Last update: Nov 2026

Cost of Living Comparison Between Playa del Carmen and Cacak

For one person, living is cheaper in Cacak: $1,031 a month against $1,202 in Playa del Carmen, rent and utilities included – about $2,100 less a year. Rent and utilities account for about half of the difference.

Playa del Carmen, Mexico
Cacak, Serbia
Playa del Carmen
🇲🇽 Mexico
$1,202
/mo nomad
Cacak
🇷🇸 Serbia
$1,031
/mo nomad
Monthly Cost of Living

How much you'll spend in Playa del Carmen and in Cacak

Real prices from locals and on-the-ground checks – rent, groceries, transit and the daily extras. Here's what a month in Playa del Carmen and in Cacak actually costs, broken down by who's living it.

Monthly costs for one person with rent: $1,202 in Playa del Carmen versus $1,031 in Cacak.

  • Playa del Carmen $1,202
  • Cacak $1,031

Estimated couple costs with rent: $2,082 in Playa del Carmen versus $1,557 in Cacak.

  • Playa del Carmen $2,082
  • Cacak $1,557

Monthly costs for a family of three with rent: $2,962 in Playa del Carmen versus $2,082 in Cacak.

  • Playa del Carmen $2,962
  • Cacak $2,082

Living in Playa del Carmen is roughly 17% more expensive than in Cacak, and outside of rent the biggest gap is in eating out.

Both cities sit below the global median: Playa del Carmen 11% lower, Cacak 24% lower.

