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

Monthly Cost of Living

A single person spends $1,271 per month in Playa del Carmen vs $1,024 in Nis, rent included.

A couple spends around $2,126 per month in Playa del Carmen vs $1,524 in Nis, rent included.

A family of three spends $2,980 per month in Playa del Carmen vs $2,024 in Nis, rent included.

Playa del Carmen costs about 24% more than Nis, driven mainly by Eating Out.

Both Playa del Carmen and Nis are more affordable than the global median – Playa del Carmen 5% lower, Nis 24% lower.

Meal at Budget Restaurant

$11.87 MX$204

$7.62 RSD 771

55.77%

Three-Course Dinner for Two, Mid-Range

$42.90 MX$736

$29.33 RSD 2,966

46.27%

Fast Food Meal (McDonalds, etc)

$10.65 MX$183

$9.72 RSD 983

9.57%

Cappuccino

$3.45 MX$59.2

$2.00 RSD 202

72.50%

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

$1.50 MX$25.81

$1.89 RSD 192

-20.63%

Water (0.33 liter bottle)

$0.95 MX$16.28

$1.27 RSD 129

-25.20%

Local Beer (0.5 liter draught)

$3.03 MX$51.9

$2.50 RSD 253

21.20%

Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$4.61 MX$79.1

$2.97 RSD 300

55.22%

Milk (1 liter)

$1.38 MX$23.61

$1.34 RSD 136

2.99%

White Bread (500g)

$1.85 MX$31.70

$0.71 RSD 71.5

160.56%

Rice (white) (1kg)

$1.61 MX$27.65

$1.85 RSD 187

-12.97%

Eggs

$2.59 MX$44.51

$2.48 RSD 251

4.44%

Local Cheese (1kg)

$8.26 MX$142

$7.82 RSD 791

5.63%

Chicken Fillets (1kg)

$8.37 MX$144

$6.75 RSD 682

24.00%

Beef Round Steak (1kg)

$10.66 MX$183

$11.83 RSD 1,196

-9.89%

Apples (1kg)

$2.63 MX$45.12

$1.15 RSD 116

128.70%

Banana (1kg)

$1.49 MX$25.53

$1.73 RSD 175

-13.87%

Oranges (1kg)

$1.92 MX$32.94

$1.50 RSD 152

28.00%

Tomato (1kg)

$2.09 MX$35.81

$1.78 RSD 180

17.42%

Potato (1kg)

$1.86 MX$31.88

$1.08 RSD 109

72.22%

Onion (1kg)

$2.26 MX$38.81

$1.10 RSD 111

105.45%

Lettuce (1 head)

$1.06 MX$18.23

$0.55 RSD 55.8

92.73%

Water (1.5 liter bottle)

$1.09 MX$18.67

$0.61 RSD 61.8

78.69%

Cigarettes 20 Pack (Marlboro, Camel)

$4.15 MX$71.2

$4.19 RSD 424

-0.95%

Wine (Bottle)

$10.39 MX$178

$6.53 RSD 660

59.11%

Local Beer (0.5 liter bottle)

$1.72 MX$29.59

$0.71 RSD 71.7

142.25%

Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$2.61 MX$44.85

$2.04 RSD 206

27.94%

One-way Ticket (Public Transport)

$0.54 MX$9.30

$0.75 RSD 75.9

-28.00%

Public Transport Monthly Pass (Regular Price)

$26.94 MX$462

$26.24 RSD 2,654

2.67%

Taxi Start (Normal Tariff)

$3.13 MX$53.7

$1.46 RSD 148

114.38%

Taxi (Normal Tariff) (1km)

$2.51 MX$43.09

$0.42 RSD 42.88

497.62%

Taxi 1hour Waiting (Normal Tariff)

$3.15 MX$54.1

$6.88 RSD 696

-54.22%

Gasoline (1 liter)

$1.27 MX$21.88

$1.76 RSD 178

-27.84%

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

$30.4K MX$521.3K

$31.0K RSD 3.1M

-2.08%

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

$23.6K MX$404.5K

$27.4K RSD 2.8M

-13.87%

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

$83.0 MX$1,425

$142 RSD 14.3K

-41.39%

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

$22.71 MX$390

$16.69 RSD 1,688

36.07%

Internet (50+ Mbps, Unlimited Data)

