๐A single person spends $1,261 per month in Playa del Carmen vs $1,054 in Polevskoy, rent included.
๐A couple spends around $2,130 per month in Playa del Carmen vs $1,593 in Polevskoy, rent included.
๐A family of three spends $2,999 per month in Playa del Carmen vs $2,132 in Polevskoy, rent included.
๐Playa del Carmen costs about 20% more than Polevskoy, driven mainly by Eating Out.
๐Both Playa del Carmen and Polevskoy are more affordable than the global median โ Playa del Carmen6% lower, Polevskoy21% lower.
Currency
๐ฝ Eating Out
Playa del Carmen
Polevskoy
Difference
Meal at Budget Restaurant
$11.67MX$202
$6.23โฝ467
87.32%
Three-Course Dinner for Two, Mid-Range
$41.88MX$726
$44.53โฝ3,341
-5.95%
Fast Food Meal(McDonalds, etc)
$10.40MX$180
$5.61โฝ421
85.38%
Cappuccino
$3.61MX$62.6
$2.26โฝ170
59.73%
Coke/Pepsi/Fanta/Sprite(0.33 liter bottle)
$1.47MX$25.45
$1.29โฝ96.5
13.95%
Water(0.33 liter bottle)
$0.91MX$15.80
$0.37โฝ27.52
145.95%
Local Beer(0.5 liter draught)
$3.03MX$52.6
$0.85โฝ63.6
256.47%
Imported Beer(0.33 liter bottle)
$4.47MX$77.4
$1.95โฝ146
129.23%
๐ Groceries & Markets
Playa del Carmen
Polevskoy
Difference
Milk(1 liter)
$1.38MX$23.83
$1.17โฝ88.0
17.95%
White Bread(500g)
$1.84MX$31.93
$0.74โฝ55.5
148.65%
Rice(white)(1kg)
$1.61MX$27.82
$1.38โฝ104
16.67%
Eggs
$2.57MX$44.52
$1.76โฝ132
46.02%
Local Cheese(1kg)
$8.49MX$147
$10.09โฝ757
-15.86%
Chicken Fillets(1kg)
$8.49MX$147
$6.92โฝ520
22.69%
Beef Round Steak(1kg)
$10.99MX$190
$11.31โฝ849
-2.83%
Apples(1kg)
$2.73MX$47.25
$1.88โฝ141
45.21%
Banana(1kg)
$1.50MX$25.92
$2.04โฝ153
-26.47%
Oranges(1kg)
$1.96MX$33.93
$2.05โฝ154
-4.39%
Tomato(1kg)
$2.12MX$36.70
$3.48โฝ261
-39.08%
Potato(1kg)
$1.86MX$32.30
$1.08โฝ81.1
72.22%
Onion(1kg)
$2.17MX$37.67
$0.75โฝ56.1
189.33%
Lettuce(1 head)
$1.07MX$18.59
$0.54โฝ40.67
98.15%
Water(1.5 liter bottle)
$1.05MX$18.18
$0.57โฝ42.87
84.21%
Cigarettes 20 Pack(Marlboro, Camel)
$4.19MX$72.6
$2.59โฝ195
61.78%
Wine(Bottle)
$10.28MX$178
$6.54โฝ491
57.19%
Local Beer(0.5 liter bottle)
$1.67MX$28.87
$0.92โฝ68.8
81.52%
Imported Beer(0.33 liter bottle)
$2.49MX$43.12
$1.66โฝ125
50.00%
๐ Getting Around
Playa del Carmen
Polevskoy
Difference
One-way Ticket(Public Transport)
$0.54MX$9.37
$0.52โฝ39.07
3.85%
Public Transport Monthly Pass(Regular Price)
$26.27MX$455
-
-
Taxi Start(Normal Tariff)
$3.10MX$53.8
$1.94โฝ146
59.79%
Taxi(Normal Tariff)(1km)
$2.46MX$42.66
$0.32โฝ24.37
668.75%
Taxi 1hour Waiting(Normal Tariff)
$3.24MX$56.1
$5.28โฝ396
-38.64%
Gasoline(1 liter)
$1.26MX$21.83
$0.79โฝ59.1
59.49%
Midsize Hatchback 1.4l(Volkswagen Golf, Toyota Prius, Honda Civic, etc)
$30.2KMX$522.8K
$62.7Kโฝ4.7M
-51.89%
Compact Sedan 1.6l(Toyota Corolla, Mazda3, Kia K4, Hyundai Elantra, etc)
$23.4KMX$406.3K
$31.5Kโฝ2.4M
-25.58%
๐งพ Monthly Utilities & Internet
Playa del Carmen
Polevskoy
Difference
Utilities for 2 People in 2-bedroom Apartment(Heating, Electricity, Gas, Water, Garbage)(85m2)
$84.0MX$1,456
$139โฝ10.4K
-39.63%
SIM Card Monthly Plan(Calls and 10GB+ Data)
$22.21MX$385
$9.41โฝ706
136.03%
Internet(50+ Mbps, Unlimited Data)
$29.65MX$514
$7.89โฝ592
275.79%
๐ Sport & Entertainment
Playa del Carmen
Polevskoy
Difference
Gym Membership(Monthly)
$52.6MX$912
$35.95โฝ2,698
46.43%
Tennis Court(1 Hour on Weekend)
$18.34MX$318
-
-
Cinema Ticket
$4.95MX$85.7
$5.77โฝ433
-14.21%
๐งธ Childcare & Education
Playa del Carmen
Polevskoy
Difference
Preschool or Kindergarten, Full Day, Private, 1 Child(Monthly)
$198MX$3,438
$447โฝ33.6K
-55.64%
International Primary School, 1 Child(Yearly)
$5,322MX$92.2K
$4,420โฝ331.7K
20.39%
๐๐ Clothing & Footwear
Playa del Carmen
Polevskoy
Difference
Jeans(Levis 501 Or Similar)
