.07%

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

$1.47 MX$25.69

$1.12 ₽84.0

31.25%

Water (0.33 liter bottle)

$0.94 MX$16.51

$0.63 ₽47.07

49.21%

Local Beer (0.5 liter draught)

$3.09 MX$54.1

$3.11 ₽233

-0.64%

Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$4.46 MX$78.0

$3.89 ₽293

14.65%

Milk (1 liter)

$1.43 MX$24.94

$1.16 ₽87.0

23.28%

White Bread (500g)

$1.88 MX$32.97

$0.89 ₽67.2

111.24%

Rice (white) (1kg)

$1.63 MX$28.50

$1.64 ₽123

-0.61%

Eggs

$2.64 MX$46.26

$1.90 ₽143

38.95%

Local Cheese (1kg)

$8.21 MX$144

$12.44 ₽934

-34.00%

Chicken Fillets (1kg)

$8.29 MX$145

$5.54 ₽416

49.64%

Beef Round Steak (1kg)

$11.10 MX$194

$10.70 ₽804

3.74%

Apples (1kg)

$2.65 MX$46.40

$1.75 ₽131

51.43%

Banana (1kg)

$1.50 MX$26.26

$1.82 ₽136

-17.58%

Oranges (1kg)

$1.99 MX$34.79

$1.99 ₽149

Tomato (1kg)

$2.08 MX$36.33

$3.48 ₽261

-40.23%

Potato (1kg)

$1.79 MX$31.29

$0.89 ₽67.1

101.12%

Onion (1kg)

$2.18 MX$38.09

$0.65 ₽48.56

235.38%

Lettuce (1 head)

$1.08 MX$18.84

$1.35 ₽101

-20.00%

Water (1.5 liter bottle)

$1.04 MX$18.15

$0.74 ₽55.9

40.54%

Cigarettes 20 Pack (Marlboro, Camel)

$3.97 MX$69.5

$3.01 ₽226

31.89%

Wine (Bottle)

$10.20 MX$179

$9.46 ₽711

7.82%

Local Beer (0.5 liter bottle)

$1.73 MX$30.22

$1.01 ₽75.7

71.29%

Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$2.50 MX$43.71

$1.99 ₽150

25.63%

One-way Ticket (Public Transport)

$0.52 MX$9.07

$0.53 ₽40.06

-1.89%

Public Transport Monthly Pass (Regular Price)

$26.97 MX$472

$9.70 ₽728

178.04%

Taxi Start (Normal Tariff)

$3.14 MX$55.0

$1.95 ₽146

61.03%

Taxi (Normal Tariff) (1km)

$2.40 MX$42.04

$0.59 ₽44.37

306.78%

Taxi 1hour Waiting (Normal Tariff)

$3.09 MX$54.0

$7.42 ₽558

-58.36%

Gasoline (1 liter)

$1.27 MX$22.28

$0.80 ₽59.9

58.75%

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

$30.9K MX$540.4K

$38.4K ₽2.9M

-19.54%

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

$23.3K MX$408.0K

$37.7K ₽2.8M

-38.23%

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

$82.0 MX$1,435

$131 ₽9,870

-37.59%

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

$22.45 MX$393

$6.76 ₽508

232.10%

Internet (50+ Mbps, Unlimited Data)

$29.66 MX$519

$7.07 ₽531

319.52%

Gym Membership (Monthly)

$51.9 MX$908

$35.65 ₽2,678

45.50%

Tennis Court (1 Hour on Weekend)

$18.67 MX$327

Cinema Ticket

$4.97 MX$87.0

$5.78 ₽434

-14.01%

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

$198 MX$3,462

$400 ₽30.0K

-50.52%

International Primary School, 1 Child (Yearly)

$5,273 MX$92.3K

$7,067 ₽530.8K

-25.38%

Jeans (Levis 501 Or Similar)

$36.34 MX$636

$101 ₽7,607

-64.12%

Summer Dress (H&M, Zara, etc)

$40.05 MX$701

$54.2 ₽4,067

-26.04%

Sport Shoes (Adidas, Nike)

$79.9 MX$1,398

$116 ₽8,727

-31.25%

Men's Leather Business Shoes

$88.9 MX$1,555

$136 ₽10.2K

-34.85%

1-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)

$963 MX$16.9K

$453 ₽34.0K

112.50%

1-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)

$465 MX$8,133

$303 ₽22.8K

53.35%

3-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)

$1,596 MX$27.9K

$770 ₽57.9K

107.20%

3-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)

$1,209 MX$21.2K

$503 ₽37.8K

140.45%

Buy Apartment in City Center (m2)

$3,942 MX$69.0K

$1,970 ₽148.0K

100.06%

Buy Apartment Outside City Center (m2)

$6,448 MX$112.8K

$1,698 ₽127.5K

279.78%

Average Monthly Net Salary (After Tax)

$720 MX$12.6K

20-Year Fixed Mortgage Interest Rate (Annual %)

11.42

24.95

-54.23%

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 Gatchina: April 25, 2026

Cost Breakdown

A one-bedroom apartment in the center runs $963 in Playa del Carmen and $453 in Gatchina. Housing cost is often the main lever when comparing two cities.

Dining out: $43.00 in Playa del Carmen vs $49.00 in Gatchina. Groceries flip the comparison at $251 vs $223, with Gatchina cheaper for home cooking.

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 Gatchina: Cost of Living - Frequently Asked Questions

Gatchina wins on cost – living expenses run 22% lower than in Playa del Carmen. Housing and daily spending are where you'll feel the difference most, making Gatchina the obvious pick if budget is a priority.

You'd need roughly $1,930 in Playa del Carmen and $1,586 in Gatchina to live well. The gap comes down to housing and overall price levels. Both cities are liveable on less, but these numbers represent actual comfort.

Rent for a central apartment: $963 in Playa del Carmen versus $453 in Gatchina. Housing is usually the single largest factor when comparing overall living costs between the two.

All in, you'll spend $1,287 per month in Playa del Carmen versus $1,058 in Gatchina – a 22% gap that adds up to real savings over time for anyone picking the cheaper option.

A monthly transit pass in Gatchina runs roughly 178% less than in Playa del Carmen. Both cities have functional networks, but the price difference matters if you're watching your budget.

At $1,058 in Gatchina versus $1,287 in Playa del Carmen, a $1,000 budget is realistic in Gatchina but tight or insufficient in Playa del Carmen. The gap between the two cities makes Gatchina the clear choice for anyone on this budget.

Both work as nomad bases, but Gatchina delivers better value – similar infrastructure at $1,058 monthly. If stretching your runway or maximizing savings is the goal, the price difference makes Gatchina hard to pass up.

Expats usually find Gatchina gentler on the wallet – expenses run 22% less than in Playa del Carmen. Beyond cost, consider language, visa policies, and how big the international community is in each city.