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 $859 per month in Sabac vs $1,305 in Playa del Carmen, rent included.

A couple spends around $1,336 per month in Sabac vs $2,334 in Playa del Carmen, rent included.

A family of three spends $1,813 per month in Sabac vs $3,362 in Playa del Carmen, rent included.

Sabac is about 34% cheaper than Playa del Carmen, driven mainly by Groceries & Markets.

Both Sabac and Playa del Carmen are more affordable than the global median – Sabac 38% lower, Playa del Carmen 5% lower.

Meal at Budget Restaurant

$8.32 RSD 838

$11.96 MX$203

-30.43%

Three-Course Dinner for Two, Mid-Range

$27.83 RSD 2,805

$47.38 MX$805

-41.26%

Fast Food Meal (McDonalds, etc)

$7.13 RSD 719

$11.75 MX$200

-39.32%

Cappuccino

$1.96 RSD 197

$4.12 MX$70.1

-52.43%

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

$1.92 RSD 194

$1.40 MX$23.78

37.14%

Water (0.33 liter bottle)

$1.38 RSD 139

$0.91 MX$15.50

51.65%

Local Beer (0.5 liter draught)

$2.74 RSD 276

$3.21 MX$54.5

-14.64%

Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$2.71 RSD 273

$7.07 MX$120

-61.67%

Milk (1 liter)

$1.30 RSD 132

$1.68 MX$28.49

-22.62%

White Bread (500g)

$0.60 RSD 60.3

$2.15 MX$36.53

-72.09%

Rice (white) (1kg)

$1.99 RSD 200

$1.77 MX$30.14

12.43%

Eggs

$2.07 RSD 208

$2.82 MX$47.83

-26.60%

Local Cheese (1kg)

$5.99 RSD 604

$9.20 MX$156

-34.89%

Chicken Fillets (1kg)

$6.77 RSD 682

$9.23 MX$157

-26.65%

Beef Round Steak (1kg)

$11.91 RSD 1,200

$12.64 MX$215

-5.78%

Apples (1kg)

$1.24 RSD 125

$2.95 MX$50.1

-57.97%

Banana (1kg)

$1.91 RSD 193

$1.58 MX$26.83

20.89%

Oranges (1kg)

$1.45 RSD 146

$2.22 MX$37.76

-34.68%

Tomato (1kg)

$1.94 RSD 196

$2.36 MX$40.15

-17.80%

Potato (1kg)

$0.66 RSD 66.6

$1.99 MX$33.86

-66.83%

Onion (1kg)

$0.33 RSD 33.64

$1.98 MX$33.63

-83.33%

Lettuce (1 head)

$1.10 RSD 111

$1.24 MX$21.07

-11.29%

Water (1.5 liter bottle)

$0.42 RSD 42.29

$1.21 MX$20.58

-65.29%

Cigarettes 20 Pack (Marlboro, Camel)

$3.87 RSD 390

$4.60 MX$78.2

-15.87%

Wine (Bottle)

$8.10 RSD 816

$10.52 MX$179

-23.00%

Local Beer (0.5 liter bottle)

$0.70 RSD 70.6

$1.69 MX$28.74

-58.58%

Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$1.02 RSD 103

$2.77 MX$47.13

-63.18%

One-way Ticket (Public Transport)

$1.08 RSD 109

$0.60 MX$10.24

80.00%

Public Transport Monthly Pass (Regular Price)

$29.70 MX$505

Taxi Start (Normal Tariff)

$1.53 RSD 155

$5.24 MX$89.0

-70.80%

Taxi (Normal Tariff) (1km)

$0.98 RSD 98.3

$3.65 MX$62.0

-73.15%

Taxi 1hour Waiting (Normal Tariff)

$5.37 RSD 541

$5.78 MX$98.3

-7.09%

Gasoline (1 liter)

$1.79 RSD 180

$1.54 MX$26.13

16.23%

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

$32.0K RSD 3.2M

$22.8K MX$387.4K

40.42%

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

$26.4K RSD 2.7M

$25.8K MX$438.5K

2.09%

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

$146 RSD 14.8K

$90.7 MX$1,540

61.51%

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

$26.16 RSD 2,636

$25.19 MX$428

3.85%

Internet (50+ Mbps, Unlimited Data)

$20.08 RSD 2,024

$31.75 MX$539

-36.76%

Gym Membership (Monthly)

$30.63 RSD 3,087

$68.8 MX$1,169

-55.47%

Tennis Court (1 Hour on Weekend)

$14.05 RSD 1,416

$29.37 MX$499

-52.16%

Cinema Ticket

$5.87 RSD 592

$4.86 MX$82.6

20.78%

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

$181 RSD 18.2K

$226 MX$3,834

-19.82%

International Primary School, 1 Child (Yearly)

$4,037 RSD 406.9K

$4,194 MX$71.2K

-3.74%

Jeans (Levis 501 Or Similar)

$63.8 RSD 6,433

$47.38 MX$805

34.70%

Summer Dress (H&M, Zara, etc)

$69.0 RSD 6,952

$43.45 MX$738

58.73%

Sport Shoes (Adidas, Nike)

$59.4 RSD 5,987

$80.2 MX$1,363

-25.95%

Men's Leather Business Shoes

$121 RSD 12.2K

$91.4 MX$1,552

32.34%

1-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)

$234 RSD 23.6K

$1,086 MX$18.4K

-78.40%

1-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)

$157 RSD 15.8K

$409 MX$6,943

-61.57%

3-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)

$346 RSD 34.9K

$1,972 MX$33.5K

-82.44%

3-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)

$261 RSD 26.3K

$1,281 MX$21.8K

-79.64%

Buy Apartment in City Center (m2)

$1,948 RSD 196.4K

$4,046 MX$68.7K

-51.84%

Buy Apartment Outside City Center (m2)

$1,562 RSD 157.4K

$6,704 MX$113.9K

-76.70%

Average Monthly Net Salary (After Tax)

$993 RSD 100.1K

$773 MX$13.1K

28.40%

20-Year Fixed Mortgage Interest Rate (Annual %)

4.84

11.45

-57.73%

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

Last update for Sabac: September 8, 2026

Last update for Playa del Carmen: September 7, 2026

Cost Breakdown

A central one-bedroom costs $234 in Sabac versus $1,086 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 28% 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 $28.00 in Sabac versus $47.00 in Playa del Carmen. Monthly groceries follow the same trend: $190 vs $278 – 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 52%, and the gap shows up most in Groceries & Markets. It's not just housing either; the difference applies across most spending categories.

For a comfortable life, plan on about $1,288 per month in Sabac and $1,958 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 $859 in Sabac and $1,305 in Playa del Carmen. The difference isn't just one category – it shows up across housing, food, transport, and services.

Kindergarten costs $181 per month in Sabac and $226 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 $859, than in Playa del Carmen at $1,305. 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.