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

Monthly Cost of Living

A single person spends $1,215 per month in Playa del Carmen vs $1,108 in Subotica, rent included.

A couple spends around $2,144 per month in Playa del Carmen vs $1,670 in Subotica, rent included.

A family of three spends $3,072 per month in Playa del Carmen vs $2,232 in Subotica, rent included.

Playa del Carmen costs about 10% more than Subotica, driven mainly by Eating Out.

Both Playa del Carmen and Subotica are more affordable than the global median – Playa del Carmen 9% lower, Subotica 17% lower.

Meal at Budget Restaurant

$10.97 MX$197

$9.35 RSD 974

17.33%

Three-Course Dinner for Two, Mid-Range

$44.85 MX$806

$33.75 RSD 3,517

32.89%

Fast Food Meal (McDonalds, etc)

$11.92 MX$214

$11.18 RSD 1,165

6.62%

Cappuccino

$3.80 MX$68.4

$1.97 RSD 205

92.89%

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

$1.31 MX$23.58

$1.83 RSD 191

-28.42%

Water (0.33 liter bottle)

$0.86 MX$15.39

$1.71 RSD 178

-49.71%

Local Beer (0.5 liter draught)

$3.21 MX$57.7

$2.46 RSD 256

30.49%

Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$5.01 MX$90.1

$2.87 RSD 299

74.56%

Milk (1 liter)

$1.46 MX$26.21

$1.41 RSD 146

3.55%

White Bread (500g)

$2.33 MX$41.83

$1.10 RSD 115

111.82%

Rice (white) (1kg)

$1.44 MX$25.93

$2.14 RSD 223

-32.71%

Eggs

$2.46 MX$44.25

$3.07 RSD 320

-19.87%

Local Cheese (1kg)

$7.70 MX$138

$12.08 RSD 1,258

-36.26%

Chicken Fillets (1kg)

$7.89 MX$142

$6.60 RSD 688

19.55%

Beef Round Steak (1kg)

$12.80 MX$230

$12.53 RSD 1,305

2.15%

Apples (1kg)

$2.92 MX$52.4

$1.39 RSD 145

110.07%

Banana (1kg)

$1.42 MX$25.56

$1.90 RSD 198

-25.26%

Oranges (1kg)

$2.57 MX$46.12

$1.43 RSD 149

79.72%

Tomato (1kg)

$2.14 MX$38.42

$2.21 RSD 230

-3.17%

Potato (1kg)

$1.95 MX$35.00

$1.03 RSD 108

89.32%

Onion (1kg)

$1.94 MX$34.80

$0.59 RSD 61.6

228.81%

Lettuce (1 head)

$1.15 MX$20.69

$0.58 RSD 60.8

98.28%

Water (1.5 liter bottle)

$1.22 MX$21.95

$0.61 RSD 63.9

100.00%

Cigarettes 20 Pack (Marlboro, Camel)

$4.38 MX$78.7

$4.17 RSD 435

5.04%

Wine (Bottle)

$9.85 MX$177

$5.31 RSD 553

85.50%

Local Beer (0.5 liter bottle)

$1.54 MX$27.64

$0.82 RSD 85.8

87.80%

Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$2.72 MX$48.81

$2.28 RSD 238

19.30%

One-way Ticket (Public Transport)

$0.52 MX$9.44

$1.18 RSD 123

-55.93%

Public Transport Monthly Pass (Regular Price)

$27.42 MX$493

$34.36 RSD 3,580

-20.20%

Taxi Start (Normal Tariff)

$4.91 MX$88.3

$1.87 RSD 195

162.57%

Taxi (Normal Tariff) (1km)

$3.52 MX$63.3

$1.22 RSD 127

188.52%

Taxi 1hour Waiting (Normal Tariff)

$5.69 MX$102

$10.85 RSD 1,131

-47.56%

Gasoline (1 liter)

$1.54 MX$27.68

$1.77 RSD 184

-12.99%

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

$21.2K MX$381.8K

$30.8K RSD 3.2M

-31.06%

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

$24.5K MX$440.2K

$25.1K RSD 2.6M

-2.43%

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

$83.6 MX$1,503

$168 RSD 17.5K

-50.23%

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

$24.03 MX$432

$15.33 RSD 1,597

56.75%

Internet (50+ Mbps, Unlimited Data)

$29.33 MX$527

$37.29 RSD 3,886

-21.35%

Gym Membership (Monthly)

$64.9 MX$1,166

$33.13 RSD 3,452

95.80%

Tennis Court (1 Hour on Weekend)

$29.46 MX$530

$9.53 RSD 993

209.13%

Cinema Ticket

$5.09 MX$91.4

$4.74 RSD 494

7.38%

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

$208 MX$3,733

$238 RSD 24.8K

-12.71%

International Primary School, 1 Child (Yearly)

$4,045 MX$72.7K

Jeans (Levis 501 Or Similar)

$44.55 MX$801

$42.70 RSD 4,450

4.33%

Summer Dress (H&M, Zara, etc)

$42.06 MX$756

$22.51 RSD 2,346

86.85%

Sport Shoes (Adidas, Nike)

$75.5 MX$1,358

$91.4 RSD 9,519

-17.32%

Men's Leather Business Shoes

$91.4 MX$1,642

$72.3 RSD 7,528

26.46%

1-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)

$986 MX$17.7K

$417 RSD 43.5K

136.37%

1-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)

$385 MX$6,924

$297 RSD 31.0K

29.50%

3-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)

$1,713 MX$30.8K

$602 RSD 62.7K

184.54%

3-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)

$1,108 MX$19.9K

$547 RSD 57.0K

102.74%

Buy Apartment in City Center (m2)

$4,016 MX$72.2K

$2,449 RSD 255.1K

64.00%

Buy Apartment Outside City Center (m2)

$6,247 MX$112.3K

$1,601 RSD 166.8K

290.24%

Average Monthly Net Salary (After Tax)

$758 MX$13.6K

$894 RSD 93.2K

-15.24%

20-Year Fixed Mortgage Interest Rate (Annual %)

11.45

4.79

139.04%

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

Last update for Playa del Carmen: October 4, 2026

Last update for Subotica: October 5, 2026

Cost Breakdown

A central one-bedroom costs $986 in Playa del Carmen versus $417 in Subotica. 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 Subotica, 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 $45.00 in Playa del Carmen versus $34.00 in Subotica. Monthly groceries follow the same trend: $260 vs $221 – making Subotica 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 Subotica: Cost of Living - Frequently Asked Questions

Yes – Playa del Carmen is pricier by about 10%, 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 $1,823 per month in Playa del Carmen and $1,662 in Subotica. That covers rent, food, utilities, transport, and enough left over to feel settled – not just surviving.

Rent is clearly cheaper in Subotica, 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 $1,215 in Playa del Carmen and $1,108 in Subotica. The difference isn't just one category – it shows up across housing, food, transport, and services.

Public transport costs about 25% less in Subotica. For daily commuters, that gap adds up to noticeable savings over a year.

A $1,000 monthly budget goes further in Subotica, where all-in costs run around $1,108, than in Playa del Carmen at $1,215. In Subotica it covers expenses comfortably, while in Playa del Carmen it requires careful planning or may not stretch far enough.

Families tend to lean toward Subotica – 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 Subotica. 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.