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: $1,305 in Playa del Carmen versus $1,026 in Oktyabr'skiy.

Estimated couple costs with rent: $2,334 in Playa del Carmen versus $1,575 in Oktyabr'skiy.

Monthly costs for a family of three with rent: $3,362 in Playa del Carmen versus $2,125 in Oktyabr'skiy.

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

Both cities sit below the global median: Playa del Carmen 5% lower, Oktyabr'skiy 26% lower.

Currency
🍽 Eating Out
Playa del Carmen
Oktyabr'skiy
Difference
Meal at Budget Restaurant
$11.96 MX$203
$8.84 ₽743
35.29%
Three-Course Dinner for Two, Mid-Range
$47.38 MX$804
$34.42 ₽2,893
37.65%
Fast Food Meal (McDonalds, etc)
$11.75 MX$199
$8.02 ₽674
46.51%
Cappuccino
$4.12 MX$70.0
$2.72 ₽228
51.47%
Coke/Pepsi/Fanta/Sprite (0.33 liter bottle)
$1.40 MX$23.74
$1.09 ₽91.7
28.44%
Water (0.33 liter bottle)
$0.91 MX$15.48
$0.37 ₽30.78
145.95%
Local Beer (0.5 liter draught)
$3.21 MX$54.4
$2.35 ₽198
36.60%
Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)
$7.07 MX$120
$2.79 ₽235
153.41%
🛒 Groceries & Markets
Playa del Carmen
Oktyabr'skiy
Difference
Milk (1 liter)
$1.68 MX$28.44
$1.31 ₽110
28.24%
White Bread (500g)
$2.15 MX$36.48
$0.92 ₽77.7
133.70%
Rice (white) (1kg)
$1.77 MX$30.10
$2.05 ₽173
-13.66%
Eggs
$2.82 MX$47.76
$1.60 ₽135
76.25%
Local Cheese (1kg)
$9.20 MX$156
$17.72 ₽1,490
-48.08%
Chicken Fillets (1kg)
$9.23 MX$157
$4.56 ₽383
102.41%
Beef Round Steak (1kg)
$12.64 MX$214
$6.96 ₽585
81.61%
Apples (1kg)
$2.95 MX$50.1
$2.02 ₽170
46.04%
Banana (1kg)
$1.58 MX$26.79
$1.58 ₽133
-
Oranges (1kg)
$2.22 MX$37.70
$1.76 ₽148
26.14%
Tomato (1kg)
$2.36 MX$40.09
$2.15 ₽181
9.77%
Potato (1kg)
$1.99 MX$33.81
$0.65 ₽54.3
206.15%
Onion (1kg)
$1.98 MX$33.58
$0.46 ₽38.24
330.43%
Lettuce (1 head)
$1.24 MX$21.04
$1.47 ₽123
-15.65%
Water (1.5 liter bottle)
$1.21 MX$20.55
$0.62 ₽52.2
95.16%
Cigarettes 20 Pack (Marlboro, Camel)
$4.60 MX$78.1
$2.89 ₽243
59.17%
Wine (Bottle)
$10.52 MX$178
$8.04 ₽676
30.85%
Local Beer (0.5 liter bottle)
$1.69 MX$28.70
$0.67 ₽56.0
152.24%
Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)
$2.77 MX$47.06
$2.11 ₽178
31.28%
🚌 Getting Around
Playa del Carmen
Oktyabr'skiy
Difference
One-way Ticket (Public Transport)
$0.60 MX$10.22
$0.50 ₽42.15
20.00%
Public Transport Monthly Pass (Regular Price)
$29.70 MX$504
-
-
Taxi Start (Normal Tariff)
$5.24 MX$88.8
$1.13 ₽95.0
363.72%
Taxi (Normal Tariff) (1km)
$3.65 MX$61.9
$0.29 ₽24.14
1158.62%
Taxi 1hour Waiting (Normal Tariff)
$5.78 MX$98.1
$5.15 ₽433
12.23%
Gasoline (1 liter)
$1.54 MX$26.09
$0.81 ₽67.8
90.12%
Midsize Hatchback 1.4l (Volkswagen Golf, Toyota Prius, Honda Civic, etc)
$22.8K MX$386.8K
$35.2K ₽3.0M
-35.31%
Compact Sedan 1.6l (Toyota Corolla, Mazda3, Kia K4, Hyundai Elantra, etc)
$25.8K MX$437.9K
$32.1K ₽2.7M
-19.60%
🧾 Monthly Utilities & Internet
Playa del Carmen
Oktyabr'skiy
Difference
Utilities for 2 People in 2-bedroom Apartment (Heating, Electricity, Gas, Water, Garbage) (85m2)
