๐A single person spends $1,261 per month in Playa del Carmen vs $961 in Stary Oskol, rent included.
๐A couple spends around $2,130 per month in Playa del Carmen vs $1,473 in Stary Oskol, rent included.
๐A family of three spends $2,999 per month in Playa del Carmen vs $1,986 in Stary Oskol, rent included.
๐Playa del Carmen costs about 31% more than Stary Oskol, driven mainly by Eating Out.
๐Both Playa del Carmen and Stary Oskol are more affordable than the global median โ Playa del Carmen6% lower, Stary Oskol28% lower.
Currency
๐ฝ Eating Out
Playa del Carmen
Stary Oskol
Difference
Meal at Budget Restaurant
$11.67MX$202
$9.55โฝ716
22.20%
Three-Course Dinner for Two, Mid-Range
$41.88MX$726
$37.97โฝ2,849
10.30%
Fast Food Meal(McDonalds, etc)
$10.40MX$180
$5.65โฝ424
84.07%
Cappuccino
$3.61MX$62.6
$2.34โฝ176
54.27%
Coke/Pepsi/Fanta/Sprite(0.33 liter bottle)
$1.47MX$25.45
$1.07โฝ80.3
37.38%
Water(0.33 liter bottle)
$0.91MX$15.80
$0.48โฝ35.67
89.58%
Local Beer(0.5 liter draught)
$3.03MX$52.6
$1.36โฝ102
122.79%
Imported Beer(0.33 liter bottle)
$4.47MX$77.4
$2.60โฝ195
71.92%
๐ Groceries & Markets
Playa del Carmen
Stary Oskol
Difference
Milk(1 liter)
$1.38MX$23.83
$1.16โฝ86.8
18.97%
White Bread(500g)
$1.84MX$31.93
$0.66โฝ49.34
178.79%
Rice(white)(1kg)
$1.61MX$27.82
$1.37โฝ103
17.52%
Eggs
$2.57MX$44.52
$1.74โฝ130
47.70%
Local Cheese(1kg)
$8.49MX$147
$10.75โฝ806
-21.02%
Chicken Fillets(1kg)
$8.49MX$147
$4.90โฝ368
73.27%
Beef Round Steak(1kg)
$10.99MX$190
$9.09โฝ682
20.90%
Apples(1kg)
$2.73MX$47.25
$1.75โฝ131
56.00%
Banana(1kg)
$1.50MX$25.92
$1.84โฝ138
-18.48%
Oranges(1kg)
$1.96MX$33.93
$1.90โฝ143
3.16%
Tomato(1kg)
$2.12MX$36.70
$2.76โฝ207
-23.19%
Potato(1kg)
$1.86MX$32.30
$0.84โฝ63.1
121.43%
Onion(1kg)
$2.17MX$37.67
$0.70โฝ52.8
210.00%
Lettuce(1 head)
$1.07MX$18.59
$1.40โฝ105
-23.57%
Water(1.5 liter bottle)
$1.05MX$18.18
$0.66โฝ49.84
59.09%
Cigarettes 20 Pack(Marlboro, Camel)
$4.19MX$72.6
$2.97โฝ223
41.08%
Wine(Bottle)
$10.28MX$178
$6.81โฝ511
50.95%
Local Beer(0.5 liter bottle)
$1.67MX$28.87
$1.00โฝ74.9
67.00%
Imported Beer(0.33 liter bottle)
$2.49MX$43.12
$1.85โฝ139
34.59%
๐ Getting Around
Playa del Carmen
Stary Oskol
Difference
One-way Ticket(Public Transport)
$0.54MX$9.37
$0.49โฝ36.87
10.20%
Public Transport Monthly Pass(Regular Price)
$26.27MX$455
-
-
Taxi Start(Normal Tariff)
$3.10MX$53.8
$1.92โฝ144
61.46%
Taxi(Normal Tariff)(1km)
$2.46MX$42.66
$0.33โฝ24.65
645.45%
Taxi 1hour Waiting(Normal Tariff)
$3.24MX$56.1
$6.33โฝ475
-48.82%
Gasoline(1 liter)
$1.26MX$21.83
$0.79โฝ59.0
59.49%
Midsize Hatchback 1.4l(Volkswagen Golf, Toyota Prius, Honda Civic, etc)
$30.2KMX$522.8K
$33.8Kโฝ2.5M
-10.84%
Compact Sedan 1.6l(Toyota Corolla, Mazda3, Kia K4, Hyundai Elantra, etc)
$23.4KMX$406.3K
$35.9Kโฝ2.7M
-34.75%
๐งพ Monthly Utilities & Internet
Playa del Carmen
Stary Oskol
Difference
Utilities for 2 People in 2-bedroom Apartment(Heating, Electricity, Gas, Water, Garbage)(85m2)
$84.0MX$1,456
$109โฝ8,167
-22.82%
SIM Card Monthly Plan(Calls and 10GB+ Data)
$22.21MX$385
$5.88โฝ441
277.72%
Internet(50+ Mbps, Unlimited Data)
$29.65MX$514
$7.78โฝ584
