😐Monthly costs for one person with rent: $1,287 in Playa del Carmen versus $1,216 in Lyubertsy.
😐Estimated couple costs with rent: $2,184 in Playa del Carmen versus $1,845 in Lyubertsy.
😐Monthly costs for a family of three with rent: $3,082 in Playa del Carmen versus $2,474 in Lyubertsy.
😐Living in Playa del Carmen is roughly 6% more expensive than Lyubertsy, driven mainly by Clothing & Footwear.
📊Both cities sit below the global median: Playa del Carmen4% lower, Lyubertsy9% lower.
Currency
🍽 Eating Out
Playa del Carmen
Lyubertsy
Difference
Meal at Budget Restaurant
$11.94MX$208
$12.94₽972
-7.73%
Three-Course Dinner for Two, Mid-Range
$42.75MX$744
$41.06₽3,085
4.12%
Fast Food Meal(McDonalds, etc)
$10.59MX$184
$6.18₽464
71.36%
Cappuccino
$3.62MX$63.0
$2.51₽188
44.22%
Coke/Pepsi/Fanta/Sprite(0.33 liter bottle)
$1.47MX$25.54
$0.74₽55.5
98.65%
Water(0.33 liter bottle)
$0.94MX$16.41
$0.29₽21.60
224.14%
Local Beer(0.5 liter draught)
$3.09MX$53.8
$1.43₽108
116.08%
Imported Beer(0.33 liter bottle)
$4.46MX$77.6
$2.22₽167
100.90%
🛒 Groceries & Markets
Playa del Carmen
Lyubertsy
Difference
Milk(1 liter)
$1.43MX$24.80
$1.34₽101
6.72%
White Bread(500g)
$1.88MX$32.79
$0.82₽61.8
129.27%
Rice(white)(1kg)
$1.63MX$28.34
$1.71₽128
-4.68%
Eggs
$2.64MX$45.99
$1.85₽139
42.70%
Local Cheese(1kg)
$8.21MX$143
$13.15₽988
-37.57%
Chicken Fillets(1kg)
$8.29MX$144
$6.01₽452
37.94%
Beef Round Steak(1kg)
$11.10MX$193
$12.34₽927
-10.05%
Apples(1kg)
$2.65MX$46.14
$1.88₽141
40.96%
Banana(1kg)
$1.50MX$26.11
$2.03₽153
-26.11%
Oranges(1kg)
$1.99MX$34.59
$2.36₽177
-15.68%
Tomato(1kg)
$2.08MX$36.13
$3.97₽299
-47.61%
Potato(1kg)
$1.79MX$31.11
$0.98₽73.8
82.65%
Onion(1kg)
$2.18MX$37.87
$0.78₽58.9
179.49%
Lettuce(1 head)
$1.08MX$18.73
$1.62₽122
-33.33%
Water(1.5 liter bottle)
$1.04MX$18.04
$0.79₽59.7
31.65%
Cigarettes 20 Pack(Marlboro, Camel)
$3.97MX$69.1
$3.15₽237
26.03%
Wine(Bottle)
$10.20MX$178
$5.41₽406
88.54%
Local Beer(0.5 liter bottle)
$1.73MX$30.04
$1.13₽84.6
53.10%
Imported Beer(0.33 liter bottle)
$2.50MX$43.46
$2.44₽183
2.46%
🚌 Getting Around
Playa del Carmen
Lyubertsy
Difference
One-way Ticket(Public Transport)
$0.52MX$9.02
$0.60₽44.77
-13.33%
Public Transport Monthly Pass(Regular Price)
$26.97MX$469
$16.62₽1,249
62.27%
Taxi Start(Normal Tariff)
$3.14MX$54.7
$2.56₽193
22.66%
Taxi(Normal Tariff)(1km)
$2.40MX$41.80
$0.48₽35.90
400.00%
Taxi 1hour Waiting(Normal Tariff)
$3.09MX$53.7
$8.15₽612
-62.09%
Gasoline(1 liter)
$1.27MX$22.16
$0.81₽60.9
56.79%
Midsize Hatchback 1.4l(Volkswagen Golf, Toyota Prius, Honda Civic, etc)
$30.9KMX$537.3K
$38.6K₽2.9M
-19.90%
Compact Sedan 1.6l(Toyota Corolla, Mazda3, Kia K4, Hyundai Elantra, etc)
$23.3KMX$405.7K
$36.4K₽2.7M
-36.00%
🧾 Monthly Utilities & Internet
Playa del Carmen
Lyubertsy
Difference
Utilities for 2 People in 2-bedroom Apartment(Heating, Electricity, Gas, Water, Garbage)(85m2)
$82.0MX$1,427
$153₽11.5K
-46.36%
SIM Card Monthly Plan(Calls and 10GB+ Data)
$22.45MX$391
$7.34₽551
205.86%
Internet(50+ Mbps, Unlimited Data)
$29.66MX$516
$7.98₽599
271.68%
🎉 Sport & Entertainment
Playa del Carmen
Lyubertsy
Difference
Gym Membership(Monthly)
$51.9MX$903
$31.69₽2,381
63.68%
Tennis Court(1 Hour on Weekend)
$18.67MX$325
$24.91₽1,872
-25.05%
Cinema Ticket
$4.97MX$86.5
$5.82₽437
-14.60%
🧸 Childcare & Education
Playa del Carmen
Lyubertsy
Difference
Preschool or Kindergarten, Full Day, Private, 1 Child(Monthly)
$198MX$3,442
$699₽52.5K
-71.71%
International Primary School, 1 Child(Yearly)
$5,273MX$91.7K
$14.2K₽1.1M
-62.75%
