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

Monthly Cost of Living

A single person spends $1,261 per month in Playa del Carmen vs $954 in Shakhty, rent included.

A couple spends around $2,130 per month in Playa del Carmen vs $1,471 in Shakhty, rent included.

A family of three spends $2,999 per month in Playa del Carmen vs $1,988 in Shakhty, rent included.

Playa del Carmen costs about 32% more than Shakhty, driven mainly by Eating Out.

Both Playa del Carmen and Shakhty are more affordable than the global median – Playa del Carmen 6% lower, Shakhty 29% lower.

Meal at Budget Restaurant

$11.67 MX$202

$9.33 ₽700

25.08%

Three-Course Dinner for Two, Mid-Range

$41.88 MX$726

$37.47 ₽2,812

11.77%

Fast Food Meal (McDonalds, etc)

$10.40 MX$180

$5.83 ₽437

78.39%

Cappuccino

$3.61 MX$62.6

$2.36 ₽177

52.97%

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

$1.47 MX$25.45

$1.13 ₽84.9

30.09%

Water (0.33 liter bottle)

$0.91 MX$15.80

$0.52 ₽38.68

75.00%

Local Beer (0.5 liter draught)

$3.03 MX$52.6

$1.38 ₽103

119.57%

Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$4.47 MX$77.4

$2.58 ₽193

73.26%

Milk (1 liter)

$1.38 MX$23.83

$1.12 ₽83.9

23.21%

White Bread (500g)

$1.84 MX$31.93

$0.71 ₽53.2

159.15%

Rice (white) (1kg)

$1.61 MX$27.82

$1.43 ₽108

12.59%

Eggs

$2.57 MX$44.52

$1.80 ₽135

42.78%

Local Cheese (1kg)

$8.49 MX$147

$10.78 ₽809

-21.24%

Chicken Fillets (1kg)

$8.49 MX$147

$4.78 ₽359

77.62%

Beef Round Steak (1kg)

$10.99 MX$190

$8.71 ₽654

26.18%

Apples (1kg)

$2.73 MX$47.25

$1.82 ₽137

50.00%

Banana (1kg)

$1.50 MX$25.92

$1.81 ₽136

-17.13%

Oranges (1kg)

$1.96 MX$33.93

$1.90 ₽143

3.16%

Tomato (1kg)

$2.12 MX$36.70

$2.79 ₽209

-24.01%

Potato (1kg)

$1.86 MX$32.30

$0.78 ₽58.6

138.46%

Onion (1kg)

$2.17 MX$37.67

$0.67 ₽50.4

223.88%

Lettuce (1 head)

$1.07 MX$18.59

$1.41 ₽106

-24.11%

Water (1.5 liter bottle)

$1.05 MX$18.18

$0.71 ₽52.9

47.89%

Cigarettes 20 Pack (Marlboro, Camel)

$4.19 MX$72.6

$2.96 ₽222

41.55%

Wine (Bottle)

$10.28 MX$178

$8.28 ₽621

24.15%

Local Beer (0.5 liter bottle)

$1.67 MX$28.87

$0.99 ₽74.5

68.69%

Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$2.49 MX$43.12

$1.94 ₽146

28.35%

One-way Ticket (Public Transport)

$0.54 MX$9.37

$0.54 ₽40.16

Public Transport Monthly Pass (Regular Price)

$26.27 MX$455

Taxi Start (Normal Tariff)

$3.10 MX$53.8

$1.89 ₽142

64.02%

Taxi (Normal Tariff) (1km)

$2.46 MX$42.66

$0.33 ₽24.54

645.45%

Taxi 1hour Waiting (Normal Tariff)

$3.24 MX$56.1

$6.44 ₽483

-49.69%

Gasoline (1 liter)

$1.26 MX$21.83

$0.72 ₽54.1

75.00%

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

$30.2K MX$522.8K

$34.3K ₽2.6M

-11.93%

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

$23.4K MX$406.3K

$35.8K ₽2.7M

-34.43%

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

$84.0 MX$1,456

$111 ₽8,311

-24.17%

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

$22.21 MX$385

$5.97 ₽448

272.03%

Internet (50+ Mbps, Unlimited Data)

$29.65 MX$514

$7.67 ₽575

286.57%

Gym Membership (Monthly)

$52.6 MX$912

$35.98 ₽2,700

46.30%

Tennis Court (1 Hour on Weekend)

$18.34 MX$318

Cinema Ticket

$4.95 MX$85.7

$4.96 ₽372

-0.20%

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

$198 MX$3,438

$323 ₽24.2K

-38.57%

International Primary School, 1 Child (Yearly)

$5,322 MX$92.2K

$6,945 ₽521.2K

-23.38%

Jeans (Levis 501 Or Similar)

$35.95 MX$623

$70.3 ₽5,275

-48.86%

Summer Dress (H&M, Zara, etc)

$40.06 MX$694

$45.28 ₽3,398

-11.53%

Sport Shoes (Adidas, Nike)

$78.8 MX$1,365

$114 ₽8,550

-30.85%

Men's Leather Business Shoes

$86.5 MX$1,499

$109 ₽8,154

-20.38%

1-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)

$977 MX$16.9K

$452 ₽33.9K

116.32%

1-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)

$471 MX$8,158

$306 ₽23.0K

53.90%

3-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)

$1,595 MX$27.6K

$759 ₽57.0K

110.22%

3-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)

$1,215 MX$21.1K

$502 ₽37.7K

142.08%

Buy Apartment in City Center (m2)

$4,032 MX$69.9K

$2,111 ₽158.4K

91.04%

Buy Apartment Outside City Center (m2)

$6,579 MX$114.0K

$1,639 ₽123.0K

301.30%

Average Monthly Net Salary (After Tax)

$714 MX$12.4K

$403 ₽30.2K

77.36%

20-Year Fixed Mortgage Interest Rate (Annual %)

11.42

15.33

-25.51%

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

Last update for Playa del Carmen: April 19, 2026

Last update for Shakhty: April 21, 2026

Cost Breakdown

A central one-bedroom costs $977 in Playa del Carmen versus $452 in Shakhty. 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 77% 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 in Playa del Carmen versus $37 in Shakhty. Monthly groceries follow the same trend: $252 vs $198 – making Shakhty 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 Shakhty: Cost of Living - Frequently Asked Questions

Yes – Playa del Carmen is pricier by about 32%, and the gap shows up most in Eating Out. It's not just housing either; the difference applies across most spending categories.

For a comfortable life, plan on about $1,891 per month in Playa del Carmen and $1,431 in Shakhty. That covers rent, food, utilities, transport, and enough left over to feel settled – not just surviving.

Rent is clearly cheaper in Shakhty, 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 $1,261 in Playa del Carmen and $954 in Shakhty. The difference isn't just one category – it shows up across housing, food, transport, and services.

Kindergarten costs $198 per month in Playa del Carmen and $323 in Shakhty. For families with young kids, this one expense can tip the scales when choosing between the two cities.

A $2,000 monthly budget goes further in Shakhty, where all-in costs run around $954, than in Playa del Carmen at $1,261. In Shakhty it covers expenses comfortably, while in Playa del Carmen it requires careful planning or may not stretch far enough.

Families tend to lean toward Shakhty – 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 Shakhty. 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.