Last update: Nov 2026

Cost of Living Comparison Between Playa del Carmen and Zajecar

For one person, living costs are similar in Playa del Carmen and in Zajecar: $1,202 and $1,221 a month, rent and utilities included.

Playa del Carmen, Mexico
Zajecar, Serbia
Playa del Carmen
🇲🇽 Mexico
$1,202
/mo nomad
Zajecar
🇷🇸 Serbia
$1,221
/mo nomad
Monthly Cost of Living

How much you'll spend in Playa del Carmen and in Zajecar

Real prices from locals and on-the-ground checks – rent, groceries, transit and the daily extras. Here's what a month in Playa del Carmen and in Zajecar actually costs, broken down by who's living it.

A single person spends $1,202 per month in Playa del Carmen vs $1,221 in Zajecar, rent included.

  • Playa del Carmen $1,202
  • Zajecar $1,221

A couple spends around $2,082 per month in Playa del Carmen vs $1,807 in Zajecar, rent included.

  • Playa del Carmen $2,082
  • Zajecar $1,807

A family of three spends $2,962 per month in Playa del Carmen vs $2,392 in Zajecar, rent included.

  • Playa del Carmen $2,962
  • Zajecar $2,392

Playa del Carmen and Zajecar have comparable living costs – the differences are in the details.

Both Playa del Carmen and Zajecar are more affordable than the global median – Playa del Carmen 11% lower, Zajecar 10% lower.

