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 $1,293 per month in Playa del Carmen vs $883 in Oskemen, rent included.

A couple spends around $2,334 per month in Playa del Carmen vs $1,501 in Oskemen, rent included.

A family of three spends $3,374 per month in Playa del Carmen vs $2,118 in Oskemen, rent included.

Playa del Carmen costs about 46% more than Oskemen, driven mainly by Groceries & Markets.

Both Playa del Carmen and Oskemen are more affordable than the global median – Playa del Carmen 6% lower, Oskemen 36% lower.

Meal at Budget Restaurant

$11.71 MX$198

$13.12 ₸5,977

-10.75%

Three-Course Dinner for Two, Mid-Range

$46.59 MX$787

$26.18 ₸11.9K

77.96%

Fast Food Meal (McDonalds, etc)

$11.65 MX$197

$3.96 ₸1,803

194.19%

Cappuccino

$4.09 MX$69.2

$3.40 ₸1,547

20.29%

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

$1.37 MX$23.23

$1.01 ₸462

35.64%

Water (0.33 liter bottle)

$0.83 MX$14.09

$0.53 ₸242

56.60%

Local Beer (0.5 liter draught)

$3.35 MX$56.7

$1.54 ₸703

117.53%

Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$6.91 MX$117

$1.65 ₸752

318.79%

Milk (1 liter)

$1.73 MX$29.19

$1.41 ₸644

22.70%

White Bread (500g)

$2.26 MX$38.20

$0.53 ₸242

326.42%

Rice (white) (1kg)

$1.77 MX$29.90

$1.33 ₸607

33.08%

Eggs

$2.73 MX$46.18

$1.76 ₸800

55.11%

Local Cheese (1kg)

$9.18 MX$155

$9.71 ₸4,423

-5.46%

Chicken Fillets (1kg)

$8.92 MX$151

$5.88 ₸2,679

51.70%

Beef Round Steak (1kg)

$12.60 MX$213

$7.92 ₸3,609

59.09%

Apples (1kg)

$3.02 MX$51.1

$1.15 ₸524

162.61%

Banana (1kg)

$1.57 MX$26.54

$1.95 ₸890

-19.49%

Oranges (1kg)

$2.13 MX$35.92

$2.53 ₸1,151

-15.81%

Tomato (1kg)

$2.26 MX$38.27

$2.42 ₸1,100

-6.61%

Potato (1kg)

$2.00 MX$33.87

$0.86 ₸392

132.56%

Onion (1kg)

$2.06 MX$34.89

$0.48 ₸221

329.17%

Lettuce (1 head)

$1.18 MX$19.94

$0.34 ₸156

247.06%

Water (1.5 liter bottle)

$1.20 MX$20.35

$1.07 ₸489

12.15%

Cigarettes 20 Pack (Marlboro, Camel)

$4.63 MX$78.3

$2.18 ₸995

112.39%

Wine (Bottle)

$10.69 MX$181

$4.75 ₸2,165

125.05%

Local Beer (0.5 liter bottle)

$1.62 MX$27.37

$1.43 ₸652

13.29%

Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$2.88 MX$48.69

$1.66 ₸756

73.49%

One-way Ticket (Public Transport)

$0.57 MX$9.69

$0.26 ₸119

119.23%

Public Transport Monthly Pass (Regular Price)

$29.83 MX$504

Taxi Start (Normal Tariff)

$5.45 MX$92.1

$1.09 ₸498

400.00%

Taxi (Normal Tariff) (1km)

$3.70 MX$62.6

$0.31 ₸142

1093.55%

Taxi 1hour Waiting (Normal Tariff)

$5.98 MX$101

$2.42 ₸1,100

147.11%

Gasoline (1 liter)

$1.55 MX$26.25

$0.63 ₸289

146.03%

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

$22.3K MX$377.3K

$31.5K ₸14.4M

-29.19%

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

$25.9K MX$438.5K

$30.7K ₸14.0M

-15.55%

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

$89.1 MX$1,506

$44.52 ₸20.3K

100.20%

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

$25.04 MX$423

$11.31 ₸5,153

121.40%

Internet (50+ Mbps, Unlimited Data)

$31.50 MX$532

$22.60 ₸10.3K

39.38%

Gym Membership (Monthly)

$67.8 MX$1,145

$25.89 ₸11.8K

161.80%

Tennis Court (1 Hour on Weekend)

$28.92 MX$489

$19.64 ₸8,949

47.25%

Cinema Ticket

$5.05 MX$85.3

$4.90 ₸2,230

3.06%

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

$225 MX$3,802

$65.9 ₸30.0K

241.25%

International Primary School, 1 Child (Yearly)

$4,222 MX$71.4K

$2,790 ₸1.3M

51.34%

Jeans (Levis 501 Or Similar)

$47.44 MX$802

$113 ₸51.5K

-58.05%

Summer Dress (H&M, Zara, etc)

$44.98 MX$760

$80.8 ₸36.8K

-44.31%

Sport Shoes (Adidas, Nike)

$82.0 MX$1,386

$97.4 ₸44.4K

-15.85%

Men's Leather Business Shoes

$92.1 MX$1,556

$121 ₸55.3K

-24.10%

1-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)

$1,069 MX$18.1K

$336 ₸152.9K

218.47%

1-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)

$405 MX$6,850

$222 ₸101.3K

82.33%

3-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)

$1,935 MX$32.7K

$641 ₸292.1K

201.84%

3-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)

$1,301 MX$22.0K

$572 ₸260.6K

127.50%

Buy Apartment in City Center (m2)

$3,995 MX$67.5K

$1,109 ₸505.2K

260.28%

Buy Apartment Outside City Center (m2)

$6,626 MX$112.0K

$805 ₸366.9K

722.85%

Average Monthly Net Salary (After Tax)

$749 MX$12.7K

$784 ₸357.0K

-4.46%

20-Year Fixed Mortgage Interest Rate (Annual %)

11.45

19.5

-41.28%

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

Last update for Playa del Carmen: August 29, 2026

Last update for Oskemen: August 30, 2026

Cost Breakdown

A central one-bedroom costs $1,069 in Playa del Carmen versus $336 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 5% 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 $47.00 in Playa del Carmen versus $26.00 in Oskemen. Monthly groceries follow the same trend: $277 vs $192 – 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: $1,293 in Playa del Carmen, $883 in Oskemen – roughly 46% apart. Playa del Carmen costs more across the board, with Groceries & Markets showing the biggest gap.

For a comfortable life, plan on about $1,940 per month in Playa del Carmen and $1,325 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 $1,293 in Playa del Carmen and $883 in Oskemen. The difference isn't just one category – it shows up across housing, food, transport, and services.

Kindergarten costs $225 per month in Playa del Carmen and $65.9 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 $883, than in Playa del Carmen at $1,293. 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 $883 in Oskemen to $1,293 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.