281.11%
๐ Sport & Entertainment
Playa del Carmen
Stary Oskol
Difference
Gym Membership(Monthly)
$52.6MX$912
$36.07โฝ2,707
45.94%
Tennis Court(1 Hour on Weekend)
$18.34MX$318
-
-
Cinema Ticket
$4.95MX$85.7
$5.14โฝ386
-3.70%
๐งธ Childcare & Education
Playa del Carmen
Stary Oskol
Difference
Preschool or Kindergarten, Full Day, Private, 1 Child(Monthly)
$198MX$3,438
$325โฝ24.4K
-38.89%
International Primary School, 1 Child(Yearly)
$5,322MX$92.2K
$6,972โฝ523.2K
-23.67%
๐๐ Clothing & Footwear
Playa del Carmen
Stary Oskol
Difference
Jeans(Levis 501 Or Similar)
$35.95MX$623
$70.5โฝ5,294
-49.04%
Summer Dress(H&M, Zara, etc)
$40.06MX$694
$43.58โฝ3,270
-8.08%
Sport Shoes(Adidas, Nike)
$78.8MX$1,365
$116โฝ8,688
-31.95%
Men's Leather Business Shoes
$86.5MX$1,499
$105โฝ7,875
-17.56%
๐ Accommodation & Living
Playa del Carmen
Stary Oskol
Difference
1-bedroom Apartment, City Center(Monthly)
$977MX$16.9K
$453โฝ34.0K
115.56%
1-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center(Monthly)
$471MX$8,158
$311โฝ23.3K
51.46%
3-bedroom Apartment, City Center(Monthly)
$1,595MX$27.6K
$765โฝ57.4K
108.52%
3-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center(Monthly)
$1,215MX$21.1K
$499โฝ37.5K
143.28%
Buy Apartment in City Center(m2)
$4,032MX$69.9K
$1,924โฝ144.4K
109.56%
Buy Apartment Outside City Center(m2)
$6,579MX$114.0K
$1,387โฝ104.1K
374.43%
๐ต Salaries & Financials
Playa del Carmen
Stary Oskol
Difference
Average Monthly Net Salary(After Tax)
$714MX$12.4K
-
-
20-Year Fixed Mortgage Interest Rate(Annual %)
11.42
15.33
-25.51%
CityCost data is based on AI and user input โ minor inaccuracies may occur.
Last update for Playa del Carmen: April 19, 2026
Last update for Stary Oskol: April 22, 2026
Cost Breakdown
๐ A central one-bedroom costs $977 in Playa del Carmen versus $453 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.
๐A mid-range dinner for two costs $42 in Playa del Carmen versus $38 in Stary Oskol. Monthly groceries follow the same trend: $252 vs $196 โ 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 โ Playa del Carmen is pricier by about 31%, and the gap shows up most in Eating Out. 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 $1,891 per month in Playa del Carmen and $1,441 in Stary Oskol. That covers rent, food, utilities, transport, and enough left over to feel settled โ 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 vs Stary Oskol?
Monthly expenses with rent come to $1,261 in Playa del Carmen and $961 in Stary Oskol. The difference isn't just one category โ it shows up across housing, food, transport, and services.
Which city has cheaper kindergarten?
Kindergarten costs $198 per month in Playa del Carmen and $325 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 Playa del Carmen or Stary Oskol?
A $1,500 monthly budget goes further in Stary Oskol, where all-in costs run around $961, than in Playa del Carmen at $1,261. 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 โ 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.
Playa del Carmen vs other spots: cost of living compared