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 $1,658 per month in Belgrade vs $1,305 in Playa del Carmen, rent included.

A couple spends around $2,486 per month in Belgrade vs $2,334 in Playa del Carmen, rent included.

A family of three spends $3,313 per month in Belgrade vs $3,362 in Playa del Carmen, rent included.

Belgrade costs about 27% more than Playa del Carmen, driven mainly by Clothing & Footwear.

Belgrade sits 20% above the global median, while Playa del Carmen is 5% below – they fall on opposite sides of the world average.

Meal at Budget Restaurant

$13.63 RSD 1,374

$11.96 MX$203

13.96%

Three-Course Dinner for Two, Mid-Range

$60.1 RSD 6,055

$47.38 MX$804

26.80%

Fast Food Meal (McDonalds, etc)

$13.01 RSD 1,311

$11.75 MX$199

10.72%

Cappuccino

$3.18 RSD 321

$4.12 MX$70.0

-22.82%

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

$2.93 RSD 295

$1.40 MX$23.74

109.29%

Water (0.33 liter bottle)

$2.49 RSD 251

$0.91 MX$15.48

173.63%

Local Beer (0.5 liter draught)

$3.58 RSD 361

$3.21 MX$54.4

11.53%

Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$4.05 RSD 408

$7.07 MX$120

-42.72%

Milk (1 liter)

$1.49 RSD 150

$1.68 MX$28.44

-11.31%

White Bread (500g)

$1.19 RSD 120

$2.15 MX$36.48

-44.65%

Rice (white) (1kg)

$2.88 RSD 290

$1.77 MX$30.10

62.71%

Eggs

$2.84 RSD 287

$2.82 MX$47.76

0.71%

Local Cheese (1kg)

$11.88 RSD 1,198

$9.20 MX$156

29.13%

Chicken Fillets (1kg)

$7.33 RSD 739

$9.23 MX$157

-20.59%

Beef Round Steak (1kg)

$16.32 RSD 1,645

$12.64 MX$214

29.11%

Apples (1kg)

$1.76 RSD 177

$2.95 MX$50.1

-40.34%

Banana (1kg)

$1.86 RSD 187

$1.58 MX$26.79

17.72%

Oranges (1kg)

$1.90 RSD 192

$2.22 MX$37.70

-14.41%

Tomato (1kg)

$3.20 RSD 322

$2.36 MX$40.09

35.59%

Potato (1kg)

$0.92 RSD 93.2

$1.99 MX$33.81

-53.77%

Onion (1kg)

$0.73 RSD 73.3

$1.98 MX$33.58

-63.13%

Lettuce (1 head)

$0.82 RSD 82.2

$1.24 MX$21.04

-33.87%

Water (1.5 liter bottle)

$0.69 RSD 69.2

$1.21 MX$20.55

-42.98%

Cigarettes 20 Pack (Marlboro, Camel)

$4.78 RSD 482

$4.60 MX$78.1

3.91%

Wine (Bottle)

$9.86 RSD 994

$10.52 MX$178

-6.27%

Local Beer (0.5 liter bottle)

$0.90 RSD 91.1

$1.69 MX$28.70

-46.75%

Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$1.53 RSD 154

$2.77 MX$47.06

-44.77%

One-way Ticket (Public Transport)

$0.60 MX$10.22

Public Transport Monthly Pass (Regular Price)

$29.70 MX$504

Taxi Start (Normal Tariff)

$3.21 RSD 323

$5.24 MX$88.8

-38.74%

Taxi (Normal Tariff) (1km)

$1.02 RSD 103

$3.65 MX$61.9

-72.05%

Taxi 1hour Waiting (Normal Tariff)

$17.77 RSD 1,791

$5.78 MX$98.1

207.44%

Gasoline (1 liter)

$1.99 RSD 200

$1.54 MX$26.09

29.22%

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

$31.2K RSD 3.1M

$22.8K MX$386.8K

36.88%

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

$25.2K RSD 2.5M

$25.8K MX$437.9K

-2.50%

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

$223 RSD 22.5K

$90.7 MX$1,538

145.95%

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

$26.22 RSD 2,642

$25.19 MX$427

4.09%

Internet (50+ Mbps, Unlimited Data)

$36.14 RSD 3,643

$31.75 MX$539

13.83%

Gym Membership (Monthly)

$42.95 RSD 4,329

$68.8 MX$1,167

-37.56%

Tennis Court (1 Hour on Weekend)

$23.54 RSD 2,372

$29.37 MX$498

-19.85%

Cinema Ticket

$8.77 RSD 883

$4.86 MX$82.5

80.45%

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

$418 RSD 42.1K

$226 MX$3,828

85.23%

International Primary School, 1 Child (Yearly)

$11.5K RSD 1.2M

$4,194 MX$71.1K

174.87%

Jeans (Levis 501 Or Similar)

$112 RSD 11.3K

$47.38 MX$804

135.65%

Summer Dress (H&M, Zara, etc)

$48.51 RSD 4,889

$43.45 MX$737

11.65%

Sport Shoes (Adidas, Nike)

$120 RSD 12.1K

$80.2 MX$1,361

50.16%

Men's Leather Business Shoes

$161 RSD 16.3K

$91.4 MX$1,550

76.69%

1-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)

$876 RSD 88.3K

$1,086 MX$18.4K

-19.33%

1-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)

$591 RSD 59.6K

$409 MX$6,933

44.62%

3-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)

$1,603 RSD 161.5K

$1,972 MX$33.5K

-18.73%

3-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)

$986 RSD 99.4K

$1,281 MX$21.7K

-23.04%

Buy Apartment in City Center (m2)

$5,708 RSD 575.3K

$4,046 MX$68.6K

41.08%

Buy Apartment Outside City Center (m2)

$3,286 RSD 331.2K

$6,704 MX$113.7K

-50.99%

Average Monthly Net Salary (After Tax)

$1,276 RSD 128.6K

$773 MX$13.1K

64.98%

20-Year Fixed Mortgage Interest Rate (Annual %)

4.64

11.45

-59.48%

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

Last update for Belgrade: September 6, 2026

Last update for Playa del Carmen: September 7, 2026

Cost Breakdown

A central one-bedroom costs $876 in Belgrade versus $1,086 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 65% 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 $60.0 in Belgrade versus $47.00 in Playa del Carmen. Groceries tell a different story – $258 in Belgrade vs $278 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: $1,658 in Belgrade, $1,305 in Playa del Carmen – roughly 27% apart. Belgrade costs more across the board, with Clothing & Footwear showing the biggest gap.

For a comfortable life, plan on about $2,487 per month in Belgrade and $1,958 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 $60.0 in Belgrade and $47.00 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 8% 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 $1,305, than in Belgrade at $1,658. 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 $1,305 in Playa del Carmen to $1,658 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.