Currency
🍽 Eating Out
Playa del Carmen
Zajecar
Difference
Meal at Budget Restaurant
$10.67 MX$199
$10.05 RSD 1,050
6.17%
Three-Course Dinner for Two, Mid-Range
$43.80 MX$815
$49.59 RSD 5,176
-11.68%
Fast Food Meal (McDonalds, etc)
$11.79 MX$219
$12.21 RSD 1,274
-3.44%
Cappuccino
$3.79 MX$70.5
$2.63 RSD 275
44.11%
Coke/Pepsi/Fanta/Sprite (0.33 liter bottle)
$1.30 MX$24.14
$2.49 RSD 260
-47.79%
Water (0.33 liter bottle)
$0.83 MX$15.51
$1.89 RSD 198
-56.08%
Local Beer (0.5 liter draught)
$3.15 MX$58.6
$3.06 RSD 319
2.94%
Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)
$4.93 MX$91.8
$3.71 RSD 387
32.88%
🛒 Groceries & Markets
Playa del Carmen
Zajecar
Difference
Milk (1 liter)
$1.41 MX$26.22
$1.38 RSD 144
2.17%
White Bread (500g)
$2.20 MX$40.86
$1.01 RSD 105
117.82%
Rice (white) (1kg)
$1.47 MX$27.40
$2.55 RSD 266
-42.35%
Eggs
$2.50 MX$46.46
$2.53 RSD 264
-1.19%
Local Cheese (1kg)
$7.29 MX$136
$13.19 RSD 1,377
-44.73%
Chicken Fillets (1kg)
$7.95 MX$148
$7.37 RSD 769
7.87%
Beef Round Steak (1kg)
$12.86 MX$239
$13.90 RSD 1,451
-7.48%
Apples (1kg)
$2.90 MX$53.9
$1.75 RSD 182
65.71%
Banana (1kg)
$1.38 MX$25.74
$1.97 RSD 206
-29.95%
Oranges (1kg)
$2.49 MX$46.35
$1.67 RSD 175
49.10%
Tomato (1kg)
$2.03 MX$37.77
$2.43 RSD 254
-16.46%
Potato (1kg)
$2.02 MX$37.68
$1.05 RSD 109
92.38%
Onion (1kg)
$1.90 MX$35.42
$0.68 RSD 70.9
179.41%
Lettuce (1 head)
$1.14 MX$21.30
$0.93 RSD 97.4
22.58%
Water (1.5 liter bottle)
$1.24 MX$23.05
$0.65 RSD 67.9
90.77%
Cigarettes 20 Pack (Marlboro, Camel)
$4.27 MX$79.5
$4.66 RSD 487
-8.37%
Wine (Bottle)
$9.81 MX$183
$7.44 RSD 776
31.85%
Local Beer (0.5 liter bottle)
$1.59 MX$29.51
$0.88 RSD 92.0
80.68%
Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)
$2.75 MX$51.1
$2.30 RSD 241
19.57%
🚌 Getting Around
Playa del Carmen
Zajecar
Difference
One-way Ticket (Public Transport)
$0.51 MX$9.58
$0.95 RSD 99.5
-46.32%
Public Transport Monthly Pass (Regular Price)
$27.39 MX$510
-
-
Taxi Start (Normal Tariff)
$4.76 MX$88.6
$2.73 RSD 285
74.36%
Taxi (Normal Tariff) (1km)
$3.25 MX$60.5
$0.79 RSD 82.8
311.39%
Taxi 1hour Waiting (Normal Tariff)
$5.39 MX$100
$11.39 RSD 1,189
-52.68%
Gasoline (1 liter)
$1.53 MX$28.44
$1.64 RSD 171
-6.71%
Midsize Hatchback 1.4l (Volkswagen Golf, Toyota Prius, Honda Civic, etc)
$21.2K MX$394.8K
$30.6K RSD 3.2M
-30.61%
Compact Sedan 1.6l (Toyota Corolla, Mazda3, Kia K4, Hyundai Elantra, etc)
$23.3K MX$432.9K
$24.4K RSD 2.5M
-4.61%
🧾 Monthly Utilities & Internet
Playa del Carmen
Zajecar
Difference
Utilities for 2 People in 2-bedroom Apartment (Heating, Electricity, Gas, Water, Garbage) (85m2)
$83.5 MX$1,554
$223 RSD 23.3K
-62.54%
SIM Card Monthly Plan (Calls and 10GB+ Data)
$23.19 MX$431
$21.26 RSD 2,220
9.08%
Internet (50+ Mbps, Unlimited Data)
$27.61 MX$514
$33.07 RSD 3,452
-16.51%
🎉 Sport & Entertainment
Playa del Carmen
Zajecar
Difference
Gym Membership (Monthly)
$56.4 MX$1,050
$30.48 RSD 3,182
85.14%
Tennis Court (1 Hour on Weekend)
$28.19 MX$525
-
-
Cinema Ticket
$5.00 MX$93.1
$7.29 RSD 761
-31.41%
🧸 Childcare & Education
Playa del Carmen
Zajecar
Difference
Preschool or Kindergarten, Full Day, Private, 1 Child (Monthly)
$207 MX$3,854
$374 RSD 39.1K
-44.70%
International Primary School, 1 Child (Yearly)
$5,231 MX$97.3K
$8,226 RSD 858.7K
-36.40%
👕👟 Clothing & Footwear
Playa del Carmen
Zajecar
Difference
Jeans (Levis 501 Or Similar)
$43.45 MX$809
$116 RSD 12.1K
-62.52%
Summer Dress (H&M, Zara, etc)
$42.54 MX$792
$43.28 RSD 4,518
-1.71%
Sport Shoes (Adidas, Nike)
$72.8 MX$1,354
$136 RSD 14.2K
-46.51%
Men's Leather Business Shoes
$88.4 MX$1,645
$127 RSD 13.3K
-30.42%
🏠 Accommodation & Living
Playa del Carmen
Zajecar
Difference
1-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)
$995 MX$18.5K
$346 RSD 36.1K
187.48%
1-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)
$382 MX$7,116
$268 RSD 28.0K
42.63%
3-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)
$1,674 MX$31.2K
$407 RSD 42.5K
311.56%
3-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)
$1,081 MX$20.1K
$373 RSD 38.9K
189.89%
Buy Apartment in City Center (m2)
$3,909 MX$72.7K
$2,211 RSD 230.8K
76.80%
Buy Apartment Outside City Center (m2)
$6,138 MX$114.2K
$1,405 RSD 146.7K
336.79%
💵 Salaries & Financials
Playa del Carmen
Zajecar
Difference
Average Monthly Net Salary (After Tax)
$832 MX$15.5K
$881 RSD 91.9K
-5.51%
20-Year Fixed Mortgage Interest Rate (Annual %)
11.45
5.02
128.09%

