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 $1,293 per month in Playa del Carmen vs $979 in Zhukovsky, rent included.

A couple spends around $2,334 per month in Playa del Carmen vs $1,528 in Zhukovsky, rent included.

A family of three spends $3,374 per month in Playa del Carmen vs $2,077 in Zhukovsky, rent included.

Playa del Carmen costs about 32% more than Zhukovsky, driven mainly by Eating Out.

Both Playa del Carmen and Zhukovsky are more affordable than the global median – Playa del Carmen 6% lower, Zhukovsky 29% lower.

Meal at Budget Restaurant

$11.71 MX$198

$6.12 ₽526

91.34%

Three-Course Dinner for Two, Mid-Range

$46.59 MX$787

$35.63 ₽3,058

30.76%

Fast Food Meal (McDonalds, etc)

$11.65 MX$197

$4.81 ₽413

142.20%

Cappuccino

$4.09 MX$69.2

$2.63 ₽226

55.51%

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

$1.37 MX$23.23

$0.95 ₽81.2

44.21%

Water (0.33 liter bottle)

$0.83 MX$14.09

$0.56 ₽48.35

48.21%

Local Beer (0.5 liter draught)

$3.35 MX$56.7

$0.99 ₽85.4

238.38%

Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$6.91 MX$117

$1.74 ₽149

297.13%

Milk (1 liter)

$1.73 MX$29.19

$1.19 ₽102

45.38%

White Bread (500g)

$2.26 MX$38.20

$0.91 ₽78.3

148.35%

Rice (white) (1kg)

$1.77 MX$29.90

$1.97 ₽169

-10.15%

Eggs

$2.73 MX$46.18

$2.05 ₽176

33.17%

Local Cheese (1kg)

$9.18 MX$155

$11.91 ₽1,022

-22.92%

Chicken Fillets (1kg)

$8.92 MX$151

$5.66 ₽486

57.60%

Beef Round Steak (1kg)

$12.60 MX$213

$12.19 ₽1,046

3.36%

Apples (1kg)

$3.02 MX$51.1

$1.77 ₽152

70.62%

Banana (1kg)

$1.57 MX$26.54

$1.72 ₽148

-8.72%

Oranges (1kg)

$2.13 MX$35.92

$1.83 ₽157

16.39%

Tomato (1kg)

$2.26 MX$38.27

$3.14 ₽269

-28.03%

Potato (1kg)

$2.00 MX$33.87

$0.94 ₽80.4

112.77%

Onion (1kg)

$2.06 MX$34.89

$0.49 ₽42.17

320.41%

Lettuce (1 head)

$1.18 MX$19.94

$1.23 ₽105

-4.07%

Water (1.5 liter bottle)

$1.20 MX$20.35

$0.74 ₽63.1

62.16%

Cigarettes 20 Pack (Marlboro, Camel)

$4.63 MX$78.3

$3.01 ₽258

53.82%

Wine (Bottle)

$10.69 MX$181

$8.52 ₽731

25.47%

Local Beer (0.5 liter bottle)

$1.62 MX$27.37

$1.42 ₽122

14.08%

Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$2.88 MX$48.69

$2.73 ₽235

5.49%

One-way Ticket (Public Transport)

$0.57 MX$9.69

$0.47 ₽40.57

21.28%

Public Transport Monthly Pass (Regular Price)

$29.83 MX$504

$21.41 ₽1,838

39.33%

Taxi Start (Normal Tariff)

$5.45 MX$92.1

$2.30 ₽198

136.96%

Taxi (Normal Tariff) (1km)

$3.70 MX$62.6

$0.35 ₽29.79

957.14%

Taxi 1hour Waiting (Normal Tariff)

$5.98 MX$101

$6.36 ₽546

-5.97%

Gasoline (1 liter)

$1.55 MX$26.25

$0.79 ₽68.0

96.20%

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

$22.3K MX$377.3K

$48.9K ₽4.2M

-54.33%

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

$25.9K MX$438.5K

$24.0K ₽2.1M

8.07%

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

$89.1 MX$1,506

$106 ₽9,115

-16.08%

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

$25.04 MX$423

$6.66 ₽571

275.98%

Internet (50+ Mbps, Unlimited Data)

$31.50 MX$532

$7.98 ₽685

294.74%

Gym Membership (Monthly)

$67.8 MX$1,145

$34.60 ₽2,970

95.90%

Tennis Court (1 Hour on Weekend)

$28.92 MX$489

Cinema Ticket

$5.05 MX$85.3

$5.25 ₽450

-3.81%

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

$225 MX$3,802

$328 ₽28.2K

-31.49%

International Primary School, 1 Child (Yearly)

$4,222 MX$71.4K

$6,737 ₽578.1K

-37.32%

Jeans (Levis 501 Or Similar)

$47.44 MX$802

$60.1 ₽5,161

-21.12%

Summer Dress (H&M, Zara, etc)

$44.98 MX$760

$36.28 ₽3,114

23.98%

Sport Shoes (Adidas, Nike)

$82.0 MX$1,386

$142 ₽12.2K

-42.36%

Men's Leather Business Shoes

$92.1 MX$1,556

$83.9 ₽7,200

9.80%

1-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)

$1,069 MX$18.1K

$437 ₽37.5K

144.52%

1-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)

$405 MX$6,850

$310 ₽26.6K

30.61%

3-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)

$1,935 MX$32.7K

$755 ₽64.8K

156.30%

3-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)

$1,301 MX$22.0K

$539 ₽46.2K

141.54%

Buy Apartment in City Center (m2)

$3,995 MX$67.5K

$2,113 ₽181.4K

89.07%

Buy Apartment Outside City Center (m2)

$6,626 MX$112.0K

$1,415 ₽121.5K

368.19%

Average Monthly Net Salary (After Tax)

$749 MX$12.7K

20-Year Fixed Mortgage Interest Rate (Annual %)

11.45

23.12

-50.48%

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

Last update for Playa del Carmen: August 29, 2026

Last update for Zhukovsky: August 31, 2026

Cost Breakdown

A central one-bedroom costs $1,069 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 $47.00 in Playa del Carmen versus $36.00 in Zhukovsky. Monthly groceries follow the same trend: $277 vs $227 – making Zhukovsky 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 Zhukovsky: Cost of Living - Frequently Asked Questions

Yes – Playa del Carmen is pricier by about 32%, and the gap shows up most in Eating Out. It's not just housing either; the difference applies across most spending categories.

For a comfortable life, plan on about $1,940 per month in Playa del Carmen and $1,469 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 $1,293 in Playa del Carmen and $979 in Zhukovsky. The difference isn't just one category – it shows up across housing, food, transport, and services.

Public transport costs about 39% 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 $979, than in Playa del Carmen at $1,293. 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.