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 $1,260 per month in Playa del Carmen vs $1,029 in Nis, rent included.

A couple spends around $2,125 per month in Playa del Carmen vs $1,531 in Nis, rent included.

A family of three spends $2,990 per month in Playa del Carmen vs $2,033 in Nis, rent included.

Playa del Carmen costs about 22% 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 23% lower.

Meal at Budget Restaurant

$11.72 MX$203

$7.52 RSD 765

55.85%

Three-Course Dinner for Two, Mid-Range

$41.89 MX$725

$29.69 RSD 3,020

41.09%

Fast Food Meal (McDonalds, etc)

$10.51 MX$182

$9.74 RSD 991

7.91%

Cappuccino

$3.59 MX$62.0

$1.98 RSD 201

81.31%

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

$1.51 MX$26.10

$1.83 RSD 186

-17.49%

Water (0.33 liter bottle)

$0.92 MX$15.83

$1.24 RSD 126

-25.81%

Local Beer (0.5 liter draught)

$2.96 MX$51.2

$2.53 RSD 257

17.00%

Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$4.41 MX$76.3

$3.01 RSD 306

46.51%

Milk (1 liter)

$1.40 MX$24.16

$1.27 RSD 130

10.24%

White Bread (500g)

$1.88 MX$32.60

$0.75 RSD 76.3

150.67%

Rice (white) (1kg)

$1.56 MX$26.97

$1.80 RSD 183

-13.33%

Eggs

$2.61 MX$45.14

$2.38 RSD 242

9.66%

Local Cheese (1kg)

$8.32 MX$144

$7.87 RSD 801

5.72%

Chicken Fillets (1kg)

$8.35 MX$145

$6.88 RSD 700

21.37%

Beef Round Steak (1kg)

$10.86 MX$188

$11.51 RSD 1,170

-5.65%

Apples (1kg)

$2.71 MX$46.93

$1.18 RSD 120

129.66%

Banana (1kg)

$1.51 MX$26.04

$1.80 RSD 183

-16.11%

Oranges (1kg)

$1.87 MX$32.41

$1.51 RSD 153

23.84%

Tomato (1kg)

$2.19 MX$37.89

$1.79 RSD 182

22.35%

Potato (1kg)

$1.86 MX$32.14

$1.07 RSD 108

73.83%

Onion (1kg)

$2.23 MX$38.59

$1.08 RSD 110

106.48%

Lettuce (1 head)

$1.07 MX$18.48

$0.60 RSD 60.8

78.33%

Water (1.5 liter bottle)

$1.09 MX$18.79

$0.58 RSD 58.8

87.93%

Cigarettes 20 Pack (Marlboro, Camel)

$4.19 MX$72.4

$4.20 RSD 427

-0.24%

Wine (Bottle)

$10.43 MX$180

$5.69 RSD 579

83.30%

Local Beer (0.5 liter bottle)

$1.66 MX$28.68

$0.75 RSD 76.6

121.33%

Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$2.61 MX$45.19

$2.06 RSD 210

26.70%

One-way Ticket (Public Transport)

$0.54 MX$9.37

$0.78 RSD 79.3

-30.77%

Public Transport Monthly Pass (Regular Price)

$26.16 MX$453

$26.17 RSD 2,661

-0.04%

Taxi Start (Normal Tariff)

$3.08 MX$53.3

$1.45 RSD 148

112.41%

Taxi (Normal Tariff) (1km)

$2.40 MX$41.61

$0.43 RSD 43.30

458.14%

Taxi 1hour Waiting (Normal Tariff)

$3.13 MX$54.1

$7.02 RSD 714

-55.41%

Gasoline (1 liter)

$1.31 MX$22.69

$1.77 RSD 180

-25.99%

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

$29.8K MX$515.7K

$31.2K RSD 3.2M

-4.39%

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

$23.3K MX$403.5K

$26.9K RSD 2.7M

-13.35%

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

$81.3 MX$1,406

$141 RSD 14.3K

-42.23%

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

$22.56 MX$390

$16.79 RSD 1,708

34.37%

Internet (50+ Mbps, Unlimited Data)

$30.05 MX$520

$22.17 RSD 2,255

35.54%

Gym Membership (Monthly)

$52.9 MX$915

$29.18 RSD 2,968

81.32%

Tennis Court (1 Hour on Weekend)

$18.39 MX$318

$18.66 RSD 1,898

-1.45%

Cinema Ticket

$4.92 MX$85.1

$4.93 RSD 501

-0.20%

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

$201 MX$3,474

$233 RSD 23.7K

-13.66%

International Primary School, 1 Child (Yearly)

$5,175 MX$89.5K

$5,098 RSD 518.5K

1.50%

Jeans (Levis 501 Or Similar)

$35.92 MX$622

$90.5 RSD 9,208

-60.32%

Summer Dress (H&M, Zara, etc)

$40.13 MX$694

$46.09 RSD 4,687

-12.93%

Sport Shoes (Adidas, Nike)

$79.7 MX$1,379

$95.6 RSD 9,720

-16.60%

Men's Leather Business Shoes

$86.5 MX$1,496

$101 RSD 10.3K

-14.51%

1-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)

$978 MX$16.9K

$407 RSD 41.4K

140.28%

1-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)

$470 MX$8,140

$292 RSD 29.7K

61.05%

3-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)

$1,651 MX$28.6K

$558 RSD 56.7K

196.11%

3-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)

$1,203 MX$20.8K

$414 RSD 42.1K

190.67%

Buy Apartment in City Center (m2)

$3,953 MX$68.4K

$2,550 RSD 259.4K

55.02%

Buy Apartment Outside City Center (m2)

$6,607 MX$114.3K

$1,885 RSD 191.7K

250.49%

Average Monthly Net Salary (After Tax)

$677 MX$11.7K

$903 RSD 91.9K

-25.08%

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: July 27, 2026

Last update for Nis: July 27, 2026

Cost Breakdown

A central one-bedroom costs $978 in Playa del Carmen versus $407 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 $42.00 in Playa del Carmen versus $30.00 in Nis. Monthly groceries follow the same trend: $252 vs $195 – 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 22% 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 $1,890 per month in Playa del Carmen and $1,543 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 $1,260 in Playa del Carmen and $1,029 in Nis. The difference isn't just one category – it shows up across housing, food, transport, and services.

Public transport costs about 0% 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 $1,029, than in Playa del Carmen at $1,260. 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 $1,029 versus $1,260 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.