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

Monthly Cost of Living

Monthly costs for one person with rent: $1,808 in Olsztyn versus $1,266 in Playa del Carmen.

Estimated couple costs with rent: $2,733 in Olsztyn versus $2,279 in Playa del Carmen.

Monthly costs for a family of three with rent: $3,659 in Olsztyn versus $3,292 in Playa del Carmen.

Living in Olsztyn is roughly 43% more expensive than in Playa del Carmen, driven mainly by Clothing & Footwear.

The two cities straddle the global median: Olsztyn is 32% above, Playa del Carmen is 7% below.

Meal at Budget Restaurant

$13.39 zł 50.8

$11.60 MX$200

15.43%

Three-Course Dinner for Two, Mid-Range

$51.9 zł 197

$47.11 MX$811

10.10%

Fast Food Meal (McDonalds, etc)

$9.10 zł 34.53

$11.88 MX$205

-23.40%

Cappuccino

$3.45 zł 13.10

$3.98 MX$68.5

-13.32%

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

$2.52 zł 9.57

$1.43 MX$24.57

76.22%

Water (0.33 liter bottle)

$1.98 zł 7.53

$0.82 MX$14.20

141.46%

Local Beer (0.5 liter draught)

$3.18 zł 12.06

$3.19 MX$54.9

-0.31%

Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$3.98 zł 15.10

$6.79 MX$117

-41.38%

Milk (1 liter)

$1.07 zł 4.07

$1.68 MX$28.85

-36.31%

White Bread (500g)

$1.37 zł 5.21

$2.20 MX$37.83

-37.73%

Rice (white) (1kg)

$1.50 zł 5.69

$1.71 MX$29.41

-12.28%

Eggs

$4.06 zł 15.42

$2.74 MX$47.20

48.18%

Local Cheese (1kg)

$10.13 zł 38.45

$9.58 MX$165

5.74%

Chicken Fillets (1kg)

$7.73 zł 29.34

$9.01 MX$155

-14.21%

Beef Round Steak (1kg)

$15.62 zł 59.3

$12.81 MX$221

21.94%

Apples (1kg)

$1.23 zł 4.68

$2.89 MX$49.74

-57.44%

Banana (1kg)

$1.75 zł 6.62

$1.50 MX$25.78

16.67%

Oranges (1kg)

$1.87 zł 7.09

$2.15 MX$36.98

-13.02%

Tomato (1kg)

$3.49 zł 13.25

$2.26 MX$38.91

54.42%

Potato (1kg)

$1.02 zł 3.87

$1.98 MX$34.10

-48.48%

Onion (1kg)

$1.27 zł 4.83

$1.99 MX$34.26

-36.18%

Lettuce (1 head)

$1.36 zł 5.15

$1.23 MX$21.25

10.57%

Water (1.5 liter bottle)

$0.75 zł 2.86

$1.20 MX$20.60

-37.50%

Cigarettes 20 Pack (Marlboro, Camel)

$5.72 zł 21.72

$4.55 MX$78.3

25.71%

Wine (Bottle)

$7.91 zł 30.02

$10.37 MX$179

-23.72%

Local Beer (0.5 liter bottle)

$1.15 zł 4.36

$1.62 MX$27.88

-29.01%

Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$1.63 zł 6.17

$2.88 MX$49.60

-43.40%

One-way Ticket (Public Transport)

$1.09 zł 4.13

$0.60 MX$10.34

81.67%

Public Transport Monthly Pass (Regular Price)

$26.74 zł 102

$28.80 MX$496

-7.15%

Taxi Start (Normal Tariff)

$2.07 zł 7.86

$5.39 MX$92.8

-61.60%

Taxi (Normal Tariff) (1km)

$0.77 zł 2.91

$3.73 MX$64.2

-79.36%

Taxi 1hour Waiting (Normal Tariff)

$10.58 zł 40.15

$5.77 MX$99.3

83.36%

Gasoline (1 liter)