Currency
🍽 Eating Out
Playa del Carmen
Cacak
Difference
Meal at Budget Restaurant
$10.67 MX$199
$7.18 RSD 750
48.61%
Three-Course Dinner for Two, Mid-Range
$43.80 MX$815
$38.11 RSD 3,978
14.93%
Fast Food Meal (McDonalds, etc)
$11.79 MX$219
$11.55 RSD 1,205
2.08%
Cappuccino
$3.79 MX$70.5
$1.56 RSD 163
142.95%
Coke/Pepsi/Fanta/Sprite (0.33 liter bottle)
$1.30 MX$24.14
$2.32 RSD 242
-43.97%
Water (0.33 liter bottle)
$0.83 MX$15.51
$1.41 RSD 148
-41.13%
Local Beer (0.5 liter draught)
$3.15 MX$58.6
$2.51 RSD 262
25.50%
Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)
$4.93 MX$91.8
$2.52 RSD 263
95.63%
🛒 Groceries & Markets
Playa del Carmen
Cacak
Difference
Milk (1 liter)
$1.41 MX$26.22
$1.25 RSD 131
12.80%
White Bread (500g)
$2.20 MX$40.86
$0.77 RSD 80.8
185.71%
Rice (white) (1kg)
$1.47 MX$27.40
$2.63 RSD 275
-44.11%
Eggs
$2.50 MX$46.46
$2.62 RSD 273
-4.58%
Local Cheese (1kg)
$7.29 MX$136
$3.76 RSD 393
93.88%
Chicken Fillets (1kg)
$7.95 MX$148
$6.97 RSD 727
14.06%
Beef Round Steak (1kg)
$12.86 MX$239
$13.95 RSD 1,457
-7.81%
Apples (1kg)
$2.90 MX$53.9
$1.21 RSD 126
139.67%
Banana (1kg)
$1.38 MX$25.74
$1.94 RSD 202
-28.87%
Oranges (1kg)
$2.49 MX$46.35
$1.63 RSD 170
52.76%
Tomato (1kg)
$2.03 MX$37.77
$2.43 RSD 254
-16.46%
Potato (1kg)
$2.02 MX$37.68
$1.04 RSD 108
94.23%
Onion (1kg)
$1.90 MX$35.42
$0.67 RSD 70.1
183.58%
Lettuce (1 head)
$1.14 MX$21.30
$1.01 RSD 106
12.87%
Water (1.5 liter bottle)
$1.24 MX$23.05
$0.54 RSD 56.7
129.63%
Cigarettes 20 Pack (Marlboro, Camel)
$4.27 MX$79.5
$4.79 RSD 500
-10.86%
Wine (Bottle)
$9.81 MX$183
$7.07 RSD 738
38.76%
Local Beer (0.5 liter bottle)
$1.59 MX$29.51
$0.86 RSD 90.2
84.88%
Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)
$2.75 MX$51.1
$2.20 RSD 229
25.00%
🚌 Getting Around
Playa del Carmen
Cacak
Difference
One-way Ticket (Public Transport)
$0.51 MX$9.58
$0.99 RSD 104
-48.48%
Public Transport Monthly Pass (Regular Price)
$27.39 MX$510
$16.72 RSD 1,745
63.82%
Taxi Start (Normal Tariff)
$4.76 MX$88.6
$1.84 RSD 192
158.70%
Taxi (Normal Tariff) (1km)
$3.25 MX$60.5
$0.78 RSD 81.2
316.67%
Taxi 1hour Waiting (Normal Tariff)
$5.39 MX$100
$11.59 RSD 1,210
-53.49%
Gasoline (1 liter)
$1.53 MX$28.44
$1.70 RSD 178
-10.00%
Midsize Hatchback 1.4l (Volkswagen Golf, Toyota Prius, Honda Civic, etc)
$21.2K MX$394.8K
$26.4K RSD 2.8M
-19.68%
Compact Sedan 1.6l (Toyota Corolla, Mazda3, Kia K4, Hyundai Elantra, etc)
$23.3K MX$432.9K
$24.2K RSD 2.5M
-3.87%
🧾 Monthly Utilities & Internet
Playa del Carmen
Cacak
Difference
Utilities for 2 People in 2-bedroom Apartment (Heating, Electricity, Gas, Water, Garbage) (85m2)
$83.5 MX$1,554
$141 RSD 14.8K
-40.96%
SIM Card Monthly Plan (Calls and 10GB+ Data)
$23.19 MX$431
$18.82 RSD 1,964
23.22%
Internet (50+ Mbps, Unlimited Data)
$27.61 MX$514
$19.30 RSD 2,014
43.06%
🎉 Sport & Entertainment
Playa del Carmen
Cacak
Difference
Gym Membership (Monthly)
$56.4 MX$1,050
$28.75 RSD 3,002
96.28%
Tennis Court (1 Hour on Weekend)
$28.19 MX$525
-
-
Cinema Ticket
$5.00 MX$93.1
$7.22 RSD 754
-30.75%
🧸 Childcare & Education
Playa del Carmen
Cacak
Difference
Preschool or Kindergarten, Full Day, Private, 1 Child (Monthly)
$207 MX$3,854
$367 RSD 38.3K
-43.58%
International Primary School, 1 Child (Yearly)
$5,231 MX$97.3K
$8,229 RSD 859.0K
-36.43%
👕👟 Clothing & Footwear
Playa del Carmen
Cacak
Difference
Jeans (Levis 501 Or Similar)
$43.45 MX$809
$116 RSD 12.1K
-62.62%
Summer Dress (H&M, Zara, etc)
$42.54 MX$792
$43.20 RSD 4,510
-1.53%
Sport Shoes (Adidas, Nike)
$72.8 MX$1,354
$140 RSD 14.6K
-48.14%
Men's Leather Business Shoes
$88.4 MX$1,645
$127 RSD 13.3K
-30.66%
🏠 Accommodation & Living
Playa del Carmen
Cacak
Difference
1-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)
$995 MX$18.5K
$310 RSD 32.3K
221.32%
1-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)
$382 MX$7,116
$243 RSD 25.4K
57.33%
3-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)
$1,674 MX$31.2K
$419 RSD 43.8K
299.23%
3-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)
$1,081 MX$20.1K
$370 RSD 38.6K
191.97%
Buy Apartment in City Center (m2)
$3,909 MX$72.7K
$2,152 RSD 224.7K
81.59%
Buy Apartment Outside City Center (m2)
$6,138 MX$114.2K
$1,563 RSD 163.2K
292.63%
💵 Salaries & Financials
Playa del Carmen
Cacak
Difference
Average Monthly Net Salary (After Tax)
$832 MX$15.5K
$728 RSD 76.0K
14.33%
20-Year Fixed Mortgage Interest Rate (Annual %)
11.45
5.02
128.09%

