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

Monthly Cost of Living

A single person spends $1,260 per month in Playa del Carmen vs $1,095 in Usak, rent included.

A couple spends around $2,125 per month in Playa del Carmen vs $1,745 in Usak, rent included.

A family of three spends $2,990 per month in Playa del Carmen vs $2,395 in Usak, rent included.

Playa del Carmen costs about 15% more than Usak, driven mainly by Monthly Utilities & Internet.

Both Playa del Carmen and Usak are more affordable than the global median – Playa del Carmen 5% lower, Usak 18% lower.

Meal at Budget Restaurant

$11.72 MX$203

$9.12 ₺433

28.51%

Three-Course Dinner for Two, Mid-Range

$41.89 MX$725

$45.13 ₺2,145

-7.18%

Fast Food Meal (McDonalds, etc)

$10.51 MX$182

$9.57 ₺455

9.82%

Cappuccino

$3.59 MX$62.0

$3.30 ₺157

8.79%

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

$1.51 MX$26.10

$1.09 ₺51.6

38.53%

Water (0.33 liter bottle)

$0.92 MX$15.83

$0.36 ₺17.07

155.56%

Local Beer (0.5 liter draught)

$2.96 MX$51.2

$3.90 ₺186

-24.10%

Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$4.41 MX$76.3

$3.75 ₺178

17.60%

Milk (1 liter)

$1.40 MX$24.16

$1.03 ₺49.01

35.92%

White Bread (500g)

$1.88 MX$32.60

$0.92 ₺43.87

104.35%

Rice (white) (1kg)

$1.56 MX$26.97

$2.35 ₺112

-33.62%

Eggs

$2.61 MX$45.14

$2.30 ₺109

13.48%

Local Cheese (1kg)

$8.32 MX$144

$11.09 ₺527

-24.98%

Chicken Fillets (1kg)

$8.35 MX$145

$6.32 ₺301

32.12%

Beef Round Steak (1kg)

$10.86 MX$188

$18.32 ₺871

-40.72%

Apples (1kg)

$2.71 MX$46.93

$1.13 ₺53.9

139.82%

Banana (1kg)

$1.51 MX$26.04

$2.08 ₺99.1

-27.40%

Oranges (1kg)

$1.87 MX$32.41

$1.05 ₺49.86

78.10%

Tomato (1kg)

$2.19 MX$37.89

$1.27 ₺60.2

72.44%

Potato (1kg)

$1.86 MX$32.14

$0.72 ₺34.34

158.33%

Onion (1kg)

$2.23 MX$38.59

$0.58 ₺27.41

284.48%

Lettuce (1 head)

$1.07 MX$18.48

$0.96 ₺45.56

11.46%

Water (1.5 liter bottle)

$1.09 MX$18.79

$0.37 ₺17.51

194.59%

Cigarettes 20 Pack (Marlboro, Camel)

$4.19 MX$72.4

$2.13 ₺101

96.71%

Wine (Bottle)

$10.43 MX$180

$9.51 ₺452

9.67%

Local Beer (0.5 liter bottle)

$1.66 MX$28.68

$2.10 ₺99.8

-20.95%

Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$2.61 MX$45.19

$2.91 ₺138

-10.31%

One-way Ticket (Public Transport)

$0.54 MX$9.37

$0.67 ₺31.78

-19.40%

Public Transport Monthly Pass (Regular Price)

$26.16 MX$453

$30.15 ₺1,433

-13.23%

Taxi Start (Normal Tariff)

$3.08 MX$53.3

$0.80 ₺37.86

285.00%

Taxi (Normal Tariff) (1km)

$2.40 MX$41.61

$0.83 ₺39.64

189.16%

Taxi 1hour Waiting (Normal Tariff)

$3.13 MX$54.1

$5.83 ₺277

-46.31%

Gasoline (1 liter)

$1.31 MX$22.69

$1.20 ₺56.8

9.17%

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

$29.8K MX$515.7K

$66.9K ₺3.2M

-55.47%

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

$23.3K MX$403.5K

$54.6K ₺2.6M

-57.25%

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

$81.3 MX$1,406

$73.1 ₺3,473

11.22%

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

$22.56 MX$390

$10.02 ₺476

125.15%

Internet (50+ Mbps, Unlimited Data)

$30.05 MX$520

$13.48 ₺641

122.92%

Gym Membership (Monthly)

$52.9 MX$915

$42.55 ₺2,022

24.35%

Tennis Court (1 Hour on Weekend)

$18.39 MX$318

Cinema Ticket

$4.92 MX$85.1

$5.79 ₺275

-15.03%

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

$201 MX$3,474

$650 ₺30.9K

-69.13%

International Primary School, 1 Child (Yearly)

$5,175 MX$89.5K

$11.1K ₺527.9K

-53.41%

Jeans (Levis 501 Or Similar)

$35.92 MX$622

$56.7 ₺2,696

-36.67%

Summer Dress (H&M, Zara, etc)

$40.13 MX$694

$34.78 ₺1,653

15.38%

Sport Shoes (Adidas, Nike)

$79.7 MX$1,379

$102 ₺4,870

-22.22%

Men's Leather Business Shoes

$86.5 MX$1,496

$79.4 ₺3,771

8.96%

1-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)

$978 MX$16.9K

$518 ₺24.6K

88.76%

1-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)

$470 MX$8,140

$391 ₺18.6K

20.44%

3-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)

$1,651 MX$28.6K

$879 ₺41.8K

87.84%

3-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)

$1,203 MX$20.8K

$705 ₺33.5K

70.77%

Buy Apartment in City Center (m2)

$3,953 MX$68.4K

$1,077 ₺51.2K

266.99%

Buy Apartment Outside City Center (m2)

$6,607 MX$114.3K

$780 ₺37.1K

747.26%

Average Monthly Net Salary (After Tax)

$677 MX$11.7K

$910 ₺43.2K

-25.60%

20-Year Fixed Mortgage Interest Rate (Annual %)

11.42

30.12

-62.08%

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 Usak: July 27, 2026

Cost Breakdown

A central one-bedroom costs $978 in Playa del Carmen versus $518 in Usak. 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 34% higher in Usak, which reinforces the cost advantage – you earn more and spend less. Purchasing power leans clearly in its favor.

A mid-range dinner for two costs $42.00 in Playa del Carmen versus $45.00 in Usak. Groceries tell a different story – $252 in Playa del Carmen vs $234 in Usak – so Usak 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 Usak: Cost of Living - Frequently Asked Questions

Yes – Playa del Carmen is pricier by about 15%, and the gap shows up most in Monthly Utilities & Internet. 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 $1,643 in Usak. That covers rent, food, utilities, transport, and enough left over to feel settled – not just surviving.

Rent is clearly cheaper in Usak, 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 $1,095 in Usak. The difference isn't just one category – it shows up across housing, food, transport, and services.

Public transport costs about 15% less in Usak. For daily commuters, that gap adds up to noticeable savings over a year.

A $1,500 monthly budget goes further in Usak, where all-in costs run around $1,095, than in Playa del Carmen at $1,260. In Usak it covers expenses comfortably, while in Playa del Carmen it requires careful planning or may not stretch far enough.

Families tend to lean toward Usak – lower housing and cheaper childcare make a real difference, especially on a single income or when paying for private education.

Both have safer and rougher neighborhoods, but overall safety is comparable to other large cities. Neighborhood choice matters more than the city-level comparison – central, well-trafficked areas feel secure in both.

If budget matters most, go with Usak. 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.