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

Monthly Cost of Living

A single person spends $1,297 per month in Playa del Carmen vs $862 in Penza, rent included.

A couple spends around $2,181 per month in Playa del Carmen vs $1,292 in Penza, rent included.

A family of three spends $3,065 per month in Playa del Carmen vs $1,722 in Penza, rent included.

Playa del Carmen costs about 50% more than Penza, driven mainly by Eating Out.

Both Playa del Carmen and Penza are more affordable than the global median – Playa del Carmen 3% lower, Penza 36% lower.

Meal at Budget Restaurant

$11.73 MX$203

$7.65 ₽558

53.33%

Three-Course Dinner for Two, Mid-Range

$41.62 MX$720

$33.19 ₽2,423

25.40%

Fast Food Meal (McDonalds, etc)

$10.64 MX$184

$5.85 ₽427

81.88%

Cappuccino

$3.52 MX$60.9

$1.17 ₽85.5

200.85%

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

$1.51 MX$26.12

$0.91 ₽66.8

65.93%

Water (0.33 liter bottle)

$0.97 MX$16.84

$0.60 ₽43.82

61.67%

Local Beer (0.5 liter draught)

$2.95 MX$51.0

$1.11 ₽81.2

165.77%

Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$4.45 MX$77.0

$2.33 ₽170

90.99%

Milk (1 liter)

$1.38 MX$23.93

$1.24 ₽90.2

11.29%

White Bread (500g)

$1.89 MX$32.72

$0.74 ₽53.7

155.41%

Rice (white) (1kg)

$1.64 MX$28.32

$1.66 ₽121

-1.20%

Eggs

$2.51 MX$43.34

$1.88 ₽137

33.51%

Local Cheese (1kg)

$8.34 MX$144

$10.20 ₽745

-18.24%

Chicken Fillets (1kg)

$8.34 MX$144

$3.96 ₽289

110.61%

Beef Round Steak (1kg)

$10.73 MX$186

$8.91 ₽650

20.43%

Apples (1kg)

$2.60 MX$45.04

$1.21 ₽88.6

114.88%

Banana (1kg)

$1.46 MX$25.20

$1.82 ₽133

-19.78%

Oranges (1kg)

$1.90 MX$32.87

$1.74 ₽127

9.20%

Tomato (1kg)

$2.08 MX$35.91

$2.86 ₽209

-27.27%

Potato (1kg)

$1.78 MX$30.71

$0.49 ₽35.91

263.27%

Onion (1kg)

$2.19 MX$37.80

$0.49 ₽35.57

346.94%

Lettuce (1 head)

$1.04 MX$17.99

$1.87 ₽136

-44.39%

Water (1.5 liter bottle)

$1.08 MX$18.62

$0.71 ₽52.1

52.11%

Cigarettes 20 Pack (Marlboro, Camel)

$4.08 MX$70.6

$2.96 ₽216

37.84%

Wine (Bottle)

$10.32 MX$178

$10.36 ₽756

-0.39%

Local Beer (0.5 liter bottle)

$1.71 MX$29.61

$1.02 ₽74.2

67.65%

Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$2.58 MX$44.54

$1.87 ₽136

37.97%

One-way Ticket (Public Transport)

$0.51 MX$8.81

$0.43 ₽31.05

18.60%

Public Transport Monthly Pass (Regular Price)

$26.46 MX$458

Taxi Start (Normal Tariff)

$3.26 MX$56.4

$1.87 ₽136

74.33%

Taxi (Normal Tariff) (1km)

$2.49 MX$43.09

$0.58 ₽42.60

329.31%

Taxi 1hour Waiting (Normal Tariff)

$3.25 MX$56.2

$4.51 ₽329

-27.94%

Gasoline (1 liter)

$1.31 MX$22.61

$0.76 ₽55.1

72.37%

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

$30.3K MX$523.7K

$34.2K ₽2.5M

-11.40%

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

$23.4K MX$405.3K

$35.3K ₽2.6M

-33.68%

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

$82.9 MX$1,433

$108 ₽7,907

-23.51%

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

$22.22 MX$384

$5.89 ₽430

277.25%

Internet (50+ Mbps, Unlimited Data)

$29.34 MX$507

$7.64 ₽558

284.03%

Gym Membership (Monthly)

$51.6 MX$893

$32.18 ₽2,349

60.44%

Tennis Court (1 Hour on Weekend)

$18.32 MX$317

Cinema Ticket

$5.07 MX$87.6

$3.70 ₽270

37.03%

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

$201 MX$3,473

$321 ₽23.4K

-37.38%

International Primary School, 1 Child (Yearly)

$5,212 MX$90.1K

$6,874 ₽501.7K

-24.18%

Jeans (Levis 501 Or Similar)

$36.92 MX$639

$69.4 ₽5,064

-46.78%

Summer Dress (H&M, Zara, etc)

$39.79 MX$688

$44.08 ₽3,218

-9.73%

Sport Shoes (Adidas, Nike)

$78.5 MX$1,357

$116 ₽8,483

-32.50%

Men's Leather Business Shoes

$87.1 MX$1,506

$106 ₽7,705

-17.50%

1-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)

$973 MX$16.8K

$437 ₽31.9K

122.37%

1-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)

$468 MX$8,090

$252 ₽18.4K

85.40%

3-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)

$1,641 MX$28.4K

$784 ₽57.2K

109.34%

3-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)

$1,221 MX$21.1K

$357 ₽26.1K

241.54%

Buy Apartment in City Center (m2)

$3,946 MX$68.3K

$2,671 ₽195.0K

47.73%

Buy Apartment Outside City Center (m2)

$6,498 MX$112.4K

$1,232 ₽89.9K

427.39%

Average Monthly Net Salary (After Tax)

$664 MX$11.5K

$661 ₽48.2K

0.46%

20-Year Fixed Mortgage Interest Rate (Annual %)

11.42

42.75%

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

Last update for Playa del Carmen: June 2, 2026

Last update for Penza: June 1, 2026

Cost Breakdown

A central one-bedroom costs $973 in Playa del Carmen versus $437 in Penza. 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 0% higher in Playa del Carmen, which partly offsets the higher cost of living there. Purchasing power depends on which expenses matter most to you.

A mid-range dinner for two costs $42.00 in Playa del Carmen versus $33.00 in Penza. Monthly groceries follow the same trend: $249 vs $197 – making Penza 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 Penza: Cost of Living - Frequently Asked Questions

Monthly costs with rent: $1,297 in Playa del Carmen, $862 in Penza – roughly 50% apart. Playa del Carmen costs more across the board, with Eating Out showing the biggest gap.

For a comfortable life, plan on about $1,945 per month in Playa del Carmen and $1,293 in Penza. That covers rent, food, utilities, transport, and enough left over to feel settled – not just surviving.

Rent is clearly cheaper in Penza, 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 $1,297 in Playa del Carmen and $862 in Penza. The difference isn't just one category – it shows up across housing, food, transport, and services.

Kindergarten costs $201 per month in Playa del Carmen and $321 in Penza. 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 Penza, where all-in costs run around $862, than in Playa del Carmen at $1,297. In Penza 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 $862 in Penza to $1,297 in Playa del Carmen. Climate, culture, job market, and personal taste all factor in.

Both have safer and rougher neighborhoods, but overall safety is comparable to other large cities. Neighborhood choice matters more than the city-level comparison – central, well-trafficked areas feel secure in both.

If budget matters most, go with Penza. 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.