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 $1,294 per month in Playa del Carmen vs $969 in Sabac, rent included.

A couple spends around $2,189 per month in Playa del Carmen vs $1,444 in Sabac, rent included.

A family of three spends $3,084 per month in Playa del Carmen vs $1,919 in Sabac, rent included.

Playa del Carmen costs about 33% more than Sabac, driven mainly by Eating Out.

Both Playa del Carmen and Sabac are more affordable than the global median – Playa del Carmen 3% lower, Sabac 27% lower.

Meal at Budget Restaurant

$11.73 MX$204

$8.72 RSD 886

34.52%

Three-Course Dinner for Two, Mid-Range

$41.78 MX$725

$26.71 RSD 2,712

56.42%

Fast Food Meal (McDonalds, etc)

$10.41 MX$181

$9.90 RSD 1,006

5.15%

Cappuccino

$3.61 MX$62.6

$1.51 RSD 153

139.07%

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

$1.46 MX$25.28

$1.73 RSD 176

-15.61%

Water (0.33 liter bottle)

$0.97 MX$16.84

$1.14 RSD 116

-14.91%

Local Beer (0.5 liter draught)

$2.92 MX$50.8

$2.38 RSD 242

22.69%

Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$4.62 MX$80.2

$2.08 RSD 212

122.12%

Milk (1 liter)

$1.43 MX$24.80

$1.34 RSD 136

6.72%

White Bread (500g)

$1.90 MX$32.98

$0.61 RSD 61.8

211.48%

Rice (white) (1kg)

$1.57 MX$27.18

$1.92 RSD 195

-18.23%

Eggs

$2.64 MX$45.73

$2.22 RSD 225

18.92%

Local Cheese (1kg)

$8.44 MX$146

$7.31 RSD 742

15.46%

Chicken Fillets (1kg)

$8.58 MX$149

$6.70 RSD 680

28.06%

Beef Round Steak (1kg)

$11.00 MX$191

$11.03 RSD 1,120

-0.27%

Apples (1kg)

$2.70 MX$46.91

$1.35 RSD 138

100.00%

Banana (1kg)

$1.51 MX$26.15

$1.89 RSD 192

-20.11%

Oranges (1kg)

$1.91 MX$33.22

$1.75 RSD 178

9.14%

Tomato (1kg)

$2.17 MX$37.69

$2.34 RSD 238

-7.26%

Potato (1kg)

$1.87 MX$32.53

$1.10 RSD 112

70.00%

Onion (1kg)

$2.23 MX$38.76

$1.25 RSD 127

78.40%

Lettuce (1 head)

$1.08 MX$18.76

$1.08 RSD 110

Water (1.5 liter bottle)

$1.07 MX$18.63

$0.49 RSD 49.46

118.37%

Cigarettes 20 Pack (Marlboro, Camel)

$4.16 MX$72.2

$3.98 RSD 404

4.52%

Wine (Bottle)

$10.29 MX$179

$6.53 RSD 663

57.58%

Local Beer (0.5 liter bottle)

$1.68 MX$29.20

$0.68 RSD 68.6

147.06%

Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$2.53 MX$43.96

$2.20 RSD 224

15.00%

One-way Ticket (Public Transport)

$0.55 MX$9.61

$0.91 RSD 92.5

-39.56%

Public Transport Monthly Pass (Regular Price)

$26.29 MX$456

$25.74 RSD 2,614

2.14%

Taxi Start (Normal Tariff)

$3.20 MX$55.5

$1.03 RSD 105

210.68%

Taxi (Normal Tariff) (1km)

$2.46 MX$42.73

$0.46 RSD 46.63

434.78%

Taxi 1hour Waiting (Normal Tariff)

$3.20 MX$55.5

$4.85 RSD 493

-34.02%

Gasoline (1 liter)

$1.32 MX$22.91

$1.75 RSD 178

-24.57%

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

$30.2K MX$523.3K

$30.5K RSD 3.1M

-1.30%

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

$23.4K MX$406.0K

$26.8K RSD 2.7M

-12.70%

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

$81.4 MX$1,412

$155 RSD 15.8K

-47.55%

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

$22.41 MX$389

$19.85 RSD 2,015

12.90%

Internet (50+ Mbps, Unlimited Data)

$29.97 MX$520

$24.55 RSD 2,493

22.08%

Gym Membership (Monthly)

$51.6 MX$895

$23.23 RSD 2,359

121.95%

Tennis Court (1 Hour on Weekend)

$18.39 MX$319

$11.61 RSD 1,179

58.40%

Cinema Ticket

$5.16 MX$89.6

$6.77 RSD 688

-23.78%

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

$202 MX$3,501

$181 RSD 18.4K

11.64%

International Primary School, 1 Child (Yearly)

$5,311 MX$92.2K

$3,916 RSD 397.7K

35.61%

Jeans (Levis 501 Or Similar)

$35.61 MX$618

$61.7 RSD 6,268

-42.30%

Summer Dress (H&M, Zara, etc)

$40.37 MX$701

$56.1 RSD 5,700

-28.08%

Sport Shoes (Adidas, Nike)

$78.6 MX$1,365

$116 RSD 11.8K

-32.45%

Men's Leather Business Shoes

$86.9 MX$1,507

$121 RSD 12.3K

-28.46%

1-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)

$950 MX$16.5K

$237 RSD 24.0K

301.60%

1-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)

$478 MX$8,298

$179 RSD 18.2K

167.53%

3-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)

$1,621 MX$28.1K

$344 RSD 34.9K

371.11%

3-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)

$1,223 MX$21.2K

$266 RSD 27.0K

360.29%

Buy Apartment in City Center (m2)

$4,009 MX$69.6K

$1,923 RSD 195.3K

108.46%

Buy Apartment Outside City Center (m2)

$6,473 MX$112.3K

$1,553 RSD 157.8K

316.65%

Average Monthly Net Salary (After Tax)

$673 MX$11.7K

$983 RSD 99.8K

-31.53%

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: June 15, 2026

Last update for Sabac: June 16, 2026

Cost Breakdown

A central one-bedroom costs $950 in Playa del Carmen versus $237 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 46% 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 $42.00 in Playa del Carmen versus $27.00 in Sabac. Monthly groceries follow the same trend: $254 vs $198 – 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 33%, 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 $1,941 per month in Playa del Carmen and $1,454 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 $1,294 in Playa del Carmen and $969 in Sabac. The difference isn't just one category – it shows up across housing, food, transport, and services.

Public transport costs about 2% less in Sabac. For daily commuters, that gap adds up to noticeable savings over a year.

A $2,000 monthly budget goes further in Sabac, where all-in costs run around $969, than in Playa del Carmen at $1,294. 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.