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

Monthly Cost of Living

A single person spends $1,508 per month in Bialystok vs $1,266 in Playa del Carmen, rent included.

A couple spends around $2,127 per month in Bialystok vs $2,279 in Playa del Carmen, rent included.

A family of three spends $2,745 per month in Bialystok vs $3,292 in Playa del Carmen, rent included.

Bialystok costs about 19% more than Playa del Carmen, driven mainly by Groceries & Markets.

Bialystok sits 10% above the global median, while Playa del Carmen is 7% below – they fall on opposite sides of the world average.

Meal at Budget Restaurant

$9.83 zł 37.37

$11.60 MX$200

-15.26%

Three-Course Dinner for Two, Mid-Range

$47.09 zł 179

$47.11 MX$812

-0.04%

Fast Food Meal (McDonalds, etc)

$9.49 zł 36.07

$11.88 MX$205

-20.12%

Cappuccino

$3.84 zł 14.61

$3.98 MX$68.6

-3.52%

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

$1.99 zł 7.55

$1.43 MX$24.60

39.16%

Water (0.33 liter bottle)

$1.64 zł 6.23

$0.82 MX$14.22

100.00%

Local Beer (0.5 liter draught)

$3.63 zł 13.80

$3.19 MX$55.0

13.79%

Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$3.23 zł 12.28

$6.79 MX$117

-52.43%

Milk (1 liter)

$1.11 zł 4.21

$1.68 MX$28.89

-33.93%

White Bread (500g)

$1.02 zł 3.88

$2.20 MX$37.88

-53.64%

Rice (white) (1kg)

$2.30 zł 8.75

$1.71 MX$29.45

34.50%

Eggs

$3.97 zł 15.08

$2.74 MX$47.26

44.89%

Local Cheese (1kg)

$9.91 zł 37.70

$9.58 MX$165

3.44%

Chicken Fillets (1kg)

$5.91 zł 22.47

$9.01 MX$155

-34.41%

Beef Round Steak (1kg)

$11.87 zł 45.16

$12.81 MX$221

-7.34%

Apples (1kg)

$1.25 zł 4.75

$2.89 MX$49.81

-56.75%

Banana (1kg)

$1.81 zł 6.87

$1.50 MX$25.81

20.67%

Oranges (1kg)

$1.67 zł 6.35

$2.15 MX$37.03

-22.33%

Tomato (1kg)

$2.09 zł 7.95

$2.26 MX$38.96

-7.52%

Potato (1kg)

$1.12 zł 4.27

$1.98 MX$34.15

-43.43%

Onion (1kg)

$1.25 zł 4.76

$1.99 MX$34.30

-37.19%

Lettuce (1 head)

$1.22 zł 4.65

$1.23 MX$21.28

-0.81%

Water (1.5 liter bottle)

$0.65 zł 2.46

$1.20 MX$20.63

-45.83%

Cigarettes 20 Pack (Marlboro, Camel)

$5.25 zł 19.96

$4.55 MX$78.5

15.38%

Wine (Bottle)

$6.51 zł 24.75

$10.37 MX$179

-37.22%

Local Beer (0.5 liter bottle)

$1.20 zł 4.56

$1.62 MX$27.91

-25.93%

Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$1.56 zł 5.95

$2.88 MX$49.67

-45.83%

One-way Ticket (Public Transport)

$1.10 zł 4.17

$0.60 MX$10.35

83.33%

Public Transport Monthly Pass (Regular Price)

$34.17 zł 130

$28.80 MX$497

18.65%

Taxi Start (Normal Tariff)

$2.09 zł 7.95

$5.39 MX$92.9

-61.22%

Taxi (Normal Tariff) (1km)

$0.66 zł 2.52

$3.73 MX$64.3

-82.31%

Taxi 1hour Waiting (Normal Tariff)

$13.38 zł 50.9

$5.77 MX$99.5

131.89%

Gasoline (1 liter)

$1.55 zł 5.89

$1.54 MX$26.48

0.65%

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

$31.7K zł 120.6K

$22.5K MX$388.8K

40.64%

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

$29.0K zł 110.2K

$26.1K MX$449.3K

11.18%

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

$308 zł 1,170

$91.4 MX$1,576

236.59%

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

$8.70 zł 33.09

$25.20 MX$435

-65.48%

Internet (50+ Mbps, Unlimited Data)

$18.87 zł 71.8

$31.24 MX$539

-39.60%

Gym Membership (Monthly)

$43.40 zł 165

$67.2 MX$1,159

-35.42%

Tennis Court (1 Hour on Weekend)

$28.41 zł 108

$29.11 MX$502

-2.40%

Cinema Ticket

$7.13 zł 27.10

$4.86 MX$83.8

46.71%

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

$370 zł 1,409

$224 MX$3,856

65.65%

International Primary School, 1 Child (Yearly)

$4,510 zł 17.1K

$4,229 MX$72.9K

6.64%

Jeans (Levis 501 Or Similar)

$104 zł 394

$47.10 MX$812

119.89%

Summer Dress (H&M, Zara, etc)

$37.59 zł 143

$44.29 MX$764

-15.13%

Sport Shoes (Adidas, Nike)

$88.4 zł 336

$80.1 MX$1,381

10.31%

Men's Leather Business Shoes

$92.4 zł 351

$92.7 MX$1,598

-0.28%

1-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)

$547 zł 2,079

$1,063 MX$18.3K

-48.56%

1-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)

$528 zł 2,008

$390 MX$6,728

35.29%

3-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)

$842 zł 3,203

$2,149 MX$37.1K

-60.81%

3-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)

$743 zł 2,825

$1,272 MX$21.9K

-41.61%

Buy Apartment in City Center (m2)

$2,726 zł 10.4K

$4,001 MX$69.0K

-31.87%

Buy Apartment Outside City Center (m2)

$2,387 zł 9,078

$6,502 MX$112.1K

-63.28%

Average Monthly Net Salary (After Tax)

$1,547 zł 5,882

$758 MX$13.1K

104.02%

20-Year Fixed Mortgage Interest Rate (Annual %)

7.07

11.45

-38.25%

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

Last update for Bialystok: September 14, 2026

Last update for Playa del Carmen: September 12, 2026

Cost Breakdown

A central one-bedroom costs $547 in Bialystok versus $1,063 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 104% higher in Bialystok, 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 $47.00 in Bialystok versus $47.00 in Playa del Carmen. Monthly groceries follow the same trend: $216 vs $276 – making Bialystok 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

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

Bialystok costs about 19% more than Playa del Carmen, with the gap driven mainly by Groceries & Markets. That's enough to noticeably affect everyday spending and lifestyle for anyone choosing between the two.

For a comfortable life, plan on about $2,262 per month in Bialystok and $1,899 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.

Kindergarten costs $370 per month in Bialystok and $224 in Playa del Carmen. For families with young kids, this one expense can tip the scales when choosing between the two cities.

Interestingly, groceries are about 28% cheaper in Bialystok – 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 $1,266, than in Bialystok at $1,508. In Playa del Carmen it covers expenses comfortably, while in Bialystok it requires careful planning or may not stretch far enough.

For digital nomads, it depends on budget. Playa del Carmen costs $1,266 versus $1,508 in Bialystok. Both have workable remote work infrastructure, but the cost gap matters when income varies month to month.

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