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 $1,297 per month in Playa del Carmen vs $1,008 in Saratov, rent included.

A couple spends around $2,181 per month in Playa del Carmen vs $1,559 in Saratov, rent included.

A family of three spends $3,065 per month in Playa del Carmen vs $2,110 in Saratov, rent included.

Playa del Carmen costs about 29% more than Saratov, driven mainly by Clothing & Footwear.

Both Playa del Carmen and Saratov are more affordable than the global median – Playa del Carmen 3% lower, Saratov 25% lower.

Meal at Budget Restaurant

$11.73 MX$203

$12.71 ₽927

-7.71%

Three-Course Dinner for Two, Mid-Range

$41.62 MX$720

$38.84 ₽2,835

7.16%

Fast Food Meal (McDonalds, etc)

$10.64 MX$184

$6.41 ₽468

65.99%

Cappuccino

$3.52 MX$60.9

$1.99 ₽145

76.88%

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

$1.51 MX$26.12

$0.77 ₽55.9

96.10%

Water (0.33 liter bottle)

$0.97 MX$16.84

$0.41 ₽30.22

136.59%

Local Beer (0.5 liter draught)

$2.95 MX$51.0

$0.92 ₽67.4

220.65%

Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$4.45 MX$77.0

$2.36 ₽172

88.56%

Milk (1 liter)

$1.38 MX$23.93

$1.04 ₽75.9

32.69%

White Bread (500g)

$1.89 MX$32.72

$0.67 ₽48.92

182.09%

Rice (white) (1kg)

$1.64 MX$28.32

$1.71 ₽125

-4.09%

Eggs

$2.51 MX$43.34

$1.54 ₽112

62.99%

Local Cheese (1kg)

$8.34 MX$144

$11.35 ₽828

-26.52%

Chicken Fillets (1kg)

$8.34 MX$144

$4.30 ₽314

93.95%

Beef Round Steak (1kg)

$10.73 MX$186

$9.10 ₽664

17.91%

Apples (1kg)

$2.60 MX$45.04

$1.18 ₽86.0

120.34%

Banana (1kg)

$1.46 MX$25.20

$1.64 ₽120

-10.98%

Oranges (1kg)

$1.90 MX$32.87

$2.23 ₽163

-14.80%

Tomato (1kg)

$2.08 MX$35.91

$1.97 ₽144

5.58%

Potato (1kg)

$1.78 MX$30.71

$0.53 ₽38.55

235.85%

Onion (1kg)

$2.19 MX$37.80

$0.55 ₽40.44

298.18%

Lettuce (1 head)

$1.04 MX$17.99

$1.44 ₽105

-27.78%

Water (1.5 liter bottle)

$1.08 MX$18.62

$0.51 ₽37.45

111.76%

Cigarettes 20 Pack (Marlboro, Camel)

$4.08 MX$70.6

$2.43 ₽177

67.90%

Wine (Bottle)

$10.32 MX$178

$7.64 ₽558

35.08%

Local Beer (0.5 liter bottle)

$1.71 MX$29.61

$0.99 ₽72.0

72.73%

Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$2.58 MX$44.54

$2.32 ₽169

11.21%

One-way Ticket (Public Transport)

$0.51 MX$8.81

$0.53 ₽38.56

-3.77%

Public Transport Monthly Pass (Regular Price)

$26.46 MX$458

Taxi Start (Normal Tariff)

$3.26 MX$56.4

$1.82 ₽133

79.12%

Taxi (Normal Tariff) (1km)

$2.49 MX$43.09

$0.24 ₽17.56

937.50%

Taxi 1hour Waiting (Normal Tariff)

$3.25 MX$56.2

$6.89 ₽503

-52.83%

Gasoline (1 liter)

$1.31 MX$22.61

$0.73 ₽53.2

79.45%

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

$30.3K MX$523.7K

$39.8K ₽2.9M

-23.89%

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

$23.4K MX$405.3K

$38.4K ₽2.8M

-38.97%

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

$82.9 MX$1,433

$85.4 ₽6,230

-2.91%

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

$22.22 MX$384

$5.38 ₽393

313.01%

Internet (50+ Mbps, Unlimited Data)

$29.34 MX$507

$9.33 ₽681

214.47%

Gym Membership (Monthly)

$51.6 MX$893

$37.05 ₽2,704

39.35%

Tennis Court (1 Hour on Weekend)

$18.32 MX$317

$21.24 ₽1,550

-13.75%

Cinema Ticket

$5.07 MX$87.6

$5.12 ₽374

-0.98%

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

$201 MX$3,473

$327 ₽23.9K

-38.65%

International Primary School, 1 Child (Yearly)

$5,212 MX$90.1K

$6,848 ₽499.8K

-23.89%

Jeans (Levis 501 Or Similar)

$36.92 MX$639

$136 ₽9,903

-72.79%

Summer Dress (H&M, Zara, etc)

$39.79 MX$688

$74.2 ₽5,412

-46.34%

Sport Shoes (Adidas, Nike)

$78.5 MX$1,357

$133 ₽9,733

-41.17%

Men's Leather Business Shoes

$87.1 MX$1,506

$151 ₽11.0K

-42.23%

1-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)

$973 MX$16.8K

$396 ₽28.9K

145.84%

1-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)

$468 MX$8,090

$285 ₽20.8K

64.30%

3-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)

$1,641 MX$28.4K

$600 ₽43.8K

173.39%

3-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)

$1,221 MX$21.1K

$468 ₽34.2K

160.78%

Buy Apartment in City Center (m2)

$3,946 MX$68.3K

$1,839 ₽134.2K

114.55%

Buy Apartment Outside City Center (m2)

$6,498 MX$112.4K

$1,529 ₽111.6K

325.10%

Average Monthly Net Salary (After Tax)

$664 MX$11.5K

$728 ₽53.1K

-8.76%

20-Year Fixed Mortgage Interest Rate (Annual %)

11.42

12.45

-8.27%

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 Saratov: June 1, 2026

Cost Breakdown

A central one-bedroom costs $973 in Playa del Carmen versus $396 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 10% higher in Saratov, 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 $39.00 in Saratov. Monthly groceries follow the same trend: $249 vs $187 – 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 29%, and the gap shows up most in Clothing & Footwear. 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 $1,512 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 $1,297 in Playa del Carmen and $1,008 in Saratov. The difference isn't just one category – it shows up across housing, food, transport, and services.

Kindergarten costs $201 per month in Playa del Carmen and $327 in Saratov. For families with young kids, this one expense can tip the scales when choosing between the two cities.

A $1,000 monthly budget goes further in Saratov, where all-in costs run around $1,008, than in Playa del Carmen at $1,297. 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.