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

Monthly Cost of Living

Monthly costs for one person with rent: $1,256 in Playa del Carmen versus $800 in Novorossiysk.

Estimated couple costs with rent: $2,137 in Playa del Carmen versus $1,183 in Novorossiysk.

Monthly costs for a family of three with rent: $3,017 in Playa del Carmen versus $1,565 in Novorossiysk.

Living in Playa del Carmen is roughly 57% more expensive than in Novorossiysk, driven mainly by Eating Out.

Both cities sit below the global median: Playa del Carmen 6% lower, Novorossiysk 40% lower.

Meal at Budget Restaurant

$11.99 MX$209

$7.42 ₽583

61.59%

Three-Course Dinner for Two, Mid-Range

$41.78 MX$728

$19.17 ₽1,506

117.94%

Fast Food Meal (McDonalds, etc)

$10.75 MX$187

$4.96 ₽390

116.73%

Cappuccino

$3.50 MX$60.9

$2.48 ₽195

41.13%

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

$1.45 MX$25.22

$0.93 ₽73.4

55.91%

Water (0.33 liter bottle)

$0.88 MX$15.41

$0.37 ₽28.75

137.84%

Local Beer (0.5 liter draught)

$2.95 MX$51.3

$1.25 ₽98.6

136.00%

Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$4.51 MX$78.6

$1.24 ₽97.1

263.71%

Milk (1 liter)

$1.43 MX$24.94

$0.99 ₽77.5

44.44%

White Bread (500g)

$1.84 MX$31.99

$0.61 ₽48.16

201.64%

Rice (white) (1kg)

$1.57 MX$27.31

$1.43 ₽113

9.79%

Eggs

$2.51 MX$43.74

$1.44 ₽113

74.31%

Local Cheese (1kg)

$8.28 MX$144

$7.99 ₽628

3.63%

Chicken Fillets (1kg)

$8.43 MX$147

$4.79 ₽376

75.99%

Beef Round Steak (1kg)

$10.68 MX$186

$7.23 ₽568

47.72%

Apples (1kg)

$2.61 MX$45.43

$1.28 ₽101

103.91%

Banana (1kg)

$1.44 MX$25.04

$1.62 ₽128

-11.11%

Oranges (1kg)

$1.96 MX$34.16

$1.46 ₽115

34.25%

Tomato (1kg)

$2.09 MX$36.47

$1.98 ₽156

5.56%

Potato (1kg)

$1.85 MX$32.24

$0.73 ₽57.5

153.42%

Onion (1kg)

$2.17 MX$37.74

$0.53 ₽41.33

309.43%

Lettuce (1 head)

$1.03 MX$17.96

$1.06 ₽83.1

-2.83%

Water (1.5 liter bottle)

$1.07 MX$18.70

$0.53 ₽41.64

101.89%

Cigarettes 20 Pack (Marlboro, Camel)

$4.10 MX$71.4

$2.49 ₽196

64.66%

Wine (Bottle)

$10.17 MX$177

$6.68 ₽524

52.25%

Local Beer (0.5 liter bottle)

$1.68 MX$29.17

$0.93 ₽72.9

80.65%

Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$2.53 MX$43.98

$1.62 ₽127

56.17%

One-way Ticket (Public Transport)

$0.51 MX$8.87

$0.63 ₽49.19

-19.05%

Public Transport Monthly Pass (Regular Price)

$26.04 MX$453

$9.90 ₽778

163.03%

Taxi Start (Normal Tariff)

$3.23 MX$56.3

$1.88 ₽147

71.81%

Taxi (Normal Tariff) (1km)

$2.41 MX$41.88

$0.24 ₽18.92

904.17%

Taxi 1hour Waiting (Normal Tariff)

$3.23 MX$56.2

$6.44 ₽506

-49.84%

Gasoline (1 liter)

$1.32 MX$23.00

$0.76 ₽59.8

73.68%

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

$29.7K MX$517.1K

$19.9K ₽1.6M

49.01%

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

$23.7K MX$412.0K

$24.9K ₽2.0M

-4.95%

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

$82.0 MX$1,428

$96.8 ₽7,603

-15.26%

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

$22.95 MX$400

$5.60 ₽440

309.82%

Internet (50+ Mbps, Unlimited Data)

