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 $1,262 per month in Playa del Carmen vs $966 in Makhachkala, rent included.

A couple spends around $2,158 per month in Playa del Carmen vs $1,476 in Makhachkala, rent included.

A family of three spends $3,054 per month in Playa del Carmen vs $1,987 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

$11.61 MX$201

$15.62 ₽1,188

-25.67%

Three-Course Dinner for Two, Mid-Range

$42.75 MX$742

$38.69 ₽2,943

10.49%

Fast Food Meal (McDonalds, etc)

$10.60 MX$184

$5.19 ₽395

104.24%

Cappuccino

$3.59 MX$62.3

$3.24 ₽246

10.80%

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

$1.45 MX$25.21

$0.84 ₽63.6

72.62%

Water (0.33 liter bottle)

$0.90 MX$15.58

$0.35 ₽26.81

157.14%

Local Beer (0.5 liter draught)

$3.03 MX$52.6

$1.37 ₽104

121.17%

Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$4.56 MX$79.2

$2.57 ₽195

77.43%

Milk (1 liter)

$1.45 MX$25.20

$1.51 ₽115

-3.97%

White Bread (500g)

$1.83 MX$31.72

$0.65 ₽49.55

181.54%

Rice (white) (1kg)

$1.61 MX$27.92

$1.38 ₽105

16.67%

Eggs

$2.54 MX$44.05

$1.38 ₽105

84.06%

Local Cheese (1kg)

$8.54 MX$148

$2.99 ₽227

185.62%

Chicken Fillets (1kg)

$8.47 MX$147

$4.81 ₽366

76.09%

Beef Round Steak (1kg)

$10.86 MX$189

$5.05 ₽384

115.05%

Apples (1kg)

$2.73 MX$47.37

$1.82 ₽138

50.00%

Banana (1kg)

$1.49 MX$25.91

$1.77 ₽134

-15.82%

Oranges (1kg)

$1.94 MX$33.73

$2.80 ₽213

-30.71%

Tomato (1kg)

$2.16 MX$37.57

$1.91 ₽145

13.09%

Potato (1kg)

$1.85 MX$32.05

$0.82 ₽62.2

125.61%

Onion (1kg)

$2.19 MX$38.00

$0.49 ₽36.98

346.94%

Lettuce (1 head)

$1.07 MX$18.62

$2.48 ₽189

-56.85%

Water (1.5 liter bottle)

$1.08 MX$18.81

$0.60 ₽45.39

80.00%

Cigarettes 20 Pack (Marlboro, Camel)

$4.06 MX$70.5

$3.23 ₽245

25.70%

Wine (Bottle)

$10.46 MX$182

$8.61 ₽655

21.49%

Local Beer (0.5 liter bottle)

$1.65 MX$28.71

$1.00 ₽76.3

65.00%

Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$2.55 MX$44.23

$1.86 ₽142

37.10%

One-way Ticket (Public Transport)

$0.56 MX$9.65

$0.42 ₽32.02

33.33%

Public Transport Monthly Pass (Regular Price)

$26.20 MX$455

Taxi Start (Normal Tariff)

$3.14 MX$54.5

$2.23 ₽170

40.81%

Taxi (Normal Tariff) (1km)

$2.37 MX$41.17

$0.22 ₽16.69

977.27%

Taxi 1hour Waiting (Normal Tariff)

$3.24 MX$56.2

$6.50 ₽494

-50.15%

Gasoline (1 liter)

$1.31 MX$22.81

$0.71 ₽53.9

84.51%

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

$30.5K MX$530.2K

$35.5K ₽2.7M

-13.95%

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

$23.8K MX$413.6K

$30.0K ₽2.3M

-20.51%

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

$83.1 MX$1,443

$54.3 ₽4,130

53.11%

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

$22.15 MX$385

$6.32 ₽481

250.47%

Internet (50+ Mbps, Unlimited Data)

$29.37 MX$510

$9.94 ₽756

195.47%

Gym Membership (Monthly)

$51.2 MX$889

$47.60 ₽3,620

7.54%

Tennis Court (1 Hour on Weekend)

$18.69 MX$324

Cinema Ticket

$4.89 MX$84.9

$5.02 ₽382

-2.59%

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

$199 MX$3,449

$169 ₽12.9K

17.31%

International Primary School, 1 Child (Yearly)

$5,207 MX$90.4K

$6,894 ₽524.3K

-24.47%

Jeans (Levis 501 Or Similar)

$35.93 MX$624

$103 ₽7,818

-65.05%

Summer Dress (H&M, Zara, etc)

$39.39 MX$684

$44.15 ₽3,358

-10.78%

Sport Shoes (Adidas, Nike)

$80.3 MX$1,394

$104 ₽7,877

-22.48%

Men's Leather Business Shoes

$87.6 MX$1,520

$145 ₽11.1K

-39.79%

1-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)

$963 MX$16.7K

$498 ₽37.9K

93.28%

1-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)

$482 MX$8,370

$304 ₽23.1K

58.43%

3-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)

$1,645 MX$28.6K

$700 ₽53.2K

135.05%

3-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)

$1,192 MX$20.7K

$411 ₽31.3K

189.84%

Buy Apartment in City Center (m2)

$3,957 MX$68.7K

$1,683 ₽128.0K

135.14%

Buy Apartment Outside City Center (m2)

$6,513 MX$113.1K

$1,217 ₽92.6K

435.20%

Average Monthly Net Salary (After Tax)

$726 MX$12.6K

$621 ₽47.3K

16.88%

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: April 12, 2026

Last update for Makhachkala: April 12, 2026

Cost Breakdown

A central one-bedroom costs $963 in Playa del Carmen versus $498 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 17% 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 in Playa del Carmen versus $39 in Makhachkala. Monthly groceries follow the same trend: $253 vs $168 – 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 $1,894 per month in Playa del Carmen and $1,448 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 $1,262 in Playa del Carmen and $966 in Makhachkala. The difference isn't just one category – it shows up across housing, food, transport, and services.

Kindergarten costs $199 per month in Playa del Carmen and $169 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 $966, than in Playa del Carmen at $1,262. 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.