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

Monthly Cost of Living

A single person spends $1,305 per month in Playa del Carmen vs $1,082 in Saratov, rent included.

A couple spends around $2,334 per month in Playa del Carmen vs $1,753 in Saratov, rent included.

A family of three spends $3,362 per month in Playa del Carmen vs $2,425 in Saratov, rent included.

Playa del Carmen costs about 21% more than Saratov, driven mainly by Groceries & Markets.

Both Playa del Carmen and Saratov are more affordable than the global median – Playa del Carmen 5% lower, Saratov 22% lower.

Meal at Budget Restaurant

$11.96 MX$203

$15.42 ₽1,296

-22.44%

Three-Course Dinner for Two, Mid-Range

$47.38 MX$804

$38.91 ₽3,270

21.77%

Fast Food Meal (McDonalds, etc)

$11.75 MX$199

$7.68 ₽645

52.99%

Cappuccino

$4.12 MX$70.0

$2.59 ₽217

59.07%

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

$1.40 MX$23.74

$0.85 ₽71.8

64.71%

Water (0.33 liter bottle)

$0.91 MX$15.48

$0.49 ₽41.41

85.71%

Local Beer (0.5 liter draught)

$3.21 MX$54.4

$1.97 ₽166

62.94%

Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$7.07 MX$120

$3.12 ₽262

126.60%

Milk (1 liter)

$1.68 MX$28.44

$1.00 ₽84.0

68.00%

White Bread (500g)

$2.15 MX$36.48

$0.79 ₽66.7

172.15%

Rice (white) (1kg)

$1.77 MX$30.10

$1.55 ₽131

14.19%

Eggs

$2.82 MX$47.76

$1.47 ₽124

91.84%

Local Cheese (1kg)

$9.20 MX$156

$9.92 ₽834

-7.26%

Chicken Fillets (1kg)

$9.23 MX$157

$4.48 ₽377

106.03%

Beef Round Steak (1kg)

$12.64 MX$214

$9.63 ₽810

31.26%

Apples (1kg)

$2.95 MX$50.1

$2.90 ₽243

1.72%

Banana (1kg)

$1.58 MX$26.79

$1.83 ₽153

-13.66%

Oranges (1kg)

$2.22 MX$37.70

$0.94 ₽78.9

136.17%

Tomato (1kg)

$2.36 MX$40.09

$3.29 ₽277

-28.27%

Potato (1kg)

$1.99 MX$33.81

$0.74 ₽62.6

168.92%

Onion (1kg)

$1.98 MX$33.58

$0.47 ₽39.71

321.28%

Lettuce (1 head)

$1.24 MX$21.04

$0.83 ₽70.1

49.40%

Water (1.5 liter bottle)

$1.21 MX$20.55

$0.55 ₽46.05

120.00%

Cigarettes 20 Pack (Marlboro, Camel)

$4.60 MX$78.1

$2.53 ₽213

81.82%

Wine (Bottle)

$10.52 MX$178

$6.85 ₽576

53.58%

Local Beer (0.5 liter bottle)

$1.69 MX$28.70

$0.88 ₽73.7

92.05%

Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$2.77 MX$47.06

$1.83 ₽154

51.37%

One-way Ticket (Public Transport)

$0.60 MX$10.22

$0.54 ₽45.74

11.11%

Public Transport Monthly Pass (Regular Price)

$29.70 MX$504

$15.10 ₽1,269

96.69%

Taxi Start (Normal Tariff)

$5.24 MX$88.8

$1.69 ₽142

210.06%

Taxi (Normal Tariff) (1km)

$3.65 MX$61.9

$0.33 ₽27.77

1006.06%

Taxi 1hour Waiting (Normal Tariff)

$5.78 MX$98.1

$6.97 ₽586

-17.07%

Gasoline (1 liter)

$1.54 MX$26.09

$0.81 ₽68.5

90.12%

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

$22.8K MX$386.8K

$44.0K ₽3.7M

-48.12%

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

$25.8K MX$437.9K

$39.6K ₽3.3M

-34.76%

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

$90.7 MX$1,538

$116 ₽9,716

-21.57%

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

$25.19 MX$427

$8.94 ₽751

181.77%

Internet (50+ Mbps, Unlimited Data)

$31.75 MX$539

$9.60 ₽807

230.73%

Gym Membership (Monthly)

$68.8 MX$1,167

$40.76 ₽3,426

68.77%

Tennis Court (1 Hour on Weekend)

$29.37 MX$498

$24.53 ₽2,062

19.73%

Cinema Ticket

$4.86 MX$82.5

$4.92 ₽413

-1.22%

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

$226 MX$3,828

$299 ₽25.1K

-24.51%

International Primary School, 1 Child (Yearly)

$4,194 MX$71.1K

$3,889 ₽326.9K

7.83%

Jeans (Levis 501 Or Similar)

$47.38 MX$804

$65.8 ₽5,528

-27.96%

Summer Dress (H&M, Zara, etc)

$43.45 MX$737

$69.7 ₽5,858

-37.65%

Sport Shoes (Adidas, Nike)

$80.2 MX$1,361

$101 ₽8,517

-20.84%

Men's Leather Business Shoes

$91.4 MX$1,550

$145 ₽12.2K

-36.87%

1-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)

$1,086 MX$18.4K

$474 ₽39.8K

129.01%

1-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)

$409 MX$6,933

$323 ₽27.2K

26.37%

3-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)

$1,972 MX$33.5K

$882 ₽74.1K

123.62%

3-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)

$1,281 MX$21.7K

$650 ₽54.6K

97.29%

Buy Apartment in City Center (m2)

$4,046 MX$68.6K

$1,556 ₽130.8K

160.00%

Buy Apartment Outside City Center (m2)

$6,704 MX$113.7K

$1,255 ₽105.5K

434.23%

Average Monthly Net Salary (After Tax)

$773 MX$13.1K

$623 ₽52.3K

24.22%

20-Year Fixed Mortgage Interest Rate (Annual %)

11.45

20.25

-43.46%

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

Last update for Playa del Carmen: September 7, 2026

Last update for Saratov: September 7, 2026

Cost Breakdown

A central one-bedroom costs $1,086 in Playa del Carmen versus $474 in Saratov. 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 24% 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 $39.00 in Saratov. Monthly groceries follow the same trend: $278 vs $192 – making Saratov 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 Saratov: Cost of Living - Frequently Asked Questions

Yes – Playa del Carmen is pricier by about 21%, 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 $1,958 per month in Playa del Carmen and $1,622 in Saratov. That covers rent, food, utilities, transport, and enough left over to feel settled – not just surviving.

Rent is clearly cheaper in Saratov, 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 $1,305 in Playa del Carmen and $1,082 in Saratov. The difference isn't just one category – it shows up across housing, food, transport, and services.

Public transport costs about 97% less in Saratov. For daily commuters, that gap adds up to noticeable savings over a year.

A $1,000 monthly budget goes further in Saratov, where all-in costs run around $1,082, than in Playa del Carmen at $1,305. In Saratov it covers expenses comfortably, while in Playa del Carmen it requires careful planning or may not stretch far enough.

Families tend to lean toward Saratov – 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 Saratov. 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.