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

Monthly Cost of Living

Monthly costs for one person with rent: $1,293 in Playa del Carmen versus $642 in Orsha.

Estimated couple costs with rent: $2,334 in Playa del Carmen versus $999 in Orsha.

Monthly costs for a family of three with rent: $3,374 in Playa del Carmen versus $1,357 in Orsha.

Living in Playa del Carmen is roughly 102% more expensive than in Orsha, driven mainly by Groceries & Markets.

Both cities sit below the global median: Playa del Carmen 6% lower, Orsha 53% lower.

Currency
🍽 Eating Out
Playa del Carmen
Orsha
Difference
Meal at Budget Restaurant
$11.71 MX$198
$6.36 BYN 19.47
84.12%
Three-Course Dinner for Two, Mid-Range
$46.59 MX$787
$29.88 BYN 91.4
55.92%
Fast Food Meal (McDonalds, etc)
$11.65 MX$197
$4.17 BYN 12.75
179.38%
Cappuccino
$4.09 MX$69.2
$1.51 BYN 4.62
170.86%
Coke/Pepsi/Fanta/Sprite (0.33 liter bottle)
$1.37 MX$23.23
$0.61 BYN 1.86
124.59%
Water (0.33 liter bottle)
$0.83 MX$14.09
$0.34 BYN 1.05
144.12%
Local Beer (0.5 liter draught)
$3.35 MX$56.7
$1.12 BYN 3.41
199.11%
Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)
$6.91 MX$117
$2.47 BYN 7.55
179.76%
🛒 Groceries & Markets
Playa del Carmen
Orsha
Difference
Milk (1 liter)
$1.73 MX$29.19
$0.72 BYN 2.20
140.28%
White Bread (500g)
$2.26 MX$38.20
$0.57 BYN 1.74
296.49%
Rice (white) (1kg)
$1.77 MX$29.90
$1.07 BYN 3.28
65.42%
Eggs
$2.73 MX$46.18
$1.34 BYN 4.11
103.73%
Local Cheese (1kg)
$9.18 MX$155
$6.55 BYN 20.05
40.15%
Chicken Fillets (1kg)
$8.92 MX$151
$3.97 BYN 12.14
124.69%
Beef Round Steak (1kg)
$12.60 MX$213
$6.09 BYN 18.62
106.90%
Apples (1kg)
$3.02 MX$51.1
$1.23 BYN 3.78
145.53%
Banana (1kg)
$1.57 MX$26.54
$1.75 BYN 5.35
-10.29%
Oranges (1kg)
$2.13 MX$35.92
$1.78 BYN 5.44
19.66%
Tomato (1kg)
$2.26 MX$38.27
$1.66 BYN 5.09
36.14%
Potato (1kg)
$2.00 MX$33.87
$0.38 BYN 1.18
426.32%
Onion (1kg)
$2.06 MX$34.89
$0.63 BYN 1.93
226.98%
Lettuce (1 head)
$1.18 MX$19.94
$0.95 BYN 2.91
24.21%
Water (1.5 liter bottle)
$1.20 MX$20.35
$0.50 BYN 1.54
140.00%
Cigarettes 20 Pack (Marlboro, Camel)
$4.63 MX$78.3
$1.91 BYN 5.83
142.41%
Wine (Bottle)
$10.69 MX$181
$7.70 BYN 23.57
38.83%
Local Beer (0.5 liter bottle)
$1.62 MX$27.37
$1.48 BYN 4.52
9.46%
Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)
$2.88 MX$48.69
$2.12 BYN 6.50
35.85%
🚌 Getting Around
Playa del Carmen
Orsha
Difference
One-way Ticket (Public Transport)
$0.57 MX$9.69
$0.68 BYN 2.07
-16.18%
Public Transport Monthly Pass (Regular Price)
$29.83 MX$504
$14.50 BYN 44.37
105.72%
Taxi Start (Normal Tariff)
$5.45 MX$92.1
$0.70 BYN 2.15
678.57%
Taxi (Normal Tariff) (1km)
$3.70 MX$62.6
$0.32 BYN 0.97
1056.25%
Taxi 1hour Waiting (Normal Tariff)
$5.98 MX$101
$9.92 BYN 30.36
-39.72%
Gasoline (1 liter)
$1.55 MX$26.25
$0.87 BYN 2.67
78.16%
Midsize Hatchback 1.4l (Volkswagen Golf, Toyota Prius, Honda Civic, etc)
$22.3K MX$377.3K
$14.8K BYN 45.4K
50.37%
Compact Sedan 1.6l (Toyota Corolla, Mazda3, Kia K4, Hyundai Elantra, etc)
$25.9K MX$438.5K
$15.6K BYN 47.6K
66.72%
🧾 Monthly Utilities & Internet
Playa del Carmen
Orsha
Difference
Utilities for 2 People in 2-bedroom Apartment (Heating, Electricity, Gas, Water, Garbage) (85m2)
$89.1 MX$1,506
$69.0 BYN 211
29.19%
SIM Card Monthly Plan (Calls and 10GB+ Data)
$25.04 MX$423
$7.21 BYN 22.05
247.30%
Internet (50+ Mbps, Unlimited Data)
$31.50 MX$532
$11.25 BYN 34.42
180.00%
🎉 Sport & Entertainment
Playa del Carmen
Orsha
Difference
Gym Membership (Monthly)
$67.8 MX$1,145
$36.61 BYN 112
85.14%
Tennis Court (1 Hour on Weekend)
$28.92 MX$489
-
-
Cinema Ticket
$5.05 MX$85.3
$3.20 BYN 9.80
57.81%
🧸 Childcare & Education
Playa del Carmen
Orsha
Difference
Preschool or Kindergarten, Full Day, Private, 1 Child (Monthly)
$225 MX$3,802
$329 BYN 1,007
-31.63%
International Primary School, 1 Child (Yearly)
$4,222 MX$71.4K
$9,807 BYN 30.0K
-56.95%
👕👟 Clothing & Footwear
Playa del Carmen
Orsha
Difference
Jeans (Levis 501 Or Similar)
$47.44 MX$802
$43.90 BYN 134
8.06%
Summer Dress (H&M, Zara, etc)
$44.98 MX$760
$47.12 BYN 144
-4.54%
Sport Shoes (Adidas, Nike)
$82.0 MX$1,386
$89.8 BYN 275
-8.71%
Men's Leather Business Shoes
$92.1 MX$1,556
$104 BYN 319
-11.54%
🏠 Accommodation & Living
Playa del Carmen
Orsha
Difference
1-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)
$1,069 MX$18.1K
$342 BYN 1,045
213.04%
1-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)
$405 MX$6,850
$116 BYN 355
249.11%
3-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)
$1,935 MX$32.7K
$597 BYN 1,828
223.95%
3-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)
$1,301 MX$22.0K
$144 BYN 441
802.63%
Buy Apartment in City Center (m2)
$3,995 MX$67.5K
$1,120 BYN 3,426
256.86%
Buy Apartment Outside City Center (m2)
$6,626 MX$112.0K
$881 BYN 2,696
652.08%
💵 Salaries & Financials
Playa del Carmen
Orsha
Difference
Average Monthly Net Salary (After Tax)
$749 MX$12.7K
$177 BYN 542
322.80%
20-Year Fixed Mortgage Interest Rate (Annual %)
11.45
18
-36.39%

