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: $1,261 in Playa del Carmen versus $937 in Bečej.

Estimated couple costs with rent: $2,130 in Playa del Carmen versus $1,409 in Bečej.

Monthly costs for a family of three with rent: $2,999 in Playa del Carmen versus $1,881 in Bečej.

Living in Playa del Carmen is roughly 35% more expensive than 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

$11.67 MX$202

$7.10 RSD 710

64.37%

Three-Course Dinner for Two, Mid-Range

$41.88 MX$726

$35.05 RSD 3,503

19.49%

Fast Food Meal (McDonalds, etc)

$10.40 MX$180

$9.96 RSD 995

4.42%

Cappuccino

$3.61 MX$62.6

$1.15 RSD 115

213.91%

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

$1.47 MX$25.45

$1.51 RSD 151

-2.65%

Water (0.33 liter bottle)

$0.91 MX$15.80

$0.76 RSD 76.2

19.74%

Local Beer (0.5 liter draught)

$3.03 MX$52.6

$1.50 RSD 150

102.00%

Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$4.47 MX$77.4

$1.92 RSD 192

132.81%

Milk (1 liter)

$1.38 MX$23.83

$0.97 RSD 97.0

42.27%

White Bread (500g)

$1.84 MX$31.93

$0.92 RSD 92.1

100.00%

Rice (white) (1kg)

$1.61 MX$27.82

$1.44 RSD 144

11.81%

Eggs

$2.57 MX$44.52

$2.19 RSD 219

17.35%

Local Cheese (1kg)

$8.49 MX$147

$9.11 RSD 911

-6.81%

Chicken Fillets (1kg)

$8.49 MX$147

$6.96 RSD 695

21.98%

Beef Round Steak (1kg)

$10.99 MX$190

$7.61 RSD 761

44.42%

Apples (1kg)

$2.73 MX$47.25

$0.96 RSD 95.7

184.38%

Banana (1kg)

$1.50 MX$25.92

$1.96 RSD 196

-23.47%

Oranges (1kg)

$1.96 MX$33.93

$1.60 RSD 160

22.50%

Tomato (1kg)

$2.12 MX$36.70

$1.92 RSD 192

10.42%

Potato (1kg)

$1.86 MX$32.30

$0.72 RSD 71.7

158.33%

Onion (1kg)

$2.17 MX$37.67

$0.36 RSD 36.35

502.78%

Lettuce (1 head)

$1.07 MX$18.59

$0.68 RSD 67.6

57.35%

Water (1.5 liter bottle)

$1.05 MX$18.18

$0.61 RSD 60.5

72.13%

Cigarettes 20 Pack (Marlboro, Camel)

$4.19 MX$72.6

$3.83 RSD 383

9.40%

Wine (Bottle)

$10.28 MX$178

$3.90 RSD 389

163.59%

Local Beer (0.5 liter bottle)

$1.67 MX$28.87

$0.67 RSD 66.6

149.25%

Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$2.49 MX$43.12

$1.03 RSD 103

141.75%

One-way Ticket (Public Transport)

$0.54 MX$9.37

$0.93 RSD 93.2

-41.94%

Public Transport Monthly Pass (Regular Price)

$26.27 MX$455

$27.32 RSD 2,730

-3.84%

Taxi Start (Normal Tariff)

$3.10 MX$53.8

$1.96 RSD 196

58.16%

Taxi (Normal Tariff) (1km)

$2.46 MX$42.66

$0.69 RSD 68.9

256.52%

Taxi 1hour Waiting (Normal Tariff)

$3.24 MX$56.1

$10.11 RSD 1,010

-67.95%

Gasoline (1 liter)

$1.26 MX$21.83

$1.83 RSD 182

-31.15%

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

$30.2K MX$522.8K

$31.0K RSD 3.1M

-2.57%

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

$23.4K MX$406.3K

$26.5K RSD 2.6M

-11.49%

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

$84.0 MX$1,456

$64.0 RSD 6,400

31.17%

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

$22.21 MX$385

$10.07 RSD 1,007

120.56%

Internet (50+ Mbps, Unlimited Data)

$29.65 MX$514

$23.74 RSD 2,372

24.89%

Gym Membership (Monthly)

$52.6 MX$912

$30.78 RSD 3,077

71.02%

Tennis Court (1 Hour on Weekend)

$18.34 MX$318

$16.76 RSD 1,675

9.43%

Cinema Ticket

$4.95 MX$85.7

$7.80 RSD 780

-36.54%

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

$198 MX$3,438

$450 RSD 45.0K

-55.95%

International Primary School, 1 Child (Yearly)

$5,322 MX$92.2K

$5,016 RSD 501.4K

6.08%

Jeans (Levis 501 Or Similar)

$35.95 MX$623

$102 RSD 10.2K

-64.79%

Summer Dress (H&M, Zara, etc)

$40.06 MX$694

$42.88 RSD 4,286

-6.58%

Sport Shoes (Adidas, Nike)

$78.8 MX$1,365

$64.7 RSD 6,470

21.72%

Men's Leather Business Shoes

$86.5 MX$1,499

$118 RSD 11.8K

-26.60%

1-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)

$977 MX$16.9K

$370 RSD 37.0K

164.12%

1-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)

$471 MX$8,158

$295 RSD 29.5K

59.51%

3-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)

$1,595 MX$27.6K

$568 RSD 56.8K

180.74%

3-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)

$1,215 MX$21.1K

$418 RSD 41.8K

190.52%

Buy Apartment in City Center (m2)

$4,032 MX$69.9K

$2,164 RSD 216.3K

86.35%

Buy Apartment Outside City Center (m2)

$6,579 MX$114.0K

$1,600 RSD 159.9K

311.31%

Average Monthly Net Salary (After Tax)

$714 MX$12.4K

$547 RSD 54.7K

30.61%

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: April 19, 2026

Last update for Bečej: April 22, 2026

Cost Breakdown

A one-bedroom apartment in the center runs $977 in Playa del Carmen and $370 in Bečej. Housing cost is often the main lever when comparing two cities.

Playa del Carmen pays 31% 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 in Playa del Carmen vs $35 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 35% gap adds up to real monthly savings that compound significantly over time.

Playa del Carmen pays 31% more on average, 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: $977 in Playa del Carmen versus $370 in Bečej. Housing is usually the single largest factor when comparing overall living costs between the two.

All in, you'll spend $1,261 per month in Playa del Carmen versus $937 in Bečej – a 35% gap that adds up to real savings over time for anyone picking the cheaper option.

A monthly transit pass in Bečej runs roughly 4% less than in Playa del Carmen. Both cities have functional networks, but the price difference matters if you're watching your budget.

At $937 in Bečej versus $1,261 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 35% less than in Playa del Carmen. Beyond cost, consider language, visa policies, and how big the international community is in each city.