๐A single person spends $1,261 per month in Playa del Carmen vs $992 in Velikiye Luki, rent included.
๐A couple spends around $2,130 per month in Playa del Carmen vs $1,492 in Velikiye Luki, rent included.
๐A family of three spends $2,999 per month in Playa del Carmen vs $1,992 in Velikiye Luki, rent included.
๐Playa del Carmen costs about 27% more than Velikiye Luki, driven mainly by Eating Out.
๐Both Playa del Carmen and Velikiye Luki are more affordable than the global median โ Playa del Carmen6% lower, Velikiye Luki26% lower.
Currency
๐ฝ Eating Out
Playa del Carmen
Velikiye Luki
Difference
Meal at Budget Restaurant
$11.67MX$202
$9.77โฝ733
19.45%
Three-Course Dinner for Two, Mid-Range
$41.88MX$726
$38.37โฝ2,880
9.15%
Fast Food Meal(McDonalds, etc)
$10.40MX$180
$5.81โฝ436
79.00%
Cappuccino
$3.61MX$62.6
$2.33โฝ175
54.94%
Coke/Pepsi/Fanta/Sprite(0.33 liter bottle)
$1.47MX$25.45
$1.08โฝ81.3
36.11%
Water(0.33 liter bottle)
$0.91MX$15.80
$0.52โฝ38.77
75.00%
Local Beer(0.5 liter draught)
$3.03MX$52.6
$1.42โฝ106
113.38%
Imported Beer(0.33 liter bottle)
$4.47MX$77.4
$2.56โฝ192
74.61%
๐ Groceries & Markets
Playa del Carmen
Velikiye Luki
Difference
Milk(1 liter)
$1.38MX$23.83
$1.11โฝ83.5
24.32%
White Bread(500g)
$1.84MX$31.93
$0.66โฝ49.41
178.79%
Rice(white)(1kg)
$1.61MX$27.82
$1.43โฝ107
12.59%
Eggs
$2.57MX$44.52
$1.73โฝ130
48.55%
Local Cheese(1kg)
$8.49MX$147
$10.70โฝ803
-20.65%
Chicken Fillets(1kg)
$8.49MX$147
$4.89โฝ367
73.62%
Beef Round Steak(1kg)
$10.99MX$190
$8.63โฝ647
27.35%
Apples(1kg)
$2.73MX$47.25
$1.81โฝ136
50.83%
Banana(1kg)
$1.50MX$25.92
$1.81โฝ136
-17.13%
Oranges(1kg)
$1.96MX$33.93
$1.90โฝ142
3.16%
Tomato(1kg)
$2.12MX$36.70
$2.81โฝ211
-24.56%
Potato(1kg)
$1.86MX$32.30
$0.83โฝ62.5
124.10%
Onion(1kg)
$2.17MX$37.67
$0.66โฝ49.32
228.79%
Lettuce(1 head)
$1.07MX$18.59
$1.35โฝ102
-20.74%
Water(1.5 liter bottle)
$1.05MX$18.18
$0.71โฝ53.5
47.89%
Cigarettes 20 Pack(Marlboro, Camel)
$4.19MX$72.6
$2.98โฝ223
40.60%
Wine(Bottle)
$10.28MX$178
$14.00โฝ1,051
-26.57%
Local Beer(0.5 liter bottle)
$1.67MX$28.87
$1.00โฝ75.1
67.00%
Imported Beer(0.33 liter bottle)
$2.49MX$43.12
$1.88โฝ141
32.45%
๐ Getting Around
Playa del Carmen
Velikiye Luki
Difference
One-way Ticket(Public Transport)
$0.54MX$9.37
$0.50โฝ37.44
8.00%
Public Transport Monthly Pass(Regular Price)
$26.27MX$455
-
-
Taxi Start(Normal Tariff)
$3.10MX$53.8
$1.95โฝ147
58.97%
Taxi(Normal Tariff)(1km)
$2.46MX$42.66
$0.33โฝ24.41
645.45%
Taxi 1hour Waiting(Normal Tariff)
$3.24MX$56.1
$6.41โฝ481
-49.45%
Gasoline(1 liter)
$1.26MX$21.83
$0.74โฝ55.3
70.27%
Midsize Hatchback 1.4l(Volkswagen Golf, Toyota Prius, Honda Civic, etc)
$30.2KMX$522.8K
$34.3Kโฝ2.6M
-12.07%
Compact Sedan 1.6l(Toyota Corolla, Mazda3, Kia K4, Hyundai Elantra, etc)
$23.4KMX$406.3K
$35.4Kโฝ2.7M
-33.69%
๐งพ Monthly Utilities & Internet
Playa del Carmen
Velikiye Luki
Difference
Utilities for 2 People in 2-bedroom Apartment(Heating, Electricity, Gas, Water, Garbage)(85m2)
$84.0MX$1,456
$108โฝ8,107
-22.26%
SIM Card Monthly Plan(Calls and 10GB+ Data)
$22.21MX$385
$5.99โฝ449
270.78%
