Cost of Living Comparison Between Playa del Carmen and Stara Pazova Cost of Living Comparison Between Playa del Carmen and Stara Pazova

Monthly Cost of Living

A single person spends $1,305 per month in Playa del Carmen vs $1,068 in Stara Pazova, rent included.

A couple spends around $2,334 per month in Playa del Carmen vs $1,570 in Stara Pazova, rent included.

A family of three spends $3,362 per month in Playa del Carmen vs $2,072 in Stara Pazova, rent included.

Playa del Carmen costs about 22% more than Stara Pazova, driven mainly by Groceries & Markets.

Both Playa del Carmen and Stara Pazova are more affordable than the global median – Playa del Carmen 5% lower, Stara Pazova 23% lower.

Meal at Budget Restaurant

$11.96 MX$203

$11.06 RSD 1,115

8.14%

Three-Course Dinner for Two, Mid-Range

$47.38 MX$804

$35.35 RSD 3,563

34.03%

Fast Food Meal (McDonalds, etc)

$11.75 MX$199

$7.47 RSD 753

57.30%

Cappuccino

$4.12 MX$70.0

$2.14 RSD 215

92.52%

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

$1.40 MX$23.74

$1.86 RSD 188

-24.73%

Water (0.33 liter bottle)

$0.91 MX$15.48

$1.17 RSD 117

-22.22%

Local Beer (0.5 liter draught)

$3.21 MX$54.4

$2.15 RSD 217

49.30%

Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$7.07 MX$120

$2.69 RSD 272

162.83%

Milk (1 liter)

$1.68 MX$28.44

$1.39 RSD 140

20.86%

White Bread (500g)

$2.15 MX$36.48

$0.64 RSD 64.6

235.94%

Rice (white) (1kg)

$1.77 MX$30.10

$1.91 RSD 193

-7.33%

Eggs

$2.82 MX$47.76

$2.53 RSD 255

11.46%

Local Cheese (1kg)

$9.20 MX$156

$9.96 RSD 1,004

-7.63%

Chicken Fillets (1kg)

$9.23 MX$157

$6.72 RSD 678

37.35%

Beef Round Steak (1kg)

$12.64 MX$214

$11.96 RSD 1,205

5.69%

Apples (1kg)

$2.95 MX$50.1

$1.01 RSD 101

192.08%

Banana (1kg)

$1.58 MX$26.79

$1.71 RSD 173

-7.60%

Oranges (1kg)

$2.22 MX$37.70

$1.75 RSD 177

26.86%

Tomato (1kg)

$2.36 MX$40.09

$2.04 RSD 205

15.69%

Potato (1kg)

$1.99 MX$33.81

$1.02 RSD 103

95.10%

Onion (1kg)

$1.98 MX$33.58

$0.97 RSD 97.3

104.12%

Lettuce (1 head)

$1.24 MX$21.04

$0.58 RSD 59.0

113.79%

Water (1.5 liter bottle)

$1.21 MX$20.55

$0.62 RSD 62.5

95.16%

Cigarettes 20 Pack (Marlboro, Camel)

$4.60 MX$78.1

$4.58 RSD 461

0.44%

Wine (Bottle)

$10.52 MX$178

$5.47 RSD 551

92.32%

Local Beer (0.5 liter bottle)

$1.69 MX$28.70

$0.91 RSD 91.5

85.71%

Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$2.77 MX$47.06

$1.35 RSD 136

105.19%

One-way Ticket (Public Transport)

$0.60 MX$10.22

$1.17 RSD 118

-48.72%

Public Transport Monthly Pass (Regular Price)

$29.70 MX$504

$25.14 RSD 2,534

18.14%

Taxi Start (Normal Tariff)

$5.24 MX$88.8

$1.53 RSD 154

242.48%

Taxi (Normal Tariff) (1km)

$3.65 MX$61.9

$1.04 RSD 104

250.96%

Taxi 1hour Waiting (Normal Tariff)

