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: $1,297 in Playa del Carmen versus $655 in Orsha.

Estimated couple costs with rent: $2,181 in Playa del Carmen versus $1,027 in Orsha.

Monthly costs for a family of three with rent: $3,065 in Playa del Carmen versus $1,399 in Orsha.

Living in Playa del Carmen is roughly 98% more expensive than Orsha, driven mainly by Groceries & Markets.

Both cities sit below the global median: Playa del Carmen 3% lower, Orsha 51% lower.

Currency
🍽 Eating Out
Playa del Carmen
Orsha
Difference
Meal at Budget Restaurant
$11.73 MX$205
$9.43 BYN 26.40
24.39%
Three-Course Dinner for Two, Mid-Range
$41.62 MX$727
$31.19 BYN 87.3
33.44%
Fast Food Meal (McDonalds, etc)
$10.64 MX$186
$5.50 BYN 15.40
93.45%
Cappuccino
$3.52 MX$61.4
$1.75 BYN 4.91
101.14%
Coke/Pepsi/Fanta/Sprite (0.33 liter bottle)
$1.51 MX$26.37
$0.61 BYN 1.71
147.54%
Water (0.33 liter bottle)
$0.97 MX$17.00
$0.42 BYN 1.17
130.95%
Local Beer (0.5 liter draught)
$2.95 MX$51.5
$1.20 BYN 3.36
145.83%
Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)
$4.45 MX$77.8
$2.17 BYN 6.06
105.07%
🛒 Groceries & Markets
Playa del Carmen
Orsha
Difference
Milk (1 liter)
$1.38 MX$24.16
$0.72 BYN 2.03
91.67%
White Bread (500g)
$1.89 MX$33.03
$0.57 BYN 1.60
231.58%
Rice (white) (1kg)
$1.64 MX$28.59
$1.18 BYN 3.31
38.98%
Eggs
$2.51 MX$43.76
$1.32 BYN 3.69
90.15%
Local Cheese (1kg)
$8.34 MX$146
$6.56 BYN 18.37
27.13%
Chicken Fillets (1kg)
$8.34 MX$146
$4.21 BYN 11.80
98.10%
Beef Round Steak (1kg)
$10.73 MX$187
$8.00 BYN 22.41
34.13%
Apples (1kg)
$2.60 MX$45.47
$1.17 BYN 3.27
122.22%
Banana (1kg)
$1.46 MX$25.45
$1.71 BYN 4.78
-14.62%
Oranges (1kg)
$1.90 MX$33.19
$1.75 BYN 4.90
8.57%
Tomato (1kg)
$2.08 MX$36.26
$2.49 BYN 6.99
-16.47%
Potato (1kg)
$1.78 MX$31.01
$0.47 BYN 1.32
278.72%
Onion (1kg)
$2.19 MX$38.16
$0.58 BYN 1.62
277.59%
Lettuce (1 head)
$1.04 MX$18.16
$1.29 BYN 3.62
-19.38%
Water (1.5 liter bottle)
$1.08 MX$18.80
$0.59 BYN 1.66
83.05%
Cigarettes 20 Pack (Marlboro, Camel)
$4.08 MX$71.3
$1.88 BYN 5.27
117.02%
Wine (Bottle)
$10.32 MX$180
$8.75 BYN 24.50
17.94%
Local Beer (0.5 liter bottle)
$1.71 MX$29.90
$0.95 BYN 2.65
80.00%
Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)
$2.58 MX$44.97
$1.74 BYN 4.87
48.28%
🚌 Getting Around
Playa del Carmen
Orsha
Difference
One-way Ticket (Public Transport)
$0.51 MX$8.90
$0.28 BYN 0.78
82.14%
Public Transport Monthly Pass (Regular Price)
$26.46 MX$462
$12.66 BYN 35.46
109.00%
Taxi Start (Normal Tariff)
$3.26 MX$57.0
$1.37 BYN 3.84
137.96%
Taxi (Normal Tariff) (1km)
$2.49 MX$43.50
$0.32 BYN 0.90
678.13%
Taxi 1hour Waiting (Normal Tariff)
$3.25 MX$56.7
$5.83 BYN 16.33
-44.25%
Gasoline (1 liter)
$1.31 MX$22.83
$0.78 BYN 2.18
67.95%
Midsize Hatchback 1.4l (Volkswagen Golf, Toyota Prius, Honda Civic, etc)
$30.3K MX$528.8K
$20.0K BYN 56.0K
51.31%
Compact Sedan 1.6l (Toyota Corolla, Mazda3, Kia K4, Hyundai Elantra, etc)
$23.4K MX$409.2K
$24.0K BYN 67.3K
-2.55%
🧾 Monthly Utilities & Internet
Playa del Carmen
Orsha
Difference
