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

Monthly Cost of Living

A single person spends $1,508 per month in Belgrade vs $1,256 in Playa del Carmen, rent included.

A couple spends around $2,303 per month in Belgrade vs $2,137 in Playa del Carmen, rent included.

A family of three spends $3,098 per month in Belgrade vs $3,017 in Playa del Carmen, rent included.

Belgrade costs about 20% more than Playa del Carmen, driven mainly by Clothing & Footwear.

Belgrade sits 13% above the global median, while Playa del Carmen is 6% below – they fall on opposite sides of the world average.

Meal at Budget Restaurant

$12.41 RSD 1,269

$11.99 MX$209

3.50%

Three-Course Dinner for Two, Mid-Range

$49.13 RSD 5,024

$41.78 MX$728

17.59%

Fast Food Meal (McDonalds, etc)

$11.96 RSD 1,223

$10.75 MX$187

11.26%

Cappuccino

$2.83 RSD 289

$3.50 MX$60.9

-19.14%

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

$2.71 RSD 277

$1.45 MX$25.22

86.90%

Water (0.33 liter bottle)

$2.17 RSD 222

$0.88 MX$15.41

146.59%

Local Beer (0.5 liter draught)

$3.36 RSD 344

$2.95 MX$51.3

13.90%

Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$3.92 RSD 401

$4.51 MX$78.6

-13.08%

Milk (1 liter)

$1.47 RSD 150

$1.43 MX$24.94

2.80%

White Bread (500g)

$0.94 RSD 96.5

$1.84 MX$31.99

-48.91%

Rice (white) (1kg)

$3.05 RSD 312

$1.57 MX$27.31

94.27%

Eggs

$2.87 RSD 294

$2.51 MX$43.74

14.34%

Local Cheese (1kg)

$11.34 RSD 1,160

$8.28 MX$144

36.96%

Chicken Fillets (1kg)

$7.48 RSD 765

$8.43 MX$147

-11.27%

Beef Round Steak (1kg)

$12.97 RSD 1,326

$10.68 MX$186

21.44%

Apples (1kg)

$1.42 RSD 145

$2.61 MX$45.43

-45.59%

Banana (1kg)

$1.90 RSD 194

$1.44 MX$25.04

31.94%

Oranges (1kg)

$1.96 RSD 200

$1.96 MX$34.16

Tomato (1kg)

$2.69 RSD 276

$2.09 MX$36.47

28.71%

Potato (1kg)

$1.03 RSD 105

$1.85 MX$32.24

-44.32%

Onion (1kg)

$0.80 RSD 81.7

$2.17 MX$37.74

-63.13%

Lettuce (1 head)

$0.89 RSD 90.5

$1.03 MX$17.96

-13.59%

Water (1.5 liter bottle)

$0.78 RSD 80.1

$1.07 MX$18.70

-27.10%

Cigarettes 20 Pack (Marlboro, Camel)

$4.53 RSD 463

$4.10 MX$71.4

10.49%

Wine (Bottle)

$8.49 RSD 868

$10.17 MX$177

-16.52%

Local Beer (0.5 liter bottle)

$0.88 RSD 89.8

$1.68 MX$29.17

-47.62%

Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$1.60 RSD 164

$2.53 MX$43.98

-36.76%

One-way Ticket (Public Transport)

$0.97 RSD 99.1

$0.51 MX$8.87

90.20%

Public Transport Monthly Pass (Regular Price)

$26.04 MX$453

Taxi Start (Normal Tariff)

$3.23 RSD 330

$3.23 MX$56.3

Taxi (Normal Tariff) (1km)

$0.96 RSD 97.9

$2.41 MX$41.88

-60.17%

Taxi 1hour Waiting (Normal Tariff)

$17.63 RSD 1,803

$3.23 MX$56.2

445.82%

Gasoline (1 liter)