👕👟 Clothing & Footwear
Playa del Carmen
Lyubertsy
Difference
Jeans(Levis 501 Or Similar)
$36.34MX$632
$86.2₽6,475
-57.83%
Summer Dress(H&M, Zara, etc)
$40.05MX$697
$51.7₽3,883
-22.52%
Sport Shoes(Adidas, Nike)
$79.9MX$1,390
$132₽9,890
-39.31%
Men's Leather Business Shoes
$88.9MX$1,547
$159₽11.9K
-43.96%
🏠 Accommodation & Living
Playa del Carmen
Lyubertsy
Difference
1-bedroom Apartment, City Center(Monthly)
$963MX$16.8K
$500₽37.6K
92.62%
1-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center(Monthly)
$465MX$8,086
$398₽29.9K
16.78%
3-bedroom Apartment, City Center(Monthly)
$1,596MX$27.8K
$752₽56.5K
112.40%
3-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center(Monthly)
$1,209MX$21.0K
$641₽48.1K
88.70%
Buy Apartment in City Center(m2)
$3,942MX$68.6K
$1,962₽147.4K
100.92%
Buy Apartment Outside City Center(m2)
$6,448MX$112.2K
$1,742₽130.9K
270.06%
💵 Salaries & Financials
Playa del Carmen
Lyubertsy
Difference
Average Monthly Net Salary(After Tax)
$720MX$12.5K
$655₽49.2K
10.00%
20-Year Fixed Mortgage Interest Rate(Annual %)
11.42
13.5
-15.41%
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 Lyubertsy: April 26, 2026
Cost Breakdown
🏠A one-bedroom apartment in the center runs $963 in Playa del Carmen and $500 in Lyubertsy. Housing cost is often the main lever when comparing two cities.
💰Playa del Carmen pays 10% more on average. The extra income cushions the higher costs, though housing choices and lifestyle decide how much of the gap is truly closed.
🛒Dining out: $43.00 in Playa del Carmen vs $41.00 in Lyubertsy for a mid-range dinner for two. Groceries echo the gap at $251 vs $235 per month, with Lyubertsy cheaper across the board.
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 Lyubertsy: Cost of Living - Frequently Asked Questions
What is the total cost difference between living in Playa del Carmen and Lyubertsy?
Playa del Carmen and Lyubertsy differ by about 6% in total monthly costs ($1,287 vs $1,216 including rent). Lyubertsy is meaningfully more affordable – a gap that matters a lot on a fixed or modest income.
Which city pays better: Playa del Carmen or Lyubertsy?
Playa del Carmen pays 10% more on average, 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 Lyubertsy?
Rent for a central apartment: $963 in Playa del Carmen versus $500 in Lyubertsy. Housing is usually the single largest factor when comparing overall living costs between the two.
Which city has cheaper grocery shopping?
Supermarket bills run roughly 7% higher in Playa del Carmen. For households that cook at home regularly, that difference adds up over a month.
Which city has cheaper restaurants?
Dining out is cheaper in Lyubertsy – a meal for two runs $41.00 versus $43.00 in Playa del Carmen. If you eat out regularly, this makes a real dent in your monthly spending.
Which city is more doable on $2,000 per month?
At $1,216 in Lyubertsy versus $1,287 in Playa del Carmen, a $2,000 budget is realistic in Lyubertsy but tight or insufficient in Playa del Carmen. The gap between the two cities makes Lyubertsy the clear choice for anyone on this budget.
How does quality of life compare between Playa del Carmen and Lyubertsy?
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 Lyubertsy?
Expats usually find Lyubertsy gentler on the wallet – expenses run 6% less than in Playa del Carmen. Beyond cost, consider language, visa policies, and how big the international community is in each city.
Playa del Carmen vs other spots: cost of living compared