Utilities for 2 People in 2-bedroom Apartment (Heating, Electricity, Gas, Water, Garbage) (85m2)
$82.9 MX$1,447
$53.3 BYN 149
55.54%
SIM Card Monthly Plan (Calls and 10GB+ Data)
$22.22 MX$388
$7.70 BYN 21.57
188.57%
Internet (50+ Mbps, Unlimited Data)
$29.34 MX$512
$10.69 BYN 29.92
174.46%
🎉 Sport & Entertainment
Playa del Carmen
Orsha
Difference
Gym Membership (Monthly)
$51.6 MX$902
$30.10 BYN 84.3
71.53%
Tennis Court (1 Hour on Weekend)
$18.32 MX$320
-
-
Cinema Ticket
$5.07 MX$88.5
$4.68 BYN 13.11
8.33%
🧸 Childcare & Education
Playa del Carmen
Orsha
Difference
Preschool or Kindergarten, Full Day, Private, 1 Child (Monthly)
$201 MX$3,507
$300 BYN 840
-33.03%
International Primary School, 1 Child (Yearly)
$5,212 MX$91.0K
$10.1K BYN 28.4K
-48.53%
👕👟 Clothing & Footwear
Playa del Carmen
Orsha
Difference
Jeans (Levis 501 Or Similar)
$36.92 MX$645
$51.3 BYN 144
-28.05%
Summer Dress (H&M, Zara, etc)
$39.79 MX$695
$42.02 BYN 118
-5.31%
Sport Shoes (Adidas, Nike)
$78.5 MX$1,370
$114 BYN 319
-31.12%
Men's Leather Business Shoes
$87.1 MX$1,521
$98.0 BYN 274
-11.09%
🏠 Accommodation & Living
Playa del Carmen
Orsha
Difference
1-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)
$973 MX$17.0K
$139 BYN 389
600.82%
1-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)
$468 MX$8,168
$108 BYN 303
332.84%
3-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)
$1,641 MX$28.7K
$170 BYN 476
864.64%
3-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)
$1,221 MX$21.3K
$139 BYN 389
778.97%
Buy Apartment in City Center (m2)
$3,946 MX$68.9K
$1,133 BYN 3,173
248.18%
Buy Apartment Outside City Center (m2)
$6,498 MX$113.5K
$865 BYN 2,421
651.45%
💵 Salaries & Financials
Playa del Carmen
Orsha
Difference
Average Monthly Net Salary (After Tax)
$664 MX$11.6K
$182 BYN 511
264.11%
20-Year Fixed Mortgage Interest Rate (Annual %)
11.42
14.77
-22.68%

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 Orsha: June 1, 2026

Cost Breakdown

A one-bedroom apartment in the center runs $973 in Playa del Carmen and $139 in Orsha. Housing cost is often the main lever when comparing two cities.

Playa del Carmen pays 264% 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 $31.00 in Orsha for a mid-range dinner for two. Groceries echo the gap at $249 vs $164 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 98% gap adds up to real monthly savings that compound significantly over time.
Where can you earn more: Playa del Carmen or Orsha?
Playa del Carmen pays 264% more on average, 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: $973 in Playa del Carmen versus $139 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 Orsha?
Supermarket bills run roughly 52% 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 Orsha?
Dining out is cheaper in Orsha – a meal for two runs $31.00 versus $42.00 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 Playa del Carmen or Orsha?
At $655 in Orsha versus $1,297 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 98% 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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