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

Monthly Cost of Living

A single person spends $1,256 per month in Playa del Carmen vs $958 in Makhachkala, rent included.

A couple spends around $2,137 per month in Playa del Carmen vs $1,485 in Makhachkala, rent included.

A family of three spends $3,017 per month in Playa del Carmen vs $2,011 in Makhachkala, rent included.

Playa del Carmen costs about 31% more than Makhachkala, driven mainly by Groceries & Markets.

Both Playa del Carmen and Makhachkala are more affordable than the global median – Playa del Carmen 6% lower, Makhachkala 28% lower.

Meal at Budget Restaurant

$11.99 MX$209

$15.57 ₽1,223

-22.99%

Three-Course Dinner for Two, Mid-Range

$41.78 MX$728

$39.54 ₽3,107

5.67%

Fast Food Meal (McDonalds, etc)

$10.75 MX$187

$5.20 ₽409

106.73%

Cappuccino

$3.50 MX$60.9

$3.30 ₽259

6.06%

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

$1.45 MX$25.22

$0.80 ₽62.6

81.25%

Water (0.33 liter bottle)

$0.88 MX$15.41

$0.35 ₽27.76

151.43%

Local Beer (0.5 liter draught)

$2.95 MX$51.3

$1.42 ₽112

107.75%

Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$4.51 MX$78.6

$2.50 ₽196

80.40%

Milk (1 liter)

$1.43 MX$24.94

$1.50 ₽118

-4.67%

White Bread (500g)

$1.84 MX$31.99

$0.65 ₽51.2

183.08%

Rice (white) (1kg)

$1.57 MX$27.31

$1.43 ₽112

9.79%

Eggs

$2.51 MX$43.74

$1.37 ₽108

83.21%

Local Cheese (1kg)

$8.28 MX$144

$3.09 ₽243

167.96%

Chicken Fillets (1kg)

$8.43 MX$147

$4.73 ₽372

78.22%

Beef Round Steak (1kg)

$10.68 MX$186

$5.00 ₽393

113.60%

Apples (1kg)

$2.61 MX$45.43

$1.81 ₽142

44.20%

Banana (1kg)

$1.44 MX$25.04

$1.68 ₽132

-14.29%

Oranges (1kg)

$1.96 MX$34.16

$2.75 ₽216

-28.73%

Tomato (1kg)

$2.09 MX$36.47

$1.82 ₽143

14.84%

Potato (1kg)

$1.85 MX$32.24

$0.83 ₽65.2

122.89%

Onion (1kg)

$2.17 MX$37.74

$0.45 ₽35.16

382.22%

Lettuce (1 head)

$1.03 MX$17.96

$2.43 ₽191

-57.61%

Water (1.5 liter bottle)

$1.07 MX$18.70

$0.58 ₽45.63

84.48%

Cigarettes 20 Pack (Marlboro, Camel)

$4.10 MX$71.4

$3.14 ₽247

30.57%

Wine (Bottle)

$10.17 MX$177

$3.82 ₽300

166.23%

Local Beer (0.5 liter bottle)

$1.68 MX$29.17

$1.04 ₽81.4

61.54%

Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$2.53 MX$43.98

$1.95 ₽153

29.74%

One-way Ticket (Public Transport)

$0.51 MX$8.87

$0.40 ₽31.36

27.50%

Public Transport Monthly Pass (Regular Price)

$26.04 MX$453

Taxi Start (Normal Tariff)

$3.23 MX$56.3

$2.24 ₽176

44.20%

Taxi (Normal Tariff) (1km)

$2.41 MX$41.88

$0.18 ₽14.02

1238.89%

Taxi 1hour Waiting (Normal Tariff)

$3.23 MX$56.2

$6.51 ₽511

-50.38%

Gasoline (1 liter)

