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

Monthly Cost of Living

A single person spends $1,256 per month in Playa del Carmen vs $754 in Oskemen, rent included.

A couple spends around $2,137 per month in Playa del Carmen vs $1,215 in Oskemen, rent included.

A family of three spends $3,017 per month in Playa del Carmen vs $1,677 in Oskemen, rent included.

Playa del Carmen costs about 67% more than Oskemen, driven mainly by Eating Out.

Both Playa del Carmen and Oskemen are more affordable than the global median – Playa del Carmen 6% lower, Oskemen 44% lower.

Meal at Budget Restaurant

$11.99 MX$209

$3.95 ₸1,857

203.54%

Three-Course Dinner for Two, Mid-Range

$41.78 MX$728

$18.61 ₸8,747

124.50%

Fast Food Meal (McDonalds, etc)

$10.75 MX$187

$3.58 ₸1,681

200.28%

Cappuccino

$3.50 MX$60.9

$2.02 ₸950

73.27%

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

$1.45 MX$25.22

$0.81 ₸379

79.01%

Water (0.33 liter bottle)

$0.88 MX$15.41

$0.49 ₸231

79.59%

Local Beer (0.5 liter draught)

$2.95 MX$51.3

$1.40 ₸660

110.71%

Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$4.51 MX$78.6

$1.46 ₸685

208.90%

Milk (1 liter)

$1.43 MX$24.94

$1.09 ₸514

31.19%

White Bread (500g)

$1.84 MX$31.99

$0.46 ₸216

300.00%

Rice (white) (1kg)

$1.57 MX$27.31

$1.15 ₸539

36.52%

Eggs

$2.51 MX$43.74

$1.55 ₸728

61.94%

Local Cheese (1kg)

$8.28 MX$144

$7.57 ₸3,556

9.38%

Chicken Fillets (1kg)

$8.43 MX$147

$4.61 ₸2,166

82.86%

Beef Round Steak (1kg)

$10.68 MX$186

$7.07 ₸3,321

51.06%

Apples (1kg)

$2.61 MX$45.43

$1.16 ₸544

125.00%

Banana (1kg)

$1.44 MX$25.04

$1.82 ₸857

-20.88%

Oranges (1kg)

$1.96 MX$34.16

$2.39 ₸1,126

-17.99%

Tomato (1kg)

$2.09 MX$36.47

$2.50 ₸1,176

-16.40%

Potato (1kg)

$1.85 MX$32.24

$0.61 ₸285

203.28%

Onion (1kg)

$2.17 MX$37.74

$0.44 ₸205

393.18%

Lettuce (1 head)

$1.03 MX$17.96

$0.30 ₸143

243.33%

Water (1.5 liter bottle)

$1.07 MX$18.70

$0.79 ₸369

35.44%

Cigarettes 20 Pack (Marlboro, Camel)

$4.10 MX$71.4

$1.90 ₸891

115.79%

Wine (Bottle)

$10.17 MX$177

$4.80 ₸2,256

111.88%

Local Beer (0.5 liter bottle)

$1.68 MX$29.17

$1.29 ₸605

30.23%

Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$2.53 MX$43.98

$1.43 ₸671

76.92%

One-way Ticket (Public Transport)

$0.51 MX$8.87

$0.21 ₸98.6

142.86%

Public Transport Monthly Pass (Regular Price)

$26.04 MX$453

Taxi Start (Normal Tariff)

$3.23 MX$56.3

$0.95 ₸445

240.00%

Taxi (Normal Tariff) (1km)

$2.41 MX$41.88

$0.29 ₸138

731.03%

Taxi 1hour Waiting (Normal Tariff)

$3.23 MX$56.2

$2.11 ₸994

53.08%

Gasoline (1 liter)

$1.32 MX$23.00

$0.46 ₸214

186.96%

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

$29.7K MX$517.1K

$28.6K ₸13.5M

3.65%

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

$23.7K MX$412.0K

$27.1K ₸12.8M

-12.83%

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

$82.0 MX$1,428

$40.39 ₸19.0K

103.05%

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

$22.95 MX$400

$9.55 ₸4,488

140.31%

Internet (50+ Mbps, Unlimited Data)

$30.11 MX$524

$16.80 ₸7,898

79.23%

Gym Membership (Monthly)

$52.0 MX$905

$23.36 ₸11.0K

122.47%

Tennis Court (1 Hour on Weekend)

$18.53 MX$323

$17.53 ₸8,238

5.70%

Cinema Ticket

$4.98 MX$86.6

$4.33 ₸2,035

15.01%

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

$197 MX$3,438

$59.5 ₸28.0K

231.89%

International Primary School, 1 Child (Yearly)

$5,336 MX$92.9K

$2,502 ₸1.2M

113.27%

Jeans (Levis 501 Or Similar)

$35.60 MX$620

$118 ₸55.5K

-69.87%

Summer Dress (H&M, Zara, etc)

$40.33 MX$702

$84.3 ₸39.6K

-52.15%

Sport Shoes (Adidas, Nike)

$78.8 MX$1,371

$99.3 ₸46.7K

-20.66%

Men's Leather Business Shoes

$88.9 MX$1,549

$92.2 ₸43.3K

-3.57%

1-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)

$947 MX$16.5K

$328 ₸154.3K

188.50%

1-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)

$474 MX$8,254

$222 ₸104.5K

113.10%

3-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)

$1,644 MX$28.6K

$534 ₸251.2K

207.59%

3-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)

$1,211 MX$21.1K

$473 ₸222.5K

155.72%

Buy Apartment in City Center (m2)

$4,056 MX$70.6K

$1,060 ₸498.2K

282.69%

Buy Apartment Outside City Center (m2)

$6,470 MX$112.7K

$787 ₸369.9K

722.15%

Average Monthly Net Salary (After Tax)

$654 MX$11.4K

$773 ₸363.2K

-15.39%

20-Year Fixed Mortgage Interest Rate (Annual %)

11.42

-39.89%

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 Oskemen: July 11, 2026

Cost Breakdown

A central one-bedroom costs $947 in Playa del Carmen versus $328 in Oskemen. Rent is usually the largest line item in a monthly budget, so the gap here sets the tone for the overall comparison.

Salaries run about 18% higher in Oskemen, which reinforces the cost advantage – you earn more and spend less. Purchasing power leans clearly in its favor.

A mid-range dinner for two costs $42.00 in Playa del Carmen versus $19.00 in Oskemen. Monthly groceries follow the same trend: $249 vs $164 – making Oskemen 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 Oskemen: Cost of Living - Frequently Asked Questions

Monthly costs with rent: $1,256 in Playa del Carmen, $754 in Oskemen – roughly 67% apart. Playa del Carmen costs more across the board, with Eating Out showing the biggest gap.

For a comfortable life, plan on about $1,884 per month in Playa del Carmen and $1,131 in Oskemen. That covers rent, food, utilities, transport, and enough left over to feel settled – not just surviving.

Rent is clearly cheaper in Oskemen, 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 $1,256 in Playa del Carmen and $754 in Oskemen. The difference isn't just one category – it shows up across housing, food, transport, and services.

Kindergarten costs $197 per month in Playa del Carmen and $59.5 in Oskemen. For families with young kids, this one expense can tip the scales when choosing between the two cities.

A $2,000 monthly budget goes further in Oskemen, where all-in costs run around $754, than in Playa del Carmen at $1,256. In Oskemen 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 $754 in Oskemen to $1,256 in Playa del Carmen. Climate, culture, job market, and personal taste all factor in.

If budget matters most, go with Oskemen. 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.