Cost of Living Comparison Between Playa del Carmen and Yuzhno-Sakhalinsk Cost of Living Comparison Between Playa del Carmen and Yuzhno-Sakhalinsk

Monthly Cost of Living

A single person spends $1,305 per month in Playa del Carmen vs $1,465 in Yuzhno-Sakhalinsk, rent included.

A couple spends around $2,334 per month in Playa del Carmen vs $2,473 in Yuzhno-Sakhalinsk, rent included.

A family of three spends $3,362 per month in Playa del Carmen vs $3,480 in Yuzhno-Sakhalinsk, rent included.

Playa del Carmen is about 11% cheaper than Yuzhno-Sakhalinsk, driven mainly by Getting Around.

Playa del Carmen sits 5% below the global median, while Yuzhno-Sakhalinsk is 6% above – they fall on opposite sides of the world average.

Meal at Budget Restaurant

$11.96 MX$203

$15.57 ₽1,309

-23.19%

Three-Course Dinner for Two, Mid-Range

$47.38 MX$804

$81.4 ₽6,844

-41.82%

Fast Food Meal (McDonalds, etc)

$11.75 MX$199

$10.91 ₽917

7.70%

Cappuccino

$4.12 MX$70.0

$2.94 ₽247

40.14%

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

$1.40 MX$23.74

$1.70 ₽143

-17.65%

Water (0.33 liter bottle)

$0.91 MX$15.48

$0.97 ₽81.3

-6.19%

Local Beer (0.5 liter draught)

$3.21 MX$54.4

$5.02 ₽422

-36.06%

Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$7.07 MX$120

$4.60 ₽387

53.70%

Milk (1 liter)

$1.68 MX$28.44

$1.66 ₽140

1.20%

White Bread (500g)

$2.15 MX$36.48

$1.60 ₽134

34.37%

Rice (white) (1kg)

$1.77 MX$30.10

$2.19 ₽184

-19.18%

Eggs

$2.82 MX$47.76

$2.60 ₽219

8.46%

Local Cheese (1kg)

$9.20 MX$156

$15.56 ₽1,308

-40.87%

Chicken Fillets (1kg)

$9.23 MX$157

$7.16 ₽602

28.91%

Beef Round Steak (1kg)

$12.64 MX$214

$16.40 ₽1,378

-22.93%

Apples (1kg)

$2.95 MX$50.1

$3.95 ₽332

-25.32%

Banana (1kg)

$1.58 MX$26.79

$2.84 ₽238

-44.37%

Oranges (1kg)

$2.22 MX$37.70

$3.56 ₽300

-37.64%

Tomato (1kg)

$2.36 MX$40.09

$4.21 ₽354

-43.94%

Potato (1kg)

$1.99 MX$33.81

$0.90 ₽75.3

121.11%

Onion (1kg)

$1.98 MX$33.58

Lettuce (1 head)

$1.24 MX$21.04

$1.70 ₽143

-27.06%

Water (1.5 liter bottle)

$1.21 MX$20.55

$1.48 ₽124

-18.24%

Cigarettes 20 Pack (Marlboro, Camel)

$4.60 MX$78.1

$2.45 ₽206

87.76%

Wine (Bottle)

$10.52 MX$178

$8.34 ₽701

26.14%

Local Beer (0.5 liter bottle)

$1.69 MX$28.70

$1.79 ₽150

-5.59%

Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$2.77 MX$47.06

$3.44 ₽289

-19.48%

One-way Ticket (Public Transport)

$0.60 MX$10.22

$0.39 ₽32.77

53.85%

Public Transport Monthly Pass (Regular Price)

$29.70 MX$504

Taxi Start (Normal Tariff)

$5.24 MX$88.8

$3.46 ₽291

51.45%

Taxi (Normal Tariff) (1km)

$3.65 MX$61.9

Taxi 1hour Waiting (Normal Tariff)

$5.78 MX$98.1

Gasoline (1 liter)

