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

Monthly Cost of Living

A single person spends $1,260 per month in Playa del Carmen vs $853 in Rustavi, rent included.

A couple spends around $2,125 per month in Playa del Carmen vs $1,286 in Rustavi, rent included.

A family of three spends $2,990 per month in Playa del Carmen vs $1,718 in Rustavi, rent included.

Playa del Carmen costs about 48% more than Rustavi, driven mainly by Groceries & Markets.

Both Playa del Carmen and Rustavi are more affordable than the global median – Playa del Carmen 5% lower, Rustavi 36% lower.

Meal at Budget Restaurant

$11.72 MX$203

$11.07 ₾28.96

5.87%

Three-Course Dinner for Two, Mid-Range

$41.89 MX$727

$28.98 ₾75.9

44.55%

Fast Food Meal (McDonalds, etc)

$10.51 MX$182

$8.19 ₾21.42

28.33%

Cappuccino

$3.59 MX$62.2

$1.92 ₾5.02

86.98%

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

$1.51 MX$26.16

$0.76 ₾2.00

98.68%

Water (0.33 liter bottle)

$0.92 MX$15.87

$0.45 ₾1.19

104.44%

Local Beer (0.5 liter draught)

$2.96 MX$51.3

$2.17 ₾5.68

36.41%

Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$4.41 MX$76.5

$2.90 ₾7.60

52.07%

Milk (1 liter)

$1.40 MX$24.21

$1.95 ₾5.11

-28.21%

White Bread (500g)

$1.88 MX$32.68

$0.73 ₾1.91

157.53%

Rice (white) (1kg)

$1.56 MX$27.03

$1.56 ₾4.08

Eggs

$2.61 MX$45.25

$2.21 ₾5.79

18.10%

Local Cheese (1kg)

$8.32 MX$144

$7.46 ₾19.52

11.53%

Chicken Fillets (1kg)

$8.35 MX$145

$4.70 ₾12.30

77.66%

Beef Round Steak (1kg)

$10.86 MX$188

$9.24 ₾24.17

17.53%

Apples (1kg)

$2.71 MX$47.04

$0.88 ₾2.29

207.95%

Banana (1kg)

$1.51 MX$26.11

$1.59 ₾4.17

-5.03%

Oranges (1kg)

$1.87 MX$32.49

$1.87 ₾4.90

Tomato (1kg)

$2.19 MX$37.98

$1.02 ₾2.68

114.71%

Potato (1kg)

$1.86 MX$32.21

$0.65 ₾1.69

186.15%

Onion (1kg)

$2.23 MX$38.68

$0.62 ₾1.62

259.68%

Lettuce (1 head)

$1.07 MX$18.53

$1.18 ₾3.09

-9.32%

Water (1.5 liter bottle)

$1.09 MX$18.84

$0.65 ₾1.70

67.69%

Cigarettes 20 Pack (Marlboro, Camel)

$4.19 MX$72.6

$3.02 ₾7.91

38.74%

Wine (Bottle)

$10.43 MX$181

$3.73 ₾9.77

179.62%

Local Beer (0.5 liter bottle)

$1.66 MX$28.75

$1.52 ₾3.99

9.21%

Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$2.61 MX$45.30

$2.32 ₾6.08

12.50%

One-way Ticket (Public Transport)

$0.54 MX$9.39

$0.23 ₾0.60

134.78%

Public Transport Monthly Pass (Regular Price)

$26.16 MX$454

$10.91 ₾28.56

139.78%

Taxi Start (Normal Tariff)

$3.08 MX$53.4

$1.30 ₾3.39

136.92%

Taxi (Normal Tariff) (1km)

$2.40 MX$41.71

$0.37 ₾0.97

548.65%

Taxi 1hour Waiting (Normal Tariff)

$3.13 MX$54.2

$3.69 ₾9.66

-15.18%

Gasoline (1 liter)

$1.31 MX$22.74

$1.10 ₾2.88

19.09%

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

$29.8K MX$517.0K

$17.9K ₾46.9K

66.20%

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

$23.3K MX$404.5K

$9,312 ₾24.4K

150.46%

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

$81.3 MX$1,410

$73.2 ₾191

11.10%

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

$22.56 MX$391

$7.36 ₾19.26

206.52%

Internet (50+ Mbps, Unlimited Data)

$30.05 MX$521

$10.81 ₾28.30

177.98%

Gym Membership (Monthly)

$52.9 MX$918

$26.09 ₾68.3

102.80%

Tennis Court (1 Hour on Weekend)

$18.39 MX$319

$18.22 ₾47.70

0.93%

Cinema Ticket

$4.92 MX$85.3

$6.46 ₾16.92

-23.84%

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

$201 MX$3,483

$267 ₾698

-24.69%

International Primary School, 1 Child (Yearly)

$5,175 MX$89.7K

$5,182 ₾13.6K

-0.15%

Jeans (Levis 501 Or Similar)

$35.92 MX$623

$74.3 ₾194

-51.64%

Summer Dress (H&M, Zara, etc)

$40.13 MX$696

$44.98 ₾118

-10.78%

Sport Shoes (Adidas, Nike)

$79.7 MX$1,382

$107 ₾281

-25.85%

Men's Leather Business Shoes

$86.5 MX$1,500

$105 ₾276

-18.02%

1-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)

$978 MX$17.0K

$253 ₾662

286.43%

1-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)

$470 MX$8,160

$237 ₾621

98.33%

3-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)

$1,651 MX$28.6K

$438 ₾1,146

277.05%

3-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)

$1,203 MX$20.9K

$295 ₾772

308.02%

Buy Apartment in City Center (m2)

$3,953 MX$68.6K

$1,034 ₾2,706

282.36%

Buy Apartment Outside City Center (m2)

$6,607 MX$114.6K

$771 ₾2,018

756.84%

Average Monthly Net Salary (After Tax)

$677 MX$11.7K

$451 ₾1,180

50.13%

20-Year Fixed Mortgage Interest Rate (Annual %)

11.42

11.89

-3.95%

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

Last update for Playa del Carmen: July 27, 2026

Last update for Rustavi: July 28, 2026

Cost Breakdown

A central one-bedroom costs $978 in Playa del Carmen versus $253 in Rustavi. 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 50% 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 $29.00 in Rustavi. Monthly groceries follow the same trend: $252 vs $177 – making Rustavi 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 Rustavi: Cost of Living - Frequently Asked Questions

Yes – Playa del Carmen is pricier by about 48%, 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 $1,890 per month in Playa del Carmen and $1,280 in Rustavi. That covers rent, food, utilities, transport, and enough left over to feel settled – not just surviving.

Rent is clearly cheaper in Rustavi, 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 $1,260 in Playa del Carmen and $853 in Rustavi. The difference isn't just one category – it shows up across housing, food, transport, and services.

Public transport costs about 140% less in Rustavi. For daily commuters, that gap adds up to noticeable savings over a year.

A $2,000 monthly budget goes further in Rustavi, where all-in costs run around $853, than in Playa del Carmen at $1,260. In Rustavi it covers expenses comfortably, while in Playa del Carmen it requires careful planning or may not stretch far enough.

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

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 Rustavi. 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.