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

Last update for Playa del Carmen: August 29, 2026

Last update for Orsha: August 31, 2026

Cost Breakdown

A one-bedroom apartment in the center runs $1,069 in Playa del Carmen and $342 in Orsha. Housing cost is often the main lever when comparing two cities.

Playa del Carmen pays 323% 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: $47.00 in Playa del Carmen vs $30.00 in Orsha for a mid-range dinner for two. Groceries echo the gap at $277 vs $152 per month, with Orsha cheaper across the board.

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 Orsha: Cost of Living - Frequently Asked Questions
Is Orsha cheaper than Playa del Carmen?
Orsha is cheaper overall, especially in Groceries & Markets, Eating Out, Sport & Entertainment, Monthly Utilities & Internet, Getting Around. The 102% gap adds up to real monthly savings that compound significantly over time.
Where can you earn more: Playa del Carmen or Orsha?
Average pay runs 323% 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.
What is the rent difference between Playa del Carmen and Orsha?
Rent for a central apartment: $1,069 in Playa del Carmen versus $342 in Orsha. Housing is usually the single largest factor when comparing overall living costs between the two.
How do food prices compare in Playa del Carmen and in Orsha?
Supermarket bills run roughly 82% higher in Playa del Carmen. For households that cook at home regularly, that difference adds up over a month.
Is eating out cheaper in Playa del Carmen or in Orsha?
Dining out is cheaper in Orsha – a meal for two runs $30.00 versus $47.00 in Playa del Carmen. If you eat out regularly, this makes a real dent in your monthly spending.
Is $1,500 a realistic budget for living in Playa del Carmen or in Orsha?
At $642 in Orsha versus $1,293 in Playa del Carmen, a $1,500 budget is realistic in Orsha but tight or insufficient in Playa del Carmen. The gap between the two cities makes Orsha the clear choice for anyone on this budget.
Is Playa del Carmen or Orsha more family-friendly?
For families, Orsha is more practical. Housing and childcare are both notably cheaper than in Playa del Carmen, and the savings on those two alone free up budget for education, activities, and family trips.
Which city is safer, Playa del Carmen or Orsha?
Safety-wise, Playa del Carmen and Orsha are on par. Petty crime is typical for cities this size, and most residents feel comfortable going about their daily routines in either place.
Which city is easier to live in as a foreigner?
Expats usually find Orsha gentler on the wallet – expenses run 102% less than in Playa del Carmen. Beyond cost, consider language, visa policies, and how big the international community is in each city.

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