Last update: Oct 2026

Cost of Living Comparison Between Playa del Carmen and Lviv

For one person, living is cheaper in Lviv: $1,052 a month against $1,204 in Playa del Carmen, rent and utilities included – about $1,800 less a year. The total is higher in Playa del Carmen despite lower rent and utilities.

Playa del Carmen, Mexico
Lviv, Ukraine
Playa del Carmen
🇲🇽 Mexico
$1,204
/mo nomad
Lviv
🇺🇦 Ukraine
$1,052
/mo nomad
Monthly Cost of Living

How much you'll spend in Playa del Carmen and in Lviv

Real prices from locals and on-the-ground checks – rent, groceries, transit and the daily extras. Here's what a month in Playa del Carmen and in Lviv actually costs, broken down by who's living it.

Monthly costs for one person with rent: $1,204 in Playa del Carmen versus $1,052 in Lviv.

  • Playa del Carmen $1,204
  • Lviv $1,052

Estimated couple costs with rent: $2,082 in Playa del Carmen versus $1,596 in Lviv.

  • Playa del Carmen $2,082
  • Lviv $1,596

Monthly costs for a family of three with rent: $2,959 in Playa del Carmen versus $2,140 in Lviv.

  • Playa del Carmen $2,959
  • Lviv $2,140

Living in Playa del Carmen is roughly 14% more expensive than in Lviv, and outside of rent the biggest gap is in eating out.

Both cities sit below the global median: Playa del Carmen 12% lower, Lviv 23% lower.

