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 $1,297 per month in Playa del Carmen vs $1,018 in Subotica, rent included.

A couple spends around $2,181 per month in Playa del Carmen vs $1,526 in Subotica, rent included.

A family of three spends $3,065 per month in Playa del Carmen vs $2,034 in Subotica, rent included.

Playa del Carmen costs about 27% more than Subotica, driven mainly by Eating Out.

Both Playa del Carmen and Subotica are more affordable than the global median – Playa del Carmen 3% lower, Subotica 24% lower.

Meal at Budget Restaurant

$11.73 MX$203

$9.63 RSD 969

21.81%

Three-Course Dinner for Two, Mid-Range

$41.62 MX$720

$29.49 RSD 2,966

41.13%

Fast Food Meal (McDonalds, etc)

$10.64 MX$184

$8.59 RSD 864

23.86%

Cappuccino

$3.52 MX$60.9

$2.03 RSD 204

73.40%

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

$1.51 MX$26.12

$1.61 RSD 162

-6.21%

Water (0.33 liter bottle)

$0.97 MX$16.84

$1.04 RSD 104

-6.73%

Local Beer (0.5 liter draught)

$2.95 MX$51.0

$1.98 RSD 199

48.99%

Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$4.45 MX$77.0

$2.15 RSD 216

106.98%

Milk (1 liter)

$1.38 MX$23.93

$1.46 RSD 147

-5.48%

White Bread (500g)

$1.89 MX$32.72

$0.93 RSD 93.9

103.23%

Rice (white) (1kg)

$1.64 MX$28.32

$2.93 RSD 295

-44.03%

Eggs

$2.51 MX$43.34

$2.67 RSD 269

-5.99%

Local Cheese (1kg)

$8.34 MX$144

$10.70 RSD 1,077

-22.06%

Chicken Fillets (1kg)

$8.34 MX$144

$7.24 RSD 728

15.19%

Beef Round Steak (1kg)

$10.73 MX$186

$10.59 RSD 1,065

1.32%

Apples (1kg)

$2.60 MX$45.04

$1.38 RSD 139

88.41%

Banana (1kg)

$1.46 MX$25.20

$1.80 RSD 181

-18.89%

Oranges (1kg)

$1.90 MX$32.87

$1.43 RSD 144

32.87%

Tomato (1kg)

$2.08 MX$35.91

$2.15 RSD 216

-3.26%

Potato (1kg)

$1.78 MX$30.71

$1.08 RSD 109

64.81%

Onion (1kg)

$2.19 MX$37.80

$0.78 RSD 78.1

180.77%

Lettuce (1 head)

$1.04 MX$17.99

$0.61 RSD 61.1

70.49%

Water (1.5 liter bottle)

$1.08 MX$18.62

$0.71 RSD 71.2

52.11%

Cigarettes 20 Pack (Marlboro, Camel)

$4.08 MX$70.6

$4.43 RSD 445

-7.90%

Wine (Bottle)

$10.32 MX$178

$5.53 RSD 556

86.62%

Local Beer (0.5 liter bottle)

$1.71 MX$29.61

$0.84 RSD 84.6

103.57%

Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$2.58 MX$44.54

$1.60 RSD 161

61.25%

One-way Ticket (Public Transport)

$0.51 MX$8.81

$1.20 RSD 121

-57.50%

Public Transport Monthly Pass (Regular Price)

$26.46 MX$458

Taxi Start (Normal Tariff)

$3.26 MX$56.4

$1.78 RSD 179

83.15%

Taxi (Normal Tariff) (1km)

$2.49 MX$43.09

$0.91 RSD 91.1

173.63%

Taxi 1hour Waiting (Normal Tariff)

$3.25 MX$56.2

$9.98 RSD 1,004

-67.43%

Gasoline (1 liter)

$1.31 MX$22.61

$1.76 RSD 177

-25.57%

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

$30.3K MX$523.7K

$30.1K RSD 3.0M

0.47%

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

$23.4K MX$405.3K

$26.5K RSD 2.7M

-11.54%

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

$82.9 MX$1,433

$119 RSD 12.0K

-30.55%

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

$22.22 MX$384

$13.12 RSD 1,319

69.36%

Internet (50+ Mbps, Unlimited Data)

$29.34 MX$507

$32.67 RSD 3,286

-10.19%

Gym Membership (Monthly)

$51.6 MX$893

$31.71 RSD 3,189

62.82%

Tennis Court (1 Hour on Weekend)

$18.32 MX$317

$9.66 RSD 972

89.65%

Cinema Ticket

$5.07 MX$87.6

$2.95 RSD 296

71.86%

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

$201 MX$3,473

$452 RSD 45.5K

-55.60%

International Primary School, 1 Child (Yearly)

$5,212 MX$90.1K

$9,348 RSD 940.1K

-44.25%

Jeans (Levis 501 Or Similar)

$36.92 MX$639

$34.02 RSD 3,422

8.52%

Summer Dress (H&M, Zara, etc)

$39.79 MX$688

$26.47 RSD 2,663

50.32%

Sport Shoes (Adidas, Nike)

$78.5 MX$1,357

$89.1 RSD 8,959

-11.93%

Men's Leather Business Shoes

$87.1 MX$1,506

$120 RSD 12.1K

-27.50%

1-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)

$973 MX$16.8K

$415 RSD 41.8K

134.16%

1-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)

$468 MX$8,090

$332 RSD 33.4K

40.96%

3-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)

$1,641 MX$28.4K

$592 RSD 59.6K

177.04%

3-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)

$1,221 MX$21.1K

$541 RSD 54.4K

125.54%

Buy Apartment in City Center (m2)

$3,946 MX$68.3K

$2,480 RSD 249.4K

59.14%

Buy Apartment Outside City Center (m2)

$6,498 MX$112.4K

$1,719 RSD 172.9K

277.93%

Average Monthly Net Salary (After Tax)

$664 MX$11.5K

$908 RSD 91.3K

-26.87%

20-Year Fixed Mortgage Interest Rate (Annual %)

11.42

5.59

104.29%

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

Last update for Playa del Carmen: June 2, 2026

Last update for Subotica: May 31, 2026

Cost Breakdown

A central one-bedroom costs $973 in Playa del Carmen versus $415 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 37% 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 $42.00 in Playa del Carmen versus $29.00 in Subotica. Monthly groceries follow the same trend: $249 vs $215 – 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 27%, 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 $1,945 per month in Playa del Carmen and $1,528 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 $1,297 in Playa del Carmen and $1,018 in Subotica. The difference isn't just one category – it shows up across housing, food, transport, and services.

Kindergarten costs $201 per month in Playa del Carmen and $452 in Subotica. For families with young kids, this one expense can tip the scales when choosing between the two cities.

A $1,000 monthly budget goes further in Subotica, where all-in costs run around $1,018, than in Playa del Carmen at $1,297. 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.