$29.46 MX$506

$22.77 RSD 2,303

29.38%

Gym Membership (Monthly)

$51.0 MX$875

$29.32 RSD 2,966

73.94%

Tennis Court (1 Hour on Weekend)

$18.33 MX$315

$19.33 RSD 1,955

-5.17%

Cinema Ticket

$4.93 MX$84.5

$5.07 RSD 513

-2.76%

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

$197 MX$3,386

$234 RSD 23.7K

-15.70%

International Primary School, 1 Child (Yearly)

$5,280 MX$90.6K

$5,145 RSD 520.3K

2.62%

Jeans (Levis 501 Or Similar)

$36.90 MX$633

$88.8 RSD 8,978

-58.44%

Summer Dress (H&M, Zara, etc)

$39.89 MX$685

$47.06 RSD 4,759

-15.24%

Sport Shoes (Adidas, Nike)

$80.0 MX$1,373

$93.2 RSD 9,422

-14.12%

Men's Leather Business Shoes

$89.5 MX$1,536

$103 RSD 10.4K

-13.08%

1-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)

$956 MX$16.4K

$409 RSD 41.4K

133.84%

1-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)

$477 MX$8,189

$284 RSD 28.7K

67.91%

3-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)

$1,646 MX$28.3K

$554 RSD 56.0K

197.02%

3-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)

$1,225 MX$21.0K

$406 RSD 41.1K

201.32%

Buy Apartment in City Center (m2)

$3,918 MX$67.2K

$2,597 RSD 262.7K

50.85%

Buy Apartment Outside City Center (m2)

$6,459 MX$110.9K

$1,910 RSD 193.2K

238.12%

Average Monthly Net Salary (After Tax)

$667 MX$11.4K

$890 RSD 90.0K

-25.07%

20-Year Fixed Mortgage Interest Rate (Annual %)

11.42

7.45

53.29%

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 Nis: June 7, 2026

Cost Breakdown

A central one-bedroom costs $956 in Playa del Carmen versus $409 in Nis. Rent is usually the largest line item in a monthly budget, so the gap here sets the tone for the overall comparison.

Salaries run about 33% higher in Nis, which reinforces the cost advantage – you earn more and spend less. Purchasing power leans clearly in its favor.

A mid-range dinner for two costs $43.00 in Playa del Carmen versus $29.00 in Nis. Monthly groceries follow the same trend: $250 vs $197 – making Nis the more affordable choice for daily food spending.

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 Nis: Cost of Living - Frequently Asked Questions

Playa del Carmen costs about 24% more than Nis, with the gap driven mainly by Eating Out. That's enough to noticeably affect everyday spending and lifestyle for anyone choosing between the two.

For a comfortable life, plan on about $1,906 per month in Playa del Carmen and $1,535 in Nis. That covers rent, food, utilities, transport, and enough left over to feel settled – not just surviving.

Rent is clearly cheaper in Nis, especially for central apartments. Housing is actually the single biggest factor behind the overall cost gap between these two cities.

Monthly expenses with rent come to $1,271 in Playa del Carmen and $1,024 in Nis. The difference isn't just one category – it shows up across housing, food, transport, and services.

Public transport costs about 3% less in Nis. For daily commuters, that gap adds up to noticeable savings over a year.

A $1,000 monthly budget goes further in Nis, where all-in costs run around $1,024, than in Playa del Carmen at $1,271. In Nis it covers expenses comfortably, while in Playa del Carmen it requires careful planning or may not stretch far enough.

For digital nomads, it depends on budget. Nis costs $1,024 versus $1,271 in Playa del Carmen. Both have workable remote work infrastructure, but the cost gap matters when income varies month to month.

Both have safer and rougher neighborhoods, but overall safety is comparable to other large cities. Neighborhood choice matters more than the city-level comparison – central, well-trafficked areas feel secure in both.

If budget matters most, go with Nis. If higher salaries, better infrastructure, or specific career opportunities are the priority, Playa del Carmen makes more sense. Both are solid long-term options with distinct trade-offs.