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 $1,266 per month in Playa del Carmen vs $1,046 in Nis, rent included.

A couple spends around $2,279 per month in Playa del Carmen vs $1,534 in Nis, rent included.

A family of three spends $3,292 per month in Playa del Carmen vs $2,022 in Nis, rent included.

Playa del Carmen costs about 21% more than Nis, driven mainly by Groceries & Markets.

Both Playa del Carmen and Nis are more affordable than the global median – Playa del Carmen 7% lower, Nis 24% lower.

Meal at Budget Restaurant

$11.60 MX$200

$7.72 RSD 783

50.26%

Three-Course Dinner for Two, Mid-Range

$47.11 MX$812

$34.65 RSD 3,512

35.96%

Fast Food Meal (McDonalds, etc)

$11.88 MX$205

$9.88 RSD 1,001

20.24%

Cappuccino

$3.98 MX$68.6

$2.01 RSD 204

98.01%

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

$1.43 MX$24.60

$2.47 RSD 250

-42.11%

Water (0.33 liter bottle)

$0.82 MX$14.22

$1.81 RSD 184

-54.70%

Local Beer (0.5 liter draught)

$3.19 MX$55.0

$3.85 RSD 391

-17.14%

Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$6.79 MX$117

$4.49 RSD 455

51.22%

Milk (1 liter)

$1.68 MX$28.89

$1.18 RSD 119

42.37%

White Bread (500g)

$2.20 MX$37.88

$0.71 RSD 71.7

209.86%

Rice (white) (1kg)

$1.71 MX$29.45

$1.69 RSD 171

1.18%

Eggs

$2.74 MX$47.26

$2.31 RSD 234

18.61%

Local Cheese (1kg)

$9.58 MX$165

$7.58 RSD 768

26.39%

Chicken Fillets (1kg)

$9.01 MX$155

$5.95 RSD 603

51.43%

Beef Round Steak (1kg)

$12.81 MX$221

$10.79 RSD 1,094

18.72%

Apples (1kg)

$2.89 MX$49.81

$1.11 RSD 112

160.36%

Banana (1kg)

$1.50 MX$25.81

$1.69 RSD 171

-11.24%

Oranges (1kg)

$2.15 MX$37.03

$1.49 RSD 151

44.30%

Tomato (1kg)

$2.26 MX$38.96

$2.04 RSD 207

10.78%

Potato (1kg)

$1.98 MX$34.15

$0.84 RSD 84.9

135.71%

Onion (1kg)

$1.99 MX$34.30

$0.78 RSD 79.2

155.13%

Lettuce (1 head)

$1.23 MX$21.28

$0.70 RSD 71.1

75.71%

Water (1.5 liter bottle)

$1.20 MX$20.63

$0.58 RSD 59.2

106.90%

Cigarettes 20 Pack (Marlboro, Camel)

$4.55 MX$78.5

$4.59 RSD 465

-0.87%

Wine (Bottle)

$10.37 MX$179

$5.58 RSD 565

85.84%

Local Beer (0.5 liter bottle)

$1.62 MX$27.91

$0.72 RSD 73.1

125.00%

Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$2.88 MX$49.67

$1.27 RSD 129

126.77%

One-way Ticket (Public Transport)

$0.60 MX$10.35

Public Transport Monthly Pass (Regular Price)

$28.80 MX$497

Taxi Start (Normal Tariff)

$5.39 MX$92.9

$1.89 RSD 191

185.19%

Taxi (Normal Tariff) (1km)

$3.73 MX$64.3

$0.65 RSD 66.3

473.85%

Taxi 1hour Waiting (Normal Tariff)

$5.77 MX$99.5

$8.47 RSD 858

-31.88%

Gasoline (1 liter)

$1.54 MX$26.48

$1.90 RSD 192

-18.95%

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

$22.5K MX$388.8K

$32.1K RSD 3.3M

-29.69%

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

$26.1K MX$449.3K

$24.8K RSD 2.5M

5.05%

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

$91.4 MX$1,576

$159 RSD 16.1K

-42.43%

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

$25.20 MX$435

$19.82 RSD 2,008

27.14%

Internet (50+ Mbps, Unlimited Data)

$31.24 MX$539

$23.75 RSD 2,407

31.54%

Gym Membership (Monthly)

$67.2 MX$1,159

$31.60 RSD 3,202

112.66%

Tennis Court (1 Hour on Weekend)

$29.11 MX$502

$16.01 RSD 1,622

81.82%

Cinema Ticket

$4.86 MX$83.8

$5.03 RSD 509

-3.38%

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

$224 MX$3,856

$258 RSD 26.1K

-13.29%

International Primary School, 1 Child (Yearly)

$4,229 MX$72.9K

$5,164 RSD 523.3K

-18.10%

Jeans (Levis 501 Or Similar)

$47.10 MX$812

$92.3 RSD 9,358

-48.99%

Summer Dress (H&M, Zara, etc)

$44.29 MX$764

$39.12 RSD 3,965

13.22%

Sport Shoes (Adidas, Nike)

$80.1 MX$1,381

$104 RSD 10.5K

-22.93%

Men's Leather Business Shoes

$92.7 MX$1,598

$112 RSD 11.3K

-17.09%

1-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)

$1,063 MX$18.3K

$402 RSD 40.7K

164.25%

1-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)

$390 MX$6,728

$291 RSD 29.5K

34.16%

3-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)

$2,149 MX$37.1K

$597 RSD 60.5K

260.22%

3-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)

$1,272 MX$21.9K

$414 RSD 42.0K

207.29%

Buy Apartment in City Center (m2)

$4,001 MX$69.0K

$2,641 RSD 267.7K

51.49%

Buy Apartment Outside City Center (m2)

$6,502 MX$112.1K

$1,886 RSD 191.2K

244.68%

Average Monthly Net Salary (After Tax)

$758 MX$13.1K

$946 RSD 95.9K

-19.87%

20-Year Fixed Mortgage Interest Rate (Annual %)

11.45

5.11

124.07%

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

Last update for Playa del Carmen: September 12, 2026

Last update for Nis: September 14, 2026

Cost Breakdown

A central one-bedroom costs $1,063 in Playa del Carmen versus $402 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 25% 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 $47.00 in Playa del Carmen versus $35.00 in Nis. Monthly groceries follow the same trend: $276 vs $183 – 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 21% more than Nis, with the gap driven mainly by Groceries & Markets. That's enough to noticeably affect everyday spending and lifestyle for anyone choosing between the two.

For a comfortable life, plan on about $1,899 per month in Playa del Carmen and $1,569 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 $1,266 in Playa del Carmen and $1,046 in Nis. The difference isn't just one category – it shows up across housing, food, transport, and services.

Kindergarten costs $224 per month in Playa del Carmen and $258 in Nis. For families with young kids, this one expense can tip the scales when choosing between the two cities.

A $1,000 monthly budget goes further in Nis, where all-in costs run around $1,046, than in Playa del Carmen at $1,266. 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 $1,046 versus $1,266 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.