$30.11 MX$524

$7.77 ₽610

287.52%

Gym Membership (Monthly)

$52.0 MX$905

$37.73 ₽2,964

37.74%

Tennis Court (1 Hour on Weekend)

$18.53 MX$323

$15.43 ₽1,212

20.09%

Cinema Ticket

$4.98 MX$86.6

$5.01 ₽394

-0.60%

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

$197 MX$3,438

$292 ₽22.9K

-32.38%

International Primary School, 1 Child (Yearly)

$5,336 MX$92.9K

$4,880 ₽383.4K

9.35%

Jeans (Levis 501 Or Similar)

$35.60 MX$620

$35.00 ₽2,749

1.71%

Summer Dress (H&M, Zara, etc)

$40.33 MX$702

$44.02 ₽3,458

-8.38%

Sport Shoes (Adidas, Nike)

$78.8 MX$1,371

$57.9 ₽4,545

36.13%

Men's Leather Business Shoes

$88.9 MX$1,549

$74.8 ₽5,876

18.89%

1-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)

$947 MX$16.5K

$388 ₽30.5K

144.14%

1-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)

$474 MX$8,254

$250 ₽19.6K

89.73%

3-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)

$1,644 MX$28.6K

$772 ₽60.7K

112.91%

3-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)

$1,211 MX$21.1K

$385 ₽30.2K

214.64%

Buy Apartment in City Center (m2)

$4,056 MX$70.6K

$2,620 ₽205.8K

54.80%

Buy Apartment Outside City Center (m2)

$6,470 MX$112.7K

$1,989 ₽156.3K

225.20%

Average Monthly Net Salary (After Tax)

$654 MX$11.4K

$1,181 ₽92.8K

-44.65%

20-Year Fixed Mortgage Interest Rate (Annual %)

11.42

-12.15%

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 Novorossiysk: July 13, 2026

Cost Breakdown

A one-bedroom apartment in the center runs $947 in Playa del Carmen and $388 in Novorossiysk. Housing cost is often the main lever when comparing two cities.

Novorossiysk pays 81% more on average while also being the cheaper of the two. The combined effect is a noticeably stronger local purchasing power.

Dining out: $42.00 in Playa del Carmen vs $19.00 in Novorossiysk for a mid-range dinner for two. Groceries echo the gap at $249 vs $164 per month, with Novorossiysk 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 Novorossiysk: Cost of Living - Frequently Asked Questions

Novorossiysk is cheaper overall, especially in Groceries & Markets, Eating Out, Clothing & Footwear, Sport & Entertainment, Monthly Utilities & Internet. The 57% gap adds up to real monthly savings that compound significantly over time.

On paper, salaries run 81% lower in Novorossiysk. That's worth factoring in alongside costs, though remote workers earning in a stronger currency may not notice the difference at all.

Rent for a central apartment: $947 in Playa del Carmen versus $388 in Novorossiysk. Housing is usually the single largest factor when comparing overall living costs between the two.

Dining out is cheaper in Novorossiysk – a meal for two runs $19.00 versus $42.00 in Playa del Carmen. If you eat out regularly, this makes a real dent in your monthly spending.

All in, you'll spend $1,256 per month in Playa del Carmen versus $800 in Novorossiysk – a 57% gap that adds up to real savings over time for anyone picking the cheaper option.

At $800 in Novorossiysk versus $1,256 in Playa del Carmen, a $1,500 budget is realistic in Novorossiysk but tight or insufficient in Playa del Carmen. The gap between the two cities makes Novorossiysk the clear choice for anyone on this budget.

For families, Novorossiysk is more practical. Housing and childcare are both notably cheaper than in Playa del Carmen, and the savings on those two alone free up budget for education, activities, and family trips.

Expats usually find Novorossiysk gentler on the wallet – expenses run 57% less than in Playa del Carmen. Beyond cost, consider language, visa policies, and how big the international community is in each city.