Last update: Oct 2026

Cost of Living Comparison Between Shymkent and Playa del Carmen

For one person, living is cheaper in Shymkent: $808 a month against $1,204 in Playa del Carmen, rent and utilities included – about $4,800 less a year. Rent and utilities account for about half of the difference.

39

Cost of Living Index in Shymkent
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Shymkent Living Index
59

Cost of Living Index in Playa del Carmen
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Playa del Carmen Living Index

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Shymkent

🇰🇿 Kazakhstan

$808

/mo nomad

Playa del Carmen

🇲🇽 Mexico

$1,204

/mo nomad

Monthly Cost of Living

How much you'll spend in Shymkent and in Playa del Carmen

Real prices from locals and on-the-ground checks – rent, groceries, transit and the daily extras. Here's what a month in Shymkent and in Playa del Carmen actually costs, broken down by who's living it.

A single person spends $808 per month in Shymkent vs $1,204 in Playa del Carmen, rent included.

Shymkent $808
Playa del Carmen $1,204

A couple spends around $1,390 per month in Shymkent vs $2,102 in Playa del Carmen, rent included.

Shymkent $1,390
Playa del Carmen $2,102

A family of three spends $1,971 per month in Shymkent vs $3,000 in Playa del Carmen, rent included.

Shymkent $1,971
Playa del Carmen $3,000

Shymkent is about 33% cheaper than Playa del Carmen, and outside of rent the biggest gap is in groceries.

Both Shymkent and Playa del Carmen are more affordable than the global median – Shymkent 40% lower, Playa del Carmen 11% lower.

Meal at Budget Restaurant

$11.25 ₸5,086

$10.86 MX$201

3.59%

Three-Course Dinner for Two, Mid-Range

$33.35 ₸15.1K

$44.21 MX$817

-24.56%

Fast Food Meal (McDonalds, etc)

$6.50 ₸2,938

$11.76 MX$217

-44.73%

Cappuccino

$2.54 ₸1,147

$3.68 MX$68.0

-30.98%

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

$1.03 ₸467

$1.34 MX$24.79

-23.13%

Water (0.33 liter bottle)

$0.54 ₸246

$0.82 MX$15.24

-34.15%

Local Beer (0.5 liter draught)

$1.09 ₸492

$3.06 MX$56.6

-64.38%

Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$1.35 ₸609

$4.94 MX$91.2

-72.67%

Milk (1 liter)

$1.46 ₸661

$1.47 MX$27.17

-0.68%

White Bread (500g)

$0.41 ₸184

$2.22 MX$40.95

-81.53%

Rice (white) (1kg)

$1.79 ₸811

$1.48 MX$27.32

20.95%

Eggs

$1.73 ₸783

$2.49 MX$45.99

-30.52%

Local Cheese (1kg)

$10.04 ₸4,538

$7.52 MX$139

33.51%

Chicken Fillets (1kg)

$5.26 ₸2,376

$7.96 MX$147

-33.92%

Beef Round Steak (1kg)

$8.98 ₸4,059

$12.57 MX$232

-28.56%

Apples (1kg)

$1.19 ₸538

$2.78 MX$51.3

-57.19%

Banana (1kg)

$2.12 ₸957

$1.43 MX$26.37

48.25%

Oranges (1kg)

$2.58 ₸1,166

$2.62 MX$48.37

-1.53%

Tomato (1kg)

$1.35 ₸610

$2.14 MX$39.49

-36.92%

Potato (1kg)

$0.55 ₸250

$2.02 MX$37.38

-72.77%

Onion (1kg)

$0.41 ₸184

$1.99 MX$36.74

-79.40%

Lettuce (1 head)

$0.88 ₸397

$1.14 MX$21.01

-22.81%

Water (1.5 liter bottle)

$0.83 ₸376

$1.20 MX$22.18

-30.83%

Cigarettes 20 Pack (Marlboro, Camel)

$2.46 ₸1,114

$4.26 MX$78.7

-42.25%

Wine (Bottle)

$4.55 ₸2,057

$10.02 MX$185

-54.59%

Local Beer (0.5 liter bottle)

$1.03 ₸466

$1.54 MX$28.41

-33.12%

Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$1.51 ₸683

$2.66 MX$49.17

-43.23%

One-way Ticket (Public Transport)

$0.14 ₸64.0

$0.53 MX$9.73

-73.58%

Public Transport Monthly Pass (Regular Price)

$27.51 MX$508

Taxi Start (Normal Tariff)

$0.87 ₸395

$4.90 MX$90.6

-82.24%

Taxi (Normal Tariff) (1km)

$0.34 ₸156

$3.43 MX$63.5

-90.09%

Taxi 1hour Waiting (Normal Tariff)

$10.02 ₸4,532

$5.38 MX$99.4

86.25%

Gasoline (1 liter)

$0.64 ₸291

$1.45 MX$26.76

-55.86%

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

$27.2K ₸12.3M

$21.2K MX$391.0K

28.45%

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

$29.0K ₸13.1M

$23.0K MX$425.3K

26.21%

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

$47.29 ₸21.4K

$85.4 MX$1,577

-44.60%

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

$9.60 ₸4,338

$23.46 MX$434

-59.08%

Internet (50+ Mbps, Unlimited Data)

$14.79 ₸6,685

$28.43 MX$525

-47.98%

Gym Membership (Monthly)

$38.82 ₸17.5K

$62.2 MX$1,149

-37.58%

Tennis Court (1 Hour on Weekend)