$5.78 MX$98.1

$5.43 RSD 547

6.45%

Gasoline (1 liter)

$1.54 MX$26.09

$1.87 RSD 188

-17.65%

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

$22.8K MX$386.8K

$31.9K RSD 3.2M

-28.51%

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

$25.8K MX$437.9K

$27.1K RSD 2.7M

-4.73%

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

$90.7 MX$1,538

$194 RSD 19.5K

-53.15%

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

$25.19 MX$427

$20.52 RSD 2,068

22.76%

Internet (50+ Mbps, Unlimited Data)

$31.75 MX$539

$26.08 RSD 2,629

21.74%

Gym Membership (Monthly)

$68.8 MX$1,167

$30.96 RSD 3,121

122.19%

Tennis Court (1 Hour on Weekend)

$29.37 MX$498

$14.16 RSD 1,428

107.42%

Cinema Ticket

$4.86 MX$82.5

$4.52 RSD 456

7.52%

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

$226 MX$3,828

$182 RSD 18.3K

24.23%

International Primary School, 1 Child (Yearly)

$4,194 MX$71.1K

$3,922 RSD 395.3K

6.92%

Jeans (Levis 501 Or Similar)

$47.38 MX$804

$54.1 RSD 5,456

-12.47%

Summer Dress (H&M, Zara, etc)

$43.45 MX$737

$17.05 RSD 1,719

154.84%

Sport Shoes (Adidas, Nike)

$80.2 MX$1,361

$89.9 RSD 9,062

-10.78%

Men's Leather Business Shoes

$91.4 MX$1,550

$122 RSD 12.3K

-24.83%

1-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)

$1,086 MX$18.4K

$325 RSD 32.8K

233.90%

1-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)

$409 MX$6,933

$272 RSD 27.4K

50.09%

3-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)

$1,972 MX$33.5K

$451 RSD 45.5K

336.83%

3-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)

$1,281 MX$21.7K

$375 RSD 37.8K

241.79%

Buy Apartment in City Center (m2)

$4,046 MX$68.6K

$1,513 RSD 152.5K

167.42%

Buy Apartment Outside City Center (m2)

$6,704 MX$113.7K

$1,240 RSD 125.0K

440.66%

Average Monthly Net Salary (After Tax)

$773 MX$13.1K

$645 RSD 65.0K

19.88%

20-Year Fixed Mortgage Interest Rate (Annual %)

11.45

4.84

136.57%

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

Last update for Playa del Carmen: September 7, 2026

Last update for Stara Pazova: September 7, 2026

Cost Breakdown

A central one-bedroom costs $1,086 in Playa del Carmen versus $325 in Stara Pazova. 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 20% 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 $47.00 in Playa del Carmen versus $35.00 in Stara Pazova. Monthly groceries follow the same trend: $278 vs $203 – making Stara Pazova 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 Stara Pazova: Cost of Living - Frequently Asked Questions

Yes – Playa del Carmen is pricier by about 22%, and the gap shows up most in Groceries & Markets. It's not just housing either; the difference applies across most spending categories.

For a comfortable life, plan on about $1,958 per month in Playa del Carmen and $1,601 in Stara Pazova. That covers rent, food, utilities, transport, and enough left over to feel settled – not just surviving.

Rent is clearly cheaper in Stara Pazova, 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 $1,305 in Playa del Carmen and $1,068 in Stara Pazova. The difference isn't just one category – it shows up across housing, food, transport, and services.

Public transport costs about 18% less in Stara Pazova. For daily commuters, that gap adds up to noticeable savings over a year.

A $1,000 monthly budget goes further in Stara Pazova, where all-in costs run around $1,068, than in Playa del Carmen at $1,305. In Stara Pazova it covers expenses comfortably, while in Playa del Carmen it requires careful planning or may not stretch far enough.

Families tend to lean toward Stara Pazova – 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 Stara Pazova. 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.