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 $1,256 per month in Playa del Carmen vs $1,052 in Subotica, rent included.

A couple spends around $2,137 per month in Playa del Carmen vs $1,541 in Subotica, rent included.

A family of three spends $3,017 per month in Playa del Carmen vs $2,029 in Subotica, rent included.

Playa del Carmen costs about 19% more than Subotica, driven mainly by Eating Out.

Both Playa del Carmen and Subotica are more affordable than the global median – Playa del Carmen 6% lower, Subotica 21% lower.

Meal at Budget Restaurant

$11.99 MX$209

$9.68 RSD 990

23.86%

Three-Course Dinner for Two, Mid-Range

$41.78 MX$728

$29.55 RSD 3,021

41.39%

Fast Food Meal (McDonalds, etc)

$10.75 MX$187

$8.91 RSD 911

20.65%

Cappuccino

$3.50 MX$60.9

$2.02 RSD 206

73.27%

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

$1.45 MX$25.22

$1.59 RSD 162

-8.81%

Water (0.33 liter bottle)

$0.88 MX$15.41

$1.03 RSD 105

-14.56%

Local Beer (0.5 liter draught)

$2.95 MX$51.3

$1.94 RSD 198

52.06%

Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$4.51 MX$78.6

$2.14 RSD 218

110.75%

Milk (1 liter)

$1.43 MX$24.94

$1.44 RSD 147

-0.69%

White Bread (500g)

$1.84 MX$31.99

$0.88 RSD 90.5

109.09%

Rice (white) (1kg)

$1.57 MX$27.31

$3.00 RSD 307

-47.67%

Eggs

$2.51 MX$43.74

$2.71 RSD 277

-7.38%

Local Cheese (1kg)

$8.28 MX$144

$10.81 RSD 1,105

-23.40%

Chicken Fillets (1kg)

$8.43 MX$147

$7.30 RSD 746

15.48%

Beef Round Steak (1kg)

$10.68 MX$186

$10.48 RSD 1,071

1.91%

Apples (1kg)

$2.61 MX$45.43

$1.37 RSD 140

90.51%

Banana (1kg)

$1.44 MX$25.04

$1.83 RSD 187

-21.31%

Oranges (1kg)

$1.96 MX$34.16

$1.49 RSD 152

31.54%

Tomato (1kg)

$2.09 MX$36.47

$2.19 RSD 224

-4.57%

Potato (1kg)

$1.85 MX$32.24

$1.07 RSD 109

72.90%

Onion (1kg)

$2.17 MX$37.74

$0.79 RSD 81.1

174.68%

Lettuce (1 head)

$1.03 MX$17.96

$0.57 RSD 58.8

80.70%

Water (1.5 liter bottle)

$1.07 MX$18.70

$0.70 RSD 71.8

52.86%

Cigarettes 20 Pack (Marlboro, Camel)

$4.10 MX$71.4

$4.42 RSD 452

-7.24%

Wine (Bottle)

$10.17 MX$177

$5.48 RSD 560

85.58%

Local Beer (0.5 liter bottle)

$1.68 MX$29.17

$0.82 RSD 83.9

104.88%

Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$2.53 MX$43.98

$1.59 RSD 162

59.12%

One-way Ticket (Public Transport)

$0.51 MX$8.87

$1.15 RSD 118

-55.65%

Public Transport Monthly Pass (Regular Price)

$26.04 MX$453

Taxi Start (Normal Tariff)

$3.23 MX$56.3

$1.86 RSD 190

73.66%

Taxi (Normal Tariff) (1km)

$2.41 MX$41.88

$0.88 RSD 90.4

173.86%

Taxi 1hour Waiting (Normal Tariff)

$3.23 MX$56.2

$9.60 RSD 982

-66.35%

Gasoline (1 liter)

$1.32 MX$23.00

$1.81 RSD 185

-27.07%

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

$29.7K MX$517.1K

$30.1K RSD 3.1M

-1.42%

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

$23.7K MX$412.0K

$26.9K RSD 2.8M

-12.17%

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

$82.0 MX$1,428

$120 RSD 12.3K

-31.77%

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

$22.95 MX$400

$13.08 RSD 1,338

75.46%

Internet (50+ Mbps, Unlimited Data)

$30.11 MX$524

$32.76 RSD 3,350

-8.09%

Gym Membership (Monthly)

$52.0 MX$905

$32.30 RSD 3,303

60.90%

Tennis Court (1 Hour on Weekend)

$18.53 MX$323

$9.99 RSD 1,021

85.49%

Cinema Ticket

$4.98 MX$86.6

$2.99 RSD 306

66.56%

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

$197 MX$3,438

$450 RSD 46.0K

-56.08%

International Primary School, 1 Child (Yearly)

$5,336 MX$92.9K

$9,144 RSD 934.9K

-41.64%

Jeans (Levis 501 Or Similar)

$35.60 MX$620

$34.71 RSD 3,549

2.56%

Summer Dress (H&M, Zara, etc)

$40.33 MX$702

$26.09 RSD 2,668

54.58%

Sport Shoes (Adidas, Nike)

$78.8 MX$1,371

$90.0 RSD 9,206

-12.54%

Men's Leather Business Shoes

$88.9 MX$1,549

$119 RSD 12.1K

-24.96%

1-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)

$947 MX$16.5K

$414 RSD 42.3K

128.85%

1-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)

$474 MX$8,254

$324 RSD 33.1K

46.36%

3-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)

$1,644 MX$28.6K

$601 RSD 61.5K

173.48%

3-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)

$1,211 MX$21.1K

$554 RSD 56.6K

118.53%

Buy Apartment in City Center (m2)

$4,056 MX$70.6K

$2,463 RSD 251.8K

64.66%

Buy Apartment Outside City Center (m2)

$6,470 MX$112.7K

$1,673 RSD 171.0K

286.73%

Average Monthly Net Salary (After Tax)

$654 MX$11.4K

$899 RSD 92.0K

-27.30%

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: July 13, 2026

Last update for Subotica: July 14, 2026

Cost Breakdown

A central one-bedroom costs $947 in Playa del Carmen versus $414 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 38% 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 $30.00 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 19%, 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 $1,884 per month in Playa del Carmen and $1,578 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 $1,256 in Playa del Carmen and $1,052 in Subotica. The difference isn't just one category – it shows up across housing, food, transport, and services.

Kindergarten costs $197 per month in Playa del Carmen and $450 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 $1,052, than in Playa del Carmen at $1,256. 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.