Internet(50+ Mbps, Unlimited Data)
$29.65MX$514
$7.76โฝ582
282.09%
๐ Sport & Entertainment
Playa del Carmen
Velikiye Luki
Difference
Gym Membership(Monthly)
$52.6MX$912
$36.26โฝ2,721
45.17%
Tennis Court(1 Hour on Weekend)
$18.34MX$318
-
-
Cinema Ticket
$4.95MX$85.7
$5.03โฝ378
-1.59%
๐งธ Childcare & Education
Playa del Carmen
Velikiye Luki
Difference
Preschool or Kindergarten, Full Day, Private, 1 Child(Monthly)
$198MX$3,438
$329โฝ24.7K
-39.80%
International Primary School, 1 Child(Yearly)
$5,322MX$92.2K
$6,962โฝ522.4K
-23.56%
๐๐ Clothing & Footwear
Playa del Carmen
Velikiye Luki
Difference
Jeans(Levis 501 Or Similar)
$35.95MX$623
$69.2โฝ5,189
-48.01%
Summer Dress(H&M, Zara, etc)
$40.06MX$694
$44.92โฝ3,370
-10.82%
Sport Shoes(Adidas, Nike)
$78.8MX$1,365
$112โฝ8,436
-29.91%
Men's Leather Business Shoes
$86.5MX$1,499
$105โฝ7,884
-17.66%
๐ Accommodation & Living
Playa del Carmen
Velikiye Luki
Difference
1-bedroom Apartment, City Center(Monthly)
$977MX$16.9K
$444โฝ33.3K
119.87%
1-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center(Monthly)
$471MX$8,158
$309โฝ23.2K
52.48%
3-bedroom Apartment, City Center(Monthly)
$1,595MX$27.6K
$761โฝ57.1K
109.78%
3-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center(Monthly)
$1,215MX$21.1K
$513โฝ38.5K
136.98%
Buy Apartment in City Center(m2)
$4,032MX$69.9K
$1,809โฝ135.7K
122.89%
Buy Apartment Outside City Center(m2)
$6,579MX$114.0K
$1,320โฝ99.0K
398.56%
๐ต Salaries & Financials
Playa del Carmen
Velikiye Luki
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 Velikiye Luki: April 20, 2026
Cost Breakdown
๐ A central one-bedroom costs $977 in Playa del Carmen versus $444 in Velikiye Luki. 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 Velikiye Luki. Monthly groceries follow the same trend: $252 vs $209 โ making Velikiye Luki 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 Velikiye Luki: Cost of Living - Frequently Asked Questions
Is Velikiye Luki cheaper than Playa del Carmen?
Yes โ Playa del Carmen is pricier by about 27%, 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 $1,487 in Velikiye Luki. 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 Velikiye Luki, 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 Velikiye Luki?
Monthly expenses with rent come to $1,261 in Playa del Carmen and $992 in Velikiye Luki. 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 $329 in Velikiye Luki. For families with young kids, this one expense can tip the scales when choosing between the two cities.
Is $1,000 a realistic budget for Playa del Carmen or Velikiye Luki?
A $1,000 monthly budget goes further in Velikiye Luki, where all-in costs run around $992, than in Playa del Carmen at $1,261. In Velikiye Luki it covers expenses comfortably, while in Playa del Carmen it requires careful planning or may not stretch far enough.
Is Playa del Carmen or Velikiye Luki more family-friendly?
Families tend to lean toward Velikiye Luki 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 Velikiye Luki. 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