Cost of Living Comparison Between Playa del Carmen and Oktyabr'skiy Cost of Living Comparison Between Playa del Carmen and Oktyabr'skiy

Monthly Cost of Living

Monthly costs for one person with rent: $1,262 in Playa del Carmen versus $996 in Oktyabr'skiy.

Estimated couple costs with rent: $2,158 in Playa del Carmen versus $1,575 in Oktyabr'skiy.

Monthly costs for a family of three with rent: $3,054 in Playa del Carmen versus $2,154 in Oktyabr'skiy.

Living in Playa del Carmen is roughly 27% more expensive than Oktyabr'skiy, driven mainly by Groceries & Markets.

Both cities sit below the global median: Playa del Carmen 6% lower, Oktyabr'skiy 26% lower.

Currency
🍽 Eating Out
Playa del Carmen
Oktyabr'skiy
Difference
Meal at Budget Restaurant
$11.61 MX$201
$12.59 ₽945
-7.78%
Three-Course Dinner for Two, Mid-Range
$42.75 MX$740
$51.7 ₽3,884
-17.36%
Fast Food Meal (McDonalds, etc)
$10.60 MX$184
$5.59 ₽419
89.62%
Cappuccino
$3.59 MX$62.2
$2.41 ₽181
48.96%
Coke/Pepsi/Fanta/Sprite (0.33 liter bottle)
$1.45 MX$25.15
$1.23 ₽92.5
17.89%
Water (0.33 liter bottle)
$0.90 MX$15.55
$0.65 ₽48.74
38.46%
Local Beer (0.5 liter draught)
$3.03 MX$52.5
$1.11 ₽83.3
172.97%
Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)
$4.56 MX$79.0
$2.61 ₽196
74.71%
🛒 Groceries & Markets
Playa del Carmen
Oktyabr'skiy
Difference
Milk (1 liter)
$1.45 MX$25.14
$1.10 ₽82.6
31.82%
White Bread (500g)
$1.83 MX$31.64
$0.61 ₽45.49
200.00%
Rice (white) (1kg)
$1.61 MX$27.85
$1.17 ₽88.2
37.61%
Eggs
$2.54 MX$43.95
$1.74 ₽130
45.98%
Local Cheese (1kg)
$8.54 MX$148
$8.89 ₽668
-3.94%
Chicken Fillets (1kg)
$8.47 MX$147
$5.16 ₽388
64.15%
Beef Round Steak (1kg)
$10.86 MX$188
$8.34 ₽626
30.22%
Apples (1kg)
$2.73 MX$47.26
$1.54 ₽115
77.27%
Banana (1kg)
$1.49 MX$25.85
$1.88 ₽141
-20.74%
Oranges (1kg)
$1.94 MX$33.65
$2.20 ₽165
-11.82%
Tomato (1kg)
$2.16 MX$37.49
$2.44 ₽183
-11.48%
Potato (1kg)
$1.85 MX$31.97
$0.67 ₽50.6
176.12%
Onion (1kg)
$2.19 MX$37.91
$0.51 ₽38.60
329.41%
Lettuce (1 head)
$1.07 MX$18.58
$1.74 ₽131
-38.51%
Water (1.5 liter bottle)
$1.08 MX$18.76
$0.61 ₽45.48
77.05%
Cigarettes 20 Pack (Marlboro, Camel)
$4.06 MX$70.3
$2.97 ₽223
36.70%
Wine (Bottle)
$10.46 MX$181
$5.90 ₽443
77.29%
Local Beer (0.5 liter bottle)
$1.65 MX$28.64
$0.87 ₽65.4
89.66%
Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)
$2.55 MX$44.13
$2.33 ₽175
9.44%
🚌 Getting Around
Playa del Carmen
Oktyabr'skiy
Difference
One-way Ticket (Public Transport)
$0.56 MX$9.63
$0.50 ₽37.19
12.00%
Public Transport Monthly Pass (Regular Price)
$26.20 MX$454
-
-
Taxi Start (Normal Tariff)
$3.14 MX$54.4
$3.53 ₽265
-11.05%
Taxi (Normal Tariff) (1km)
$2.37 MX$41.08
$0.36 ₽26.74
558.33%
Taxi 1hour Waiting (Normal Tariff)
$3.24 MX$56.1
$3.70 ₽278
-12.43%
Gasoline (1 liter)
$1.31 MX$22.76
$0.71 ₽53.0
84.51%
Midsize Hatchback 1.4l (Volkswagen Golf, Toyota Prius, Honda Civic, etc)
$30.5K MX$528.9K
$49.7K ₽3.7M
-38.52%
Compact Sedan 1.6l (Toyota Corolla, Mazda3, Kia K4, Hyundai Elantra, etc)
$23.8K MX$412.6K
$44.1K ₽3.3M
-46.04%
🧾 Monthly Utilities & Internet
Playa del Carmen
Oktyabr'skiy
Difference
Utilities for 2 People in 2-bedroom Apartment (Heating, Electricity, Gas, Water, Garbage) (85m2)
$83.1 MX$1,440
$118 ₽8,847
-29.44%
SIM Card Monthly Plan (Calls and 10GB+ Data)
$22.15 MX$384
$6.71 ₽504
230.10%
Internet (50+ Mbps, Unlimited Data)
$29.37 MX$509
$8.27 ₽621
255.14%
🎉 Sport & Entertainment
Playa del Carmen
Oktyabr'skiy
Difference
Gym Membership (Monthly)
$51.2 MX$887
$35.08 ₽2,634
45.92%
Tennis Court (1 Hour on Weekend)
$18.69 MX$324
-
-
Cinema Ticket
$4.89 MX$84.7
$4.14 ₽311
18.12%
🧸 Childcare & Education
Playa del Carmen
Oktyabr'skiy
Difference
Preschool or Kindergarten, Full Day, Private, 1 Child (Monthly)
$199 MX$3,441
$316 ₽23.7K
-37.18%
International Primary School, 1 Child (Yearly)
$5,207 MX$90.2K
$6,038 ₽453.4K
-13.76%
👕👟 Clothing & Footwear
Playa del Carmen
Oktyabr'skiy
Difference
Jeans (Levis 501 Or Similar)
$35.93 MX$622
$98.5 ₽7,391
-63.50%
Summer Dress (H&M, Zara, etc)
$39.39 MX$682
$47.41 ₽3,559
-16.92%
Sport Shoes (Adidas, Nike)
$80.3 MX$1,391
$125 ₽9,372
-35.67%
Men's Leather Business Shoes
$87.6 MX$1,517
$75.1 ₽5,638
16.61%
🏠 Accommodation & Living
Playa del Carmen
Oktyabr'skiy
Difference
1-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)
$963 MX$16.7K
$449 ₽33.7K
114.36%
1-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)
$482 MX$8,350
$299 ₽22.5K
61.03%
3-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)
$1,645 MX$28.5K
$758 ₽56.9K
117.12%
3-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)
$1,192 MX$20.6K
$511 ₽38.4K
133.27%
Buy Apartment in City Center (m2)
$3,957 MX$68.5K
$1,960 ₽147.2K
101.86%
Buy Apartment Outside City Center (m2)
$6,513 MX$112.8K
$1,493 ₽112.1K
336.20%
💵 Salaries & Financials
Playa del Carmen
Oktyabr'skiy
Difference
Average Monthly Net Salary (After Tax)
$726 MX$12.6K
-
-
20-Year Fixed Mortgage Interest Rate (Annual %)
11.42
15.33
-25.51%