$8.82 ₸3,986

$28.68 MX$530

-69.25%

Cinema Ticket

$5.68 ₸2,567

$5.10 MX$94.3

11.37%

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

$57.8 ₸26.1K

$201 MX$3,715

-71.27%

International Primary School, 1 Child (Yearly)

$3,947 MX$72.9K

Jeans (Levis 501 Or Similar)

$37.55 ₸17.0K

$44.39 MX$820

-15.41%

Summer Dress (H&M, Zara, etc)

$33.85 ₸15.3K

$41.35 MX$764

-18.14%

Sport Shoes (Adidas, Nike)

$187 ₸84.4K

$72.7 MX$1,344

156.78%

Men's Leather Business Shoes

$52.9 ₸23.9K

$89.6 MX$1,656

-41.02%

1-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)

$338 ₸153.0K

$979 MX$18.1K

-65.44%

1-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)

$203 ₸92.0K

$373 MX$6,887

-45.42%

3-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)

$698 ₸315.6K

$1,681 MX$31.1K

-58.46%

3-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)

$545 ₸246.2K

$1,095 MX$20.2K

-50.28%

Buy Apartment in City Center (m2)

$1,104 ₸499.1K

$3,949 MX$73.0K

-72.04%

Buy Apartment Outside City Center (m2)

$986 ₸445.6K

$6,137 MX$113.4K

-83.94%

Average Monthly Net Salary (After Tax)

$442 ₸199.6K

$738 MX$13.6K

-40.12%

20-Year Fixed Mortgage Interest Rate (Annual %)

18.25

11.45

59.39%

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

Last update for Shymkent: October 19, 2026

Last update for Playa del Carmen: October 17, 2026

Monthly budget structure

Share of the monthly basket for one person, rent included.

Accommodation & Living

Shymkent

$203 25.2%

Playa del Carmen

$373 31% 83.2% $169

Groceries & Markets

Shymkent

$185 22.9%

Playa del Carmen

$258 21.5% 39.6% $73

Eating Out

Shymkent

$154 19.1%

Playa del Carmen

$200 16.6% 29.7% $46

Clothing & Footwear

Shymkent

$140 17.3%

Playa del Carmen

$112 9.3% 20.2% $28

Monthly Utilities & Internet

Shymkent

$72 8.9%

Playa del Carmen

$137 11.4% 91.5% $66

Sport & Entertainment

Shymkent

$50 6.2%

Playa del Carmen

$72 6% 44.3% $22

Getting Around

Shymkent

$3.2 * 0.4%

Playa del Carmen

$52 4.3% 1536% $49

Categories marked with * are only partly priced – their share counts the items that do have prices.

Cost Breakdown

A central one-bedroom costs $338 in Shymkent versus $979 in Playa del Carmen. 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 67% higher in Playa del Carmen, 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 $33.00 in Shymkent versus $44.00 in Playa del Carmen. Monthly groceries follow the same trend: $185 vs $258 – making Shymkent the more affordable choice for daily food spending.

Good to know

🇰🇿 Shymkent

🇲🇽 Playa del Carmen

🕒 Local time

19:24 7:24 PM

08:24 8:24 AM

11 h behind Shymkent

🌤 Weather

👥 Population

1,222,055

149,923

💱 Currency

Kazakhstani Tenge KZT ₸

Mexican Peso MXN $

📈 Exchange rate

1,000 KZT = 2.21 USD

1,000 KZT = 1.97 EUR

100 MXN = 5.41 USD

100 MXN = 4.81 EUR

Exchange rates and currency converter

MXN, USD, EUR to KZT – Kazakhstani Tenge Converter

🇺🇸 United States Dollar ($)

🇰🇿 Kazakhstani Tenge (₸)

Kazakhstani Tenge exchange rates as of October 20, 2026: 1 USD = 452 KZT (1,000 KZT = 2.21 USD). 1 EUR = 508 KZT (1,000 KZT = 1.97 EUR).

Mexican Peso exchange rates as of October 20, 2026: 1 USD = 18.48 MXN (100 MXN = 5.41 USD). 1 EUR = 20.77 MXN (100 MXN = 4.81 EUR).

USD to KZT in detail →

On the map

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Highest

Between locations

Shymkent Playa del Carmen 12,620 km ≈ 16 h nonstop flight

From you

Shymkent
Playa del Carmen

Distances are measured in a straight line. Your location is detected approximately.

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

Shymkent vs Playa del Carmen: Cost of Living - Frequently Asked Questions

Yes – Playa del Carmen is pricier by about 49%, and outside of rent the gap shows up most in groceries.

For a comfortable life, plan on about $1,212 per month in Shymkent and $1,806 in Playa del Carmen. That covers rent, food, utilities, transport, and enough left over to feel settled – not just surviving.

Rent is clearly cheaper in Shymkent, 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 $808 in Shymkent and $1,204 in Playa del Carmen. That's a gap of about 49%.

Kindergarten costs $57.8 per month in Shymkent and $201 in Playa del Carmen. For families with young kids, this one expense can tip the scales when choosing between the two cities.

A $2,000 monthly budget goes further in Shymkent, where all-in costs run around $808, than in Playa del Carmen at $1,204. In Shymkent it covers expenses comfortably, while in Playa del Carmen it requires careful planning or may not stretch far enough.

Families tend to lean toward Shymkent – 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 Shymkent. 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.