Cost of Living Comparison Between Playa del Carmen and Rostov-on-Don Cost of Living Comparison Between Playa del Carmen and Rostov-on-Don

Monthly Cost of Living

A single person spends $1,256 per month in Playa del Carmen vs $1,005 in Rostov-on-Don, rent included.

A couple spends around $2,137 per month in Playa del Carmen vs $1,542 in Rostov-on-Don, rent included.

A family of three spends $3,017 per month in Playa del Carmen vs $2,079 in Rostov-on-Don, rent included.

Playa del Carmen costs about 25% more than Rostov-on-Don, driven mainly by Groceries & Markets.

Both Playa del Carmen and Rostov-on-Don are more affordable than the global median – Playa del Carmen 6% lower, Rostov-on-Don 25% lower.

Meal at Budget Restaurant

$11.99 MX$209

$11.16 ₽876

7.44%

Three-Course Dinner for Two, Mid-Range

$41.78 MX$728

$37.79 ₽2,969

10.56%

Fast Food Meal (McDonalds, etc)

$10.75 MX$187

$4.97 ₽390

116.30%

Cappuccino

$3.50 MX$60.9

$2.53 ₽199

38.34%

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

$1.45 MX$25.22

$1.19 ₽93.1

21.85%

Water (0.33 liter bottle)

$0.88 MX$15.41

$0.72 ₽56.9

22.22%

Local Beer (0.5 liter draught)

$2.95 MX$51.3

$1.25 ₽97.9

136.00%

Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$4.51 MX$78.6

$2.16 ₽170

108.80%

Milk (1 liter)

$1.43 MX$24.94

$1.02 ₽80.2

40.20%

White Bread (500g)

$1.84 MX$31.99

$0.55 ₽43.52

234.55%

Rice (white) (1kg)

$1.57 MX$27.31

$1.15 ₽90.6

36.52%

Eggs

$2.51 MX$43.74

$1.57 ₽123

59.87%

Local Cheese (1kg)

$8.28 MX$144

$8.24 ₽647

0.49%

Chicken Fillets (1kg)

$8.43 MX$147

$4.86 ₽381

73.46%

Beef Round Steak (1kg)

$10.68 MX$186

$7.61 ₽598

40.34%

Apples (1kg)

$2.61 MX$45.43

$1.27 ₽99.5

105.51%

Banana (1kg)

$1.44 MX$25.04

$1.62 ₽127

-11.11%

Oranges (1kg)

$1.96 MX$34.16

$1.52 ₽119

28.95%

Tomato (1kg)

$2.09 MX$36.47

$2.42 ₽190

-13.64%

Potato (1kg)

$1.85 MX$32.24

$0.71 ₽55.8

160.56%

Onion (1kg)

$2.17 MX$37.74

$0.55 ₽43.34

294.55%

Lettuce (1 head)

$1.03 MX$17.96

$1.19 ₽93.8

-13.45%

Water (1.5 liter bottle)

$1.07 MX$18.70

$0.63 ₽49.41

69.84%

Cigarettes 20 Pack (Marlboro, Camel)

$4.10 MX$71.4

$3.20 ₽251

28.12%

Wine (Bottle)

$10.17 MX$177

$7.61 ₽598

33.64%

Local Beer (0.5 liter bottle)

$1.68 MX$29.17

$0.89 ₽69.5

88.76%

Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$2.53 MX$43.98

$2.11 ₽165

19.91%

One-way Ticket (Public Transport)

$0.51 MX$8.87

$0.51 ₽40.31

Public Transport Monthly Pass (Regular Price)

$26.04 MX$453

$19.36 ₽1,521

34.50%

Taxi Start (Normal Tariff)

$3.23 MX$56.3

$1.96 ₽154

64.80%

Taxi (Normal Tariff) (1km)

$2.41 MX$41.88

$0.33 ₽25.83

630.30%

Taxi 1hour Waiting (Normal Tariff)

