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 $1,293 per month in Playa del Carmen vs $936 in Kostanay, rent included.

A couple spends around $2,334 per month in Playa del Carmen vs $1,435 in Kostanay, rent included.

A family of three spends $3,374 per month in Playa del Carmen vs $1,933 in Kostanay, rent included.

Playa del Carmen costs about 38% more than Kostanay, driven mainly by Eating Out.

Both Playa del Carmen and Kostanay are more affordable than the global median – Playa del Carmen 6% lower, Kostanay 32% lower.

Meal at Budget Restaurant

$11.71 MX$198

$5.45 ₸2,484

114.86%

Three-Course Dinner for Two, Mid-Range

$46.59 MX$788

$28.71 ₸13.1K

62.28%

Fast Food Meal (McDonalds, etc)

$11.65 MX$197

$7.19 ₸3,276

62.03%

Cappuccino

$4.09 MX$69.2

$2.13 ₸972

92.02%

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

$1.37 MX$23.23

$1.15 ₸522

19.13%

Water (0.33 liter bottle)

$0.83 MX$14.09

$0.83 ₸378

Local Beer (0.5 liter draught)

$3.35 MX$56.7

$1.39 ₸634

141.01%

Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$6.91 MX$117

$2.53 ₸1,151

173.12%

Milk (1 liter)

$1.73 MX$29.20

$1.24 ₸565

39.52%

White Bread (500g)

$2.26 MX$38.21

$0.48 ₸219

370.83%

Rice (white) (1kg)

$1.77 MX$29.91

$1.03 ₸469

71.84%

Eggs

$2.73 MX$46.19

$2.20 ₸1,002

24.09%

Local Cheese (1kg)

$9.18 MX$155

$10.03 ₸4,568

-8.47%

Chicken Fillets (1kg)

$8.92 MX$151

$5.70 ₸2,599

56.49%

Beef Round Steak (1kg)

$12.60 MX$213

$8.59 ₸3,913

46.68%

Apples (1kg)

$3.02 MX$51.1

$1.58 ₸722

91.14%

Banana (1kg)

$1.57 MX$26.55

$2.26 ₸1,032

-30.53%

Oranges (1kg)

$2.13 MX$35.93

$1.88 ₸854

13.30%

Tomato (1kg)

$2.26 MX$38.28

$2.27 ₸1,034

-0.44%

Potato (1kg)

$2.00 MX$33.88

$0.54 ₸246

270.37%

Onion (1kg)

$2.06 MX$34.90

$0.62 ₸281

232.26%

Lettuce (1 head)

$1.18 MX$19.94

$1.19 ₸541

-0.84%

Water (1.5 liter bottle)

$1.20 MX$20.35

$0.92 ₸417

30.43%

Cigarettes 20 Pack (Marlboro, Camel)

$4.63 MX$78.4

$2.41 ₸1,097

92.12%

Wine (Bottle)

$10.69 MX$181

$8.05 ₸3,669

32.80%

Local Beer (0.5 liter bottle)

$1.62 MX$27.38

$1.10 ₸500

47.27%

Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$2.88 MX$48.70

$2.30 ₸1,047

25.22%

One-way Ticket (Public Transport)

$0.57 MX$9.69

$0.32 ₸144

78.12%

Public Transport Monthly Pass (Regular Price)

$29.83 MX$504

Taxi Start (Normal Tariff)

$5.45 MX$92.1

$0.94 ₸427

479.79%

Taxi (Normal Tariff) (1km)

$3.70 MX$62.6

$1.06 ₸484

249.06%

Taxi 1hour Waiting (Normal Tariff)

$5.98 MX$101

$5.85 ₸2,664

2.22%

Gasoline (1 liter)

$1.55 MX$26.26

$0.54 ₸246

187.04%

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

$22.3K MX$377.4K

$30.6K ₸14.0M

-27.11%

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

$25.9K MX$438.7K

$29.1K ₸13.3M

-10.97%

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

$89.1 MX$1,507

$75.3 ₸34.3K

18.32%

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

$25.04 MX$423

$10.72 ₸4,883

133.58%

Internet (50+ Mbps, Unlimited Data)

$31.50 MX$532

$15.65 ₸7,128

101.28%

Gym Membership (Monthly)

$67.8 MX$1,146

$46.28 ₸21.1K

46.46%

Tennis Court (1 Hour on Weekend)

$28.92 MX$489

$19.86 ₸9,048

45.62%

Cinema Ticket

$5.05 MX$85.4

$4.20 ₸1,913

20.24%

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

$225 MX$3,803

$207 ₸94.3K

8.66%

International Primary School, 1 Child (Yearly)

$4,222 MX$71.4K

$6,436 ₸2.9M

-34.40%

Jeans (Levis 501 Or Similar)

$47.44 MX$802

$92.3 ₸42.0K

-48.59%

Summer Dress (H&M, Zara, etc)

$44.98 MX$760

$52.7 ₸24.0K

-14.58%

Sport Shoes (Adidas, Nike)

$82.0 MX$1,386

$106 ₸48.5K

-23.00%

Men's Leather Business Shoes

$92.1 MX$1,557

$89.3 ₸40.7K

3.10%

1-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)

$1,069 MX$18.1K

$388 ₸176.9K

175.31%

1-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)

$405 MX$6,852

$304 ₸138.4K

33.41%

3-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)

$1,935 MX$32.7K

$580 ₸264.4K

233.49%

3-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)

$1,301 MX$22.0K

$471 ₸214.8K

176.04%

Buy Apartment in City Center (m2)

$3,995 MX$67.5K

$1,190 ₸541.9K

235.88%

Buy Apartment Outside City Center (m2)

$6,626 MX$112.0K

$910 ₸414.6K

628.07%

Average Monthly Net Salary (After Tax)

$749 MX$12.7K

$646 ₸294.5K

15.85%

20-Year Fixed Mortgage Interest Rate (Annual %)

11.45

18.5

-38.11%

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

Last update for Playa del Carmen: August 29, 2026

Last update for Kostanay: August 31, 2026

Cost Breakdown

A central one-bedroom costs $1,069 in Playa del Carmen versus $388 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 16% 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 $47.00 in Playa del Carmen versus $29.00 in Kostanay. Monthly groceries follow the same trend: $277 vs $200 – 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 38% more than Kostanay, with the gap driven mainly by Eating Out. That's enough to noticeably affect everyday spending and lifestyle for anyone choosing between the two.

For a comfortable life, plan on about $1,940 per month in Playa del Carmen and $1,404 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 $47.00 in Playa del Carmen and $29.00 in Kostanay. That's a good indicator of the overall restaurant and café pricing gap between the two cities.

Groceries cost about 39% 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 $936, than in Playa del Carmen at $1,293. 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 $936 versus $1,293 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.