$1.81 RSD 185

$1.32 MX$23.00

37.12%

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

$30.8K RSD 3.2M

$29.7K MX$517.1K

3.76%

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

$26.2K RSD 2.7M

$23.7K MX$412.0K

10.57%

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

$205 RSD 21.0K

$82.0 MX$1,428

150.19%

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

$22.48 RSD 2,299

$22.95 MX$400

-2.05%

Internet (50+ Mbps, Unlimited Data)

$32.43 RSD 3,316

$30.11 MX$524

7.71%

Gym Membership (Monthly)

$39.00 RSD 3,987

$52.0 MX$905

-24.96%

Tennis Court (1 Hour on Weekend)

$21.19 RSD 2,166

$18.53 MX$323

14.36%

Cinema Ticket

$8.04 RSD 822

$4.98 MX$86.6

61.45%

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

$455 RSD 46.5K

$197 MX$3,438

130.59%

International Primary School, 1 Child (Yearly)

$9,282 RSD 949.0K

$5,336 MX$92.9K

73.94%

Jeans (Levis 501 Or Similar)

$101 RSD 10.3K

$35.60 MX$620

182.30%

Summer Dress (H&M, Zara, etc)

$42.53 RSD 4,349

$40.33 MX$702

5.45%

Sport Shoes (Adidas, Nike)

$112 RSD 11.5K

$78.8 MX$1,371

42.50%

Men's Leather Business Shoes

$120 RSD 12.3K

$88.9 MX$1,549

35.43%

1-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)

$876 RSD 89.6K

$947 MX$16.5K

-7.49%

1-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)

$576 RSD 58.9K

$474 MX$8,254

21.47%

3-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)

$1,574 RSD 161.0K

$1,644 MX$28.6K

-4.24%

3-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)

$999 RSD 102.1K

$1,211 MX$21.1K

-17.52%

Buy Apartment in City Center (m2)

$5,543 RSD 566.7K

$4,056 MX$70.6K

36.65%

Buy Apartment Outside City Center (m2)

$3,206 RSD 327.8K

$6,470 MX$112.7K

-50.44%

Average Monthly Net Salary (After Tax)

$1,214 RSD 124.2K

$654 MX$11.4K

85.72%

20-Year Fixed Mortgage Interest Rate (Annual %)

5.59

11.42

-51.05%

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

Last update for Belgrade: July 12, 2026

Last update for Playa del Carmen: July 13, 2026

Cost Breakdown

A central one-bedroom costs $876 in Belgrade versus $947 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 86% higher in Belgrade, 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 $49.00 in Belgrade versus $42.00 in Playa del Carmen. Groceries tell a different story – $240 in Belgrade vs $249 in Playa del Carmen – so Belgrade 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

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

Monthly costs with rent: $1,508 in Belgrade, $1,256 in Playa del Carmen – roughly 20% apart. Belgrade costs more across the board, with Clothing & Footwear showing the biggest gap.

For a comfortable life, plan on about $2,262 per month in Belgrade and $1,884 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 Playa del Carmen, especially for central apartments. Housing is actually the single biggest factor behind the overall cost gap between these two cities.

A mid-range dinner for two costs $49.00 in Belgrade and $42.00 in Playa del Carmen. That's a good indicator of the overall restaurant and café pricing gap between the two cities.

Interestingly, groceries are about 4% cheaper in Belgrade – one category where the pricier city actually offers better value, probably thanks to stronger retail competition or local farming.

A $1,500 monthly budget goes further in Playa del Carmen, where all-in costs run around $1,256, than in Belgrade at $1,508. In Playa del Carmen it covers expenses comfortably, while in Belgrade it requires careful planning or may not stretch far enough.

It depends on your priorities. Playa del Carmen has an edge in some lifestyle areas, with costs from $1,256 in Playa del Carmen to $1,508 in Belgrade. Climate, culture, job market, and personal taste all factor in.

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, Belgrade makes more sense. Both are solid long-term options with distinct trade-offs.