🙂Monthly costs for one person with rent: $1,294 in Playa del Carmen versus $1,573 in Petrinja.
🙂Estimated couple costs with rent: $2,189 in Playa del Carmen versus $2,440 in Petrinja.
🙂Monthly costs for a family of three with rent: $3,084 in Playa del Carmen versus $3,307 in Petrinja.
🙂Living in Playa del Carmen costs roughly 18% less than in Petrinja, driven mainly by Clothing & Footwear.
📊The two cities straddle the global median: Playa del Carmen is 3% below, Petrinja is 18% above.
Currency
🍽 Eating Out
Playa del Carmen
Petrinja
Difference
Meal at Budget Restaurant
$11.73MX$202
$16.42€14.14
-28.56%
Three-Course Dinner for Two, Mid-Range
$41.78MX$719
$81.7€70.4
-48.86%
Fast Food Meal(McDonalds, etc)
$10.41MX$179
$7.89€6.80
31.94%
Cappuccino
$3.61MX$62.1
$3.53€3.04
2.27%
Coke/Pepsi/Fanta/Sprite(0.33 liter bottle)
$1.46MX$25.06
$3.76€3.24
-61.17%
Water(0.33 liter bottle)
$0.97MX$16.70
$2.66€2.29
-63.53%
Local Beer(0.5 liter draught)
$2.92MX$50.3
$4.75€4.09
-38.53%
Imported Beer(0.33 liter bottle)
$4.62MX$79.5
$3.68€3.17
25.54%
🛒 Groceries & Markets
Playa del Carmen
Petrinja
Difference
Milk(1 liter)
$1.43MX$24.59
$1.14€0.98
25.44%
White Bread(500g)
$1.90MX$32.70
$1.41€1.22
34.75%
Rice(white)(1kg)
$1.57MX$26.95
$3.01€2.59
-47.84%
Eggs
$2.64MX$45.34
$4.95€4.26
-46.67%
Local Cheese(1kg)
$8.44MX$145
$18.22€15.69
-53.68%
Chicken Fillets(1kg)
$8.58MX$148
$11.35€9.77
-24.41%
Beef Round Steak(1kg)
$11.00MX$189
$11.77€10.13
-6.54%
Apples(1kg)
$2.70MX$46.51
$1.61€1.38
67.70%
Banana(1kg)
$1.51MX$25.92
$1.63€1.40
-7.36%
Oranges(1kg)
$1.91MX$32.93
$2.12€1.83
-9.91%
Tomato(1kg)
$2.17MX$37.37
$2.42€2.08
-10.33%
Potato(1kg)
$1.87MX$32.25
$1.46€1.26
28.08%
Onion(1kg)
$2.23MX$38.43
$1.46€1.26
52.74%
Lettuce(1 head)
$1.08MX$18.60
$0.95€0.82
13.68%
Water(1.5 liter bottle)
$1.07MX$18.47
$1.18€1.01
-9.32%
Cigarettes 20 Pack(Marlboro, Camel)
$4.16MX$71.6
$5.28€4.55
-21.21%
Wine(Bottle)
$10.29MX$177
$7.55€6.50
36.29%
Local Beer(0.5 liter bottle)
$1.68MX$28.95
$1.33€1.14
26.32%
Imported Beer(0.33 liter bottle)
$2.53MX$43.59
$1.41€1.22
79.43%
🚌 Getting Around
Playa del Carmen
Petrinja
Difference
One-way Ticket(Public Transport)
$0.55MX$9.53
$1.76€1.52
-68.75%
Public Transport Monthly Pass(Regular Price)
$26.29MX$452
$43.37€37.34
-39.38%
Taxi Start(Normal Tariff)
$3.20MX$55.0
$3.08€2.66
3.90%
Taxi(Normal Tariff)(1km)
$2.46MX$42.37
$1.02€0.88
141.18%
Taxi 1hour Waiting(Normal Tariff)
$3.20MX$55.0
$8.92€7.68
-64.13%
Gasoline(1 liter)
$1.32MX$22.72
$1.79€1.54
-26.26%
Midsize Hatchback 1.4l(Volkswagen Golf, Toyota Prius, Honda Civic, etc)
$30.2KMX$518.8K
$37.8K€32.5K
-20.18%
Compact Sedan 1.6l(Toyota Corolla, Mazda3, Kia K4, Hyundai Elantra, etc)
$23.4KMX$402.5K
$26.3K€22.7K
-11.21%
🧾 Monthly Utilities & Internet
Playa del Carmen
Petrinja
Difference
Utilities for 2 People in 2-bedroom Apartment(Heating, Electricity, Gas, Water, Garbage)(85m2)
$81.4MX$1,400
$188€162
-56.67%
SIM Card Monthly Plan(Calls and 10GB+ Data)
$22.41MX$386
$22.95€19.77
-2.35%
Internet(50+ Mbps, Unlimited Data)
$29.97MX$516
$30.05€25.87
-0.27%
🎉 Sport & Entertainment
Playa del Carmen
Petrinja
Difference
Gym Membership(Monthly)
$51.6MX$887
$52.2€44.97
-1.28%
Tennis Court(1 Hour on Weekend)
$18.39MX$316
$14.86€12.80
23.76%
Cinema Ticket
$5.16MX$88.9
$8.15€7.02
-36.69%
🧸 Childcare & Education
Playa del Carmen
Petrinja
Difference
Preschool or Kindergarten, Full Day, Private, 1 Child(Monthly)
$202MX$3,471
$242€209
-16.79%
International Primary School, 1 Child(Yearly)
$5,311MX$91.4K
$1,414€1,218
275.48%
👕👟 Clothing & Footwear
Playa del Carmen
Petrinja
Difference
Jeans(Levis 501 Or Similar)
$35.61MX$613
$103€88.8
-65.46%
Summer Dress(H&M, Zara, etc)
$40.37MX$695
$47.11€40.57
-14.31%
Sport Shoes(Adidas, Nike)
$78.6MX$1,353
$136€118
-42.39%
Men's Leather Business Shoes
$86.9MX$1,495
$103€88.7
