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

Monthly Cost of Living

A single person spends $1,881 per month in Gdansk vs $1,293 in Playa del Carmen, rent included.

A couple spends around $2,617 per month in Gdansk vs $2,334 in Playa del Carmen, rent included.

A family of three spends $3,353 per month in Gdansk vs $3,374 in Playa del Carmen, rent included.

Gdansk costs about 45% more than Playa del Carmen, driven mainly by Groceries & Markets.

Gdansk sits 37% above the global median, while Playa del Carmen is 6% below – they fall on opposite sides of the world average.

Meal at Budget Restaurant

$12.10 zł 45.20

$11.71 MX$199

3.33%

Three-Course Dinner for Two, Mid-Range

$59.2 zł 221

$46.59 MX$791

27.04%

Fast Food Meal (McDonalds, etc)

$9.45 zł 35.30

$11.65 MX$198

-18.88%

Cappuccino

$4.21 zł 15.74

$4.09 MX$69.5

2.93%

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

$2.37 zł 8.86

$1.37 MX$23.34

72.99%

Water (0.33 liter bottle)

$1.77 zł 6.63

$0.83 MX$14.16

113.25%

Local Beer (0.5 liter draught)

$4.07 zł 15.21

$3.35 MX$56.9

21.49%

Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$3.95 zł 14.77

$6.91 MX$117

-42.84%

Milk (1 liter)

$1.01 zł 3.79

$1.73 MX$29.33

-41.62%

White Bread (500g)

$1.35 zł 5.04

$2.26 MX$38.39

-40.27%

Rice (white) (1kg)

$1.79 zł 6.70

$1.77 MX$30.05

1.13%

Eggs

$3.93 zł 14.68

$2.73 MX$46.41

43.96%

Local Cheese (1kg)

$8.95 zł 33.42

$9.18 MX$156

-2.51%

Chicken Fillets (1kg)

$6.91 zł 25.82

$8.92 MX$151

-22.53%

Beef Round Steak (1kg)

$14.16 zł 52.9

$12.60 MX$214

12.38%

Apples (1kg)

$1.34 zł 4.99

$3.02 MX$51.3

-55.63%

Banana (1kg)

$1.91 zł 7.14

$1.57 MX$26.68

21.66%

Oranges (1kg)

$2.21 zł 8.27

$2.13 MX$36.10

3.76%

Tomato (1kg)

$3.38 zł 12.63

$2.26 MX$38.46

49.56%

Potato (1kg)

$0.88 zł 3.28

$2.00 MX$34.04

-56.00%

Onion (1kg)

$1.16 zł 4.33

$2.06 MX$35.06

-43.69%

Lettuce (1 head)

$1.34 zł 5.02

$1.18 MX$20.04

13.56%

Water (1.5 liter bottle)

$0.75 zł 2.80

$1.20 MX$20.45

-37.50%

Cigarettes 20 Pack (Marlboro, Camel)

$6.08 zł 22.71

$4.63 MX$78.7

31.32%

Wine (Bottle)

$7.26 zł 27.11

$10.69 MX$182

-32.09%

Local Beer (0.5 liter bottle)

$1.25 zł 4.66

$1.62 MX$27.50

-22.84%

Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$1.97 zł 7.35

$2.88 MX$48.93

-31.60%

One-way Ticket (Public Transport)

$1.27 zł 4.75

$0.57 MX$9.74

122.81%

Public Transport Monthly Pass (Regular Price)

$32.08 zł 120

$29.83 MX$507

7.54%

Taxi Start (Normal Tariff)

$2.12 zł 7.92

$5.45 MX$92.5

-61.10%

Taxi (Normal Tariff) (1km)

$1.08 zł 4.03

$3.70 MX$62.9

-70.81%

Taxi 1hour Waiting (Normal Tariff)

$13.34 zł 49.85

$5.98 MX$102

123.08%

Gasoline (1 liter)

$1.63 zł 6.10

$1.55 MX$26.38

5.16%

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

$32.2K zł 120.2K

$22.3K MX$379.2K

44.13%

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

$30.3K zł 113.0K

$25.9K MX$440.7K

16.57%

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

$302 zł 1,130

$89.1 MX$1,514

239.32%

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

$12.78 zł 47.75

$25.04 MX$425

-48.96%

Internet (50+ Mbps, Unlimited Data)

$21.23 zł 79.3

$31.50 MX$535

-32.60%

Gym Membership (Monthly)

$45.81 zł 171

$67.8 MX$1,151

-32.41%

Tennis Court (1 Hour on Weekend)

$30.87 zł 115

$28.92 MX$491

6.74%

Cinema Ticket

$8.07 zł 30.13

$5.05 MX$85.8

59.80%

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

$548 zł 2,049

$225 MX$3,820

143.83%

International Primary School, 1 Child (Yearly)

$8,540 zł 31.9K

$4,222 MX$71.7K

102.26%

Jeans (Levis 501 Or Similar)

$91.3 zł 341

$47.44 MX$806

92.50%

Summer Dress (H&M, Zara, etc)

$49.35 zł 184

$44.98 MX$764

9.72%

Sport Shoes (Adidas, Nike)

$96.0 zł 359

$82.0 MX$1,392

17.09%

Men's Leather Business Shoes

$110 zł 412

$92.1 MX$1,564

19.68%

1-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)

$1,052 zł 3,932

$1,069 MX$18.2K

-1.57%

1-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)

$782 zł 2,921

$405 MX$6,884

92.89%

3-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)

$1,733 zł 6,476

$1,935 MX$32.9K

-10.44%

3-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)

$1,126 zł 4,208

$1,301 MX$22.1K

-13.43%

Buy Apartment in City Center (m2)

$5,701 zł 21.3K

$3,995 MX$67.9K

42.70%

Buy Apartment Outside City Center (m2)

$3,186 zł 11.9K

$6,626 MX$112.5K

-51.91%

Average Monthly Net Salary (After Tax)

$1,986 zł 7,422

$749 MX$12.7K

165.31%

20-Year Fixed Mortgage Interest Rate (Annual %)

6.67

11.45

-41.75%

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

Last update for Gdansk: August 31, 2026

Last update for Playa del Carmen: August 29, 2026

Cost Breakdown

A central one-bedroom costs $1,052 in Gdansk versus $1,069 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 165% higher in Gdansk, 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 $59.0 in Gdansk versus $47.00 in Playa del Carmen. Groceries tell a different story – $238 in Gdansk vs $277 in Playa del Carmen – so Gdansk 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

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

Monthly costs with rent: $1,881 in Gdansk, $1,293 in Playa del Carmen – roughly 45% apart. Gdansk costs more across the board, with Groceries & Markets showing the biggest gap.

For a comfortable life, plan on about $2,822 per month in Gdansk and $1,940 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 $548 per month in Gdansk and $225 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 16% cheaper in Gdansk – 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 $1,293, than in Gdansk at $1,881. In Playa del Carmen it covers expenses comfortably, while in Gdansk it requires careful planning or may not stretch far enough.

It depends on your priorities. Gdansk has an edge in some lifestyle areas, with costs from $1,293 in Playa del Carmen to $1,881 in Gdansk. 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, Gdansk makes more sense. Both are solid long-term options with distinct trade-offs.