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

Last update for Playa del Carmen: November 2, 2026

Last update for Cacak: November 1, 2026

Monthly budget structure
Share of the monthly basket for one person, rent included.
Accommodation & Living
Playa del Carmen
$382
Cacak
$243 36.4% $139
Groceries & Markets
Playa del Carmen
$257
Cacak
$203 21% $54
Eating Out
Playa del Carmen
$200
Cacak
$143 28.5% $57
Monthly Utilities & Internet
Playa del Carmen
$134
Cacak
$180 33.7% $45
Clothing & Footwear
Playa del Carmen
$111
Cacak
$192 72.9% $81
Sport & Entertainment
Playa del Carmen
$66
Cacak
$43 35% $23
Getting Around
Playa del Carmen
$50
Cacak
$26 47.6% $24

Cost Breakdown

A one-bedroom apartment in the center runs $995 in Playa del Carmen and $310 in Cacak. Housing cost is often the main lever when comparing two cities.

Playa del Carmen pays 14% 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: $44 in Playa del Carmen vs $38 in Cacak for a mid-range dinner for two. Groceries echo the gap at $257 vs $203 per month, with Cacak cheaper across the board.

Good to know
🇲🇽 Playa del Carmen
🇷🇸 Cacak
🕒 Local time
21:31 9:31 PM
03:31 3:31 AM
6 h ahead of Playa del Carmen
🌤 Weather
👥 Population
149,923
69,598
💱 Currency
Exchange rates and currency converter

RSD, USD, EUR to MXN – Mexican Peso Converter

Mexican Peso exchange rates as of November 5, 2026: 1 USD = 18.61 MXN (100 MXN = 5.37 USD). 1 EUR = 20.95 MXN (100 MXN = 4.77 EUR).

Serbian Dinar exchange rates as of November 5, 2026: 1 USD = 104 RSD (1,000 RSD = 9.58 USD). 1 EUR = 118 RSD (1,000 RSD = 8.51 EUR).

On the map
Between locations
  • Playa del Carmen Cacak 9,740 km ≈ 13 h nonstop flight
From you
  • Playa del Carmen
  • Cacak

Distances are measured in a straight line. Your location is detected approximately.

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 Cacak: Cost of Living - Frequently Asked Questions
Is Cacak cheaper than Playa del Carmen?
Cacak is about 14% cheaper overall, especially in eating out, groceries, and transport. That difference adds up to real monthly savings that compound significantly over time.
Where can you earn more: Playa del Carmen or Cacak?
Average pay runs 14% 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.
What is the rent difference between Playa del Carmen and Cacak?
Rent for a central apartment: $995 in Playa del Carmen versus $310 in Cacak. Housing is usually the single largest factor when comparing overall living costs between the two.
Which city has cheaper kindergarten?
Childcare runs $207 in Playa del Carmen versus $367 in Cacak. Over years of preschool, even a modest monthly gap compounds into a major financial factor for families.
How do food prices compare in Playa del Carmen and in Cacak?
Supermarket bills run roughly 27% higher in Playa del Carmen. For households that cook at home regularly, that difference adds up over a month.
Is $1,500 enough for either Playa del Carmen or Cacak?
Either city works on $1,500 a month, though Cacak gives you more room to save. At this income level, the choice is more about lifestyle than financial pressure.
Is it better to live in Playa del Carmen or in Cacak?
Both cities offer a good standard of living with different trade-offs. Neither is objectively better – the right pick depends on what matters most: affordability, career, cultural scene, or climate.
Which city is easier to live in as a foreigner?
Expats usually find Cacak gentler on the wallet – expenses run 14% less than in Playa del Carmen. Beyond cost, consider language, visa policies, and how big the international community is in each city.

Playa del Carmen vs other spots: cost of living compared

Similar cities

Show times on the 12-hour clock, temperatures in °F and distances in miles?