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 $1,293 per month in Playa del Carmen vs $748 in Penza, rent included.

A couple spends around $2,334 per month in Playa del Carmen vs $1,153 in Penza, rent included.

A family of three spends $3,374 per month in Playa del Carmen vs $1,559 in Penza, rent included.

Playa del Carmen costs about 73% more than Penza, driven mainly by Groceries & Markets.

Both Playa del Carmen and Penza are more affordable than the global median – Playa del Carmen 6% lower, Penza 46% lower.

Meal at Budget Restaurant

$11.71 MX$198

$8.20 ₽704

42.80%

Three-Course Dinner for Two, Mid-Range

$46.59 MX$787

$35.12 ₽3,014

32.66%

Fast Food Meal (McDonalds, etc)

$11.65 MX$197

$7.51 ₽644

55.13%

Cappuccino

$4.09 MX$69.2

$3.44 ₽295

18.90%

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

$1.37 MX$23.23

$1.00 ₽86.1

37.00%

Water (0.33 liter bottle)

$0.83 MX$14.09

$0.62 ₽52.9

33.87%

Local Beer (0.5 liter draught)

$3.35 MX$56.7

$2.18 ₽187

53.67%

Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$6.91 MX$117

$2.57 ₽220

168.87%

Milk (1 liter)

$1.73 MX$29.19

$0.99 ₽85.3

74.75%

White Bread (500g)

$2.26 MX$38.20

$0.48 ₽41.24

370.83%

Rice (white) (1kg)

$1.77 MX$29.90

Eggs

$2.73 MX$46.18

$1.48 ₽127

84.46%

Local Cheese (1kg)

$9.18 MX$155

$12.96 ₽1,112

-29.17%

Chicken Fillets (1kg)

$8.92 MX$151

$3.83 ₽329

132.90%

Beef Round Steak (1kg)

$12.60 MX$213

Apples (1kg)

$3.02 MX$51.1

Banana (1kg)

$1.57 MX$26.54

$1.70 ₽146

-7.65%

Oranges (1kg)

$2.13 MX$35.92

$1.47 ₽126

44.90%

Tomato (1kg)

$2.26 MX$38.27

Potato (1kg)

$2.00 MX$33.87

Onion (1kg)

$2.06 MX$34.89

Lettuce (1 head)

$1.18 MX$19.94

Water (1.5 liter bottle)

$1.20 MX$20.35

$0.83 ₽71.2

44.58%

Cigarettes 20 Pack (Marlboro, Camel)

$4.63 MX$78.3

$2.39 ₽205

93.72%

Wine (Bottle)

$10.69 MX$181

$8.87 ₽761

20.52%

Local Beer (0.5 liter bottle)

$1.62 MX$27.37

$0.95 ₽81.1

70.53%

Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$2.88 MX$48.69

$2.35 ₽202

22.55%

One-way Ticket (Public Transport)

$0.57 MX$9.69

$0.36 ₽30.98

58.33%

Public Transport Monthly Pass (Regular Price)

$29.83 MX$504

Taxi Start (Normal Tariff)

$5.45 MX$92.1

$2.06 ₽177

164.56%

Taxi (Normal Tariff) (1km)

$3.70 MX$62.6

$0.22 ₽18.84

1581.82%

Taxi 1hour Waiting (Normal Tariff)

$5.98 MX$101

$9.04 ₽775

-33.85%

Gasoline (1 liter)

$1.55 MX$26.25

$0.82 ₽70.2

89.02%

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

$22.3K MX$377.3K

$35.6K ₽3.1M

-37.36%

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

$25.9K MX$438.5K

$40.6K ₽3.5M

-36.13%

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

$89.1 MX$1,506

$80.7 ₽6,925

10.46%

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

$25.04 MX$423

$6.32 ₽542

296.20%

Internet (50+ Mbps, Unlimited Data)

$31.50 MX$532

$10.26 ₽880

207.02%

Gym Membership (Monthly)

$67.8 MX$1,145

$54.0 ₽4,635

25.50%

Tennis Court (1 Hour on Weekend)

$28.92 MX$489

Cinema Ticket

$5.05 MX$85.3

$4.51 ₽387

11.97%

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

$225 MX$3,802

$348 ₽29.9K

-35.36%

International Primary School, 1 Child (Yearly)

$4,222 MX$71.4K

Jeans (Levis 501 Or Similar)

$47.44 MX$802

$94.4 ₽8,102

-49.75%

Summer Dress (H&M, Zara, etc)

$44.98 MX$760

$56.1 ₽4,816

-19.85%

Sport Shoes (Adidas, Nike)

$82.0 MX$1,386

Men's Leather Business Shoes

$92.1 MX$1,556

$55.4 ₽4,752

66.35%

1-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)

$1,069 MX$18.1K

$350 ₽30.1K

205.35%

1-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)

$405 MX$6,850

$212 ₽18.2K

90.90%

3-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)

$1,935 MX$32.7K

$546 ₽46.9K

254.15%

3-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)

$1,301 MX$22.0K

$358 ₽30.7K

263.70%

Buy Apartment in City Center (m2)

$3,995 MX$67.5K

$2,181 ₽187.2K

83.19%

Buy Apartment Outside City Center (m2)

$6,626 MX$112.0K

$1,042 ₽89.4K

536.23%

Average Monthly Net Salary (After Tax)

$749 MX$12.7K

$546 ₽46.8K

37.24%

20-Year Fixed Mortgage Interest Rate (Annual %)

11.45

-52.29%

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 Penza: August 30, 2026

Cost Breakdown

A central one-bedroom costs $1,069 in Playa del Carmen versus $350 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 37% 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 $47.00 in Playa del Carmen versus $35.00 in Penza. Monthly groceries follow the same trend: $277 vs $132 – 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: $1,293 in Playa del Carmen, $748 in Penza – roughly 73% 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 $1,122 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 $1,293 in Playa del Carmen and $748 in Penza. 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 $348 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 $748, than in Playa del Carmen at $1,293. 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 $748 in Penza to $1,293 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.