Currency
🍽 Eating Out
Playa del Carmen
Lviv
Difference
Meal at Budget Restaurant
$10.92 MX$205
$6.70 ₴305
62.99%
Three-Course Dinner for Two, Mid-Range
$43.37 MX$815
$35.52 ₴1,617
22.10%
Fast Food Meal (McDonalds, etc)
$11.78 MX$221
$6.49 ₴296
81.51%
Cappuccino
$3.81 MX$71.6
$2.23 ₴102
70.85%
Coke/Pepsi/Fanta/Sprite (0.33 liter bottle)
$1.28 MX$24.10
$1.37 ₴62.3
-6.57%
Water (0.33 liter bottle)
$0.78 MX$14.71
$1.33 ₴60.6
-41.35%
Local Beer (0.5 liter draught)
$3.17 MX$59.5
$2.36 ₴107
34.32%
Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)
$4.93 MX$92.7
$2.98 ₴136
65.44%
🛒 Groceries & Markets
Playa del Carmen
Lviv
Difference
Milk (1 liter)
$1.41 MX$26.43
$1.22 ₴55.6
15.57%
White Bread (500g)
$2.22 MX$41.66
$0.87 ₴39.60
155.17%
Rice (white) (1kg)
$1.42 MX$26.64
$1.72 ₴78.2
-17.44%
Eggs
$2.52 MX$47.41
$2.09 ₴95.0
20.57%
Local Cheese (1kg)
$7.26 MX$137
$8.97 ₴408
-19.06%
Chicken Fillets (1kg)
$7.70 MX$145
$4.74 ₴216
62.45%
Beef Round Steak (1kg)
$12.69 MX$239
$7.48 ₴341
69.65%
Apples (1kg)
$2.78 MX$52.3
$1.32 ₴60.3
110.61%
Banana (1kg)
$1.37 MX$25.71
$1.59 ₴72.4
-13.84%
Oranges (1kg)
$2.55 MX$47.94
$1.70 ₴77.2
50.00%
Tomato (1kg)
$2.12 MX$39.90
$2.48 ₴113
-14.52%
Potato (1kg)
$1.94 MX$36.43
$0.81 ₴36.73
139.51%
Onion (1kg)
$1.89 MX$35.44
$0.53 ₴24.00
256.60%
Lettuce (1 head)
$1.15 MX$21.55
$1.52 ₴69.1
-24.34%
Water (1.5 liter bottle)
$1.18 MX$22.16
$0.56 ₴25.68
110.71%
Cigarettes 20 Pack (Marlboro, Camel)
$4.30 MX$80.7
$3.15 ₴143
36.51%
Wine (Bottle)
$9.95 MX$187
$6.63 ₴302
50.08%
Local Beer (0.5 liter bottle)
$1.58 MX$29.76
$0.91 ₴41.21
73.63%
Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)
$2.67 MX$50.2
$1.61 ₴73.1
65.84%
🚌 Getting Around
Playa del Carmen
Lviv
Difference
One-way Ticket (Public Transport)
$0.55 MX$10.40
$0.53 ₴24.20
3.77%
Public Transport Monthly Pass (Regular Price)
$26.62 MX$500
$19.67 ₴895
35.33%
Taxi Start (Normal Tariff)
$4.97 MX$93.4
$2.86 ₴130
73.78%
Taxi (Normal Tariff) (1km)
$3.33 MX$62.6
$0.32 ₴14.37
940.63%
Taxi 1hour Waiting (Normal Tariff)
$5.36 MX$101
$4.10 ₴186
30.73%
Gasoline (1 liter)
$1.44 MX$27.14
$1.73 ₴78.9
-16.76%
Midsize Hatchback 1.4l (Volkswagen Golf, Toyota Prius, Honda Civic, etc)
$20.7K MX$388.4K
$31.0K ₴1.4M
-33.33%
Compact Sedan 1.6l (Toyota Corolla, Mazda3, Kia K4, Hyundai Elantra, etc)
$23.5K MX$441.0K
$24.3K ₴1.1M
-3.44%
🧾 Monthly Utilities & Internet
Playa del Carmen
Lviv
Difference
Utilities for 2 People in 2-bedroom Apartment (Heating, Electricity, Gas, Water, Garbage) (85m2)
$84.8 MX$1,594
$84.4 ₴3,843
0.45%
SIM Card Monthly Plan (Calls and 10GB+ Data)
$23.41 MX$440
$5.95 ₴271
293.45%
Internet (50+ Mbps, Unlimited Data)
$28.66 MX$539
$7.46 ₴339
284.18%
🎉 Sport & Entertainment
Playa del Carmen
Lviv
Difference
Gym Membership (Monthly)
$57.1 MX$1,072
$29.30 ₴1,334
94.71%
Tennis Court (1 Hour on Weekend)
$28.91 MX$543
$13.91 ₴634
107.84%
Cinema Ticket
$5.14 MX$96.6
$4.92 ₴224
4.47%
🧸 Childcare & Education
Playa del Carmen
Lviv
Difference
Preschool or Kindergarten, Full Day, Private, 1 Child (Monthly)
$207 MX$3,882
$334 ₴15.2K
-38.25%
International Primary School, 1 Child (Yearly)
$3,927 MX$73.8K
$7,023 ₴319.7K
-44.08%
👕👟 Clothing & Footwear
Playa del Carmen
Lviv
Difference
Jeans (Levis 501 Or Similar)
$43.35 MX$815
$86.5 ₴3,937
-49.86%
Summer Dress (H&M, Zara, etc)
$41.44 MX$779
$42.20 ₴1,921
-1.80%
Sport Shoes (Adidas, Nike)
$74.2 MX$1,394
$94.5 ₴4,301
-21.45%
Men's Leather Business Shoes
$89.3 MX$1,677
$97.9 ₴4,458
-8.84%
🏠 Accommodation & Living
Playa del Carmen
Lviv
Difference
1-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)
$980 MX$18.4K
$590 ₴26.9K
66.04%
1-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)
$381 MX$7,157
$435 ₴19.8K
-12.36%
3-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)
$1,708 MX$32.1K
$1,088 ₴49.6K
56.92%
3-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)
$1,075 MX$20.2K
$718 ₴32.7K
49.69%
Buy Apartment in City Center (m2)
$3,943 MX$74.1K
$2,025 ₴92.2K
94.72%
Buy Apartment Outside City Center (m2)
$6,158 MX$115.7K
$1,295 ₴58.9K
375.60%
💵 Salaries & Financials
Playa del Carmen
Lviv
Difference
Average Monthly Net Salary (After Tax)
$735 MX$13.8K
$636 ₴29.0K
15.46%
20-Year Fixed Mortgage Interest Rate (Annual %)
11.45
14.67
-21.95%

