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

Monthly Cost of Living

A single person spends $1,271 per month in Playa del Carmen vs $1,092 in Zajecar, rent included.

A couple spends around $2,126 per month in Playa del Carmen vs $1,568 in Zajecar, rent included.

A family of three spends $2,980 per month in Playa del Carmen vs $2,045 in Zajecar, rent included.

Playa del Carmen costs about 16% more than Zajecar, driven mainly by Eating Out.

Both Playa del Carmen and Zajecar are more affordable than the global median – Playa del Carmen 5% lower, Zajecar 19% lower.

Meal at Budget Restaurant

$11.87 MX$204

$6.82 RSD 689

74.05%

Three-Course Dinner for Two, Mid-Range

$42.90 MX$736

$28.07 RSD 2,838

52.83%

Fast Food Meal (McDonalds, etc)

$10.65 MX$183

$10.87 RSD 1,099

-2.02%

Cappuccino

$3.45 MX$59.2

$1.26 RSD 128

173.81%

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

$1.50 MX$25.81

$1.61 RSD 163

-6.83%

Water (0.33 liter bottle)

$0.95 MX$16.28

$1.15 RSD 117

-17.39%

Local Beer (0.5 liter draught)

$3.03 MX$51.9

$1.98 RSD 200

53.03%

Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$4.61 MX$79.1

$2.50 RSD 253

84.40%

Milk (1 liter)

$1.38 MX$23.61

$1.50 RSD 152

-8.00%

White Bread (500g)

$1.85 MX$31.70

$0.97 RSD 98.5

90.72%

Rice (white) (1kg)

$1.61 MX$27.65

$2.70 RSD 273

-40.37%

Eggs

$2.59 MX$44.51

$2.54 RSD 257

1.97%

Local Cheese (1kg)

$8.26 MX$142

$6.94 RSD 702

19.02%

Chicken Fillets (1kg)

$8.37 MX$144

$6.93 RSD 700

20.78%

Beef Round Steak (1kg)

$10.66 MX$183

$10.28 RSD 1,040

3.70%

Apples (1kg)

$2.63 MX$45.12

$1.01 RSD 102

160.40%

Banana (1kg)

$1.49 MX$25.53

$1.75 RSD 177

-14.86%

Oranges (1kg)

$1.92 MX$32.94

$1.59 RSD 161

20.75%

Tomato (1kg)

$2.09 MX$35.81

$2.31 RSD 233

-9.52%

Potato (1kg)

$1.86 MX$31.88

$1.00 RSD 101

86.00%

Onion (1kg)

$2.26 MX$38.81

$0.95 RSD 95.9

137.89%

Lettuce (1 head)

$1.06 MX$18.23

$0.75 RSD 76.3

41.33%

Water (1.5 liter bottle)

$1.09 MX$18.67

$0.65 RSD 66.0

67.69%

Cigarettes 20 Pack (Marlboro, Camel)

$4.15 MX$71.2

$3.29 RSD 332

26.14%

Wine (Bottle)

$10.39 MX$178

$7.69 RSD 778

35.11%

Local Beer (0.5 liter bottle)

$1.72 MX$29.59

$0.76 RSD 76.4

126.32%

Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$2.61 MX$44.85

$1.00 RSD 101

161.00%

One-way Ticket (Public Transport)

$0.54 MX$9.30

$0.93 RSD 93.7

-41.94%

Public Transport Monthly Pass (Regular Price)

$26.94 MX$462

$27.77 RSD 2,808

-2.99%

Taxi Start (Normal Tariff)

$3.13 MX$53.7

$1.44 RSD 146

117.36%

Taxi (Normal Tariff) (1km)

$2.51 MX$43.09

$0.64 RSD 64.7

292.19%

Taxi 1hour Waiting (Normal Tariff)

$3.15 MX$54.1

$9.64 RSD 975

-67.32%

Gasoline (1 liter)

$1.27 MX$21.88

$1.73 RSD 175

-26.59%

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

$30.4K MX$521.3K

$30.3K RSD 3.1M

0.12%

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

$23.6K MX$404.5K

$26.4K RSD 2.7M

-10.76%

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

$83.0 MX$1,425

$204 RSD 20.6K

-59.24%

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

$22.71 MX$390

$15.07 RSD 1,525

50.70%

Internet (50+ Mbps, Unlimited Data)

$29.46 MX$506

$16.62 RSD 1,681

77.26%

Gym Membership (Monthly)

$51.0 MX$875

$30.38 RSD 3,072

67.87%

Tennis Court (1 Hour on Weekend)

$18.33 MX$315

$16.75 RSD 1,694

9.43%

Cinema Ticket

$4.93 MX$84.5

$5.05 RSD 511

-2.38%

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

$197 MX$3,386

$80.1 RSD 8,100

146.32%

International Primary School, 1 Child (Yearly)

$5,280 MX$90.6K

$7,262 RSD 734.4K

-27.29%

Jeans (Levis 501 Or Similar)

$36.90 MX$633

$110 RSD 11.1K

-66.31%

Summer Dress (H&M, Zara, etc)

$39.89 MX$685

$31.82 RSD 3,218

25.36%

Sport Shoes (Adidas, Nike)

$80.0 MX$1,373

$78.5 RSD 7,934

1.98%

Men's Leather Business Shoes

$89.5 MX$1,536

$88.1 RSD 8,910

1.54%

1-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)

$956 MX$16.4K

$377 RSD 38.1K

153.67%

1-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)

$477 MX$8,189

$301 RSD 30.5K

58.29%

3-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)

$1,646 MX$28.3K

$563 RSD 56.9K

192.52%

3-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)

$1,225 MX$21.0K

$418 RSD 42.3K

192.78%

Buy Apartment in City Center (m2)

$3,918 MX$67.2K

$2,358 RSD 238.5K

66.13%

Buy Apartment Outside City Center (m2)

$6,459 MX$110.9K

$1,608 RSD 162.7K

301.59%

Average Monthly Net Salary (After Tax)

$667 MX$11.4K

$911 RSD 92.1K

-26.79%

20-Year Fixed Mortgage Interest Rate (Annual %)

11.42

7.31

56.22%

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

Last update for Playa del Carmen: June 7, 2026

Last update for Zajecar: June 7, 2026

Cost Breakdown

A central one-bedroom costs $956 in Playa del Carmen versus $377 in Zajecar. 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 Zajecar, 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 $43.00 in Playa del Carmen versus $28.00 in Zajecar. Monthly groceries follow the same trend: $250 vs $202 – making Zajecar 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 Zajecar: Cost of Living - Frequently Asked Questions

Yes – Playa del Carmen is pricier by about 16%, 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 $1,906 per month in Playa del Carmen and $1,637 in Zajecar. That covers rent, food, utilities, transport, and enough left over to feel settled – not just surviving.

Rent is clearly cheaper in Zajecar, 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 $1,271 in Playa del Carmen and $1,092 in Zajecar. The difference isn't just one category – it shows up across housing, food, transport, and services.

Public transport costs about 3% less in Zajecar. For daily commuters, that gap adds up to noticeable savings over a year.

A $1,500 monthly budget goes further in Zajecar, where all-in costs run around $1,092, than in Playa del Carmen at $1,271. In Zajecar it covers expenses comfortably, while in Playa del Carmen it requires careful planning or may not stretch far enough.

Families tend to lean toward Zajecar – 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 Zajecar. 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.