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

Monthly Cost of Living

A single person spends $1,287 per month in Playa del Carmen vs $945 in Sabac, rent included.

A couple spends around $2,184 per month in Playa del Carmen vs $1,390 in Sabac, rent included.

A family of three spends $3,082 per month in Playa del Carmen vs $1,834 in Sabac, rent included.

Playa del Carmen costs about 36% more than Sabac, driven mainly by Eating Out.

Both Playa del Carmen and Sabac are more affordable than the global median – Playa del Carmen 4% lower, Sabac 29% lower.

Meal at Budget Restaurant

$11.94 MX$209

$8.64 RSD 867

38.19%

Three-Course Dinner for Two, Mid-Range

$42.75 MX$748

$27.04 RSD 2,713

58.10%

Fast Food Meal (McDonalds, etc)

$10.59 MX$185

$9.70 RSD 973

9.18%

Cappuccino

$3.62 MX$63.4

$1.45 RSD 146

149.66%

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

$1.47 MX$25.69

$1.73 RSD 174

-15.03%

Water (0.33 liter bottle)

$0.94 MX$16.51

$1.16 RSD 116

-18.97%

Local Beer (0.5 liter draught)

$3.09 MX$54.1

$2.34 RSD 235

32.05%

Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$4.46 MX$78.0

$2.13 RSD 214

109.39%

Milk (1 liter)

$1.43 MX$24.94

$1.36 RSD 137

5.15%

White Bread (500g)

$1.88 MX$32.97

$0.64 RSD 64.2

193.75%

Rice (white) (1kg)

$1.63 MX$28.50

$1.99 RSD 199

-18.09%

Eggs

$2.64 MX$46.26

$2.30 RSD 231

14.78%

Local Cheese (1kg)

$8.21 MX$144

$7.48 RSD 750

9.76%

Chicken Fillets (1kg)

$8.29 MX$145

$6.98 RSD 700

18.77%

Beef Round Steak (1kg)

$11.10 MX$194

$10.71 RSD 1,075

3.64%

Apples (1kg)

$2.65 MX$46.40

$1.35 RSD 136

96.30%

Banana (1kg)

$1.50 MX$26.26

$1.83 RSD 184

-18.03%

Oranges (1kg)

$1.99 MX$34.79

$1.74 RSD 175

14.37%

Tomato (1kg)

$2.08 MX$36.33

$2.31 RSD 231

-9.96%

Potato (1kg)

$1.79 MX$31.29

$1.10 RSD 111

62.73%

Onion (1kg)

$2.18 MX$38.09

$1.26 RSD 127

73.02%

Lettuce (1 head)

$1.08 MX$18.84

$1.06 RSD 106

1.89%

Water (1.5 liter bottle)

$1.04 MX$18.15

$0.49 RSD 49.11

112.24%

Cigarettes 20 Pack (Marlboro, Camel)

$3.97 MX$69.5

$4.09 RSD 410

-2.93%

Wine (Bottle)

$10.20 MX$179

$7.15 RSD 718

42.66%

Local Beer (0.5 liter bottle)

$1.73 MX$30.22

$0.68 RSD 68.0

154.41%

Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$2.50 MX$43.71

$2.13 RSD 214

17.37%

One-way Ticket (Public Transport)

$0.52 MX$9.07

$0.93 RSD 93.7

-44.09%

Public Transport Monthly Pass (Regular Price)

$26.97 MX$472

Taxi Start (Normal Tariff)

$3.14 MX$55.0

$1.09 RSD 109

188.07%

Taxi (Normal Tariff) (1km)

$2.40 MX$42.04

$0.45 RSD 45.46

433.33%

Taxi 1hour Waiting (Normal Tariff)

$3.09 MX$54.0

$5.03 RSD 505

-38.57%

Gasoline (1 liter)

$1.27 MX$22.28

$1.82 RSD 183

-30.22%

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

$30.9K MX$540.4K

$31.1K RSD 3.1M

-0.69%

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

$23.3K MX$408.0K

$26.9K RSD 2.7M

-13.43%

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

$82.0 MX$1,435

$161 RSD 16.1K

-49.00%

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

$22.45 MX$393

$19.33 RSD 1,940

16.14%

Internet (50+ Mbps, Unlimited Data)

$29.66 MX$519

$24.50 RSD 2,458

21.06%

Gym Membership (Monthly)

$51.9 MX$908

$24.09 RSD 2,417

115.32%

Tennis Court (1 Hour on Weekend)

$18.67 MX$327

$12.04 RSD 1,208

55.07%

Cinema Ticket

$4.97 MX$87.0

$6.83 RSD 685

-27.23%

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

$198 MX$3,462

$183 RSD 18.3K

8.28%

International Primary School, 1 Child (Yearly)

$5,273 MX$92.3K

$4,009 RSD 402.3K

31.51%

Jeans (Levis 501 Or Similar)

$36.34 MX$636

$63.3 RSD 6,355

-42.63%

Summer Dress (H&M, Zara, etc)

$40.05 MX$701

$56.5 RSD 5,664

-29.05%

Sport Shoes (Adidas, Nike)

$79.9 MX$1,398

$116 RSD 11.6K

-31.07%

Men's Leather Business Shoes

$88.9 MX$1,555

$119 RSD 11.9K

-25.31%

1-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)

$963 MX$16.9K

$235 RSD 23.5K

310.69%

1-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)

$465 MX$8,133

$175 RSD 17.5K

166.05%

3-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)

$1,596 MX$27.9K

$350 RSD 35.1K

355.81%

3-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)

$1,209 MX$21.2K

$259 RSD 26.0K

367.25%

Buy Apartment in City Center (m2)

$3,942 MX$69.0K

$2,004 RSD 201.0K

96.73%

Buy Apartment Outside City Center (m2)

$6,448 MX$112.8K

$1,586 RSD 159.1K

306.62%

Average Monthly Net Salary (After Tax)

$720 MX$12.6K

$986 RSD 98.9K

-26.92%

20-Year Fixed Mortgage Interest Rate (Annual %)

11.42

42.75%

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

Last update for Playa del Carmen: April 25, 2026

Last update for Sabac: April 28, 2026

Cost Breakdown

A central one-bedroom costs $963 in Playa del Carmen versus $235 in Sabac. 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 37% higher in Sabac, which reinforces the cost advantage – you earn more and spend less. Purchasing power leans clearly in its favor.

A mid-range dinner for two costs $43.00 in Playa del Carmen versus $27.00 in Sabac. Monthly groceries follow the same trend: $251 vs $201 – making Sabac 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 Sabac: Cost of Living - Frequently Asked Questions

Yes – Playa del Carmen is pricier by about 36%, 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 $1,930 per month in Playa del Carmen and $1,418 in Sabac. That covers rent, food, utilities, transport, and enough left over to feel settled – not just surviving.

Rent is clearly cheaper in Sabac, 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 $1,287 in Playa del Carmen and $945 in Sabac. The difference isn't just one category – it shows up across housing, food, transport, and services.

Kindergarten costs $198 per month in Playa del Carmen and $183 in Sabac. For families with young kids, this one expense can tip the scales when choosing between the two cities.

A $2,000 monthly budget goes further in Sabac, where all-in costs run around $945, than in Playa del Carmen at $1,287. In Sabac it covers expenses comfortably, while in Playa del Carmen it requires careful planning or may not stretch far enough.

Families tend to lean toward Sabac – 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 Sabac. 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.