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

Last update for Playa del Carmen: October 25, 2026

Last update for Lviv: October 25, 2026

Monthly budget structure
Share of the monthly basket for one person, rent included.
Accommodation & Living
Playa del Carmen
$381
Lviv
$435 14.1% $54
Groceries & Markets
Playa del Carmen
$255
Lviv
$182 28.6% $73
Eating Out
Playa del Carmen
$202
Lviv
$128 36.5% $74
Monthly Utilities & Internet
Playa del Carmen
$137
Lviv
$98 28.5% $39
Clothing & Footwear
Playa del Carmen
$112
Lviv
$144 29.3% $33
Sport & Entertainment
Playa del Carmen
$67
Lviv
$39 41.9% $28
Getting Around
Playa del Carmen
$50
Lviv
$26 48% $24

Cost Breakdown

A one-bedroom apartment in the center runs $980 in Playa del Carmen and $590 in Lviv. Housing cost is often the main lever when comparing two cities.

Playa del Carmen pays 15% more on average. How far that income stretches comes down to housing choices and lifestyle.

Dining out: $43 in Playa del Carmen vs $36 in Lviv for a mid-range dinner for two. Groceries echo the gap at $255 vs $182 per month, with Lviv cheaper across the board.

Good to know
🇲🇽 Playa del Carmen
🇺🇦 Lviv
🕒 Local time
00:26 12:26 AM
07:26 7:26 AM
7 h ahead of Playa del Carmen
🌤 Weather
👥 Population
149,923
728,350
💱 Currency
Exchange rates and currency converter

UAH, USD, EUR to MXN – Mexican Peso Converter

Mexican Peso exchange rates as of November 2, 2026: 1 USD = 18.79 MXN (100 MXN = 5.32 USD). 1 EUR = 20.98 MXN (100 MXN = 4.77 EUR).

Ukrainian Hryvnia exchange rates as of November 2, 2026: 1 USD = 45.53 UAH (100 UAH = 2.2 USD). 1 EUR = 50.84 UAH (100 UAH = 1.97 EUR).

On the map
Between locations
  • Playa del Carmen Lviv 9,680 km ≈ 13 h nonstop flight
From you
  • Playa del Carmen
  • Lviv

Distances are measured in a straight line. Your location is detected approximately.

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 Lviv: Cost of Living - Frequently Asked Questions
What is the total cost difference between living in Playa del Carmen and in Lviv?
Total monthly costs including rent come to $1,204 in Playa del Carmen and $1,052 in Lviv, so Lviv is about 13% cheaper – a gap that matters a lot on a fixed or modest income.
Which city pays better: Playa del Carmen or Lviv?
Average pay runs 15% higher in Playa del Carmen, which matters when comparing affordability. Whether that higher income actually nets you more depends on your spending habits and housing choices.
How do apartment prices compare in Playa del Carmen and in Lviv?
Rent for a central apartment: $980 in Playa del Carmen versus $590 in Lviv. Housing is usually the single largest factor when comparing overall living costs between the two.
What is the difference in childcare costs between Playa del Carmen and Lviv?
Childcare runs $207 in Playa del Carmen versus $334 in Lviv. Over years of preschool, even a modest monthly gap compounds into a major financial factor for families.
Which city has cheaper grocery shopping?
Supermarket bills run roughly 40% higher in Playa del Carmen. For households that cook at home regularly, that difference adds up over a month.
How far does $2,000 go in Playa del Carmen compared to Lviv?
Either city works on $2,000 a month, though Lviv gives you more room to save. At this income level, the choice is more about lifestyle than financial pressure.
How does quality of life compare between Playa del Carmen and Lviv?
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.
Where should expats move: Playa del Carmen or Lviv?
Expats usually find Lviv gentler on the wallet – expenses run 13% less than in Playa del Carmen. Beyond cost, consider language, visa policies, and how big the international community is in each city.

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