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 $1,297 per month in Playa del Carmen vs $996 in Rostov-on-Don, rent included.

A couple spends around $2,181 per month in Playa del Carmen vs $1,555 in Rostov-on-Don, rent included.

A family of three spends $3,065 per month in Playa del Carmen vs $2,113 in Rostov-on-Don, rent included.

Playa del Carmen costs about 30% 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 3% lower, Rostov-on-Don 26% lower.

Meal at Budget Restaurant

$11.73 MX$203

$11.24 ₽829

4.36%

Three-Course Dinner for Two, Mid-Range

$41.62 MX$721

$38.44 ₽2,836

8.27%

Fast Food Meal (McDonalds, etc)

$10.64 MX$184

$4.99 ₽369

113.23%

Cappuccino

$3.52 MX$61.0

$2.51 ₽186

40.24%

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

$1.51 MX$26.17

$1.20 ₽88.8

25.83%

Water (0.33 liter bottle)

$0.97 MX$16.87

$0.70 ₽51.5

38.57%

Local Beer (0.5 liter draught)

$2.95 MX$51.1

$1.24 ₽91.3

137.90%

Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$4.45 MX$77.2

$2.28 ₽168

95.18%

Milk (1 liter)

$1.38 MX$23.97

$1.02 ₽75.4

35.29%

White Bread (500g)

$1.89 MX$32.78

$0.55 ₽40.41

243.64%

Rice (white) (1kg)

$1.64 MX$28.37

$1.15 ₽84.9

42.61%

Eggs

$2.51 MX$43.42

$1.57 ₽116

59.87%

Local Cheese (1kg)

$8.34 MX$145

$8.12 ₽599

2.71%

Chicken Fillets (1kg)

$8.34 MX$145

$4.77 ₽352

74.84%

Beef Round Steak (1kg)

$10.73 MX$186

$7.38 ₽545

45.39%

Apples (1kg)

$2.60 MX$45.12

$1.26 ₽93.2

106.35%

Banana (1kg)

$1.46 MX$25.25

$1.65 ₽121

-11.52%

Oranges (1kg)

$1.90 MX$32.94

$1.46 ₽108

30.14%

Tomato (1kg)

$2.08 MX$35.98

$2.41 ₽178

-13.69%

Potato (1kg)

$1.78 MX$30.77

$0.72 ₽53.0

147.22%

Onion (1kg)

$2.19 MX$37.87

$0.56 ₽41.22

291.07%

Lettuce (1 head)

$1.04 MX$18.02

$1.19 ₽87.7

-12.61%

Water (1.5 liter bottle)

$1.08 MX$18.66

$0.68 ₽50.0

58.82%

Cigarettes 20 Pack (Marlboro, Camel)

$4.08 MX$70.7

$3.32 ₽245

22.89%

Wine (Bottle)

$10.32 MX$179

$7.93 ₽586

30.14%

Local Beer (0.5 liter bottle)

$1.71 MX$29.67

$0.91 ₽67.5

87.91%

Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$2.58 MX$44.63

$2.11 ₽156

22.27%

One-way Ticket (Public Transport)

$0.51 MX$8.83

$0.51 ₽37.82

Public Transport Monthly Pass (Regular Price)

$26.46 MX$459

$18.86 ₽1,392

40.30%

Taxi Start (Normal Tariff)

$3.26 MX$56.5

$1.94 ₽143

68.04%

Taxi (Normal Tariff) (1km)

$2.49 MX$43.17

$0.35 ₽26.16

611.43%

Taxi 1hour Waiting (Normal Tariff)

$3.25 MX$56.3

$6.36 ₽469

-48.90%

Gasoline (1 liter)

$1.31 MX$22.65

$0.78 ₽57.8

67.95%

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

$30.3K MX$524.7K

$25.3K ₽1.9M

19.68%

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

$23.4K MX$406.0K

$39.9K ₽2.9M

-41.24%

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

$82.9 MX$1,436

$96.2 ₽7,100

-13.87%

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

$22.22 MX$385

$7.01 ₽517

216.98%

Internet (50+ Mbps, Unlimited Data)

$29.34 MX$508

$8.06 ₽595

264.02%

Gym Membership (Monthly)

$51.6 MX$895

$40.50 ₽2,989

27.48%

Tennis Court (1 Hour on Weekend)

$18.32 MX$317

$25.14 ₽1,855

-27.13%

Cinema Ticket

$5.07 MX$87.8

$4.94 ₽365

2.63%

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

$201 MX$3,480

$288 ₽21.2K

-30.16%

International Primary School, 1 Child (Yearly)

$5,212 MX$90.3K

$8,215 ₽606.2K

-36.56%

Jeans (Levis 501 Or Similar)

$36.92 MX$640

$48.54 ₽3,582

-23.94%

Summer Dress (H&M, Zara, etc)

$39.79 MX$689

$62.3 ₽4,599

-36.15%

Sport Shoes (Adidas, Nike)

$78.5 MX$1,360

$113 ₽8,322

-30.44%

Men's Leather Business Shoes

$87.1 MX$1,509

$102 ₽7,504

-14.36%

1-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)

$973 MX$16.9K

$490 ₽36.1K

98.52%

1-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)

$468 MX$8,105

$351 ₽25.9K

33.42%

3-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)

$1,641 MX$28.4K

$937 ₽69.1K

75.16%

3-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)

$1,221 MX$21.2K

$576 ₽42.5K

111.92%

Buy Apartment in City Center (m2)

$3,946 MX$68.4K

$2,807 ₽207.1K

40.59%

Buy Apartment Outside City Center (m2)

$6,498 MX$112.6K

$1,738 ₽128.3K

273.80%

Average Monthly Net Salary (After Tax)

$664 MX$11.5K

$966 ₽71.3K

-31.28%

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: June 2, 2026

Last update for Rostov-on-Don: June 1, 2026

Cost Breakdown

A central one-bedroom costs $973 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 46% 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 30%, 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 $1,945 per month in Playa del Carmen and $1,495 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 $1,297 in Playa del Carmen and $996 in Rostov-on-Don. The difference isn't just one category – it shows up across housing, food, transport, and services.

Public transport costs about 40% 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 $996, than in Playa del Carmen at $1,297. 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.