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

Monthly Cost of Living

Monthly costs for one person with rent: $1,297 in Playa del Carmen versus $1,464 in Olsztyn.

Estimated couple costs with rent: $2,181 in Playa del Carmen versus $1,997 in Olsztyn.

Monthly costs for a family of three with rent: $3,065 in Playa del Carmen versus $2,531 in Olsztyn.

Living in Playa del Carmen costs roughly 11% less than in Olsztyn, driven mainly by Clothing & Footwear.

The two cities straddle the global median: Playa del Carmen is 3% below, Olsztyn is 9% above.

Meal at Budget Restaurant

$11.73 MX$203

$10.65 zł 38.84

10.14%

Three-Course Dinner for Two, Mid-Range

$41.62 MX$720

$46.46 zł 169

-10.42%

Fast Food Meal (McDonalds, etc)

$10.64 MX$184

$7.51 zł 27.37

41.68%

Cappuccino

$3.52 MX$60.9

$2.96 zł 10.80

18.92%

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

$1.51 MX$26.12

$1.69 zł 6.16

-10.65%

Water (0.33 liter bottle)

$0.97 MX$16.84

$1.84 zł 6.69

-47.28%

Local Beer (0.5 liter draught)

$2.95 MX$51.0

$3.27 zł 11.94

-9.79%

Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$4.45 MX$77.0

$3.82 zł 13.93

16.49%

Milk (1 liter)

$1.38 MX$23.93

$1.10 zł 4.03

25.45%

White Bread (500g)

$1.89 MX$32.72

$1.32 zł 4.82

43.18%

Rice (white) (1kg)

$1.64 MX$28.32

$1.50 zł 5.46

9.33%

Eggs

$2.51 MX$43.34

$3.45 zł 12.59

-27.25%

Local Cheese (1kg)

$8.34 MX$144

$8.89 zł 32.40

-6.19%

Chicken Fillets (1kg)

$8.34 MX$144

$6.01 zł 21.92

38.77%

Beef Round Steak (1kg)

$10.73 MX$186

$10.06 zł 36.69

6.66%

Apples (1kg)

$2.60 MX$45.04

$1.10 zł 4.00

136.36%

Banana (1kg)

$1.46 MX$25.20

$1.58 zł 5.75

-7.59%

Oranges (1kg)

$1.90 MX$32.87

$2.04 zł 7.43

-6.86%

Tomato (1kg)

$2.08 MX$35.91

$2.78 zł 10.14

-25.18%

Potato (1kg)

$1.78 MX$30.71

$0.79 zł 2.89

125.32%

Onion (1kg)

$2.19 MX$37.80

$1.24 zł 4.50

76.61%

Lettuce (1 head)

$1.04 MX$17.99

$1.15 zł 4.19

-9.57%

Water (1.5 liter bottle)

$1.08 MX$18.62

$0.68 zł 2.46

58.82%

Cigarettes 20 Pack (Marlboro, Camel)

$4.08 MX$70.6

$5.57 zł 20.30

-26.75%

Wine (Bottle)

$10.32 MX$178

$8.14 zł 29.68

26.78%

Local Beer (0.5 liter bottle)

$1.71 MX$29.61

$1.02 zł 3.71

67.65%

Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$2.58 MX$44.54

$1.71 zł 6.23

50.88%

One-way Ticket (Public Transport)

$0.51 MX$8.81

$1.12 zł 4.08

-54.46%

Public Transport Monthly Pass (Regular Price)

$26.46 MX$458

$27.10 zł 98.8

-2.36%

Taxi Start (Normal Tariff)

$3.26 MX$56.4

$1.98 zł 7.21

64.65%

Taxi (Normal Tariff) (1km)

$2.49 MX$43.09

$0.74 zł 2.69

236.49%

Taxi 1hour Waiting (Normal Tariff)

$3.25 MX$56.2

$13.79 zł 50.3

-76.43%

Gasoline (1 liter)

