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

Monthly Cost of Living

A single person spends $1,256 per month in Playa del Carmen vs $954 in Kostanay, rent included.

A couple spends around $2,137 per month in Playa del Carmen vs $1,384 in Kostanay, rent included.

A family of three spends $3,017 per month in Playa del Carmen vs $1,813 in Kostanay, rent included.

Playa del Carmen costs about 32% more than Kostanay, driven mainly by Groceries & Markets.

Both Playa del Carmen and Kostanay are more affordable than the global median – Playa del Carmen 6% lower, Kostanay 29% lower.

Meal at Budget Restaurant

$11.99 MX$209

$7.62 ₸3,583

57.35%

Three-Course Dinner for Two, Mid-Range

$41.78 MX$728

$24.91 ₸11.7K

67.72%

Fast Food Meal (McDonalds, etc)

$10.75 MX$187

$6.33 ₸2,973

69.83%

Cappuccino

$3.50 MX$60.9

$2.30 ₸1,082

52.17%

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

$1.45 MX$25.22

$1.03 ₸483

40.78%

Water (0.33 liter bottle)

$0.88 MX$15.41

$0.80 ₸377

10.00%

Local Beer (0.5 liter draught)

$2.95 MX$51.3

$1.72 ₸810

71.51%

Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$4.51 MX$78.6

$3.26 ₸1,531

38.34%

Milk (1 liter)

$1.43 MX$24.94

$0.95 ₸448

50.53%

White Bread (500g)

$1.84 MX$31.99

$0.44 ₸206

318.18%

Rice (white) (1kg)

$1.57 MX$27.31

$1.16 ₸545

35.34%

Eggs

$2.51 MX$43.74

$1.78 ₸835

41.01%

Local Cheese (1kg)

$8.28 MX$144

$7.70 ₸3,618

7.53%

Chicken Fillets (1kg)

$8.43 MX$147

$5.26 ₸2,473

60.27%

Beef Round Steak (1kg)

$10.68 MX$186

$8.36 ₸3,930

27.75%

Apples (1kg)

$2.61 MX$45.43

$1.30 ₸611

100.77%

Banana (1kg)

$1.44 MX$25.04

$1.91 ₸899

-24.61%

Oranges (1kg)

$1.96 MX$34.16

$1.30 ₸612

50.77%

Tomato (1kg)

$2.09 MX$36.47

$1.29 ₸607

62.02%

Potato (1kg)

$1.85 MX$32.24

$0.58 ₸275

218.97%

Onion (1kg)

$2.17 MX$37.74

$0.24 ₸113

804.17%

Lettuce (1 head)

$1.03 MX$17.96

$0.96 ₸451

7.29%

Water (1.5 liter bottle)

$1.07 MX$18.70

$0.87 ₸408

22.99%

Cigarettes 20 Pack (Marlboro, Camel)

$4.10 MX$71.4

$2.21 ₸1,037

85.52%

Wine (Bottle)

$10.17 MX$177

$7.84 ₸3,683

29.72%

Local Beer (0.5 liter bottle)

$1.68 MX$29.17

$1.01 ₸474

66.34%

Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$2.53 MX$43.98

$2.72 ₸1,278

-6.99%

One-way Ticket (Public Transport)

$0.51 MX$8.87

$0.28 ₸131

82.14%

Public Transport Monthly Pass (Regular Price)

$26.04 MX$453

Taxi Start (Normal Tariff)

$3.23 MX$56.3

$1.02 ₸479

216.67%

Taxi (Normal Tariff) (1km)

$2.41 MX$41.88

$1.06 ₸497

127.36%

Taxi 1hour Waiting (Normal Tariff)

$3.23 MX$56.2

$5.76 ₸2,706

-43.92%

Gasoline (1 liter)

