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

Monthly Cost of Living

A single person spends $2,186 per month in Warsaw vs $1,305 in Playa del Carmen, rent included.

A couple spends around $3,095 per month in Warsaw vs $2,334 in Playa del Carmen, rent included.

A family of three spends $4,004 per month in Warsaw vs $3,362 in Playa del Carmen, rent included.

Warsaw costs about 67% more than Playa del Carmen, driven mainly by Clothing & Footwear.

Warsaw sits 58% above the global median, while Playa del Carmen is 5% below – they fall on opposite sides of the world average.

Meal at Budget Restaurant

$12.62 zł 46.98

$11.96 MX$203

5.52%

Three-Course Dinner for Two, Mid-Range

$64.0 zł 238

$47.38 MX$804

34.97%

Fast Food Meal (McDonalds, etc)

$10.78 zł 40.13

$11.75 MX$199

-8.26%

Cappuccino

$4.58 zł 17.06

$4.12 MX$70.0

11.17%

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

$2.51 zł 9.35

$1.40 MX$23.74

79.29%

Water (0.33 liter bottle)

$2.37 zł 8.83

$0.91 MX$15.48

160.44%

Local Beer (0.5 liter draught)

$4.71 zł 17.52

$3.21 MX$54.4

46.73%

Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$5.37 zł 20.01

$7.07 MX$120

-24.05%

Milk (1 liter)

$1.17 zł 4.36

$1.68 MX$28.44

-30.36%

White Bread (500g)

$1.61 zł 6.01

$2.15 MX$36.48

-25.12%

Rice (white) (1kg)

$1.83 zł 6.81

$1.77 MX$30.10

3.39%

Eggs

$4.19 zł 15.62

$2.82 MX$47.76

48.58%

Local Cheese (1kg)

$9.75 zł 36.31

$9.20 MX$156

5.98%

Chicken Fillets (1kg)

$7.17 zł 26.68

$9.23 MX$157

-22.32%

Beef Round Steak (1kg)

$15.84 zł 59.0

$12.64 MX$214

25.32%

Apples (1kg)

$1.32 zł 4.93

$2.95 MX$50.1

-55.25%

Banana (1kg)

$1.79 zł 6.65

$1.58 MX$26.79

13.29%

Oranges (1kg)

$1.86 zł 6.93

$2.22 MX$37.70

-16.22%

Tomato (1kg)

$4.32 zł 16.07

$2.36 MX$40.09

83.05%

Potato (1kg)

$0.95 zł 3.53

$1.99 MX$33.81

-52.26%

Onion (1kg)

$0.92 zł 3.42

$1.98 MX$33.58

-53.54%

Lettuce (1 head)

$1.50 zł 5.60

$1.24 MX$21.04

20.97%

Water (1.5 liter bottle)

$0.73 zł 2.71

$1.21 MX$20.55

-39.67%

Cigarettes 20 Pack (Marlboro, Camel)

$6.84 zł 25.47

$4.60 MX$78.1

48.70%

Wine (Bottle)

$6.85 zł 25.52

$10.52 MX$178

-34.89%

Local Beer (0.5 liter bottle)

$1.19 zł 4.45

$1.69 MX$28.70

-29.59%

Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$1.93 zł 7.19

$2.77 MX$47.06

-30.32%

One-way Ticket (Public Transport)

$1.16 zł 4.31

$0.60 MX$10.22

93.33%

Public Transport Monthly Pass (Regular Price)

$29.88 zł 111

$29.70 MX$504

0.61%

Taxi Start (Normal Tariff)

$2.68 zł 9.97

$5.24 MX$88.8

-48.85%

Taxi (Normal Tariff) (1km)

$1.39 zł 5.17

$3.65 MX$61.9

-61.92%

Taxi 1hour Waiting (Normal Tariff)

$13.57 zł 50.5

$5.78 MX$98.1

134.78%

Gasoline (1 liter)

$1.77 zł 6.58

$1.54 MX$26.09

14.94%

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

$31.9K zł 118.9K

$22.8K MX$386.8K

40.04%

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

$32.2K zł 120.0K

$25.8K MX$437.9K

24.89%

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

$379 zł 1,410

$90.7 MX$1,538

317.72%

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

$9.49 zł 35.35

$25.19 MX$427

-62.33%

Internet (50+ Mbps, Unlimited Data)

$17.87 zł 66.5

$31.75 MX$539

-43.72%

Gym Membership (Monthly)

$50.9 zł 189

$68.8 MX$1,167

-26.06%

Tennis Court (1 Hour on Weekend)

$30.15 zł 112

$29.37 MX$498

2.66%

Cinema Ticket

$9.93 zł 36.96

$4.86 MX$82.5

104.32%

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

$620 zł 2,310

$226 MX$3,828

174.87%

International Primary School, 1 Child (Yearly)

$15.5K zł 57.8K

$4,194 MX$71.1K

269.97%

Jeans (Levis 501 Or Similar)

$114 zł 425

$47.38 MX$804

140.63%

Summer Dress (H&M, Zara, etc)

$42.74 zł 159

$43.45 MX$737

-1.63%

Sport Shoes (Adidas, Nike)

$112 zł 417

$80.2 MX$1,361

39.53%

Men's Leather Business Shoes

$126 zł 471

$91.4 MX$1,550

38.39%

1-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)

$1,268 zł 4,722

$1,086 MX$18.4K

16.82%

1-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)

$994 zł 3,701

$409 MX$6,933

143.22%

3-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)

$2,200 zł 8,193

$1,972 MX$33.5K

11.58%

3-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)

$1,595 zł 5,939

$1,281 MX$21.7K

24.48%

Buy Apartment in City Center (m2)

$6,459 zł 24.0K

$4,046 MX$68.6K

59.64%

Buy Apartment Outside City Center (m2)

$4,168 zł 15.5K

$6,704 MX$113.7K

-37.83%

Average Monthly Net Salary (After Tax)

$2,195 zł 8,173

$773 MX$13.1K

183.85%

20-Year Fixed Mortgage Interest Rate (Annual %)

6.65

11.45

-41.92%

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

Last update for Warsaw: September 5, 2026

Last update for Playa del Carmen: September 7, 2026

Cost Breakdown

A central one-bedroom costs $1,268 in Warsaw 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 184% higher in Warsaw, which partly offsets the higher cost of living there. Purchasing power depends on which expenses matter most to you.

A mid-range dinner for two costs $64.0 in Warsaw versus $47.00 in Playa del Carmen. Groceries tell a different story – $254 in Warsaw vs $278 in Playa del Carmen – so Warsaw wins on supermarket bills even if dining out costs more.

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

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

Yes – Warsaw is pricier by about 67%, and the gap shows up most in Clothing & Footwear. It's not just housing either; the difference applies across most spending categories.

For a comfortable life, plan on about $3,278 per month in Warsaw 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 Playa del Carmen, 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 $2,186 in Warsaw and $1,305 in Playa del Carmen. The difference isn't just one category – it shows up across housing, food, transport, and services.

Public transport costs about 1% less in Playa del Carmen. For daily commuters, that gap adds up to noticeable savings over a year.

A $1,500 monthly budget goes further in Playa del Carmen, where all-in costs run around $1,305, than in Warsaw at $2,186. In Playa del Carmen it covers expenses comfortably, while in Warsaw it requires careful planning or may not stretch far enough.

Families tend to lean toward Playa del Carmen – 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 Playa del Carmen. If higher salaries, better infrastructure, or specific career opportunities are the priority, Warsaw makes more sense. Both are solid long-term options with distinct trade-offs.