$35.95MX$623
$49.14โฝ3,688
-26.84%
Summer Dress(H&M, Zara, etc)
$40.06MX$694
$42.78โฝ3,210
-6.36%
Sport Shoes(Adidas, Nike)
$78.8MX$1,365
$165โฝ12.4K
-52.21%
Men's Leather Business Shoes
$86.5MX$1,499
$187โฝ14.0K
-53.76%
๐ Accommodation & Living
Playa del Carmen
Polevskoy
Difference
1-bedroom Apartment, City Center(Monthly)
$977MX$16.9K
$446โฝ33.5K
119.09%
1-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center(Monthly)
$471MX$8,158
$306โฝ23.0K
53.89%
3-bedroom Apartment, City Center(Monthly)
$1,595MX$27.6K
$774โฝ58.1K
106.08%
3-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center(Monthly)
$1,215MX$21.1K
$510โฝ38.2K
138.39%
Buy Apartment in City Center(m2)
$4,032MX$69.9K
$2,301โฝ172.6K
75.25%
Buy Apartment Outside City Center(m2)
$6,579MX$114.0K
$1,589โฝ119.2K
314.09%
๐ต Salaries & Financials
Playa del Carmen
Polevskoy
Difference
Average Monthly Net Salary(After Tax)
$714MX$12.4K
-
-
20-Year Fixed Mortgage Interest Rate(Annual %)
11.42
14.06
-18.78%
CityCost data is based on AI and user input โ minor inaccuracies may occur.
Last update for Playa del Carmen: April 19, 2026
Last update for Polevskoy: April 19, 2026
Cost Breakdown
๐ A central one-bedroom costs $977 in Playa del Carmen versus $446 in Polevskoy. Rent is usually the largest line item in a monthly budget, so the gap here sets the tone for the overall comparison.
๐A mid-range dinner for two costs $42 in Playa del Carmen versus $45 in Polevskoy. Groceries tell a different story โ $252 in Playa del Carmen vs $212 in Polevskoy โ so Polevskoy wins on supermarket bills even if dining out costs more.
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 Polevskoy: Cost of Living - Frequently Asked Questions
Is Polevskoy cheaper than Playa del Carmen?
Yes โ Playa del Carmen is pricier by about 20%, and the gap shows up most in Eating Out. It's not just housing either; the difference applies across most spending categories.
What income do you need for each city?
For a comfortable life, plan on about $1,891 per month in Playa del Carmen and $1,580 in Polevskoy. That covers rent, food, utilities, transport, and enough left over to feel settled โ not just surviving.
Which city has lower housing costs?
Rent is clearly cheaper in Polevskoy, especially for central apartments. Housing is actually the single biggest factor behind the overall cost gap between these two cities.
What are total monthly expenses in Playa del Carmen vs Polevskoy?
Monthly expenses with rent come to $1,261 in Playa del Carmen and $1,054 in Polevskoy. The difference isn't just one category โ it shows up across housing, food, transport, and services.
Which city has cheaper kindergarten?
Kindergarten costs $198 per month in Playa del Carmen and $447 in Polevskoy. For families with young kids, this one expense can tip the scales when choosing between the two cities.
Is $2,000 a realistic budget for Playa del Carmen or Polevskoy?
A $2,000 monthly budget goes further in Polevskoy, where all-in costs run around $1,054, than in Playa del Carmen at $1,261. In Polevskoy it covers expenses comfortably, while in Playa del Carmen it requires careful planning or may not stretch far enough.
Is Playa del Carmen or Polevskoy more family-friendly?
Families tend to lean toward Polevskoy โ lower housing and cheaper childcare make a real difference, especially on a single income or when paying for private education.
Which city is the better choice to relocate to?
If budget matters most, go with Polevskoy. 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.
Playa del Carmen vs other spots: cost of living compared