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 $1,256 per month in Playa del Carmen vs $1,023 in Zhukovsky, rent included.

A couple spends around $2,137 per month in Playa del Carmen vs $1,562 in Zhukovsky, rent included.

A family of three spends $3,017 per month in Playa del Carmen vs $2,102 in Zhukovsky, rent included.

Playa del Carmen costs about 23% more than Zhukovsky, driven mainly by Groceries & Markets.

Both Playa del Carmen and Zhukovsky are more affordable than the global median – Playa del Carmen 6% lower, Zhukovsky 23% lower.

Meal at Budget Restaurant

$11.99 MX$209

$12.75 ₽1,002

-5.96%

Three-Course Dinner for Two, Mid-Range

$41.78 MX$728

$51.4 ₽4,041

-18.78%

Fast Food Meal (McDonalds, etc)

$10.75 MX$187

$3.74 ₽294

187.43%

Cappuccino

$3.50 MX$60.9

$2.53 ₽198

38.34%

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

$1.45 MX$25.22

$0.80 ₽62.7

81.25%

Water (0.33 liter bottle)

$0.88 MX$15.41

$0.36 ₽28.65

144.44%

Local Beer (0.5 liter draught)

$2.95 MX$51.3

$1.87 ₽147

57.75%

Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$4.51 MX$78.6

$2.47 ₽194

82.59%

Milk (1 liter)

$1.43 MX$24.94

$0.87 ₽68.3

64.37%

White Bread (500g)

$1.84 MX$31.99

$0.73 ₽57.5

152.05%

Rice (white) (1kg)

$1.57 MX$27.31

$1.56 ₽122

0.64%

Eggs

$2.51 MX$43.74

$1.48 ₽116

69.59%

Local Cheese (1kg)

$8.28 MX$144

$8.51 ₽669

-2.70%

Chicken Fillets (1kg)

$8.43 MX$147

$4.95 ₽389

70.30%

Beef Round Steak (1kg)

$10.68 MX$186

$9.77 ₽767

9.31%

Apples (1kg)

$2.61 MX$45.43

$1.49 ₽117

75.17%

Banana (1kg)

$1.44 MX$25.04

$1.31 ₽103

9.92%

Oranges (1kg)

$1.96 MX$34.16

$1.60 ₽126

22.50%

Tomato (1kg)

$2.09 MX$36.47

$1.60 ₽126

30.62%

Potato (1kg)

$1.85 MX$32.24

$0.39 ₽30.83

374.36%

Onion (1kg)

$2.17 MX$37.74

$0.56 ₽43.85

287.50%

Lettuce (1 head)

$1.03 MX$17.96

$0.26 ₽20.49

296.15%

Water (1.5 liter bottle)

$1.07 MX$18.70

$0.63 ₽49.49

69.84%

Cigarettes 20 Pack (Marlboro, Camel)

$4.10 MX$71.4

$2.02 ₽159

102.97%

Wine (Bottle)

$10.17 MX$177

$10.56 ₽830

-3.69%

Local Beer (0.5 liter bottle)

$1.68 MX$29.17

$1.09 ₽85.6

54.13%

Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$2.53 MX$43.98

$2.37 ₽186

6.75%

One-way Ticket (Public Transport)

$0.51 MX$8.87

$0.49 ₽38.59

4.08%

Public Transport Monthly Pass (Regular Price)

$26.04 MX$453

$15.13 ₽1,189

72.11%

Taxi Start (Normal Tariff)

$3.23 MX$56.3

$1.87 ₽147

72.73%

Taxi (Normal Tariff) (1km)

$2.41 MX$41.88

$0.47 ₽37.05

412.77%

Taxi 1hour Waiting (Normal Tariff)

$3.23 MX$56.2

$8.34 ₽655

-61.27%

Gasoline (1 liter)

$1.32 MX$23.00

$0.67 ₽52.4

97.01%

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

$29.7K MX$517.1K

$29.5K ₽2.3M

0.68%

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

$23.7K MX$412.0K

$36.2K ₽2.8M

-34.56%

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

$82.0 MX$1,428

$148 ₽11.6K

-44.47%

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

$22.95 MX$400

$6.43 ₽505

256.92%

Internet (50+ Mbps, Unlimited Data)

$30.11 MX$524

$5.16 ₽406

483.53%

Gym Membership (Monthly)

$52.0 MX$905

$35.59 ₽2,796

46.02%

Tennis Court (1 Hour on Weekend)

$18.53 MX$323

Cinema Ticket

$4.98 MX$86.6

$5.68 ₽446

-12.32%

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

$197 MX$3,438

$321 ₽25.2K

-38.42%

International Primary School, 1 Child (Yearly)

$5,336 MX$92.9K

$6,884 ₽540.8K

-22.48%

Jeans (Levis 501 Or Similar)

$35.60 MX$620

$89.0 ₽6,995

-60.02%

Summer Dress (H&M, Zara, etc)

$40.33 MX$702

$31.14 ₽2,446

29.51%

Sport Shoes (Adidas, Nike)

$78.8 MX$1,371

$110 ₽8,649

-28.47%

Men's Leather Business Shoes

$88.9 MX$1,549

$88.5 ₽6,952

0.50%

1-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)

$947 MX$16.5K

$437 ₽34.3K

116.83%

1-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)

$474 MX$8,254

$305 ₽24.0K

55.44%

3-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)

$1,644 MX$28.6K

$765 ₽60.1K

114.76%

3-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)

$1,211 MX$21.1K

$512 ₽40.2K

136.59%

Buy Apartment in City Center (m2)

$4,056 MX$70.6K

$2,031 ₽159.5K

99.72%

Buy Apartment Outside City Center (m2)

$6,470 MX$112.7K

$1,669 ₽131.1K

287.57%

Average Monthly Net Salary (After Tax)

$654 MX$11.4K

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: July 13, 2026

Last update for Zhukovsky: July 11, 2026

Cost Breakdown

A central one-bedroom costs $947 in Playa del Carmen versus $437 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 $51.0 in Zhukovsky. Groceries tell a different story – $249 in Playa del Carmen vs $180 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 23%, 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 $1,884 per month in Playa del Carmen and $1,534 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 $1,256 in Playa del Carmen and $1,023 in Zhukovsky. The difference isn't just one category – it shows up across housing, food, transport, and services.

Public transport costs about 72% 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 $1,023, than in Playa del Carmen at $1,256. 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.