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

Monthly Cost of Living

Monthly costs for one person with rent: $1,256 in Playa del Carmen versus $1,147 in Indjija.

Estimated couple costs with rent: $2,137 in Playa del Carmen versus $1,675 in Indjija.

Monthly costs for a family of three with rent: $3,017 in Playa del Carmen versus $2,203 in Indjija.

Living in Playa del Carmen is roughly 10% more expensive than in Indjija, driven mainly by Clothing & Footwear.

Both cities sit below the global median: Playa del Carmen 6% lower, Indjija 14% lower.

Meal at Budget Restaurant

$11.99 MX$210

$9.11 RSD 932

31.61%

Three-Course Dinner for Two, Mid-Range

$41.78 MX$733

$42.51 RSD 4,348

-1.72%

Fast Food Meal (McDonalds, etc)

$10.75 MX$189

$9.60 RSD 982

11.98%

Cappuccino

$3.50 MX$61.3

$2.08 RSD 213

68.27%

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

$1.45 MX$25.41

$2.21 RSD 226

-34.39%

Water (0.33 liter bottle)

$0.88 MX$15.52

$1.37 RSD 140

-35.77%

Local Beer (0.5 liter draught)

$2.95 MX$51.7

$2.99 RSD 306

-1.34%

Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$4.51 MX$79.1

$3.48 RSD 356

29.60%

Milk (1 liter)

$1.43 MX$25.12

$1.37 RSD 140

4.38%

White Bread (500g)

$1.84 MX$32.23

$0.62 RSD 63.2

196.77%

Rice (white) (1kg)

$1.57 MX$27.51

$1.98 RSD 203

-20.71%

Eggs

$2.51 MX$44.06

$2.66 RSD 272

-5.64%

Local Cheese (1kg)

$8.28 MX$145

$9.13 RSD 935

-9.31%

Chicken Fillets (1kg)

$8.43 MX$148

$6.62 RSD 677

27.34%

Beef Round Steak (1kg)

$10.68 MX$187

$12.08 RSD 1,236

-11.59%

Apples (1kg)

$2.61 MX$45.76

$1.31 RSD 134

99.24%

Banana (1kg)

$1.44 MX$25.22

$1.90 RSD 194

-24.21%

Oranges (1kg)

$1.96 MX$34.41

$1.57 RSD 160

24.84%

Tomato (1kg)

$2.09 MX$36.74

$2.33 RSD 238

-10.30%

Potato (1kg)

$1.85 MX$32.47

$0.94 RSD 96.2

96.81%

Onion (1kg)

$2.17 MX$38.02

$0.89 RSD 90.6

143.82%

Lettuce (1 head)

$1.03 MX$18.09

$0.74 RSD 76.2

39.19%

Water (1.5 liter bottle)

$1.07 MX$18.84

$0.71 RSD 72.2

50.70%

Cigarettes 20 Pack (Marlboro, Camel)

$4.10 MX$72.0

$4.17 RSD 427

-1.68%

Wine (Bottle)

$10.17 MX$178

$5.91 RSD 604

72.08%

Local Beer (0.5 liter bottle)

$1.68 MX$29.38

$0.91 RSD 93.5

84.62%

Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$2.53 MX$44.31

$2.15 RSD 220

17.67%

One-way Ticket (Public Transport)

$0.51 MX$8.93

$0.93 RSD 95.5

-45.16%

Public Transport Monthly Pass (Regular Price)

$26.04 MX$457

$28.24 RSD 2,889

-7.79%

Taxi Start (Normal Tariff)

$3.23 MX$56.7

$1.52 RSD 156

112.50%

Taxi (Normal Tariff) (1km)

$2.41 MX$42.19

$0.46 RSD 46.75

423.91%

Taxi 1hour Waiting (Normal Tariff)

$3.23 MX$56.6

$5.06 RSD 518

-36.17%

Gasoline (1 liter)

$1.32 MX$23.17

$1.91 RSD 195

-30.89%

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

$29.7K MX$520.9K

$31.3K RSD 3.2M

-4.97%

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

$23.7K MX$415.0K

$26.9K RSD 2.8M

-12.05%

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

$82.0 MX$1,439

$174 RSD 17.8K

-52.89%

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

$22.95 MX$403

$21.25 RSD 2,173

8.00%

Internet (50+ Mbps, Unlimited Data)

$30.11 MX$528

$32.64 RSD 3,339

-7.75%

Gym Membership (Monthly)

$52.0 MX$912

$30.55 RSD 3,126

70.11%

Tennis Court (1 Hour on Weekend)

$18.53 MX$325

$16.22 RSD 1,659

14.24%

Cinema Ticket

$4.98 MX$87.3

$6.32 RSD 646

-21.20%

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

$197 MX$3,463

$183 RSD 18.8K

7.60%

International Primary School, 1 Child (Yearly)

$5,336 MX$93.6K

$3,885 RSD 397.5K

37.34%

Jeans (Levis 501 Or Similar)

$35.60 MX$624

$89.4 RSD 9,149

-60.19%

Summer Dress (H&M, Zara, etc)

$40.33 MX$707

$46.68 RSD 4,775

-13.60%

Sport Shoes (Adidas, Nike)

$78.8 MX$1,381

$117 RSD 11.9K

-32.54%

Men's Leather Business Shoes

$88.9 MX$1,560

$120 RSD 12.3K

-25.74%

1-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)

$947 MX$16.6K

$369 RSD 37.7K

156.72%

1-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)

$474 MX$8,314

$292 RSD 29.9K

62.36%

3-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)

$1,644 MX$28.8K

$573 RSD 58.6K

186.94%

3-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)

$1,211 MX$21.2K

$408 RSD 41.7K

196.77%

Buy Apartment in City Center (m2)

$4,056 MX$71.1K

$2,112 RSD 216.1K

92.03%

Buy Apartment Outside City Center (m2)

$6,470 MX$113.5K

$1,522 RSD 155.7K

325.15%

Average Monthly Net Salary (After Tax)

$654 MX$11.5K

$552 RSD 56.4K

18.54%

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: July 13, 2026

Last update for Indjija: July 14, 2026

Cost Breakdown

A one-bedroom apartment in the center runs $947 in Playa del Carmen and $369 in Indjija. Housing cost is often the main lever when comparing two cities.

Playa del Carmen pays 19% 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 $43.00 in Indjija. Groceries flip the comparison at $249 vs $208, with Indjija cheaper for home cooking.

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 Indjija: Cost of Living - Frequently Asked Questions

Playa del Carmen and Indjija differ by about 10% in total monthly costs ($1,256 vs $1,147 including rent). Indjija is meaningfully more affordable – a gap that matters a lot on a fixed or modest income.

Average pay runs 19% 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: $947 in Playa del Carmen versus $369 in Indjija. Housing is usually the single largest factor when comparing overall living costs between the two.

A monthly transit pass in Indjija runs roughly 8% less than in Playa del Carmen. Both cities have functional networks, but the price difference matters if you're watching your budget.

Childcare runs $197 in Playa del Carmen versus $183 in Indjija. Over years of preschool, even a modest monthly gap compounds into a major financial factor for families.

At $1,147 in Indjija versus $1,256 in Playa del Carmen, a $2,000 budget is realistic in Indjija but tight or insufficient in Playa del Carmen. The gap between the two cities makes Indjija the clear choice for anyone on this budget.

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.

Safety-wise, Playa del Carmen and Indjija 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 Indjija gentler on the wallet – expenses run 10% less than in Playa del Carmen. Beyond cost, consider language, visa policies, and how big the international community is in each city.