$1.54 MX$26.09

$0.80 ₽67.6

92.50%

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

$22.8K MX$386.8K

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

$25.8K MX$437.9K

$21.0K ₽1.8M

22.80%

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

$90.7 MX$1,538

$118 ₽9,889

-22.93%

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

$25.19 MX$427

$9.68 ₽813

160.23%

Internet (50+ Mbps, Unlimited Data)

$31.75 MX$539

$9.65 ₽811

229.02%

Gym Membership (Monthly)

$68.8 MX$1,167

$83.2 ₽6,993

-17.33%

Tennis Court (1 Hour on Weekend)

$29.37 MX$498

$35.37 ₽2,973

-16.96%

Cinema Ticket

$4.86 MX$82.5

$5.07 ₽426

-4.14%

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

$226 MX$3,828

International Primary School, 1 Child (Yearly)

$4,194 MX$71.1K

Jeans (Levis 501 Or Similar)

$47.38 MX$804

$148 ₽12.5K

-68.06%

Summer Dress (H&M, Zara, etc)

$43.45 MX$737

Sport Shoes (Adidas, Nike)

$80.2 MX$1,361

$117 ₽9,846

-31.52%

Men's Leather Business Shoes

$91.4 MX$1,550

1-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)

$1,086 MX$18.4K

$716 ₽60.2K

51.55%

1-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)

$409 MX$6,933

$544 ₽45.7K

-24.85%

3-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)

$1,972 MX$33.5K

$1,570 ₽132.0K

25.58%

3-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)

$1,281 MX$21.7K

$1,226 ₽103.1K

4.50%

Buy Apartment in City Center (m2)

$4,046 MX$68.6K

$3,424 ₽287.8K

18.15%

Buy Apartment Outside City Center (m2)

$6,704 MX$113.7K

$2,068 ₽173.8K

224.20%

Average Monthly Net Salary (After Tax)

$773 MX$13.1K

$1,185 ₽99.6K

-34.73%

20-Year Fixed Mortgage Interest Rate (Annual %)

11.45

24.33

-52.94%

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 Yuzhno-Sakhalinsk: September 5, 2026

Cost Breakdown

A central one-bedroom costs $1,086 in Playa del Carmen versus $716 in Yuzhno-Sakhalinsk. 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 53% higher in Yuzhno-Sakhalinsk, which partly offsets the higher cost of living there. Purchasing power depends on which expenses matter most to you.

A mid-range dinner for two costs $47.00 in Playa del Carmen versus $81.0 in Yuzhno-Sakhalinsk. Monthly groceries follow the same trend: $278 vs $315 – making Playa del Carmen 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 Yuzhno-Sakhalinsk: Cost of Living - Frequently Asked Questions

Yes – Yuzhno-Sakhalinsk is pricier by about 12%, and the gap shows up most in Getting Around. It's not just housing either; the difference applies across most spending categories.

For a comfortable life, plan on about $1,958 per month in Playa del Carmen and $2,198 in Yuzhno-Sakhalinsk. That covers rent, food, utilities, transport, and enough left over to feel settled – not just surviving.

Rent is clearly cheaper in Playa del Carmen, especially for central apartments. Housing is actually the single biggest factor behind the overall cost gap between these two cities.

Groceries cost about 13% more in Yuzhno-Sakhalinsk, though it depends on what you buy. Local produce may be comparable; imported and premium items show the biggest price gap.

A mid-range dinner for two costs $47.00 in Playa del Carmen and $81.0 in Yuzhno-Sakhalinsk. That's a good indicator of the overall restaurant and café pricing gap between the two cities.

A $1,500 monthly budget goes further in Playa del Carmen, where all-in costs run around $1,305, than in Yuzhno-Sakhalinsk at $1,465. In Playa del Carmen it covers expenses comfortably, while in Yuzhno-Sakhalinsk it requires careful planning or may not stretch far enough.

Families tend to lean toward Playa del Carmen – 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 Playa del Carmen. If higher salaries, better infrastructure, or specific career opportunities are the priority, Yuzhno-Sakhalinsk makes more sense. Both are solid long-term options with distinct trade-offs.