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 $1,297 per month in Playa del Carmen vs $967 in Kostanay, rent included.

A couple spends around $2,181 per month in Playa del Carmen vs $1,401 in Kostanay, rent included.

A family of three spends $3,065 per month in Playa del Carmen vs $1,836 in Kostanay, rent included.

Playa del Carmen costs about 34% more than Kostanay, driven mainly by Groceries & Markets.

Both Playa del Carmen and Kostanay are more affordable than the global median – Playa del Carmen 3% lower, Kostanay 28% lower.

Meal at Budget Restaurant

$11.73 MX$203

$7.71 ₸3,780

52.14%

Three-Course Dinner for Two, Mid-Range

$41.62 MX$720

$25.27 ₸12.4K

64.70%

Fast Food Meal (McDonalds, etc)

$10.64 MX$184

$6.48 ₸3,176

64.20%

Cappuccino

$3.52 MX$60.9

$2.29 ₸1,121

53.71%

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

$1.51 MX$26.12

$0.96 ₸469

57.29%

Water (0.33 liter bottle)

$0.97 MX$16.84

$0.80 ₸393

21.25%

Local Beer (0.5 liter draught)

$2.95 MX$51.0

$1.79 ₸879

64.80%

Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$4.45 MX$77.0

$3.34 ₸1,638

33.23%

Milk (1 liter)

$1.38 MX$23.93

$0.98 ₸481

40.82%

White Bread (500g)

$1.89 MX$32.72

$0.44 ₸216

329.55%

Rice (white) (1kg)

$1.64 MX$28.32

$1.16 ₸568

41.38%

Eggs

$2.51 MX$43.34

$1.78 ₸873

41.01%

Local Cheese (1kg)

$8.34 MX$144

$8.12 ₸3,978

2.71%

Chicken Fillets (1kg)

$8.34 MX$144

$5.26 ₸2,575

58.56%

Beef Round Steak (1kg)

$10.73 MX$186

$8.00 ₸3,922

34.13%

Apples (1kg)

$2.60 MX$45.04

$1.25 ₸614

108.00%

Banana (1kg)

$1.46 MX$25.20

$2.00 ₸979

-27.00%

Oranges (1kg)

$1.90 MX$32.87

$1.30 ₸636

46.15%

Tomato (1kg)

$2.08 MX$35.91

$1.31 ₸641

58.78%

Potato (1kg)

$1.78 MX$30.71

$0.54 ₸265

229.63%

Onion (1kg)

$2.19 MX$37.80

$0.24 ₸118

812.50%

Lettuce (1 head)

$1.04 MX$17.99

$0.94 ₸458

10.64%

Water (1.5 liter bottle)

$1.08 MX$18.62

$0.92 ₸450

17.39%

Cigarettes 20 Pack (Marlboro, Camel)

$4.08 MX$70.6

$2.20 ₸1,079

85.45%

Wine (Bottle)

$10.32 MX$178

$7.80 ₸3,822

32.31%

Local Beer (0.5 liter bottle)

$1.71 MX$29.61

$0.97 ₸473

76.29%

Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$2.58 MX$44.54

$2.69 ₸1,316

-4.09%

One-way Ticket (Public Transport)

$0.51 MX$8.81

$0.30 ₸148

70.00%

Public Transport Monthly Pass (Regular Price)

$26.46 MX$458

Taxi Start (Normal Tariff)

$3.26 MX$56.4

$1.00 ₸490

226.00%

Taxi (Normal Tariff) (1km)

$2.49 MX$43.09

$1.07 ₸527

132.71%

Taxi 1hour Waiting (Normal Tariff)

$3.25 MX$56.2

$5.71 ₸2,797

-43.08%

Gasoline (1 liter)

$1.31 MX$22.61

$0.49 ₸241

167.35%

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

$30.3K MX$523.7K

$28.9K ₸14.2M

4.76%

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

$23.4K MX$405.3K

$26.9K ₸13.2M

-12.85%

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

$82.9 MX$1,433

$72.4 ₸35.5K

14.45%

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

$22.22 MX$384

$9.79 ₸4,797

126.97%

Internet (50+ Mbps, Unlimited Data)

$29.34 MX$507

$11.18 ₸5,479

162.43%

Gym Membership (Monthly)

$51.6 MX$893

$39.58 ₸19.4K

30.44%

Tennis Court (1 Hour on Weekend)

$18.32 MX$317

$17.76 ₸8,704

3.15%

Cinema Ticket

$5.07 MX$87.6

$3.79 ₸1,859

33.77%

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

$201 MX$3,473

$183 ₸89.7K

9.74%

International Primary School, 1 Child (Yearly)

$5,212 MX$90.1K

$5,805 ₸2.8M

-10.23%

Jeans (Levis 501 Or Similar)

$36.92 MX$639

$105 ₸51.3K

-64.76%

Summer Dress (H&M, Zara, etc)

$39.79 MX$688

$56.3 ₸27.6K

-29.31%

Sport Shoes (Adidas, Nike)

$78.5 MX$1,357

$116 ₸56.8K

-32.28%

Men's Leather Business Shoes

$87.1 MX$1,506

$101 ₸49.3K

-13.44%

1-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)

$973 MX$16.8K

$381 ₸186.5K

155.53%

1-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)

$468 MX$8,090

$328 ₸160.9K

42.46%

3-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)

$1,641 MX$28.4K

$529 ₸259.3K

210.22%

3-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)

$1,221 MX$21.1K

$427 ₸209.4K

185.66%

Buy Apartment in City Center (m2)

$3,946 MX$68.3K

$1,102 ₸540.3K

257.93%

Buy Apartment Outside City Center (m2)

$6,498 MX$112.4K

$864 ₸423.6K

651.68%

Average Monthly Net Salary (After Tax)

$664 MX$11.5K

$605 ₸296.4K

9.76%

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: June 2, 2026

Last update for Kostanay: May 30, 2026

Cost Breakdown

A central one-bedroom costs $973 in Playa del Carmen versus $381 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 10% 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 $173 – 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 34% 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 $1,945 per month in Playa del Carmen and $1,451 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 $967, than in Playa del Carmen at $1,297. 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 $967 versus $1,297 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.