$90.7 MX$1,538
$146 ₽12.3K
-37.96%
SIM Card Monthly Plan (Calls and 10GB+ Data)
$25.19 MX$427
$5.96 ₽501
322.65%
Internet (50+ Mbps, Unlimited Data)
$31.75 MX$539
$8.04 ₽676
294.90%
🎉 Sport & Entertainment
Playa del Carmen
Oktyabr'skiy
Difference
Gym Membership (Monthly)
$68.8 MX$1,167
$33.39 ₽2,806
106.02%
Tennis Court (1 Hour on Weekend)
$29.37 MX$498
$21.72 ₽1,825
35.22%
Cinema Ticket
$4.86 MX$82.5
$5.16 ₽434
-5.81%
🧸 Childcare & Education
Playa del Carmen
Oktyabr'skiy
Difference
Preschool or Kindergarten, Full Day, Private, 1 Child (Monthly)
$226 MX$3,828
$296 ₽24.9K
-23.81%
International Primary School, 1 Child (Yearly)
$4,194 MX$71.1K
$5,630 ₽473.2K
-25.51%
👕👟 Clothing & Footwear
Playa del Carmen
Oktyabr'skiy
Difference
Jeans (Levis 501 Or Similar)
$47.38 MX$804
$57.0 ₽4,795
-16.94%
Summer Dress (H&M, Zara, etc)
$43.45 MX$737
$45.36 ₽3,812
-4.21%
Sport Shoes (Adidas, Nike)
$80.2 MX$1,361
$114 ₽9,611
-29.85%
Men's Leather Business Shoes
$91.4 MX$1,550
$140 ₽11.7K
-34.52%
🏠 Accommodation & Living
Playa del Carmen
Oktyabr'skiy
Difference
1-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)
$1,086 MX$18.4K
$404 ₽33.9K
169.02%
1-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)
$409 MX$6,933
$346 ₽29.0K
18.25%
3-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)
$1,972 MX$33.5K
$798 ₽67.1K
147.17%
3-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)
$1,281 MX$21.7K
$604 ₽50.7K
112.30%
Buy Apartment in City Center (m2)
$4,046 MX$68.6K
$2,202 ₽185.1K
83.76%
Buy Apartment Outside City Center (m2)
$6,704 MX$113.7K
$1,654 ₽139.0K
305.37%
💵 Salaries & Financials
Playa del Carmen
Oktyabr'skiy
Difference
Average Monthly Net Salary (After Tax)
$773 MX$13.1K
-
-
20-Year Fixed Mortgage Interest Rate (Annual %)
11.45
22.38
-48.84%

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 Oktyabr'skiy: September 8, 2026

Cost Breakdown

A one-bedroom apartment in the center runs $1,086 in Playa del Carmen and $404 in Oktyabr'skiy. Housing cost is often the main lever when comparing two cities.

Dining out: $47.00 in Playa del Carmen vs $34.00 in Oktyabr'skiy for a mid-range dinner for two. Groceries echo the gap at $278 vs $211 per month, with Oktyabr'skiy 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 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 $1,958 in Playa del Carmen and $1,539 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: $1,086 in Playa del Carmen versus $404 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 $226 in Playa del Carmen versus $296 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 in Oktyabr'skiy?
Dining out is cheaper in Oktyabr'skiy – a meal for two runs $34.00 versus $47.00 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 living in Playa del Carmen or in Oktyabr'skiy?
At $1,026 in Oktyabr'skiy versus $1,305 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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