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

Monthly Cost of Living

Monthly costs for one person with rent: $1,271 in Playa del Carmen versus $1,090 in Cacak.

Estimated couple costs with rent: $2,126 in Playa del Carmen versus $1,621 in Cacak.

Monthly costs for a family of three with rent: $2,980 in Playa del Carmen versus $2,151 in Cacak.

Living in Playa del Carmen is roughly 17% more expensive than Cacak, driven mainly by Clothing & Footwear.

Both cities sit below the global median: Playa del Carmen 5% lower, Cacak 19% lower.

Currency
🍽 Eating Out
Playa del Carmen
Cacak
Difference
Meal at Budget Restaurant
$11.87 MX$204
$7.28 RSD 736
63.05%
Three-Course Dinner for Two, Mid-Range
$42.90 MX$736
$39.10 RSD 3,955
9.72%
Fast Food Meal (McDonalds, etc)
$10.65 MX$183
$11.04 RSD 1,116
-3.53%
Cappuccino
$3.45 MX$59.2
$1.60 RSD 162
115.63%
Coke/Pepsi/Fanta/Sprite (0.33 liter bottle)
$1.50 MX$25.81
$2.21 RSD 223
-32.13%
Water (0.33 liter bottle)
$0.95 MX$16.28
$1.45 RSD 147
-34.48%
Local Beer (0.5 liter draught)
$3.03 MX$51.9
$2.55 RSD 258
18.82%
Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)
$4.61 MX$79.1
$2.50 RSD 253
84.40%
🛒 Groceries & Markets
Playa del Carmen
Cacak
Difference
Milk (1 liter)
$1.38 MX$23.61
$1.27 RSD 128
8.66%
White Bread (500g)
$1.85 MX$31.70
$0.81 RSD 81.8
128.40%
Rice (white) (1kg)
$1.61 MX$27.65
$2.80 RSD 284
-42.50%
Eggs
$2.59 MX$44.51
$2.58 RSD 261
0.39%
Local Cheese (1kg)
$8.26 MX$142
$3.83 RSD 388
115.67%
Chicken Fillets (1kg)
$8.37 MX$144
$7.01 RSD 709
19.40%
Beef Round Steak (1kg)
$10.66 MX$183
$12.68 RSD 1,282
-15.93%
Apples (1kg)
$2.63 MX$45.12
$1.29 RSD 131
103.88%
Banana (1kg)
$1.49 MX$25.53
$1.83 RSD 185
-18.58%
Oranges (1kg)
$1.92 MX$32.94
$1.56 RSD 158
23.08%
Tomato (1kg)
$2.09 MX$35.81
$2.46 RSD 249
-15.04%
Potato (1kg)
$1.86 MX$31.88
$0.93 RSD 93.8
100.00%
Onion (1kg)
$2.26 MX$38.81
$0.95 RSD 95.7
137.89%
Lettuce (1 head)
$1.06 MX$18.23
$0.81 RSD 81.9
30.86%
Water (1.5 liter bottle)
$1.09 MX$18.67
$0.57 RSD 57.6
91.23%
Cigarettes 20 Pack (Marlboro, Camel)
$4.15 MX$71.2
$4.41 RSD 446
-5.90%
Wine (Bottle)
$10.39 MX$178
$5.49 RSD 555
89.25%
Local Beer (0.5 liter bottle)
$1.72 MX$29.59
$0.91 RSD 91.6
89.01%
Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)
$2.61 MX$44.85
$2.24 RSD 226
16.52%
🚌 Getting Around
Playa del Carmen
Cacak
Difference
One-way Ticket (Public Transport)
$0.54 MX$9.30
$0.91 RSD 92.0
-40.66%
Public Transport Monthly Pass (Regular Price)
$26.94 MX$462
$28.02 RSD 2,834
-3.85%
Taxi Start (Normal Tariff)
$3.13 MX$53.7
$1.97 RSD 199
58.88%
Taxi (Normal Tariff) (1km)
$2.51 MX$43.09
$0.63 RSD 63.9
298.41%
Taxi 1hour Waiting (Normal Tariff)
$3.15 MX$54.1
$9.21 RSD 931
-65.80%
Gasoline (1 liter)
$1.27 MX$21.88
$1.70 RSD 172
-25.29%
Midsize Hatchback 1.4l (Volkswagen Golf, Toyota Prius, Honda Civic, etc)
$30.4K MX$521.3K
$27.5K RSD 2.8M
10.55%
Compact Sedan 1.6l (Toyota Corolla, Mazda3, Kia K4, Hyundai Elantra, etc)
$23.6K MX$404.5K
$28.6K RSD 2.9M
-17.59%
🧾 Monthly Utilities & Internet
Playa del Carmen
Cacak
Difference
Utilities for 2 People in 2-bedroom Apartment (Heating, Electricity, Gas, Water, Garbage) (85m2)
$83.0 MX$1,425
$146 RSD 14.7K
-42.97%
SIM Card Monthly Plan (Calls and 10GB+ Data)
$22.71 MX$390
$19.79 RSD 2,001
14.75%
Internet (50+ Mbps, Unlimited Data)
$29.46 MX$506
$19.79 RSD 2,002
48.86%
🎉 Sport & Entertainment
Playa del Carmen
Cacak
Difference
Gym Membership (Monthly)
$51.0 MX$875
$31.07 RSD 3,142
64.15%
Tennis Court (1 Hour on Weekend)
$18.33 MX$315
$16.35 RSD 1,654
12.11%
Cinema Ticket
$4.93 MX$84.5
$6.29 RSD 637
-21.62%
🧸 Childcare & Education
Playa del Carmen
Cacak
Difference
Preschool or Kindergarten, Full Day, Private, 1 Child (Monthly)
$197 MX$3,386
$346 RSD 35.0K
-42.98%
International Primary School, 1 Child (Yearly)
$5,280 MX$90.6K
$7,405 RSD 748.9K
-28.70%
👕👟 Clothing & Footwear
Playa del Carmen
Cacak
Difference
Jeans (Levis 501 Or Similar)
$36.90 MX$633
$109 RSD 11.0K
-66.04%
Summer Dress (H&M, Zara, etc)
$39.89 MX$685
$46.54 RSD 4,707
-14.29%
Sport Shoes (Adidas, Nike)
$80.0 MX$1,373
$124 RSD 12.5K
-35.25%
Men's Leather Business Shoes
$89.5 MX$1,536
$137 RSD 13.8K
-34.66%
🏠 Accommodation & Living
Playa del Carmen
Cacak
Difference
1-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)
$956 MX$16.4K
$370 RSD 37.4K
158.78%
1-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)
$477 MX$8,189
$301 RSD 30.4K
58.51%
3-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)
$1,646 MX$28.3K
$559 RSD 56.5K
194.48%
3-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)
$1,225 MX$21.0K
$422 RSD 42.7K
190.29%
Buy Apartment in City Center (m2)
$3,918 MX$67.2K
$2,067 RSD 209.0K
89.54%
Buy Apartment Outside City Center (m2)
$6,459 MX$110.9K
$1,499 RSD 151.6K
330.84%
💵 Salaries & Financials
Playa del Carmen
Cacak
Difference
Average Monthly Net Salary (After Tax)
$667 MX$11.4K
$765 RSD 77.4K
-12.80%
20-Year Fixed Mortgage Interest Rate (Annual %)
11.42
7.31
56.22%

