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 $1,260 per month in Playa del Carmen vs $1,166 in Shchelkovo, rent included.

A couple spends around $2,125 per month in Playa del Carmen vs $1,808 in Shchelkovo, rent included.

A family of three spends $2,990 per month in Playa del Carmen vs $2,450 in Shchelkovo, rent included.

Playa del Carmen costs about 8% more than Shchelkovo, driven mainly by Clothing & Footwear.

Both Playa del Carmen and Shchelkovo are more affordable than the global median – Playa del Carmen 5% lower, Shchelkovo 12% lower.

Meal at Budget Restaurant

$11.72 MX$203

$12.79 ₽1,018

-8.37%

Three-Course Dinner for Two, Mid-Range

$41.89 MX$725

$58.0 ₽4,612

-27.71%

Fast Food Meal (McDonalds, etc)

$10.51 MX$182

$6.19 ₽493

69.79%

Cappuccino

$3.59 MX$62.0

$3.29 ₽262

9.12%

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

$1.51 MX$26.10

$1.42 ₽113

6.34%

Water (0.33 liter bottle)

$0.92 MX$15.83

$0.68 ₽54.2

35.29%

Local Beer (0.5 liter draught)

$2.96 MX$51.2

$1.35 ₽108

119.26%

Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$4.41 MX$76.3

$4.55 ₽362

-3.08%

Milk (1 liter)

$1.40 MX$24.16

$1.30 ₽103

7.69%

White Bread (500g)

$1.88 MX$32.60

$0.83 ₽66.0

126.51%

Rice (white) (1kg)

$1.56 MX$26.97

$1.77 ₽141

-11.86%

Eggs

$2.61 MX$45.14

$1.92 ₽153

35.94%

Local Cheese (1kg)

$8.32 MX$144

$13.02 ₽1,036

-36.10%

Chicken Fillets (1kg)

$8.35 MX$145

$5.85 ₽466

42.74%

Beef Round Steak (1kg)

$10.86 MX$188

$11.92 ₽949

-8.89%

Apples (1kg)

$2.71 MX$46.93

$1.93 ₽153

40.41%

Banana (1kg)

$1.51 MX$26.04

$2.10 ₽167

-28.10%

Oranges (1kg)

$1.87 MX$32.41

$2.34 ₽186

-20.09%

Tomato (1kg)

$2.19 MX$37.89

$3.98 ₽317

-44.97%

Potato (1kg)

$1.86 MX$32.14

$1.04 ₽82.6

78.85%

Onion (1kg)

$2.23 MX$38.59

$0.79 ₽62.6

182.28%

Lettuce (1 head)

$1.07 MX$18.48

$1.64 ₽130

-34.76%

Water (1.5 liter bottle)

$1.09 MX$18.79

$0.75 ₽59.8

45.33%

Cigarettes 20 Pack (Marlboro, Camel)

$4.19 MX$72.4

$3.25 ₽259

28.92%

Wine (Bottle)

$10.43 MX$180

$7.98 ₽635

30.70%

Local Beer (0.5 liter bottle)

$1.66 MX$28.68

$1.08 ₽86.2

53.70%

Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$2.61 MX$45.19

$2.35 ₽187

11.06%

One-way Ticket (Public Transport)

$0.54 MX$9.37

$0.50 ₽39.48

8.00%

Public Transport Monthly Pass (Regular Price)

$26.16 MX$453

Taxi Start (Normal Tariff)

$3.08 MX$53.3

$2.57 ₽205

19.84%

Taxi (Normal Tariff) (1km)

$2.40 MX$41.61

$0.48 ₽38.28

400.00%

Taxi 1hour Waiting (Normal Tariff)

$3.13 MX$54.1

$8.08 ₽643

-61.26%

Gasoline (1 liter)

$1.31 MX$22.69

$0.79 ₽63.1

65.82%

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

$29.8K MX$515.7K

$37.9K ₽3.0M

-21.33%

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

$23.3K MX$403.5K

$37.1K ₽3.0M

-37.10%

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

$81.3 MX$1,406

$149 ₽11.8K

-45.32%

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

$22.56 MX$390

$8.22 ₽654

174.45%

Internet (50+ Mbps, Unlimited Data)

$30.05 MX$520

$7.87 ₽627

281.83%

Gym Membership (Monthly)

$52.9 MX$915

$35.26 ₽2,807

50.06%

Tennis Court (1 Hour on Weekend)

$18.39 MX$318

Cinema Ticket

$4.92 MX$85.1

$6.50 ₽518

-24.31%

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

$201 MX$3,474

$324 ₽25.8K

-38.11%

International Primary School, 1 Child (Yearly)

$5,175 MX$89.5K

$7,051 ₽561.2K

-26.61%

Jeans (Levis 501 Or Similar)

$35.92 MX$622

$86.6 ₽6,889

-58.50%

Summer Dress (H&M, Zara, etc)

$40.13 MX$694

$52.5 ₽4,182

-23.62%

Sport Shoes (Adidas, Nike)

$79.7 MX$1,379

$134 ₽10.6K

-40.31%

Men's Leather Business Shoes

$86.5 MX$1,496

$160 ₽12.8K

-46.07%

1-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)

$978 MX$16.9K

$450 ₽35.8K

117.44%

1-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)

$470 MX$8,140

$307 ₽24.5K

53.05%

3-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)

$1,651 MX$28.6K

$767 ₽61.1K

115.17%

3-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)

$1,203 MX$20.8K

$504 ₽40.1K

138.79%

Buy Apartment in City Center (m2)

$3,953 MX$68.4K

$2,203 ₽175.3K

79.46%

Buy Apartment Outside City Center (m2)

$6,607 MX$114.3K

$1,355 ₽107.8K

387.71%

Average Monthly Net Salary (After Tax)

$677 MX$11.7K

20-Year Fixed Mortgage Interest Rate (Annual %)

11.42

24.39

-53.18%

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 Shchelkovo: July 27, 2026

Cost Breakdown

A central one-bedroom costs $978 in Playa del Carmen versus $450 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 $42.00 in Playa del Carmen versus $58.0 in Shchelkovo. Groceries tell a different story – $252 in Playa del Carmen vs $238 in Shchelkovo – so Shchelkovo wins on supermarket bills even if dining out costs more.

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 8%, 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 $1,890 per month in Playa del Carmen and $1,749 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 $1,260 in Playa del Carmen and $1,166 in Shchelkovo. 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 $324 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 $1,166, than in Playa del Carmen at $1,260. 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.