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 Oktyabr'skiy: April 11, 2026

Cost Breakdown

A one-bedroom apartment in the center runs $963 in Playa del Carmen and $449 in Oktyabr'skiy. Housing cost is often the main lever when comparing two cities.

Dining out: $43 in Playa del Carmen vs $52 in Oktyabr'skiy. Groceries flip the comparison at $253 vs $184, with Oktyabr'skiy cheaper for home cooking.

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 Oktyabr'skiy: Cost of Living - Frequently Asked Questions
Is Oktyabr'skiy cheaper than Playa del Carmen?
Oktyabr'skiy is cheaper overall, especially in Groceries & Markets, Eating Out, Sport & Entertainment, Monthly Utilities & Internet, Getting Around. The 27% gap adds up to real monthly savings that compound significantly over time.
What income do you need for each city?
You'd need roughly $1,894 in Playa del Carmen and $1,493 in Oktyabr'skiy to live well. The gap comes down to housing and overall price levels. Both cities are liveable on less, but these numbers represent actual comfort.
What is the rent difference between Playa del Carmen and Oktyabr'skiy?
Rent for a central apartment: $963 in Playa del Carmen versus $449 in Oktyabr'skiy. Housing is usually the single largest factor when comparing overall living costs between the two.
Which city has cheaper kindergarten?
Childcare runs $199 in Playa del Carmen versus $316 in Oktyabr'skiy. Over years of preschool, even a modest monthly gap compounds into a major financial factor for families.
Is eating out cheaper in Playa del Carmen or Oktyabr'skiy?
Dining out is cheaper in Oktyabr'skiy – a meal for two runs $52.0 versus $43.00 in Playa del Carmen. If you eat out regularly, this makes a real dent in your monthly spending.
Is $1,500 a realistic budget for Playa del Carmen or Oktyabr'skiy?
At $996 in Oktyabr'skiy versus $1,262 in Playa del Carmen, a $1,500 budget is realistic in Oktyabr'skiy but tight or insufficient in Playa del Carmen. The gap between the two cities makes Oktyabr'skiy the clear choice for anyone on this budget.
Is Playa del Carmen or Oktyabr'skiy more family-friendly?
For families, Oktyabr'skiy 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.
Which city is safer, Playa del Carmen or Oktyabr'skiy?
Safety-wise, Playa del Carmen and Oktyabr'skiy are on par. Petty crime is typical for cities this size, and most residents feel comfortable going about their daily routines in either place.
Which city is easier to live in as a foreigner?
Expats usually find Oktyabr'skiy gentler on the wallet – expenses run 27% less than in Playa del Carmen. Beyond cost, consider language, visa policies, and how big the international community is in each city.

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