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

Monthly Cost of Living

A single person spends $1,297 per month in Playa del Carmen vs $1,013 in Zhukovsky, rent included.

A couple spends around $2,181 per month in Playa del Carmen vs $1,586 in Zhukovsky, rent included.

A family of three spends $3,065 per month in Playa del Carmen vs $2,160 in Zhukovsky, rent included.

Playa del Carmen costs about 28% more than Zhukovsky, driven mainly by Groceries & Markets.

Both Playa del Carmen and Zhukovsky are more affordable than the global median – Playa del Carmen 3% lower, Zhukovsky 24% lower.

Meal at Budget Restaurant

$11.73 MX$203

$12.53 ₽924

-6.38%

Three-Course Dinner for Two, Mid-Range

$41.62 MX$721

$50.2 ₽3,705

-17.11%

Fast Food Meal (McDonalds, etc)

$10.64 MX$184

$3.70 ₽273

187.57%

Cappuccino

$3.52 MX$61.0

$2.53 ₽187

39.13%

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

$1.51 MX$26.17

$0.80 ₽59.2

88.75%

Water (0.33 liter bottle)

$0.97 MX$16.87

$0.36 ₽26.68

169.44%

Local Beer (0.5 liter draught)

$2.95 MX$51.1

$1.87 ₽138

57.75%

Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$4.45 MX$77.2

$2.52 ₽186

76.59%

Milk (1 liter)

$1.38 MX$23.97

$0.87 ₽63.9

58.62%

White Bread (500g)

$1.89 MX$32.78

$0.73 ₽53.8

158.90%

Rice (white) (1kg)

$1.64 MX$28.37

$1.55 ₽114

5.81%

Eggs

$2.51 MX$43.42

$1.55 ₽114

61.94%

Local Cheese (1kg)

$8.34 MX$145

$8.42 ₽621

-0.95%

Chicken Fillets (1kg)

$8.34 MX$145

$4.93 ₽364

69.17%

Beef Round Steak (1kg)

$10.73 MX$186

$9.76 ₽720

9.94%

Apples (1kg)

$2.60 MX$45.12

$1.50 ₽111

73.33%

Banana (1kg)

$1.46 MX$25.25

$1.24 ₽91.6

17.74%

Oranges (1kg)

$1.90 MX$32.94

$1.61 ₽119

18.01%

Tomato (1kg)

$2.08 MX$35.98

$1.66 ₽123

25.30%

Potato (1kg)

$1.78 MX$30.77

$0.37 ₽27.07

381.08%

Onion (1kg)

$2.19 MX$37.87

$0.55 ₽40.60

298.18%

Lettuce (1 head)

$1.04 MX$18.02

$0.24 ₽17.62

333.33%

Water (1.5 liter bottle)

$1.08 MX$18.66

$0.63 ₽46.37

71.43%

Cigarettes 20 Pack (Marlboro, Camel)

$4.08 MX$70.7

$1.98 ₽146

106.06%

Wine (Bottle)

$10.32 MX$179

$6.42 ₽473

60.75%

Local Beer (0.5 liter bottle)

$1.71 MX$29.67

$1.13 ₽83.5

51.33%

Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$2.58 MX$44.63

$2.34 ₽173

10.26%

One-way Ticket (Public Transport)

$0.51 MX$8.83

$0.52 ₽38.48

-1.92%

Public Transport Monthly Pass (Regular Price)

$26.46 MX$459

$15.31 ₽1,130

72.83%

Taxi Start (Normal Tariff)

$3.26 MX$56.5

$1.88 ₽139

73.40%

Taxi (Normal Tariff) (1km)

$2.49 MX$43.17

$0.48 ₽35.37

418.75%

Taxi 1hour Waiting (Normal Tariff)

$3.25 MX$56.3

$8.26 ₽609

-60.65%

Gasoline (1 liter)

$1.31 MX$22.65

$0.67 ₽49.14

95.52%

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

$30.3K MX$524.7K

$29.3K ₽2.2M

3.25%

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

$23.4K MX$406.0K

$36.7K ₽2.7M

-36.13%

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

$82.9 MX$1,436

$148 ₽10.9K

-43.86%

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

$22.22 MX$385

$6.37 ₽470

248.82%

Internet (50+ Mbps, Unlimited Data)

$29.34 MX$508

$5.00 ₽369

486.80%

Gym Membership (Monthly)

$51.6 MX$895

$35.65 ₽2,630

44.82%

Tennis Court (1 Hour on Weekend)

$18.32 MX$317

Cinema Ticket

$5.07 MX$87.8

$5.78 ₽426

-12.28%

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

$201 MX$3,480

$324 ₽23.9K

-38.08%

International Primary School, 1 Child (Yearly)

$5,212 MX$90.3K

$6,940 ₽512.1K

-24.90%

Jeans (Levis 501 Or Similar)

$36.92 MX$640

$87.2 ₽6,435

-57.67%

Summer Dress (H&M, Zara, etc)

$39.79 MX$689

$31.26 ₽2,307

27.29%

Sport Shoes (Adidas, Nike)

$78.5 MX$1,360

$108 ₽7,993

-27.58%

Men's Leather Business Shoes

$87.1 MX$1,509

$90.6 ₽6,687

-3.90%

1-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)

$973 MX$16.9K

$446 ₽32.9K

118.30%

1-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)

$468 MX$8,105

$299 ₽22.1K

56.27%

3-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)

$1,641 MX$28.4K

$750 ₽55.3K

118.86%

3-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)

$1,221 MX$21.2K

$501 ₽37.0K

143.63%

Buy Apartment in City Center (m2)

$3,946 MX$68.4K

$2,455 ₽181.1K

60.76%

Buy Apartment Outside City Center (m2)

$6,498 MX$112.6K

$1,831 ₽135.1K

254.83%

Average Monthly Net Salary (After Tax)

$664 MX$11.5K

20-Year Fixed Mortgage Interest Rate (Annual %)

11.42

-23.87%

CityCost data is based on AI and user input – minor inaccuracies may occur.

Last update for Playa del Carmen: June 2, 2026

Last update for Zhukovsky: May 31, 2026

Cost Breakdown

A central one-bedroom costs $973 in Playa del Carmen versus $446 in Zhukovsky. 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 $42.00 in Playa del Carmen versus $50.0 in Zhukovsky. Groceries tell a different story – $249 in Playa del Carmen vs $171 in Zhukovsky – so Zhukovsky 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 Zhukovsky: Cost of Living - Frequently Asked Questions

Yes – Playa del Carmen is pricier by about 28%, and the gap shows up most in Groceries & Markets. It's not just housing either; the difference applies across most spending categories.

For a comfortable life, plan on about $1,945 per month in Playa del Carmen and $1,519 in Zhukovsky. That covers rent, food, utilities, transport, and enough left over to feel settled – not just surviving.

Rent is clearly cheaper in Zhukovsky, 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 $1,297 in Playa del Carmen and $1,013 in Zhukovsky. The difference isn't just one category – it shows up across housing, food, transport, and services.

Public transport costs about 73% less in Zhukovsky. For daily commuters, that gap adds up to noticeable savings over a year.

A $1,500 monthly budget goes further in Zhukovsky, where all-in costs run around $1,013, than in Playa del Carmen at $1,297. In Zhukovsky it covers expenses comfortably, while in Playa del Carmen it requires careful planning or may not stretch far enough.

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

If budget matters most, go with Zhukovsky. 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.