-15.70%
🏠 Accommodation & Living
Playa del Carmen
Petrinja
Difference
1-bedroom Apartment, City Center(Monthly)
$950MX$16.3K
$654€564
45.15%
1-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center(Monthly)
$478MX$8,227
$460€396
4.00%
3-bedroom Apartment, City Center(Monthly)
$1,621MX$27.9K
$1,051€905
54.18%
3-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center(Monthly)
$1,223MX$21.0K
$777€669
57.29%
Buy Apartment in City Center(m2)
$4,009MX$69.0K
$4,746€4,087
-15.52%
Buy Apartment Outside City Center(m2)
$6,473MX$111.4K
$3,698€3,184
75.05%
💵 Salaries & Financials
Playa del Carmen
Petrinja
Difference
Average Monthly Net Salary(After Tax)
$673MX$11.6K
-
-
20-Year Fixed Mortgage Interest Rate(Annual %)
11.42
4.7
142.98%
CityCost data is based on AI and user input – minor inaccuracies may occur.
Last update for Playa del Carmen: June 15, 2026
Last update for Petrinja: June 14, 2026
Cost Breakdown
🏠A one-bedroom apartment in the center runs $950 in Playa del Carmen and $654 in Petrinja. Housing cost is often the main lever when comparing two cities.
🛒Dining out: $42.00 in Playa del Carmen vs $82.0 in Petrinja for a mid-range dinner for two. Groceries echo the gap at $254 vs $292 per month, with Playa del Carmen 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 Petrinja: Cost of Living - Frequently Asked Questions
What is the total cost difference between living in Playa del Carmen and Petrinja?
Playa del Carmen and Petrinja differ by about 22% in total monthly costs ($1,294 vs $1,573 including rent). Playa del Carmen is meaningfully more affordable – a gap that matters a lot on a fixed or modest income.
What salary covers living expenses in Playa del Carmen compared to Petrinja?
You'd need roughly $1,941 in Playa del Carmen and $2,359 in Petrinja to live well. The gap comes down to housing and overall price levels. Both cities are liveable on less, but these numbers represent actual comfort.
How do apartment prices compare in Playa del Carmen and Petrinja?
Rent for a central apartment: $950 in Playa del Carmen versus $654 in Petrinja. Housing is usually the single largest factor when comparing overall living costs between the two.
How do commuting costs compare in Playa del Carmen and Petrinja?
A monthly transit pass in Playa del Carmen runs roughly 65% less than in Petrinja. Both cities have functional networks, but the price difference matters if you're watching your budget.
What is the difference in childcare costs between Playa del Carmen and Petrinja?
Childcare runs $202 in Playa del Carmen versus $242 in Petrinja. Over years of preschool, even a modest monthly gap compounds into a major financial factor for families.
Which city is more doable on $1,500 per month?
At $1,294 in Playa del Carmen versus $1,573 in Petrinja, a $1,500 budget is realistic in Playa del Carmen but tight or insufficient in Petrinja. The gap between the two cities makes Playa del Carmen the clear choice for anyone on this budget.
How does quality of life compare between Playa del Carmen and Petrinja?
Both cities offer a good standard of living with different trade-offs. Neither is objectively better – the right pick depends on what matters most: affordability, career, cultural scene, or climate.
Is Playa del Carmen or Petrinja safer for residents?
Safety-wise, Playa del Carmen and Petrinja are on par. Petty crime is typical for cities this size, and most residents feel comfortable going about their daily routines in either place.
Where should expats move: Playa del Carmen or Petrinja?
Expats usually find Playa del Carmen gentler on the wallet – expenses run 22% less than in Petrinja. Beyond cost, consider language, visa policies, and how big the international community is in each city.
Playa del Carmen vs other spots: cost of living compared