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

Monthly Cost of Living

A single person spends $1,266 per month in Playa del Carmen vs $896 in Shchelkovo, rent included.

A couple spends around $2,279 per month in Playa del Carmen vs $1,407 in Shchelkovo, rent included.

A family of three spends $3,292 per month in Playa del Carmen vs $1,918 in Shchelkovo, rent included.

Playa del Carmen costs about 41% more than Shchelkovo, driven mainly by Eating Out.

Both Playa del Carmen and Shchelkovo are more affordable than the global median – Playa del Carmen 7% lower, Shchelkovo 35% lower.

Meal at Budget Restaurant

$11.60 MX$200

$5.79 ₽487

100.35%

Three-Course Dinner for Two, Mid-Range

$47.11 MX$811

$29.30 ₽2,465

60.78%

Fast Food Meal (McDonalds, etc)

$11.88 MX$205

$7.77 ₽653

52.90%

Cappuccino

$3.98 MX$68.5

$2.77 ₽233

43.68%

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

$1.43 MX$24.57

$0.89 ₽74.9

60.67%

Water (0.33 liter bottle)

$0.82 MX$14.20

$0.57 ₽48.24

43.86%

Local Beer (0.5 liter draught)

$3.19 MX$54.9

$0.90 ₽75.5

254.44%

Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$6.79 MX$117

$1.43 ₽121

374.83%

Milk (1 liter)

$1.68 MX$28.85

$0.95 ₽79.6

76.84%

White Bread (500g)

$2.20 MX$37.83

$0.79 ₽66.1

178.48%

Rice (white) (1kg)

$1.71 MX$29.41

$1.15 ₽96.4

48.70%

Eggs

$2.74 MX$47.20

$1.53 ₽129

79.08%

Local Cheese (1kg)

$9.58 MX$165

$8.88 ₽747

7.88%

Chicken Fillets (1kg)

$9.01 MX$155

$4.83 ₽406

86.54%

Beef Round Steak (1kg)

$12.81 MX$221

$11.57 ₽974

10.72%

Apples (1kg)

$2.89 MX$49.74

$1.55 ₽130

86.45%

Banana (1kg)

$1.50 MX$25.78

$1.43 ₽121

4.90%

Oranges (1kg)

$2.15 MX$36.98

$1.50 ₽126

43.33%

Tomato (1kg)

$2.26 MX$38.91

$2.52 ₽212

-10.32%

Potato (1kg)

$1.98 MX$34.10

$0.69 ₽58.3

186.96%

Onion (1kg)

$1.99 MX$34.26

$0.39 ₽33.13

410.26%

Lettuce (1 head)

$1.23 MX$21.25

$1.37 ₽115

-10.22%

Water (1.5 liter bottle)

$1.20 MX$20.60

$0.43 ₽35.80

179.07%

Cigarettes 20 Pack (Marlboro, Camel)

$4.55 MX$78.3

$2.10 ₽177

116.67%

Wine (Bottle)

$10.37 MX$179

$6.89 ₽580

50.51%

Local Beer (0.5 liter bottle)

$1.62 MX$27.88

$0.71 ₽59.5

128.17%

Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$2.88 MX$49.60

$1.48 ₽125

94.59%

One-way Ticket (Public Transport)

$0.60 MX$10.34

$0.49 ₽41.04

22.45%

Public Transport Monthly Pass (Regular Price)

$28.80 MX$496

Taxi Start (Normal Tariff)

$5.39 MX$92.8

$3.40 ₽286

58.53%

Taxi (Normal Tariff) (1km)

$3.73 MX$64.2

$0.16 ₽13.61

2231.25%

Taxi 1hour Waiting (Normal Tariff)

$5.77 MX$99.3

$3.42 ₽288

68.71%

Gasoline (1 liter)

$1.54 MX$26.45

$0.76 ₽63.7

102.63%

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

$22.5K MX$388.3K

$34.4K ₽2.9M

-34.37%

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

$26.1K MX$448.7K

$46.6K ₽3.9M

-44.12%

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

$91.4 MX$1,573

$101 ₽8,527

-9.84%

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

$25.20 MX$434

$3.42 ₽288

636.84%

Internet (50+ Mbps, Unlimited Data)

$31.24 MX$538

$4.62 ₽389

576.19%

Gym Membership (Monthly)

$67.2 MX$1,157

$34.45 ₽2,899

95.07%

Tennis Court (1 Hour on Weekend)

$29.11 MX$501

$22.93 ₽1,929

26.95%

Cinema Ticket

$4.86 MX$83.7

$5.94 ₽500

-18.18%

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

$224 MX$3,851

$176 ₽14.8K

27.25%

International Primary School, 1 Child (Yearly)

$4,229 MX$72.8K

$3,491 ₽293.7K

21.13%

Jeans (Levis 501 Or Similar)

$47.10 MX$811

$41.33 ₽3,478

13.96%

Summer Dress (H&M, Zara, etc)

$44.29 MX$763

$23.17 ₽1,949

91.15%

Sport Shoes (Adidas, Nike)

$80.1 MX$1,379

$138 ₽11.6K

-42.02%

Men's Leather Business Shoes

$92.7 MX$1,596

$118 ₽9,934

-21.52%

1-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)

$1,063 MX$18.3K

$446 ₽37.5K

138.45%

1-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)

$390 MX$6,719

$304 ₽25.6K

28.34%

3-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)

$2,149 MX$37.0K

$786 ₽66.1K

173.54%

3-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)

$1,272 MX$21.9K

$529 ₽44.5K

140.59%

Buy Apartment in City Center (m2)

$4,001 MX$68.9K

$2,232 ₽187.8K

79.26%

Buy Apartment Outside City Center (m2)

$6,502 MX$112.0K

$1,434 ₽120.6K

353.54%

Average Monthly Net Salary (After Tax)

$758 MX$13.1K

20-Year Fixed Mortgage Interest Rate (Annual %)

11.45

20.75

-44.82%

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

Last update for Playa del Carmen: September 12, 2026

Last update for Shchelkovo: September 12, 2026

Cost Breakdown

A central one-bedroom costs $1,063 in Playa del Carmen versus $446 in Shchelkovo. Rent is usually the largest line item in a monthly budget, so the gap here sets the tone for the overall comparison.

A mid-range dinner for two costs $47.00 in Playa del Carmen versus $29.00 in Shchelkovo. Monthly groceries follow the same trend: $276 vs $182 – making Shchelkovo 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 Shchelkovo: Cost of Living - Frequently Asked Questions

Yes – Playa del Carmen is pricier by about 41%, 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 $1,899 per month in Playa del Carmen and $1,344 in Shchelkovo. That covers rent, food, utilities, transport, and enough left over to feel settled – not just surviving.

Rent is clearly cheaper in Shchelkovo, 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 $1,266 in Playa del Carmen and $896 in Shchelkovo. The difference isn't just one category – it shows up across housing, food, transport, and services.

Kindergarten costs $224 per month in Playa del Carmen and $176 in Shchelkovo. For families with young kids, this one expense can tip the scales when choosing between the two cities.

A $1,500 monthly budget goes further in Shchelkovo, where all-in costs run around $896, than in Playa del Carmen at $1,266. In Shchelkovo it covers expenses comfortably, while in Playa del Carmen it requires careful planning or may not stretch far enough.

Families tend to lean toward Shchelkovo – 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 Shchelkovo. 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.