$1.61 zł 6.11

$1.54 MX$26.45

4.55%

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

$33.2K zł 126.1K

$22.5K MX$388.3K

47.33%

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

$29.8K zł 113.3K

$26.1K MX$448.7K

14.52%

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

$305 zł 1,157

$91.4 MX$1,573

233.60%

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

$9.77 zł 37.09

$25.20 MX$434

-61.23%

Internet (50+ Mbps, Unlimited Data)

$18.85 zł 71.6

$31.24 MX$538

-39.66%

Gym Membership (Monthly)

$52.6 zł 200

$67.2 MX$1,157

-21.74%

Tennis Court (1 Hour on Weekend)

$23.45 zł 89.0

$29.11 MX$501

-19.44%

Cinema Ticket

$9.43 zł 35.78

$4.86 MX$83.7

94.03%

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

$403 zł 1,531

$224 MX$3,851

80.38%

International Primary School, 1 Child (Yearly)

$14.6K zł 55.4K

$4,229 MX$72.8K

245.17%

Jeans (Levis 501 Or Similar)

$104 zł 393

$47.10 MX$811

119.89%

Summer Dress (H&M, Zara, etc)

$50.7 zł 192

$44.29 MX$763

14.36%

Sport Shoes (Adidas, Nike)

$105 zł 398

$80.1 MX$1,379

30.75%

Men's Leather Business Shoes

$108 zł 408

$92.7 MX$1,596

16.10%

1-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)

$919 zł 3,487

$1,063 MX$18.3K

-13.55%

1-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)

$735 zł 2,791

$390 MX$6,719

88.42%

3-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)

$1,785 zł 6,777

$2,149 MX$37.0K

-16.93%

3-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)

$1,404 zł 5,329

$1,272 MX$21.9K

10.35%

Buy Apartment in City Center (m2)

$3,850 zł 14.6K

$4,001 MX$68.9K

-3.78%

Buy Apartment Outside City Center (m2)

$2,698 zł 10.2K

$6,502 MX$112.0K

-58.50%

Average Monthly Net Salary (After Tax)

$1,456 zł 5,528

$758 MX$13.1K

92.06%

20-Year Fixed Mortgage Interest Rate (Annual %)

7.52

11.45

-34.32%

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

Last update for Olsztyn: September 14, 2026

Last update for Playa del Carmen: September 12, 2026

Cost Breakdown

A one-bedroom apartment in the center runs $919 in Olsztyn and $1,063 in Playa del Carmen. Housing cost is often the main lever when comparing two cities.

Olsztyn pays 92% more on average. The extra income cushions the higher costs, though housing choices and lifestyle decide how much of the gap is truly closed.

Dining out: $52.0 in Olsztyn vs $47.00 in Playa del Carmen. Groceries flip the comparison at $249 vs $276, with Olsztyn cheaper for home cooking.

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

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

Playa del Carmen is cheaper overall, especially in Eating Out, Clothing & Footwear. The 43% gap adds up to real monthly savings that compound significantly over time.

Average pay runs 92% higher in Olsztyn, which matters when comparing affordability. Whether that higher income actually nets you more depends on your spending habits and housing choices.

Rent for a central apartment: $919 in Olsztyn versus $1,063 in Playa del Carmen. Housing is usually the single largest factor when comparing overall living costs between the two.

Shoppers in Olsztyn pay roughly 11% less for everyday groceries. It's an unusual reversal that partly offsets higher costs elsewhere.

Dining out is cheaper in Playa del Carmen – a meal for two runs $47.00 versus $52.0 in Olsztyn. If you eat out regularly, this makes a real dent in your monthly spending.

At $1,266 in Playa del Carmen versus $1,808 in Olsztyn, a $1,500 budget is realistic in Playa del Carmen but tight or insufficient in Olsztyn. The gap between the two cities makes Playa del Carmen the clear choice for anyone on this budget.

For families, Playa del Carmen is more practical. Housing and childcare are both notably cheaper than in Olsztyn, and the savings on those two alone free up budget for education, activities, and family trips.

Safety-wise, Olsztyn and Playa del Carmen are on par. Petty crime is typical for cities this size, and most residents feel comfortable going about their daily routines in either place.

Expats usually find Playa del Carmen gentler on the wallet – expenses run 43% less than in Olsztyn. Beyond cost, consider language, visa policies, and how big the international community is in each city.