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

Last update for Playa del Carmen: June 7, 2026

Last update for Cacak: June 8, 2026

Cost Breakdown

A one-bedroom apartment in the center runs $956 in Playa del Carmen and $370 in Cacak. Housing cost is often the main lever when comparing two cities.

Cacak pays 15% more on average while also being the cheaper of the two. The combined effect is a noticeably stronger local purchasing power.

Dining out: $43.00 in Playa del Carmen vs $39.00 in Cacak for a mid-range dinner for two. Groceries echo the gap at $250 vs $198 per month, with Cacak 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 Cacak: Cost of Living - Frequently Asked Questions
Is Cacak cheaper than Playa del Carmen?
Cacak is cheaper overall, especially in Groceries & Markets, Eating Out, Sport & Entertainment, Monthly Utilities & Internet, Getting Around. The 17% gap adds up to real monthly savings that compound significantly over time.
Where can you earn more: Playa del Carmen or Cacak?
On paper, Cacak earns 15% less. That's worth factoring in alongside costs, though remote workers earning in a stronger currency may not notice the difference at all.
What is the rent difference between Playa del Carmen and Cacak?
Rent for a central apartment: $956 in Playa del Carmen versus $370 in Cacak. Housing is usually the single largest factor when comparing overall living costs between the two.
Which city has cheaper kindergarten?
Childcare runs $197 in Playa del Carmen versus $346 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 Cacak?
Supermarket bills run roughly 26% higher in Playa del Carmen. For households that cook at home regularly, that difference adds up over a month.
Is $1,500 a realistic budget for Playa del Carmen or Cacak?
At $1,090 in Cacak versus $1,271 in Playa del Carmen, a $1,500 budget is realistic in Cacak but tight or insufficient in Playa del Carmen. The gap between the two cities makes Cacak the clear choice for anyone on this budget.
Is Playa del Carmen or Cacak more family-friendly?
For families, Cacak 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.
Which city is safer, Playa del Carmen or Cacak?
Safety-wise, Playa del Carmen and Cacak are on par. Petty crime is typical for cities this size, and most residents feel comfortable going about their daily routines in either place.
Which city is easier to live in as a foreigner?
Expats usually find Cacak gentler on the wallet – expenses run 17% less than in Playa del Carmen. Beyond cost, consider language, visa policies, and how big the international community is in each city.

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