$1.32 MX$23.00

$0.49 ₸231

169.39%

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

$29.7K MX$517.1K

$29.7K ₸14.0M

0.05%

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

$23.7K MX$412.0K

$26.1K ₸12.3M

-9.47%

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

$82.0 MX$1,428

$72.6 ₸34.1K

12.91%

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

$22.95 MX$400

$9.65 ₸4,537

137.82%

Internet (50+ Mbps, Unlimited Data)

$30.11 MX$524

$10.88 ₸5,112

176.75%

Gym Membership (Monthly)

$52.0 MX$905

$39.74 ₸18.7K

30.78%

Tennis Court (1 Hour on Weekend)

$18.53 MX$323

$17.31 ₸8,134

7.05%

Cinema Ticket

$4.98 MX$86.6

$3.71 ₸1,743

34.23%

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

$197 MX$3,438

$186 ₸87.3K

6.35%

International Primary School, 1 Child (Yearly)

$5,336 MX$92.9K

$5,680 ₸2.7M

-6.05%

Jeans (Levis 501 Or Similar)

$35.60 MX$620

$105 ₸49.2K

-65.96%

Summer Dress (H&M, Zara, etc)

$40.33 MX$702

$56.3 ₸26.5K

-28.40%

Sport Shoes (Adidas, Nike)

$78.8 MX$1,371

$114 ₸53.6K

-30.96%

Men's Leather Business Shoes

$88.9 MX$1,549

$102 ₸48.1K

-13.03%

1-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)

$947 MX$16.5K

$385 ₸180.8K

146.15%

1-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)

$474 MX$8,254

$330 ₸155.2K

43.53%

3-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)

$1,644 MX$28.6K

$529 ₸248.8K

210.53%

3-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)

$1,211 MX$21.1K

$425 ₸199.7K

184.94%

Buy Apartment in City Center (m2)

$4,056 MX$70.6K

$1,137 ₸534.4K

256.70%

Buy Apartment Outside City Center (m2)

$6,470 MX$112.7K

$899 ₸422.8K

619.29%

Average Monthly Net Salary (After Tax)

$654 MX$11.4K

$626 ₸294.4K

4.41%

20-Year Fixed Mortgage Interest Rate (Annual %)

11.42

18.5

-38.27%

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

Last update for Playa del Carmen: July 13, 2026

Last update for Kostanay: July 12, 2026

Cost Breakdown

A central one-bedroom costs $947 in Playa del Carmen versus $385 in Kostanay. 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 4% 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 $42.00 in Playa del Carmen versus $25.00 in Kostanay. Monthly groceries follow the same trend: $249 vs $172 – making Kostanay 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 Kostanay: Cost of Living - Frequently Asked Questions

Playa del Carmen costs about 32% more than Kostanay, with the gap driven mainly by Groceries & Markets. That's enough to noticeably affect everyday spending and lifestyle for anyone choosing between the two.

For a comfortable life, plan on about $1,884 per month in Playa del Carmen and $1,432 in Kostanay. That covers rent, food, utilities, transport, and enough left over to feel settled – not just surviving.

Rent is clearly cheaper in Kostanay, especially for central apartments. Housing is actually the single biggest factor behind the overall cost gap between these two cities.

A mid-range dinner for two costs $42.00 in Playa del Carmen and $25.00 in Kostanay. That's a good indicator of the overall restaurant and café pricing gap between the two cities.

Groceries cost about 44% more in Playa del Carmen, though it depends on what you buy. Local produce may be comparable; imported and premium items show the biggest price gap.

A $1,000 monthly budget goes further in Kostanay, where all-in costs run around $954, than in Playa del Carmen at $1,256. In Kostanay it covers expenses comfortably, while in Playa del Carmen it requires careful planning or may not stretch far enough.

For digital nomads, it depends on budget. Kostanay costs $954 versus $1,256 in Playa del Carmen. Both have workable remote work infrastructure, but the cost gap matters when income varies month to month.

Both have safer and rougher neighborhoods, but overall safety is comparable to other large cities. Neighborhood choice matters more than the city-level comparison – central, well-trafficked areas feel secure in both.

If budget matters most, go with Kostanay. 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.