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

Monthly Cost of Living

Monthly costs for one person with rent: $1,259 in Playa del Carmen versus $938 in Bečej.

Estimated couple costs with rent: $2,177 in Playa del Carmen versus $1,398 in Bečej.

Monthly costs for a family of three with rent: $3,095 in Playa del Carmen versus $1,858 in Bečej.

Living in Playa del Carmen is roughly 34% more expensive than in Bečej, driven mainly by Eating Out.

Both cities sit below the global median: Playa del Carmen 6% lower, Bečej 30% lower.

Meal at Budget Restaurant

$11.95 MX$208

$6.74 RSD 692

77.30%

Three-Course Dinner for Two, Mid-Range

$41.94 MX$730

$34.75 RSD 3,565

20.69%

Fast Food Meal (McDonalds, etc)

$10.42 MX$181

$9.95 RSD 1,021

4.72%

Cappuccino

$3.51 MX$61.2

$1.19 RSD 122

194.96%

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

$1.52 MX$26.39

$1.44 RSD 148

5.56%

Water (0.33 liter bottle)

$0.91 MX$15.84

$0.76 RSD 78.1

19.74%

Local Beer (0.5 liter draught)

$3.04 MX$52.9

$1.49 RSD 153

104.03%

Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$4.37 MX$76.1

$1.92 RSD 197

127.60%

Milk (1 liter)

$1.42 MX$24.73

$0.95 RSD 97.3

49.47%

White Bread (500g)

$1.83 MX$31.87

$0.88 RSD 90.0

107.95%

Rice (white) (1kg)

$1.63 MX$28.45

$1.51 RSD 155

7.95%

Eggs

$2.54 MX$44.20

$2.19 RSD 224

15.98%

Local Cheese (1kg)

$8.57 MX$149

$9.39 RSD 964

-8.73%

Chicken Fillets (1kg)

$8.49 MX$148

$7.02 RSD 720

20.94%

Beef Round Steak (1kg)

$10.80 MX$188

$7.47 RSD 767

44.58%

Apples (1kg)

$2.75 MX$47.94

$0.95 RSD 97.7

189.47%

Banana (1kg)

$1.44 MX$25.00

$1.97 RSD 203

-26.90%

Oranges (1kg)

$1.89 MX$32.83

$1.57 RSD 161

20.38%

Tomato (1kg)

$2.17 MX$37.77

$1.98 RSD 203

9.60%

Potato (1kg)

$1.78 MX$30.97

$0.71 RSD 73.3

150.70%

Onion (1kg)

$2.22 MX$38.71

$0.36 RSD 36.94

516.67%

Lettuce (1 head)

$1.07 MX$18.60

$0.67 RSD 68.5

59.70%

Water (1.5 liter bottle)

$1.08 MX$18.79

$0.56 RSD 57.6

92.86%

Cigarettes 20 Pack (Marlboro, Camel)

$4.15 MX$72.2

$4.05 RSD 415

2.47%

Wine (Bottle)

$10.45 MX$182

$3.94 RSD 404

165.23%

Local Beer (0.5 liter bottle)

$1.74 MX$30.34

$0.72 RSD 73.9

141.67%

Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$2.58 MX$44.92

$1.04 RSD 107

148.08%

One-way Ticket (Public Transport)

$0.51 MX$8.94

$0.98 RSD 100

-47.96%

Public Transport Monthly Pass (Regular Price)

$25.94 MX$451

$27.81 RSD 2,854

-6.72%

Taxi Start (Normal Tariff)

$3.21 MX$55.9

$1.96 RSD 201

63.78%

Taxi (Normal Tariff) (1km)

$2.50 MX$43.55

$0.68 RSD 69.9

267.65%

Taxi 1hour Waiting (Normal Tariff)

$3.19 MX$55.4

$9.96 RSD 1,022

-67.97%

Gasoline (1 liter)

