😐Monthly costs for one person with rent: $1,287 in Playa del Carmen versus $798 in Kaluga.
😐Estimated couple costs with rent: $2,184 in Playa del Carmen versus $1,227 in Kaluga.
😐Monthly costs for a family of three with rent: $3,082 in Playa del Carmen versus $1,656 in Kaluga.
😐Living in Playa del Carmen is roughly 61% more expensive than Kaluga, driven mainly by Eating Out.
📊Both cities sit below the global median: Playa del Carmen4% lower, Kaluga40% lower.
Moneda
🍽 Eating Out
Playa del Carmen
Kaluga
Diferencia
Meal at Budget Restaurant
$11.94MX$209
$5.73₽430
108.38%
Three-Course Dinner for Two, Mid-Range
$42.75MX$748
$22.48₽1,688
90.17%
Fast Food Meal(McDonalds, etc)
$10.59MX$185
$5.06₽380
109.29%
Cappuccino
$3.62MX$63.4
$2.01₽151
80.10%
Coke/Pepsi/Fanta/Sprite(0.33 liter bottle)
$1.47MX$25.69
$1.29₽97.2
13.95%
Water(0.33 liter bottle)
$0.94MX$16.51
$0.53₽39.72
77.36%
Local Beer(0.5 liter draught)
$3.09MX$54.1
$1.41₽106
119.15%
Imported Beer(0.33 liter bottle)
$4.46MX$78.0
$3.07₽230
45.28%
🛒 Groceries & Markets
Playa del Carmen
Kaluga
Diferencia
Milk(1 liter)
$1.43MX$24.94
$1.10₽82.4
30.00%
White Bread(500g)
$1.88MX$32.97
$0.69₽51.6
172.46%
Rice(white)(1kg)
$1.63MX$28.50
$1.48₽111
10.14%
Eggs
$2.64MX$46.26
$1.72₽129
53.49%
Local Cheese(1kg)
$8.21MX$144
$8.07₽606
1.73%
Chicken Fillets(1kg)
$8.29MX$145
$3.79₽285
118.73%
Beef Round Steak(1kg)
$11.10MX$194
$7.71₽579
43.97%
Apples(1kg)
$2.65MX$46.40
$1.85₽139
43.24%
Banana(1kg)
$1.50MX$26.26
$1.69₽127
-11.24%
Oranges(1kg)
$1.99MX$34.79
$1.91₽144
4.19%
Tomato(1kg)
$2.08MX$36.33
$3.16₽237
-34.18%
Potato(1kg)
$1.79MX$31.29
$0.78₽58.9
129.49%
Onion(1kg)
$2.18MX$38.09
$0.67₽50.6
225.37%
Lettuce(1 head)
$1.08MX$18.84
$3.23₽242
-66.56%
Water(1.5 liter bottle)
$1.04MX$18.15
$0.65₽49.18
60.00%
Cigarettes 20 Pack(Marlboro, Camel)
$3.97MX$69.5
$3.01₽226
31.89%
Wine(Bottle)
$10.20MX$179
$7.92₽595
28.79%
Local Beer(0.5 liter bottle)
$1.73MX$30.22
$0.78₽58.4
121.79%
Imported Beer(0.33 liter bottle)
$2.50MX$43.71
$1.94₽146
28.87%
🚌 Getting Around
Playa del Carmen
Kaluga
Diferencia
One-way Ticket(Public Transport)
$0.52MX$9.07
$0.45₽34.07
15.56%
Public Transport Monthly Pass(Regular Price)
$26.97MX$472
$19.37₽1,455
39.24%
Taxi Start(Normal Tariff)
$3.14MX$55.0
$3.77₽283
-16.71%
Taxi(Normal Tariff)(1km)
$2.40MX$42.04
$0.11₽7.96
2081.82%
Taxi 1hour Waiting(Normal Tariff)
$3.09MX$54.0
$6.30₽473
-50.95%
Gasoline(1 liter)
$1.27MX$22.28
$0.77₽57.9
64.94%
Midsize Hatchback 1.4l(Volkswagen Golf, Toyota Prius, Honda Civic, etc)
$30.9KMX$540.4K
$34.7K₽2.6M
-11.10%
Compact Sedan 1.6l(Toyota Corolla, Mazda3, Kia K4, Hyundai Elantra, etc)
$23.3KMX$408.0K
$35.7K₽2.7M
-34.61%
🧾 Monthly Utilities & Internet
Playa del Carmen
Kaluga
Diferencia
Utilities for 2 People in 2-bedroom Apartment(Heating, Electricity, Gas, Water, Garbage)(85m2)
$82.0MX$1,435
$77.5₽5,824
5.76%
SIM Card Monthly Plan(Calls and 10GB+ Data)
$22.45MX$393
$5.59₽420
301.61%
Internet(50+ Mbps, Unlimited Data)
$29.66MX$519
$5.13₽385
478.17%
🎉 Sport & Entertainment
Playa del Carmen
Kaluga
Diferencia
Gym Membership(Monthly)
$51.9MX$908
$36.07₽2,709
43.80%
Tennis Court(1 Hour on Weekend)
$18.67MX$327
-
-
Cinema Ticket
$4.97MX$87.0
$7.82₽587
-36.45%
🧸 Childcare & Education
Playa del Carmen
Kaluga
Diferencia
Preschool or Kindergarten, Full Day, Private, 1 Child(Monthly)
$198MX$3,462
$361₽27.1K
-45.27%
International Primary School, 1 Child(Yearly)
$5,273MX$92.3K
$7,015₽526.9K
-24.84%
👕👟 Clothing & Footwear
Playa del Carmen
Kaluga
Diferencia
Jeans(Levis 501 Or Similar)
$36.34MX$636
$71.9₽5,402
-49.47%
Summer Dress(H&M, Zara, etc)
$40.05MX$701
$38.58₽2,898
3.81%
Sport Shoes(Adidas, Nike)
$79.9MX$1,398
$114₽8,535
-29.70%
Men's Leather Business Shoes
$88.9MX$1,555
$77.1₽5,793
15.25%
🏠 Accommodation & Living
Playa del Carmen
Kaluga
Diferencia
1-bedroom Apartment, City Center(Monthly)
$963MX$16.9K
$249₽18.7K
286.24%
1-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center(Monthly)