$1.32 MX$23.00

$0.71 ₽55.8

85.92%

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

$29.7K MX$517.1K

$36.0K ₽2.8M

-17.62%

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

$23.7K MX$412.0K

$31.0K ₽2.4M

-23.56%

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

$82.0 MX$1,428

$54.2 ₽4,257

51.37%

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

$22.95 MX$400

$6.31 ₽496

263.71%

Internet (50+ Mbps, Unlimited Data)

$30.11 MX$524

$9.63 ₽757

212.67%

Gym Membership (Monthly)

$52.0 MX$905

$46.00 ₽3,613

12.98%

Tennis Court (1 Hour on Weekend)

$18.53 MX$323

Cinema Ticket

$4.98 MX$86.6

$5.09 ₽400

-2.16%

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

$197 MX$3,438

$164 ₽12.9K

20.14%

International Primary School, 1 Child (Yearly)

$5,336 MX$92.9K

$6,965 ₽547.2K

-23.39%

Jeans (Levis 501 Or Similar)

$35.60 MX$620

$104 ₽8,179

-65.81%

Summer Dress (H&M, Zara, etc)

$40.33 MX$702

$45.22 ₽3,552

-10.81%

Sport Shoes (Adidas, Nike)

$78.8 MX$1,371

$104 ₽8,209

-24.63%

Men's Leather Business Shoes

$88.9 MX$1,549

$144 ₽11.3K

-38.33%

1-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)

$947 MX$16.5K

$497 ₽39.0K

90.67%

1-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)

$474 MX$8,254

$298 ₽23.4K

59.27%

3-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)

$1,644 MX$28.6K

$720 ₽56.6K

128.22%

3-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)

$1,211 MX$21.1K

$402 ₽31.6K

201.10%

Buy Apartment in City Center (m2)

$4,056 MX$70.6K

$1,666 ₽130.9K

143.38%

Buy Apartment Outside City Center (m2)

$6,470 MX$112.7K

$1,210 ₽95.1K

434.49%

Average Monthly Net Salary (After Tax)

$654 MX$11.4K

$830 ₽65.2K

-21.20%

20-Year Fixed Mortgage Interest Rate (Annual %)

11.42

11.33

0.79%

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

Last update for Playa del Carmen: July 13, 2026

Last update for Makhachkala: July 14, 2026

Cost Breakdown

A central one-bedroom costs $947 in Playa del Carmen versus $497 in Makhachkala. 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 27% higher in Makhachkala, which reinforces the cost advantage – you earn more and spend less. Purchasing power leans clearly in its favor.

A mid-range dinner for two costs $42.00 in Playa del Carmen versus $40.00 in Makhachkala. Monthly groceries follow the same trend: $249 vs $157 – making Makhachkala 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 Makhachkala: Cost of Living - Frequently Asked Questions

Yes – Playa del Carmen is pricier by about 31%, and the gap shows up most in Groceries & Markets. It's not just housing either; the difference applies across most spending categories.

For a comfortable life, plan on about $1,884 per month in Playa del Carmen and $1,437 in Makhachkala. That covers rent, food, utilities, transport, and enough left over to feel settled – not just surviving.

Rent is clearly cheaper in Makhachkala, especially for central apartments. Housing is actually the single biggest factor behind the overall cost gap between these two cities.

Monthly expenses with rent come to $1,256 in Playa del Carmen and $958 in Makhachkala. The difference isn't just one category – it shows up across housing, food, transport, and services.

Kindergarten costs $197 per month in Playa del Carmen and $164 in Makhachkala. For families with young kids, this one expense can tip the scales when choosing between the two cities.

A $1,500 monthly budget goes further in Makhachkala, where all-in costs run around $958, than in Playa del Carmen at $1,256. In Makhachkala it covers expenses comfortably, while in Playa del Carmen it requires careful planning or may not stretch far enough.

Families tend to lean toward Makhachkala – lower housing and cheaper childcare make a real difference, especially on a single income or when paying for private education.

If budget matters most, go with Makhachkala. 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.