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

Monthly Cost of Living

A single person spends $945 per month in Sabac vs $1,287 in Playa del Carmen, rent included.

A couple spends around $1,390 per month in Sabac vs $2,184 in Playa del Carmen, rent included.

A family of three spends $1,834 per month in Sabac vs $3,082 in Playa del Carmen, rent included.

Sabac is about 27% cheaper than Playa del Carmen, driven mainly by Eating Out.

Both Sabac and Playa del Carmen are more affordable than the global median – Sabac 29% lower, Playa del Carmen 4% lower.

Meal at Budget Restaurant

$8.64 RSD 866

$11.94 MX$208

-27.64%

Three-Course Dinner for Two, Mid-Range

$27.04 RSD 2,711

$42.75 MX$744

-36.75%

Fast Food Meal (McDonalds, etc)

$9.70 RSD 973

$10.59 MX$184

-8.40%

Cappuccino

$1.45 RSD 146

$3.62 MX$63.0

-59.94%

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

$1.73 RSD 174

$1.47 MX$25.54

17.69%

Water (0.33 liter bottle)

$1.16 RSD 116

$0.94 MX$16.41

23.40%

Local Beer (0.5 liter draught)

$2.34 RSD 235

$3.09 MX$53.8

-24.27%

Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$2.13 RSD 214

$4.46 MX$77.6

-52.24%

Milk (1 liter)

$1.36 RSD 137

$1.43 MX$24.80

-4.90%

White Bread (500g)

$0.64 RSD 64.2

$1.88 MX$32.79

-65.96%

Rice (white) (1kg)

$1.99 RSD 199

$1.63 MX$28.34

22.09%

Eggs

$2.30 RSD 230

$2.64 MX$45.99

-12.88%

Local Cheese (1kg)

$7.48 RSD 750

$8.21 MX$143

-8.89%

Chicken Fillets (1kg)

$6.98 RSD 700

$8.29 MX$144

-15.80%

Beef Round Steak (1kg)

$10.71 RSD 1,074

$11.10 MX$193

-3.51%

Apples (1kg)

$1.35 RSD 136

$2.65 MX$46.14

-49.06%

Banana (1kg)

$1.83 RSD 184

$1.50 MX$26.11

22.00%

Oranges (1kg)

$1.74 RSD 174

$1.99 MX$34.59

-12.56%

Tomato (1kg)

$2.31 RSD 231

$2.08 MX$36.13

11.06%

Potato (1kg)

$1.10 RSD 111

$1.79 MX$31.11

-38.55%

Onion (1kg)

$1.26 RSD 127

$2.18 MX$37.87

-42.20%

Lettuce (1 head)

$1.06 RSD 106

$1.08 MX$18.73

-1.85%

Water (1.5 liter bottle)

$0.49 RSD 49.08

$1.04 MX$18.04

-52.88%

Cigarettes 20 Pack (Marlboro, Camel)

$4.09 RSD 410

$3.97 MX$69.1

3.02%

Wine (Bottle)

$7.15 RSD 717

$10.20 MX$178

-29.90%

Local Beer (0.5 liter bottle)

$0.68 RSD 68.0

$1.73 MX$30.04

-60.69%

Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$2.13 RSD 214

$2.50 MX$43.46

-14.80%

One-way Ticket (Public Transport)

$0.93 RSD 93.6

$0.52 MX$9.02

78.85%

Public Transport Monthly Pass (Regular Price)

$26.97 MX$469

Taxi Start (Normal Tariff)

$1.09 RSD 109

$3.14 MX$54.7

-65.29%

Taxi (Normal Tariff) (1km)

$0.45 RSD 45.42

$2.40 MX$41.80

-81.25%

Taxi 1hour Waiting (Normal Tariff)

$5.03 RSD 505

$3.09 MX$53.7

62.78%

Gasoline (1 liter)

$1.82 RSD 182

$1.27 MX$22.16

43.31%

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

$31.1K RSD 3.1M

$30.9K MX$537.3K

0.70%

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

$26.9K RSD 2.7M

$23.3K MX$405.7K

15.52%

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

$161 RSD 16.1K

$82.0 MX$1,427

96.09%

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

$19.33 RSD 1,938

$22.45 MX$391

-13.90%

Internet (50+ Mbps, Unlimited Data)

$24.50 RSD 2,456

$29.66 MX$516

-17.40%

Gym Membership (Monthly)

$24.09 RSD 2,416

$51.9 MX$903

-53.56%

Tennis Court (1 Hour on Weekend)

$12.04 RSD 1,207

$18.67 MX$325

-35.51%

Cinema Ticket

$6.83 RSD 685

$4.97 MX$86.5

37.42%

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

$183 RSD 18.3K

$198 MX$3,442

-7.64%

International Primary School, 1 Child (Yearly)

$4,009 RSD 402.0K

$5,273 MX$91.7K

-23.96%

Jeans (Levis 501 Or Similar)

$63.3 RSD 6,350

$36.34 MX$632

74.30%

Summer Dress (H&M, Zara, etc)

$56.5 RSD 5,660

$40.05 MX$697

40.95%

Sport Shoes (Adidas, Nike)

$116 RSD 11.6K

$79.9 MX$1,390

45.08%

Men's Leather Business Shoes

$119 RSD 11.9K

$88.9 MX$1,547

33.89%

1-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)

$235 RSD 23.5K

$963 MX$16.8K

-75.65%

1-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)

$175 RSD 17.5K

$465 MX$8,086

-62.41%

3-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)

$350 RSD 35.1K

$1,596 MX$27.8K

-78.06%

3-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)

$259 RSD 25.9K

$1,209 MX$21.0K

-78.60%

Buy Apartment in City Center (m2)

$2,004 RSD 200.9K

$3,942 MX$68.6K

-49.17%

Buy Apartment Outside City Center (m2)

$1,586 RSD 159.0K

$6,448 MX$112.2K

-75.41%

Average Monthly Net Salary (After Tax)

$986 RSD 98.8K

$720 MX$12.5K

36.83%

20-Year Fixed Mortgage Interest Rate (Annual %)

11.42

-29.95%

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

Last update for Sabac: April 28, 2026

Last update for Playa del Carmen: April 25, 2026

Cost Breakdown

A central one-bedroom costs $235 in Sabac versus $963 in Playa del Carmen. 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 Sabac, 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 $27.00 in Sabac versus $43.00 in Playa del Carmen. Monthly groceries follow the same trend: $201 vs $251 – making Sabac 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

Sabac vs Playa del Carmen: Cost of Living - Frequently Asked Questions

Yes – Playa del Carmen is pricier by about 36%, 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 $1,418 per month in Sabac and $1,930 in Playa del Carmen. That covers rent, food, utilities, transport, and enough left over to feel settled – not just surviving.

Rent is clearly cheaper in Sabac, 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 $945 in Sabac and $1,287 in Playa del Carmen. The difference isn't just one category – it shows up across housing, food, transport, and services.

Kindergarten costs $183 per month in Sabac and $198 in Playa del Carmen. For families with young kids, this one expense can tip the scales when choosing between the two cities.

A $2,000 monthly budget goes further in Sabac, where all-in costs run around $945, than in Playa del Carmen at $1,287. In Sabac it covers expenses comfortably, while in Playa del Carmen it requires careful planning or may not stretch far enough.

Families tend to lean toward Sabac – 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 Sabac. 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.