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

Monthly Cost of Living

A single person spends $1,266 per month in Playa del Carmen vs $1,028 in Murmansk, rent included.

A couple spends around $2,279 per month in Playa del Carmen vs $1,625 in Murmansk, rent included.

A family of three spends $3,292 per month in Playa del Carmen vs $2,222 in Murmansk, rent included.

Playa del Carmen costs about 23% more than Murmansk, driven mainly by Groceries & Markets.

Both Playa del Carmen and Murmansk are more affordable than the global median – Playa del Carmen 7% lower, Murmansk 25% lower.

Meal at Budget Restaurant

$11.60 MX$200

$10.77 ₽906

7.71%

Three-Course Dinner for Two, Mid-Range

$47.11 MX$811

$35.19 ₽2,961

33.87%

Fast Food Meal (McDonalds, etc)

$11.88 MX$205

$6.05 ₽509

96.36%

Cappuccino

$3.98 MX$68.5

$2.72 ₽229

46.32%

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

$1.43 MX$24.57

$1.10 ₽92.4

30.00%

Water (0.33 liter bottle)

$0.82 MX$14.20

$0.60 ₽50.8

36.67%

Local Beer (0.5 liter draught)

$3.19 MX$54.9

$1.88 ₽158

69.68%

Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$6.79 MX$117

$3.12 ₽262

117.63%

Milk (1 liter)

$1.68 MX$28.85

$1.16 ₽97.2

44.83%

White Bread (500g)

$2.20 MX$37.83

$0.73 ₽61.6

201.37%

Rice (white) (1kg)

$1.71 MX$29.41

$1.35 ₽114

26.67%

Eggs

$2.74 MX$47.20

$1.47 ₽123

86.39%

Local Cheese (1kg)

$9.58 MX$165

$10.88 ₽915

-11.95%

Chicken Fillets (1kg)

$9.01 MX$155

$5.04 ₽424

78.77%

Beef Round Steak (1kg)

$12.81 MX$221

$12.02 ₽1,011

6.57%

Apples (1kg)

$2.89 MX$49.74

$1.57 ₽132

84.08%

Banana (1kg)

$1.50 MX$25.78

$1.94 ₽163

-22.68%

Oranges (1kg)

$2.15 MX$36.98

$1.82 ₽153

18.13%

Tomato (1kg)

$2.26 MX$38.91

$2.42 ₽204

-6.61%

Potato (1kg)

$1.98 MX$34.10

$0.81 ₽68.1

144.44%

Onion (1kg)

$1.99 MX$34.26

$0.51 ₽42.88

290.20%

Lettuce (1 head)

$1.23 MX$21.25

$1.41 ₽119

-12.77%

Water (1.5 liter bottle)

$1.20 MX$20.60

$0.66 ₽55.4

81.82%

Cigarettes 20 Pack (Marlboro, Camel)

$4.55 MX$78.3

$2.70 ₽227

68.52%

Wine (Bottle)

$10.37 MX$179

$6.68 ₽562

55.24%

Local Beer (0.5 liter bottle)

$1.62 MX$27.88

$0.98 ₽82.5

65.31%

Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$2.88 MX$49.60

$2.24 ₽188

28.57%

One-way Ticket (Public Transport)

$0.60 MX$10.34

$0.54 ₽45.19

11.11%

Public Transport Monthly Pass (Regular Price)

$28.80 MX$496

$30.70 ₽2,583

-6.19%

Taxi Start (Normal Tariff)

$5.39 MX$92.8

$2.29 ₽193

135.37%

Taxi (Normal Tariff) (1km)

$3.73 MX$64.2

$0.37 ₽31.02

908.11%

Taxi 1hour Waiting (Normal Tariff)

$5.77 MX$99.3

$6.05 ₽509

-4.63%

Gasoline (1 liter)

$1.54 MX$26.45

$0.81 ₽67.8

90.12%

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

$22.5K MX$388.3K

$34.7K ₽2.9M

-35.10%

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

$26.1K MX$448.7K

$32.5K ₽2.7M

-19.80%

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

$91.4 MX$1,573

$125 ₽10.5K

-26.84%

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

$25.20 MX$434

$6.57 ₽553

283.56%

Internet (50+ Mbps, Unlimited Data)

$31.24 MX$538

$8.84 ₽744

253.39%

Gym Membership (Monthly)

$67.2 MX$1,157

$30.81 ₽2,593

118.11%

Tennis Court (1 Hour on Weekend)

$29.11 MX$501

$26.09 ₽2,195

11.58%

Cinema Ticket

$4.86 MX$83.7

$6.29 ₽530

-22.73%

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

$224 MX$3,851

$289 ₽24.3K

-22.59%

International Primary School, 1 Child (Yearly)

$4,229 MX$72.8K

$6,465 ₽544.0K

-34.59%

Jeans (Levis 501 Or Similar)

$47.10 MX$811

$66.2 ₽5,570

-28.85%

Summer Dress (H&M, Zara, etc)

$44.29 MX$763

$49.89 ₽4,198

-11.22%

Sport Shoes (Adidas, Nike)

$80.1 MX$1,379

$119 ₽10.0K

-32.74%

Men's Leather Business Shoes

$92.7 MX$1,596

$105 ₽8,804

-11.45%

1-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)

$1,063 MX$18.3K

$429 ₽36.1K

147.78%

1-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)

$390 MX$6,719

$269 ₽22.7K

44.85%

3-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)

$2,149 MX$37.0K

$889 ₽74.8K

141.86%

3-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)

$1,272 MX$21.9K

$629 ₽52.9K

102.16%

Buy Apartment in City Center (m2)

$4,001 MX$68.9K

$2,259 ₽190.1K

77.11%

Buy Apartment Outside City Center (m2)

$6,502 MX$112.0K

$1,412 ₽118.8K

360.35%

Average Monthly Net Salary (After Tax)

$758 MX$13.1K

20-Year Fixed Mortgage Interest Rate (Annual %)

11.45

-45.48%

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

Last update for Playa del Carmen: September 12, 2026

Last update for Murmansk: September 15, 2026

Cost Breakdown

A central one-bedroom costs $1,063 in Playa del Carmen versus $429 in Murmansk. Rent is usually the largest line item in a monthly budget, so the gap here sets the tone for the overall comparison.

A mid-range dinner for two costs $47.00 in Playa del Carmen versus $35.00 in Murmansk. Monthly groceries follow the same trend: $276 vs $203 – making Murmansk 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 Murmansk: Cost of Living - Frequently Asked Questions

Monthly costs with rent: $1,266 in Playa del Carmen, $1,028 in Murmansk – roughly 23% apart. Playa del Carmen costs more across the board, with Groceries & Markets showing the biggest gap.

For a comfortable life, plan on about $1,899 per month in Playa del Carmen and $1,542 in Murmansk. That covers rent, food, utilities, transport, and enough left over to feel settled – not just surviving.

Rent is clearly cheaper in Murmansk, 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 $1,266 in Playa del Carmen and $1,028 in Murmansk. The difference isn't just one category – it shows up across housing, food, transport, and services.

Public transport costs about 7% less in Murmansk. For daily commuters, that gap adds up to noticeable savings over a year.

A $2,000 monthly budget goes further in Murmansk, where all-in costs run around $1,028, than in Playa del Carmen at $1,266. In Murmansk 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 $1,028 in Murmansk to $1,266 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 Murmansk. 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.