$1.31 MX$22.61

$1.78 zł 6.48

-26.40%

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

$30.3K MX$523.7K

$32.8K zł 119.4K

-7.56%

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

$23.4K MX$405.3K

$30.8K zł 112.3K

-23.94%

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

$82.9 MX$1,433

$271 zł 989

-69.46%

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

$22.22 MX$384

$9.10 zł 33.18

144.18%

Internet (50+ Mbps, Unlimited Data)

$29.34 MX$507

$17.49 zł 63.7

67.75%

Gym Membership (Monthly)

$51.6 MX$893

$32.68 zł 119

57.99%

Tennis Court (1 Hour on Weekend)

$18.32 MX$317

$16.36 zł 59.6

11.98%

Cinema Ticket

$5.07 MX$87.6

$8.01 zł 29.18

-36.70%

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

$201 MX$3,473

$133 zł 486

50.53%

International Primary School, 1 Child (Yearly)

$5,212 MX$90.1K

$15.6K zł 56.8K

-66.54%

Jeans (Levis 501 Or Similar)

$36.92 MX$639

$96.0 zł 350

-61.54%

Summer Dress (H&M, Zara, etc)

$39.79 MX$688

$46.72 zł 170

-14.83%

Sport Shoes (Adidas, Nike)

$78.5 MX$1,357

$82.9 zł 302

-5.39%

Men's Leather Business Shoes

$87.1 MX$1,506

$108 zł 394

-19.33%

1-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)

$973 MX$16.8K

$640 zł 2,332

52.04%

1-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)

$468 MX$8,090

$551 zł 2,007

-15.05%

3-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)

$1,641 MX$28.4K

$979 zł 3,568

67.67%

3-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)

$1,221 MX$21.1K

$608 zł 2,218

100.64%

Buy Apartment in City Center (m2)

$3,946 MX$68.3K

$3,992 zł 14.6K

-1.14%

Buy Apartment Outside City Center (m2)

$6,498 MX$112.4K

$2,823 zł 10.3K

130.19%

Average Monthly Net Salary (After Tax)

$664 MX$11.5K

$1,472 zł 5,364

-54.88%

20-Year Fixed Mortgage Interest Rate (Annual %)

11.42

5.81

96.56%

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

Last update for Playa del Carmen: June 2, 2026

Last update for Olsztyn: June 1, 2026

Cost Breakdown

A one-bedroom apartment in the center runs $973 in Playa del Carmen and $640 in Olsztyn. Housing cost is often the main lever when comparing two cities.

Olsztyn pays 122% 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 $46.00 in Olsztyn. Groceries flip the comparison at $249 vs $210, with Olsztyn 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 Olsztyn: Cost of Living - Frequently Asked Questions

Playa del Carmen is cheaper overall, especially in Clothing & Footwear. The 13% gap adds up to real monthly savings that compound significantly over time.

On paper, Olsztyn earns 122% less. That's worth factoring in alongside costs, though remote workers earning in a stronger currency may not notice the difference at all.

Rent for a central apartment: $973 in Playa del Carmen versus $640 in Olsztyn. Housing is usually the single largest factor when comparing overall living costs between the two.

Shoppers in Olsztyn pay roughly 18% less for everyday groceries. It's an unusual reversal that partly offsets higher costs elsewhere.

Dining out is cheaper in Playa del Carmen – a meal for two runs $42.00 versus $46.00 in Olsztyn. If you eat out regularly, this makes a real dent in your monthly spending.

At $1,297 in Playa del Carmen versus $1,464 in Olsztyn, a $1,500 budget is realistic in Playa del Carmen but tight or insufficient in Olsztyn. The gap between the two cities makes Playa del Carmen the clear choice for anyone on this budget.

For families, Playa del Carmen is more practical. Housing and childcare are both notably cheaper than in Olsztyn, and the savings on those two alone free up budget for education, activities, and family trips.

Safety-wise, Playa del Carmen and Olsztyn 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 Playa del Carmen gentler on the wallet – expenses run 13% less than in Olsztyn. Beyond cost, consider language, visa policies, and how big the international community is in each city.