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

Last update for Playa del Carmen: November 2, 2026

Last update for Zajecar: November 2, 2026

Monthly budget structure
Share of the monthly basket for one person, rent included.
Accommodation & Living
Playa del Carmen
$382
Zajecar
$268 29.9% $114
Groceries & Markets
Playa del Carmen
$257
Zajecar
$242 6.1% $16
Eating Out
Playa del Carmen
$200
Zajecar
$189 5.7% $11
Monthly Utilities & Internet
Playa del Carmen
$134
Zajecar
$277 106% $143
Clothing & Footwear
Playa del Carmen
$111
Zajecar
$190 70.9% $79
Sport & Entertainment
Playa del Carmen
$66
Zajecar
$45 32.2% $21
Getting Around
Playa del Carmen
$50
Zajecar
$11 * 79.2% $40

Categories marked with * are only partly priced – their share counts the items that do have prices.

Cost Breakdown

A central one-bedroom costs $995 in Playa del Carmen versus $346 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 6% higher in Zajecar. Purchasing power depends on which expenses matter most to you.

A mid-range dinner for two costs $44 in Playa del Carmen versus $50 in Zajecar. Groceries tell a different story – $257 in Playa del Carmen vs $242 in Zajecar – so Zajecar wins on supermarket bills even if dining out costs more.

Good to know
🇲🇽 Playa del Carmen
🇷🇸 Zajecar
🕒 Local time
23:11 11:11 PM
05:11 5:11 AM
6 h ahead of Playa del Carmen
🌤 Weather
👥 Population
149,923
32,448
💱 Currency
Exchange rates and currency converter

RSD, USD, EUR to MXN – Mexican Peso Converter

Mexican Peso exchange rates as of November 5, 2026: 1 USD = 18.61 MXN (100 MXN = 5.37 USD). 1 EUR = 20.95 MXN (100 MXN = 4.77 EUR).

Serbian Dinar exchange rates as of November 5, 2026: 1 USD = 104 RSD (1,000 RSD = 9.58 USD). 1 EUR = 118 RSD (1,000 RSD = 8.51 EUR).

On the map
Between locations
  • Playa del Carmen Zajecar 9,870 km ≈ 13 h nonstop flight
From you
  • Playa del Carmen
  • Zajecar

Distances are measured in a straight line. Your location is detected approximately.

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
What income do you need for each city?
For a comfortable life, plan on about $1,804 per month in Playa del Carmen and $1,832 in Zajecar. That covers rent, food, utilities, transport, and enough left over to feel settled – not just surviving.
Which city has lower housing costs?
Rent is clearly cheaper in Zajecar, especially for central apartments: a one-bedroom in the center costs $346 there versus $995 in Playa del Carmen.
Is eating out cheaper in Playa del Carmen or in Zajecar?
A mid-range dinner for two costs $44 in Playa del Carmen and $50 in Zajecar. That’s a good indicator of the overall restaurant and café pricing gap between the two cities.
Which city has cheaper kindergarten?
Kindergarten costs $207 per month in Playa del Carmen and $374 in Zajecar. For families with young kids, this one expense can tip the scales when choosing between the two cities.
Is $1,500 enough for either Playa del Carmen or Zajecar?
$1,500 covers both cities comfortably – all-in costs are $1,202 in Playa del Carmen and $1,221 in Zajecar, leaving budget for savings and extras in both cases.
Is it better to live in Playa del Carmen or in Zajecar?
It depends on your priorities. Playa del Carmen has an edge in some lifestyle areas, with costs from $1,202 in Playa del Carmen to $1,221 in Zajecar. Climate, culture, job market, and personal taste all factor in.
Which city is the better choice to relocate to?
If budget matters most, go with Playa del Carmen. If higher salaries or specific career opportunities are the priority, Zajecar makes more sense. Both are solid long-term options with distinct trade-offs.

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