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: $1,305 in Playa del Carmen versus $898 in Novorossiysk.

Estimated couple costs with rent: $2,334 in Playa del Carmen versus $1,315 in Novorossiysk.

Monthly costs for a family of three with rent: $3,362 in Playa del Carmen versus $1,733 in Novorossiysk.

Living in Playa del Carmen is roughly 45% more expensive than in Novorossiysk, driven mainly by Groceries & Markets.

Both cities sit below the global median: Playa del Carmen 5% lower, Novorossiysk 35% lower.

Meal at Budget Restaurant

$11.96 MX$203

$11.79 ₽991

1.44%

Three-Course Dinner for Two, Mid-Range

$47.38 MX$804

$35.53 ₽2,986

33.35%

Fast Food Meal (McDonalds, etc)

$11.75 MX$199

$5.38 ₽452

118.40%

Cappuccino

$4.12 MX$70.0

$2.76 ₽232

49.28%

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

$1.40 MX$23.74

$1.08 ₽90.6

29.63%

Water (0.33 liter bottle)

$0.91 MX$15.48

$0.36 ₽30.31

152.78%

Local Beer (0.5 liter draught)

$3.21 MX$54.4

$1.18 ₽98.8

172.03%

Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$7.07 MX$120

$2.89 ₽243

144.64%

Milk (1 liter)

$1.68 MX$28.44

$1.09 ₽91.3

54.13%

White Bread (500g)

$2.15 MX$36.48

$0.62 ₽51.9

246.77%

Rice (white) (1kg)

$1.77 MX$30.10

$1.14 ₽95.9

55.26%

Eggs

$2.82 MX$47.76

$0.95 ₽80.2

196.84%

Local Cheese (1kg)

$9.20 MX$156

$8.18 ₽687

12.47%

Chicken Fillets (1kg)

$9.23 MX$157

$4.59 ₽386

101.09%

Beef Round Steak (1kg)

$12.64 MX$214

$9.64 ₽810

31.12%

Apples (1kg)

$2.95 MX$50.1

$0.84 ₽70.3

251.19%

Banana (1kg)

$1.58 MX$26.79

$1.53 ₽128

3.27%

Oranges (1kg)

$2.22 MX$37.70

$1.58 ₽133

40.51%

Tomato (1kg)

$2.36 MX$40.09

$1.87 ₽157

26.20%

Potato (1kg)

$1.99 MX$33.81

$0.59 ₽49.92

237.29%

Onion (1kg)

$1.98 MX$33.58

$0.47 ₽39.43

321.28%

Lettuce (1 head)

$1.24 MX$21.04

$0.50 ₽42.29

148.00%

Water (1.5 liter bottle)

$1.21 MX$20.55

$0.46 ₽39.06

163.04%

Cigarettes 20 Pack (Marlboro, Camel)

$4.60 MX$78.1

$2.62 ₽220

75.57%

Wine (Bottle)

$10.52 MX$178

$5.88 ₽494

78.91%

Local Beer (0.5 liter bottle)

$1.69 MX$28.70

$0.90 ₽75.6

87.78%

Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$2.77 MX$47.06

$1.54 ₽130

79.87%

One-way Ticket (Public Transport)

$0.60 MX$10.22

$0.58 ₽48.65

3.45%

Public Transport Monthly Pass (Regular Price)

$29.70 MX$504

$18.82 ₽1,582

57.81%

Taxi Start (Normal Tariff)

$5.24 MX$88.8

$1.13 ₽95.0

363.72%

Taxi (Normal Tariff) (1km)

$3.65 MX$61.9

$0.28 ₽23.45

1203.57%

Taxi 1hour Waiting (Normal Tariff)

$5.78 MX$98.1

$2.75 ₽231

110.18%

Gasoline (1 liter)

$1.54 MX$26.09

$0.79 ₽66.6

94.94%

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

$22.8K MX$386.8K

$21.3K ₽1.8M

7.30%

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

$25.8K MX$437.9K

$26.9K ₽2.3M

-4.04%

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

$90.7 MX$1,538

$115 ₽9,682

-21.29%

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

$25.19 MX$427

$4.80 ₽403

424.79%

Internet (50+ Mbps, Unlimited Data)

$31.75 MX$539

$8.74 ₽735

263.27%

Gym Membership (Monthly)

$68.8 MX$1,167

$25.27 ₽2,124

172.22%

Tennis Court (1 Hour on Weekend)

$29.37 MX$498

$13.51 ₽1,135

117.39%

Cinema Ticket

$4.86 MX$82.5

$4.67 ₽392

4.07%

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

$226 MX$3,828

$567 ₽47.6K

-60.18%

International Primary School, 1 Child (Yearly)

$4,194 MX$71.1K

$3,896 ₽327.4K

7.65%

Jeans (Levis 501 Or Similar)

$47.38 MX$804

$56.3 ₽4,729

-15.80%

Summer Dress (H&M, Zara, etc)

$43.45 MX$737

$24.81 ₽2,085

75.13%

Sport Shoes (Adidas, Nike)

$80.2 MX$1,361

$57.6 ₽4,839

39.32%

Men's Leather Business Shoes

$91.4 MX$1,550

$69.9 ₽5,877

30.69%

1-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)

$1,086 MX$18.4K

$385 ₽32.4K

181.95%

1-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)

$409 MX$6,933

$290 ₽24.4K

40.91%

3-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)

$1,972 MX$33.5K

$487 ₽40.9K

305.26%

3-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)

$1,281 MX$21.7K

$376 ₽31.6K

240.42%

Buy Apartment in City Center (m2)

$4,046 MX$68.6K

$2,267 ₽190.5K

78.49%

Buy Apartment Outside City Center (m2)

$6,704 MX$113.7K

$1,595 ₽134.0K

320.43%

Average Monthly Net Salary (After Tax)

$773 MX$13.1K

$1,004 ₽84.4K

-22.95%

20-Year Fixed Mortgage Interest Rate (Annual %)

11.45

21.33

-46.32%

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

Last update for Playa del Carmen: September 7, 2026

Last update for Novorossiysk: September 6, 2026

Cost Breakdown

A one-bedroom apartment in the center runs $1,086 in Playa del Carmen and $385 in Novorossiysk. Housing cost is often the main lever when comparing two cities.

Novorossiysk pays 30% more on average while also being the cheaper of the two. The combined effect is a noticeably stronger local purchasing power.

Dining out: $47.00 in Playa del Carmen vs $36.00 in Novorossiysk for a mid-range dinner for two. Groceries echo the gap at $278 vs $160 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 45% gap adds up to real monthly savings that compound significantly over time.

On paper, salaries run 30% 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: $1,086 in Playa del Carmen versus $385 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 $36.00 versus $47.00 in Playa del Carmen. If you eat out regularly, this makes a real dent in your monthly spending.

All in, you'll spend $1,305 per month in Playa del Carmen versus $898 in Novorossiysk – a 45% gap that adds up to real savings over time for anyone picking the cheaper option.

At $898 in Novorossiysk versus $1,305 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 45% less than in Playa del Carmen. Beyond cost, consider language, visa policies, and how big the international community is in each city.