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

Monthly Cost of Living

A single person spends $1,287 per month in Playa del Carmen vs $520 in Lankaran, rent included.

A couple spends around $2,184 per month in Playa del Carmen vs $870 in Lankaran, rent included.

A family of three spends $3,082 per month in Playa del Carmen vs $1,221 in Lankaran, rent included.

Playa del Carmen costs about 148% more than Lankaran, driven mainly by Groceries & Markets.

Both Playa del Carmen and Lankaran are more affordable than the global median – Playa del Carmen 4% lower, Lankaran 61% lower.

Meal at Budget Restaurant

$11.94 MX$209

$8.69 ₼14.78

37.40%

Three-Course Dinner for Two, Mid-Range

$42.75 MX$748

$35.24 ₼59.9

21.31%

Fast Food Meal (McDonalds, etc)

$10.59 MX$185

$7.46 ₼12.68

41.96%

Cappuccino

$3.62 MX$63.4

$3.66 ₼6.21

-1.09%

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

$1.47 MX$25.69

$0.80 ₼1.35

83.75%

Water (0.33 liter bottle)

$0.94 MX$16.51

$0.43 ₼0.73

118.60%

Local Beer (0.5 liter draught)

$3.09 MX$54.1

$1.74 ₼2.96

77.59%

Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$4.46 MX$78.0

$2.97 ₼5.05

50.17%

Milk (1 liter)

$1.43 MX$24.94

$0.61 ₼1.03

134.43%

White Bread (500g)

$1.88 MX$32.97

$0.25 ₼0.43

652.00%

Rice (white) (1kg)

$1.63 MX$28.50

$1.98 ₼3.36

-17.68%

Eggs

$2.64 MX$46.26

$1.39 ₼2.37

89.93%

Local Cheese (1kg)

$8.21 MX$144

$1.77 ₼3.01

363.84%

Chicken Fillets (1kg)

$8.29 MX$145

$2.98 ₼5.06

178.19%

Beef Round Steak (1kg)

$11.10 MX$194

$8.26 ₼14.04

34.38%

Apples (1kg)

$2.65 MX$46.40

$0.57 ₼0.97

364.91%

Banana (1kg)

$1.50 MX$26.26

$1.15 ₼1.95

30.43%

Oranges (1kg)

$1.99 MX$34.79

$0.73 ₼1.25

172.60%

Tomato (1kg)

$2.08 MX$36.33

$0.34 ₼0.57

511.76%

Potato (1kg)

$1.79 MX$31.29

$0.28 ₼0.47

539.29%

Onion (1kg)

$2.18 MX$38.09

$0.23 ₼0.39

847.83%

Lettuce (1 head)

$1.08 MX$18.84

$0.10 ₼0.17

980.00%

Water (1.5 liter bottle)

$1.04 MX$18.15

$0.60 ₼1.03

73.33%

Cigarettes 20 Pack (Marlboro, Camel)

$3.97 MX$69.5

$2.93 ₼4.98

35.49%

Wine (Bottle)

$10.20 MX$179

$3.50 ₼5.96

191.43%

Local Beer (0.5 liter bottle)

$1.73 MX$30.22

$1.21 ₼2.05

42.98%

Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$2.50 MX$43.71

$2.31 ₼3.93

8.23%

One-way Ticket (Public Transport)

$0.52 MX$9.07

$0.23 ₼0.39

126.09%

Public Transport Monthly Pass (Regular Price)

$26.97 MX$472

Taxi Start (Normal Tariff)

$3.14 MX$55.0

$1.19 ₼2.02

163.87%

Taxi (Normal Tariff) (1km)

$2.40 MX$42.04

$0.61 ₼1.03

293.44%

Taxi 1hour Waiting (Normal Tariff)

$3.09 MX$54.0

$3.60 ₼6.12

-14.17%

Gasoline (1 liter)

$1.27 MX$22.28

$0.57 ₼0.96

122.81%

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

$30.9K MX$540.4K

$12.0K ₼20.3K

158.03%

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

$23.3K MX$408.0K

$14.3K ₼24.4K

62.48%

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

$82.0 MX$1,435

$40.96 ₼69.6

100.22%

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

$22.45 MX$393

$8.99 ₼15.29

149.72%

Internet (50+ Mbps, Unlimited Data)

$29.66 MX$519

$14.56 ₼24.75

103.71%

Gym Membership (Monthly)

$51.9 MX$908

$16.05 ₼27.29

223.18%

Tennis Court (1 Hour on Weekend)

$18.67 MX$327

$5.81 ₼9.87

221.34%

Cinema Ticket

$4.97 MX$87.0

$4.63 ₼7.87

7.34%

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

$198 MX$3,462

$148 ₼252

33.54%

International Primary School, 1 Child (Yearly)

$5,273 MX$92.3K

$6,411 ₼10.9K

-17.76%

Jeans (Levis 501 Or Similar)

$36.34 MX$636

$58.8 ₼99.9

-38.17%

Summer Dress (H&M, Zara, etc)

$40.05 MX$701

$53.7 ₼91.3

-25.42%

Sport Shoes (Adidas, Nike)

$79.9 MX$1,398

$122 ₼207

-34.41%

Men's Leather Business Shoes

$88.9 MX$1,555

$98.0 ₼167

-9.32%

1-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)

$963 MX$16.9K

1-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)

$465 MX$8,133

3-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)

$1,596 MX$27.9K

3-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)

$1,209 MX$21.2K

Buy Apartment in City Center (m2)

$3,942 MX$69.0K

Buy Apartment Outside City Center (m2)

$6,448 MX$112.8K

Average Monthly Net Salary (After Tax)

$720 MX$12.6K

$293 ₼499

145.62%

20-Year Fixed Mortgage Interest Rate (Annual %)

11.42

8.87

28.75%

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 Lankaran: April 26, 2026

Cost Breakdown

Salaries run about 146% 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 $43.00 in Playa del Carmen versus $35.00 in Lankaran. Monthly groceries follow the same trend: $251 vs $108 – making Lankaran 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 Lankaran: Cost of Living - Frequently Asked Questions

Monthly costs with rent: $1,287 in Playa del Carmen, $520 in Lankaran – roughly 148% apart. Playa del Carmen costs more across the board, with Groceries & Markets showing the biggest gap.

For a comfortable life, plan on about $1,930 per month in Playa del Carmen and $780 in Lankaran. That covers rent, food, utilities, transport, and enough left over to feel settled – not just surviving.

Monthly expenses with rent come to $1,287 in Playa del Carmen and $520 in Lankaran. The difference isn't just one category – it shows up across housing, food, transport, and services.

Kindergarten costs $198 per month in Playa del Carmen and $148 in Lankaran. For families with young kids, this one expense can tip the scales when choosing between the two cities.

A $2,000 monthly budget goes further in Lankaran, where all-in costs run around $520, than in Playa del Carmen at $1,287. In Lankaran it covers expenses comfortably, while in Playa del Carmen it requires careful planning or may not stretch far enough.

It depends on your priorities. Playa del Carmen has an edge in some lifestyle areas, with costs from $520 in Lankaran to $1,287 in Playa del Carmen. Climate, culture, job market, and personal taste all factor in.

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 Lankaran. 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.