$3.23 MX$56.2

$6.65 ₽522

-51.43%

Gasoline (1 liter)

$1.32 MX$23.00

$0.77 ₽60.6

71.43%

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

$29.7K MX$517.1K

$25.7K ₽2.0M

15.70%

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

$23.7K MX$412.0K

$39.7K ₽3.1M

-40.32%

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

$82.0 MX$1,428

$99.1 ₽7,787

-17.25%

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

$22.95 MX$400

$7.17 ₽563

220.08%

Internet (50+ Mbps, Unlimited Data)

$30.11 MX$524

$8.05 ₽632

274.04%

Gym Membership (Monthly)

$52.0 MX$905

$41.54 ₽3,263

25.11%

Tennis Court (1 Hour on Weekend)

$18.53 MX$323

$25.69 ₽2,018

-27.87%

Cinema Ticket

$4.98 MX$86.6

$5.06 ₽397

-1.58%

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

$197 MX$3,438

$286 ₽22.5K

-30.91%

International Primary School, 1 Child (Yearly)

$5,336 MX$92.9K

$8,396 ₽659.6K

-36.44%

Jeans (Levis 501 Or Similar)

$35.60 MX$620

$48.48 ₽3,808

-26.57%

Summer Dress (H&M, Zara, etc)

$40.33 MX$702

$60.4 ₽4,743

-33.21%

Sport Shoes (Adidas, Nike)

$78.8 MX$1,371

$114 ₽8,992

-31.20%

Men's Leather Business Shoes

$88.9 MX$1,549

$102 ₽8,000

-12.67%

1-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)

$947 MX$16.5K

$490 ₽38.5K

93.12%

1-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)

$474 MX$8,254

$353 ₽27.7K

34.40%

3-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)

$1,644 MX$28.6K

$928 ₽72.9K

77.13%

3-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)

$1,211 MX$21.1K

$580 ₽45.6K

108.66%

Buy Apartment in City Center (m2)

$4,056 MX$70.6K

$2,635 ₽207.0K

53.95%

Buy Apartment Outside City Center (m2)

$6,470 MX$112.7K

$1,630 ₽128.0K

296.97%

Average Monthly Net Salary (After Tax)

$654 MX$11.4K

$904 ₽71.0K

-27.69%

20-Year Fixed Mortgage Interest Rate (Annual %)

11.42

16.33

-30.07%

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 Rostov-on-Don: July 12, 2026

Cost Breakdown

A central one-bedroom costs $947 in Playa del Carmen versus $490 in Rostov-on-Don. 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 38% higher in Rostov-on-Don, 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 $38.00 in Rostov-on-Don. Monthly groceries follow the same trend: $249 vs $172 – making Rostov-on-Don 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 Rostov-on-Don: Cost of Living - Frequently Asked Questions

Yes – Playa del Carmen is pricier by about 25%, and the gap shows up most in Groceries & Markets. It's not just housing either; the difference applies across most spending categories.

For a comfortable life, plan on about $1,884 per month in Playa del Carmen and $1,507 in Rostov-on-Don. That covers rent, food, utilities, transport, and enough left over to feel settled – not just surviving.

Rent is clearly cheaper in Rostov-on-Don, 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 $1,005 in Rostov-on-Don. The difference isn't just one category – it shows up across housing, food, transport, and services.

Public transport costs about 35% less in Rostov-on-Don. For daily commuters, that gap adds up to noticeable savings over a year.

A $1,000 monthly budget goes further in Rostov-on-Don, where all-in costs run around $1,005, than in Playa del Carmen at $1,256. In Rostov-on-Don it covers expenses comfortably, while in Playa del Carmen it requires careful planning or may not stretch far enough.

Families tend to lean toward Rostov-on-Don – lower housing and cheaper childcare make a real difference, especially on a single income or when paying for private education.

If budget matters most, go with Rostov-on-Don. 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.