$465MX$8,133
$198₽14.9K
134.95%
3-bedroom Apartment, City Center(Monthly)
$1,596MX$27.9K
$445₽33.4K
258.63%
3-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center(Monthly)
$1,209MX$21.2K
$343₽25.7K
252.61%
Buy Apartment in City Center(m2)
$3,942MX$69.0K
$1,645₽123.5K
139.65%
Buy Apartment Outside City Center(m2)
$6,448MX$112.8K
$1,403₽105.3K
359.72%
💵 Salaries & Financials
Playa del Carmen
Kaluga
Diferencia
Average Monthly Net Salary(After Tax)
$720MX$12.6K
$1,015₽76.3K
-29.05%
20-Year Fixed Mortgage Interest Rate(Annual %)
11.42
14.5
-21.24%
Los datos de CityCost se basan en IA y aportaciones de usuarios. Puede haber pequeñas variaciones.
Última actualización para Playa del Carmen: April 25, 2026
Última actualización para Kaluga: April 28, 2026
Cost Breakdown
🏠A one-bedroom apartment in the center runs $963 in Playa del Carmen and $249 in Kaluga. Housing cost is often the main lever when comparing two cities.
💰Kaluga pays 41% more on average while also being the cheaper of the two. The combined effect is a noticeably stronger local purchasing power.
🛒Dining out: $43.00 in Playa del Carmen vs $22.00 in Kaluga for a mid-range dinner for two. Groceries echo the gap at $251 vs $188 per month, with Kaluga cheaper across the board.
Comparación de velocidades medias de internet por ciudad (actualizado April 2026)
El gráfico resalta el umbral de precisión para velocidades de internet móvil y fija, actualizado trimestralmente.
Índice del coste de vida para nómadas digitales
Playa del Carmen vs Kaluga: Coste de vida - preguntas frecuentes
What is the total cost difference between living in Playa del Carmen and Kaluga?
Playa del Carmen and Kaluga differ by about 61% in total monthly costs ($1,287 vs $798 including rent). Kaluga is meaningfully more affordable – a gap that matters a lot on a fixed or modest income.
Which city has better-paying jobs?
On paper, Kaluga earns 41% less. That's worth factoring in alongside costs, though remote workers earning in a stronger currency may not notice the difference at all.
How do apartment prices compare in Playa del Carmen and Kaluga?
Rent for a central apartment: $963 in Playa del Carmen versus $249 in Kaluga. Housing is usually the single largest factor when comparing overall living costs between the two.
How do commuting costs compare in Playa del Carmen and Kaluga?
A monthly transit pass in Kaluga runs roughly 39% less than in Playa del Carmen. Both cities have functional networks, but the price difference matters if you're watching your budget.
What is the difference in childcare costs between Playa del Carmen and Kaluga?
Childcare runs $198 in Playa del Carmen versus $361 in Kaluga. Over years of preschool, even a modest monthly gap compounds into a major financial factor for families.
Which city is more doable on $2,000 per month?
At $798 in Kaluga versus $1,287 in Playa del Carmen, a $2,000 budget is realistic in Kaluga but tight or insufficient in Playa del Carmen. The gap between the two cities makes Kaluga the clear choice for anyone on this budget.
How does quality of life compare between Playa del Carmen and Kaluga?
Both cities offer a good standard of living with different trade-offs. Neither is objectively better – the right pick depends on what matters most: affordability, career, cultural scene, or climate.
Is Playa del Carmen or Kaluga safer for residents?
Safety-wise, Playa del Carmen and Kaluga are on par. Petty crime is typical for cities this size, and most residents feel comfortable going about their daily routines in either place.
Where should expats move: Playa del Carmen or Kaluga?
Expats usually find Kaluga gentler on the wallet – expenses run 61% less than in Playa del Carmen. Beyond cost, consider language, visa policies, and how big the international community is in each city.
Playa del Carmen vs otros destinos: coste de vida comparado