$1.26 MX$21.87

$1.81 RSD 185

-30.39%

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

$29.7K MX$516.6K

$30.1K RSD 3.1M

-1.29%

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

$23.7K MX$412.1K

$27.1K RSD 2.8M

-12.46%

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

$82.0 MX$1,427

$64.7 RSD 6,632

26.88%

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

$22.73 MX$395

$10.03 RSD 1,029

126.62%

Internet (50+ Mbps, Unlimited Data)

$29.42 MX$512

$23.29 RSD 2,390

26.32%

Gym Membership (Monthly)

$52.2 MX$908

$31.11 RSD 3,192

67.76%

Tennis Court (1 Hour on Weekend)

$18.45 MX$321

$16.57 RSD 1,700

11.35%

Cinema Ticket

$4.93 MX$85.9

$7.85 RSD 805

-37.20%

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

$202 MX$3,511

$446 RSD 45.7K

-54.73%

International Primary School, 1 Child (Yearly)

$5,217 MX$90.8K

$5,168 RSD 530.3K

0.94%

Jeans (Levis 501 Or Similar)

$35.93 MX$625

$101 RSD 10.3K

-64.29%

Summer Dress (H&M, Zara, etc)

$40.33 MX$702

$42.52 RSD 4,363

-5.15%

Sport Shoes (Adidas, Nike)

$79.9 MX$1,390

$63.3 RSD 6,499

26.11%

Men's Leather Business Shoes

$89.3 MX$1,554

$119 RSD 12.2K

-24.75%

1-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)

$948 MX$16.5K

$374 RSD 38.4K

153.41%

1-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)

$465 MX$8,097

$294 RSD 30.2K

58.02%

3-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)

$1,630 MX$28.4K

$574 RSD 58.8K

184.16%

3-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)

$1,193 MX$20.8K

$410 RSD 42.0K

191.10%

Buy Apartment in City Center (m2)

$3,933 MX$68.4K

$2,066 RSD 212.0K

90.39%

Buy Apartment Outside City Center (m2)

$6,428 MX$111.9K

$1,697 RSD 174.1K

278.88%

Average Monthly Net Salary (After Tax)

$658 MX$11.5K

$533 RSD 54.7K

23.46%

20-Year Fixed Mortgage Interest Rate (Annual %)

11.42

5.59

104.29%

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

Last update for Playa del Carmen: July 20, 2026

Last update for Bečej: July 21, 2026

Cost Breakdown

A one-bedroom apartment in the center runs $948 in Playa del Carmen and $374 in Bečej. Housing cost is often the main lever when comparing two cities.

Playa del Carmen pays 23% 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: $42.00 in Playa del Carmen vs $35.00 in Bečej for a mid-range dinner for two. Groceries echo the gap at $252 vs $177 per month, with Bečej cheaper across the board.

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

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

Bečej is cheaper overall, especially in Groceries & Markets, Eating Out, Sport & Entertainment, Monthly Utilities & Internet, Getting Around. The 34% gap adds up to real monthly savings that compound significantly over time.

Average pay runs 23% higher in Playa del Carmen, 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: $948 in Playa del Carmen versus $374 in Bečej. Housing is usually the single largest factor when comparing overall living costs between the two.

All in, you'll spend $1,259 per month in Playa del Carmen versus $938 in Bečej – a 34% gap that adds up to real savings over time for anyone picking the cheaper option.

A monthly transit pass in Bečej runs roughly 7% less than in Playa del Carmen. Both cities have functional networks, but the price difference matters if you're watching your budget.

At $938 in Bečej versus $1,259 in Playa del Carmen, a $1,500 budget is realistic in Bečej but tight or insufficient in Playa del Carmen. The gap between the two cities makes Bečej the clear choice for anyone on this budget.

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

Safety-wise, Playa del Carmen and Bečej 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 Bečej gentler on the wallet – expenses run 34% less than in Playa del Carmen. Beyond cost, consider language, visa policies, and how big the international community is in each city.