Cost of Living Comparison Between Playa del Carmen and Stary Oskol Cost of Living Comparison Between Playa del Carmen and Stary Oskol

Monthly Cost of Living

A single person spends $1,305 per month in Playa del Carmen vs $987 in Stary Oskol, rent included.

A couple spends around $2,334 per month in Playa del Carmen vs $1,553 in Stary Oskol, rent included.

A family of three spends $3,362 per month in Playa del Carmen vs $2,120 in Stary Oskol, rent included.

Playa del Carmen costs about 32% more than Stary Oskol, driven mainly by Groceries & Markets.

Both Playa del Carmen and Stary Oskol are more affordable than the global median – Playa del Carmen 5% lower, Stary Oskol 28% lower.

Currency
🍽 Eating Out
Playa del Carmen
Stary Oskol
Difference
Meal at Budget Restaurant
$11.96 MX$203
$11.94 ₽1,004
0.17%
Three-Course Dinner for Two, Mid-Range
$47.38 MX$804
$33.22 ₽2,793
42.62%
Fast Food Meal (McDonalds, etc)
$11.75 MX$199
$6.26 ₽527
87.70%
Cappuccino
$4.12 MX$70.0
$2.51 ₽211
64.14%
Coke/Pepsi/Fanta/Sprite (0.33 liter bottle)
$1.40 MX$23.74
$1.06 ₽88.8
32.08%
Water (0.33 liter bottle)
$0.91 MX$15.48
$0.55 ₽46.64
65.45%
Local Beer (0.5 liter draught)
$3.21 MX$54.4
$1.56 ₽131
105.77%
Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)
$7.07 MX$120
$3.14 ₽264
125.16%
🛒 Groceries & Markets
Playa del Carmen
Stary Oskol
Difference
Milk (1 liter)
$1.68 MX$28.44
$1.02 ₽86.1
64.71%
White Bread (500g)
$2.15 MX$36.48
$0.79 ₽66.2
172.15%
Rice (white) (1kg)
$1.77 MX$30.10
$1.21 ₽102
46.28%
Eggs
$2.82 MX$47.76
$1.52 ₽127
85.53%
Local Cheese (1kg)
$9.20 MX$156
$9.98 ₽839
-7.82%
Chicken Fillets (1kg)
$9.23 MX$157
$4.36 ₽366
111.70%
Beef Round Steak (1kg)
$12.64 MX$214
$9.43 ₽793
34.04%
Apples (1kg)
$2.95 MX$50.1
$1.93 ₽163
52.85%
Banana (1kg)
$1.58 MX$26.79
$1.57 ₽132
0.64%
Oranges (1kg)
$2.22 MX$37.70
$1.97 ₽165
12.69%
Tomato (1kg)
$2.36 MX$40.09
$2.56 ₽215
-7.81%
Potato (1kg)
$1.99 MX$33.81
$0.65 ₽54.3
206.15%
Onion (1kg)
$1.98 MX$33.58
$0.59 ₽49.34
235.59%
Lettuce (1 head)
$1.24 MX$21.04
$1.39 ₽117
-10.79%
Water (1.5 liter bottle)
$1.21 MX$20.55
$0.64 ₽53.8
89.06%
Cigarettes 20 Pack (Marlboro, Camel)
$4.60 MX$78.1
$2.52 ₽212
82.54%
Wine (Bottle)
$10.52 MX$178
$7.92 ₽666
32.83%
Local Beer (0.5 liter bottle)
$1.69 MX$28.70
$0.94 ₽78.9
79.79%
Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)
$2.77 MX$47.06
$2.10 ₽177
31.90%
🚌 Getting Around
Playa del Carmen
Stary Oskol
Difference
One-way Ticket (Public Transport)
$0.60 MX$10.22
$0.44 ₽37.17
36.36%
Public Transport Monthly Pass (Regular Price)
$29.70 MX$504
-
-
Taxi Start (Normal Tariff)
$5.24 MX$88.8
$2.08 ₽175
151.92%
Taxi (Normal Tariff) (1km)
$3.65 MX$61.9
$0.33 ₽27.78
1006.06%
Taxi 1hour Waiting (Normal Tariff)
$5.78 MX$98.1
$6.03 ₽506
-4.15%
Gasoline (1 liter)
$1.54 MX$26.09
$0.86 ₽72.4
79.07%
Midsize Hatchback 1.4l (Volkswagen Golf, Toyota Prius, Honda Civic, etc)
$22.8K MX$386.8K
$34.2K ₽2.9M
-33.29%
Compact Sedan 1.6l (Toyota Corolla, Mazda3, Kia K4, Hyundai Elantra, etc)
$25.8K MX$437.9K
$27.6K ₽2.3M
-6.53%
🧾 Monthly Utilities & Internet
Playa del Carmen
Stary Oskol
Difference
Utilities for 2 People in 2-bedroom Apartment (Heating, Electricity, Gas, Water, Garbage) (85m2)
$90.7 MX$1,538
$133 ₽11.1K
-31.60%
SIM Card Monthly Plan (Calls and 10GB+ Data)
$25.19 MX$427
$5.79 ₽486
335.06%
Internet (50+ Mbps, Unlimited Data)
$31.75 MX$539
$9.19 ₽773
245.48%
🎉 Sport & Entertainment
Playa del Carmen
Stary Oskol
Difference
Gym Membership (Monthly)
$68.8 MX$1,167
$32.84 ₽2,760
109.47%
Tennis Court (1 Hour on Weekend)
$29.37 MX$498
$22.33 ₽1,877
31.53%
Cinema Ticket
$4.86 MX$82.5
$6.67 ₽561
-27.14%
🧸 Childcare & Education
Playa del Carmen
Stary Oskol
Difference
Preschool or Kindergarten, Full Day, Private, 1 Child (Monthly)
$226 MX$3,828
$280 ₽23.5K
-19.45%
International Primary School, 1 Child (Yearly)
$4,194 MX$71.1K
$6,124 ₽514.7K
-31.52%
👕👟 Clothing & Footwear
Playa del Carmen
Stary Oskol
Difference
Jeans (Levis 501 Or Similar)
$47.38 MX$804
$70.3 ₽5,912
-32.64%
Summer Dress (H&M, Zara, etc)
$43.45 MX$737
$45.30 ₽3,807
-4.08%
Sport Shoes (Adidas, Nike)
$80.2 MX$1,361
$133 ₽11.2K
-39.76%
Men's Leather Business Shoes
$91.4 MX$1,550
$98.1 ₽8,241
-6.80%
🏠 Accommodation & Living
Playa del Carmen
Stary Oskol
Difference
1-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)
$1,086 MX$18.4K
$445 ₽37.4K
144.01%
1-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)
$409 MX$6,933
$340 ₽28.6K
20.29%
3-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)
$1,972 MX$33.5K
$894 ₽75.1K
120.59%
3-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)
$1,281 MX$21.7K
$574 ₽48.2K
123.26%
Buy Apartment in City Center (m2)
$4,046 MX$68.6K
$2,226 ₽187.1K
81.77%
Buy Apartment Outside City Center (m2)
$6,704 MX$113.7K
$1,269 ₽106.7K
428.21%
💵 Salaries & Financials
Playa del Carmen
Stary Oskol
Difference
Average Monthly Net Salary (After Tax)
$773 MX$13.1K
-
-
20-Year Fixed Mortgage Interest Rate (Annual %)
11.45
21
-45.48%

