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

Monthly Cost of Living

A single person spends $1,271 per month in Playa del Carmen vs $749 in Prizren, rent included.

A couple spends around $2,126 per month in Playa del Carmen vs $1,090 in Prizren, rent included.

A family of three spends $2,980 per month in Playa del Carmen vs $1,432 in Prizren, rent included.

Playa del Carmen costs about 70% more than Prizren, driven mainly by Eating Out.

Both Playa del Carmen and Prizren are more affordable than the global median – Playa del Carmen 5% lower, Prizren 44% lower.

Meal at Budget Restaurant

$11.87 MX$204

$2.85 €2.46

316.49%

Three-Course Dinner for Two, Mid-Range

$42.90 MX$736

$24.66 €21.25

73.97%

Fast Food Meal (McDonalds, etc)

$10.65 MX$183

$3.98 €3.43

167.59%

Cappuccino

$3.45 MX$59.2

$1.44 €1.24

139.58%

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

$1.50 MX$25.81

$0.82 €0.71

82.93%

Water (0.33 liter bottle)

$0.95 MX$16.28

$1.04 €0.90

-8.65%

Local Beer (0.5 liter draught)

$3.03 MX$51.9

$2.27 €1.95

33.48%

Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$4.61 MX$79.1

$2.56 €2.21

80.08%

Milk (1 liter)

$1.38 MX$23.61

$1.29 €1.11

6.98%

White Bread (500g)

$1.85 MX$31.70

$0.60 €0.51

208.33%

Rice (white) (1kg)

$1.61 MX$27.65

$1.38 €1.19

16.67%

Eggs

$2.59 MX$44.51

$1.58 €1.36

63.92%

Local Cheese (1kg)

$8.26 MX$142

$6.20 €5.35

33.23%

Chicken Fillets (1kg)

$8.37 MX$144

$4.88 €4.21

71.52%

Beef Round Steak (1kg)

$10.66 MX$183

$10.57 €9.11

0.85%

Apples (1kg)

$2.63 MX$45.12

$1.20 €1.03

119.17%

Banana (1kg)

$1.49 MX$25.53

$1.64 €1.41

-9.15%

Oranges (1kg)

$1.92 MX$32.94

$1.43 €1.23

34.27%

Tomato (1kg)

$2.09 MX$35.81

$1.18 €1.01

77.12%

Potato (1kg)

$1.86 MX$31.88

$0.79 €0.68

135.44%

Onion (1kg)

$2.26 MX$38.81

$0.80 €0.69

182.50%

Lettuce (1 head)

$1.06 MX$18.23

$0.68 €0.59

55.88%

Water (1.5 liter bottle)

$1.09 MX$18.67

$0.56 €0.48

94.64%

Cigarettes 20 Pack (Marlboro, Camel)

$4.15 MX$71.2

$3.56 €3.06

16.57%

Wine (Bottle)

$10.39 MX$178

$5.94 €5.12

74.92%

Local Beer (0.5 liter bottle)

$1.72 MX$29.59

$0.97 €0.84

77.32%

Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$2.61 MX$44.85

$1.37 €1.18

90.51%

One-way Ticket (Public Transport)

$0.54 MX$9.30

$0.67 €0.58

-19.40%

Public Transport Monthly Pass (Regular Price)

$26.94 MX$462

$35.29 €30.41

-23.66%

Taxi Start (Normal Tariff)

$3.13 MX$53.7

$2.25 €1.94

39.11%

Taxi (Normal Tariff) (1km)

$2.51 MX$43.09

$0.54 €0.47

364.81%

Taxi 1hour Waiting (Normal Tariff)

$3.15 MX$54.1

$5.75 €4.96

-45.22%

Gasoline (1 liter)

$1.27 MX$21.88

$1.49 €1.28

-14.77%

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

$30.4K MX$521.3K

$9,273 €7,990

227.54%

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

$23.6K MX$404.5K

$25.6K €22.0K

-7.77%

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

$83.0 MX$1,425

$68.7 €59.2

20.85%

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

$22.71 MX$390

$10.51 €9.06

116.08%

Internet (50+ Mbps, Unlimited Data)

$29.46 MX$506

$19.51 €16.81

51.00%

Gym Membership (Monthly)

$51.0 MX$875

$28.76 €24.78

77.33%

Tennis Court (1 Hour on Weekend)

$18.33 MX$315

Cinema Ticket

$4.93 MX$84.5

$4.73 €4.07

4.23%

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

$197 MX$3,386

$169 €145

16.89%

International Primary School, 1 Child (Yearly)

$5,280 MX$90.6K

$2,858 €2,462

84.77%

Jeans (Levis 501 Or Similar)

$36.90 MX$633

$38.32 €33.01

-3.71%

Summer Dress (H&M, Zara, etc)

$39.89 MX$685

$31.64 €27.26

26.07%

Sport Shoes (Adidas, Nike)

$80.0 MX$1,373

$56.8 €48.94

40.84%

Men's Leather Business Shoes

$89.5 MX$1,536

$84.4 €72.7

6.03%

1-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)

$956 MX$16.4K

$310 €267

208.89%

1-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)

$477 MX$8,189

$248 €213

92.54%

3-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)

$1,646 MX$28.3K

$446 €384

269.17%

3-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)

$1,225 MX$21.0K

$290 €250

322.00%

Buy Apartment in City Center (m2)

$3,918 MX$67.2K

$1,589 €1,369

146.62%

Buy Apartment Outside City Center (m2)

$6,459 MX$110.9K

$1,231 €1,061

424.57%

Average Monthly Net Salary (After Tax)

$667 MX$11.4K

$564 €486

18.21%

20-Year Fixed Mortgage Interest Rate (Annual %)

11.42

185.50%

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

Last update for Playa del Carmen: June 7, 2026

Last update for Prizren: June 7, 2026

Cost Breakdown

A central one-bedroom costs $956 in Playa del Carmen versus $310 in Prizren. 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 18% higher in Playa del Carmen, which partly offsets the higher cost of living there. Purchasing power depends on which expenses matter most to you.

A mid-range dinner for two costs $43.00 in Playa del Carmen versus $25.00 in Prizren. Monthly groceries follow the same trend: $250 vs $166 – making Prizren 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 Prizren: Cost of Living - Frequently Asked Questions

Yes – Playa del Carmen is pricier by about 70%, and the gap shows up most in Eating Out. It's not just housing either; the difference applies across most spending categories.

For a comfortable life, plan on about $1,906 per month in Playa del Carmen and $1,123 in Prizren. That covers rent, food, utilities, transport, and enough left over to feel settled – not just surviving.

Rent is clearly cheaper in Prizren, 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 $1,271 in Playa del Carmen and $749 in Prizren. The difference isn't just one category – it shows up across housing, food, transport, and services.

Public transport costs about 31% less in Prizren. For daily commuters, that gap adds up to noticeable savings over a year.

A $2,000 monthly budget goes further in Prizren, where all-in costs run around $749, than in Playa del Carmen at $1,271. In Prizren it covers expenses comfortably, while in Playa del Carmen it requires careful planning or may not stretch far enough.

Families tend to lean toward Prizren – lower housing and cheaper childcare make a real difference, especially on a single income or when paying for private education.

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 Prizren. 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.