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: $1,293 in Playa del Carmen versus $872 in Bečej.

Estimated couple costs with rent: $2,334 in Playa del Carmen versus $1,351 in Bečej.

Monthly costs for a family of three with rent: $3,374 in Playa del Carmen versus $1,829 in Bečej.

Living in Playa del Carmen is roughly 48% more expensive than in Bečej, driven mainly by Eating Out.

Both cities sit below the global median: Playa del Carmen 6% lower, Bečej 37% lower.

Meal at Budget Restaurant

$11.71 MX$198

$7.06 RSD 711

65.86%

Three-Course Dinner for Two, Mid-Range

$46.59 MX$787

$34.15 RSD 3,437

36.43%

Fast Food Meal (McDonalds, etc)

$11.65 MX$197

$10.19 RSD 1,025

14.33%

Cappuccino

$4.09 MX$69.1

$1.17 RSD 118

249.57%

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

$1.37 MX$23.21

$1.46 RSD 147

-6.16%

Water (0.33 liter bottle)

$0.83 MX$14.08

$0.78 RSD 78.7

6.41%

Local Beer (0.5 liter draught)

$3.35 MX$56.6

$1.51 RSD 151

121.85%

Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$6.91 MX$117

$1.96 RSD 197

252.55%

Milk (1 liter)

$1.73 MX$29.16

$0.96 RSD 96.7

80.21%

White Bread (500g)

$2.26 MX$38.17

$1.20 RSD 120

88.33%

Rice (white) (1kg)

$1.77 MX$29.88

$1.53 RSD 154

15.69%

Eggs

$2.73 MX$46.14

$2.18 RSD 220

25.23%

Local Cheese (1kg)

$9.18 MX$155

$9.68 RSD 975

-5.17%

Chicken Fillets (1kg)

$8.92 MX$151

$6.79 RSD 683

31.37%

Beef Round Steak (1kg)

$12.60 MX$213

$7.65 RSD 770

64.71%

Apples (1kg)

$3.02 MX$51.0

$0.98 RSD 98.1

208.16%

Banana (1kg)

$1.57 MX$26.52

$1.98 RSD 199

-20.71%

Oranges (1kg)

$2.13 MX$35.89

$1.60 RSD 161

33.12%

Tomato (1kg)

$2.26 MX$38.23

$1.94 RSD 195

16.49%

Potato (1kg)

$2.00 MX$33.84

$0.73 RSD 73.3

173.97%

Onion (1kg)

$2.06 MX$34.86

$0.34 RSD 33.75

505.88%

Lettuce (1 head)

$1.18 MX$19.92

$0.73 RSD 73.5

61.64%

Water (1.5 liter bottle)

$1.20 MX$20.33

$0.62 RSD 62.7

93.55%

Cigarettes 20 Pack (Marlboro, Camel)

$4.63 MX$78.3

$3.91 RSD 394

18.41%

Wine (Bottle)

$10.69 MX$180

$4.04 RSD 406

164.60%

Local Beer (0.5 liter bottle)

$1.62 MX$27.35

$0.68 RSD 68.2

138.24%

Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$2.88 MX$48.65

$1.02 RSD 102

182.35%

One-way Ticket (Public Transport)

$0.57 MX$9.68

Public Transport Monthly Pass (Regular Price)

$29.83 MX$504

Taxi Start (Normal Tariff)

$5.45 MX$92.0

$2.04 RSD 205

167.16%

Taxi (Normal Tariff) (1km)

$3.70 MX$62.6

$0.78 RSD 78.2

374.36%

Taxi 1hour Waiting (Normal Tariff)

$5.98 MX$101

$9.96 RSD 1,002

-39.96%

Gasoline (1 liter)

$1.55 MX$26.23

$1.97 RSD 199

-21.32%

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

$22.3K MX$377.0K

$31.2K RSD 3.1M

-28.48%

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

$25.9K MX$438.2K

$25.8K RSD 2.6M

0.50%

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

$89.1 MX$1,505

$65.4 RSD 6,581

36.28%

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

$25.04 MX$423

$9.79 RSD 985

155.77%

Internet (50+ Mbps, Unlimited Data)

$31.50 MX$532

$23.94 RSD 2,409

31.58%

Gym Membership (Monthly)

$67.8 MX$1,145

$30.23 RSD 3,042

124.21%

Tennis Court (1 Hour on Weekend)

$28.92 MX$488

$13.90 RSD 1,399

108.06%

Cinema Ticket

$5.05 MX$85.3

$8.84 RSD 889

-42.87%

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

$225 MX$3,798

$425 RSD 42.7K

-47.02%

International Primary School, 1 Child (Yearly)

$4,222 MX$71.3K

$11.9K RSD 1.2M

-64.64%

Jeans (Levis 501 Or Similar)

$47.44 MX$801

$112 RSD 11.3K

-57.68%

Summer Dress (H&M, Zara, etc)

$44.98 MX$759

$48.53 RSD 4,883

-7.32%

Sport Shoes (Adidas, Nike)

$82.0 MX$1,384

$64.1 RSD 6,447

27.97%

Men's Leather Business Shoes

$92.1 MX$1,555

$121 RSD 12.2K

-23.79%

1-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)

$1,069 MX$18.1K

$321 RSD 32.3K

233.16%

1-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)

$405 MX$6,844

$272 RSD 27.3K

49.30%

3-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)

$1,935 MX$32.7K

$460 RSD 46.3K

320.87%

3-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)

$1,301 MX$22.0K

$383 RSD 38.5K

239.76%

Buy Apartment in City Center (m2)

$3,995 MX$67.5K

$2,110 RSD 212.3K

89.38%

Buy Apartment Outside City Center (m2)

$6,626 MX$111.9K

$1,598 RSD 160.8K

314.63%

Average Monthly Net Salary (After Tax)

$749 MX$12.6K

$549 RSD 55.3K

36.33%

20-Year Fixed Mortgage Interest Rate (Annual %)

11.45

4.64

146.77%

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

Last update for Playa del Carmen: August 29, 2026

Last update for Bečej: August 29, 2026

Cost Breakdown

A one-bedroom apartment in the center runs $1,069 in Playa del Carmen and $321 in Bečej. Housing cost is often the main lever when comparing two cities.

Playa del Carmen pays 36% 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: $47.00 in Playa del Carmen vs $34.00 in Bečej for a mid-range dinner for two. Groceries echo the gap at $277 vs $182 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 48% gap adds up to real monthly savings that compound significantly over time.

Average pay runs 36% 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: $1,069 in Playa del Carmen versus $321 in Bečej. Housing is usually the single largest factor when comparing overall living costs between the two.

Supermarket bills run roughly 52% higher in Playa del Carmen. For households that cook at home regularly, that difference adds up over a month.

All in, you'll spend $1,293 per month in Playa del Carmen versus $872 in Bečej – a 48% gap that adds up to real savings over time for anyone picking the cheaper option.

At $872 in Bečej versus $1,293 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 48% less than in Playa del Carmen. Beyond cost, consider language, visa policies, and how big the international community is in each city.