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 Stary Oskol: September 7, 2026

Cost Breakdown

A central one-bedroom costs $1,086 in Playa del Carmen versus $445 in Stary Oskol. 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 $33.00 in Stary Oskol. Monthly groceries follow the same trend: $278 vs $190 – making Stary Oskol 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 Stary Oskol: Cost of Living - Frequently Asked Questions
Is Stary Oskol cheaper than Playa del Carmen?
Yes – Playa del Carmen is pricier by about 32%, and the gap shows up most in Groceries & Markets. It's not just housing either; the difference applies across most spending categories.
What income do you need for each city?
For a comfortable life, plan on about $1,958 per month in Playa del Carmen and $1,480 in Stary Oskol. That covers rent, food, utilities, transport, and enough left over to feel settled – not just surviving.
Which city has lower housing costs?
Rent is clearly cheaper in Stary Oskol, especially for central apartments. Housing is actually the single biggest factor behind the overall cost gap between these two cities.
What are total monthly expenses in Playa del Carmen and in Stary Oskol?
Monthly expenses with rent come to $1,305 in Playa del Carmen and $987 in Stary Oskol. The difference isn't just one category – it shows up across housing, food, transport, and services.
Which city has cheaper kindergarten?
Kindergarten costs $226 per month in Playa del Carmen and $280 in Stary Oskol. For families with young kids, this one expense can tip the scales when choosing between the two cities.
Is $1,500 a realistic budget for living in Playa del Carmen or in Stary Oskol?
A $1,500 monthly budget goes further in Stary Oskol, where all-in costs run around $987, than in Playa del Carmen at $1,305. In Stary Oskol it covers expenses comfortably, while in Playa del Carmen it requires careful planning or may not stretch far enough.
Is Playa del Carmen or Stary Oskol more family-friendly?
Families tend to lean toward Stary Oskol – lower housing and cheaper childcare make a real difference, especially on a single income or when paying for private education.
Which city is the better choice to relocate to?
If budget matters most, go with Stary Oskol. 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.

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