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 $2,006 per month in Warsaw vs $1,271 in Playa del Carmen, rent included.

A couple spends around $2,899 per month in Warsaw vs $2,126 in Playa del Carmen, rent included.

A family of three spends $3,792 per month in Warsaw vs $2,980 in Playa del Carmen, rent included.

Warsaw costs about 58% more than Playa del Carmen, driven mainly by Clothing & Footwear.

Warsaw sits 49% above the global median, while Playa del Carmen is 5% below – they fall on opposite sides of the world average.

Meal at Budget Restaurant

$10.90 zł 39.84

$11.87 MX$204

-8.17%

Three-Course Dinner for Two, Mid-Range

$56.5 zł 206

$42.90 MX$736

31.66%

Fast Food Meal (McDonalds, etc)

$9.68 zł 35.38

$10.65 MX$183

-9.11%

Cappuccino

$4.28 zł 15.63

$3.45 MX$59.2

24.06%

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

$2.14 zł 7.83

$1.50 MX$25.81

42.67%

Water (0.33 liter bottle)

$1.83 zł 6.68

$0.95 MX$16.28

92.63%

Local Beer (0.5 liter draught)

$4.51 zł 16.48

$3.03 MX$51.9

48.84%

Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$4.70 zł 17.18

$4.61 MX$79.1

1.95%

Milk (1 liter)

$1.20 zł 4.37

$1.38 MX$23.61

-13.04%

White Bread (500g)

$1.35 zł 4.93

$1.85 MX$31.70

-27.03%

Rice (white) (1kg)

$1.79 zł 6.53

$1.61 MX$27.65

11.18%

Eggs

$3.52 zł 12.85

$2.59 MX$44.51

35.91%

Local Cheese (1kg)

$10.08 zł 36.83

$8.26 MX$142

22.03%

Chicken Fillets (1kg)

$6.96 zł 25.45

$8.37 MX$144

-16.85%

Beef Round Steak (1kg)

$14.28 zł 52.2

$10.66 MX$183

33.96%

Apples (1kg)

$1.29 zł 4.72

$2.63 MX$45.12

-50.95%

Banana (1kg)

$1.86 zł 6.81

$1.49 MX$25.53

24.83%

Oranges (1kg)

$1.96 zł 7.16

$1.92 MX$32.94

2.08%

Tomato (1kg)

$3.61 zł 13.19

$2.09 MX$35.81

72.73%

Potato (1kg)

$1.09 zł 3.97

$1.86 MX$31.88

-41.40%

Onion (1kg)

$1.18 zł 4.31

$2.26 MX$38.81

-47.79%

Lettuce (1 head)

$1.51 zł 5.52

$1.06 MX$18.23

42.45%

Water (1.5 liter bottle)

$0.67 zł 2.46

$1.09 MX$18.67

-38.53%

Cigarettes 20 Pack (Marlboro, Camel)

$5.35 zł 19.56

$4.15 MX$71.2

28.92%

Wine (Bottle)

$8.27 zł 30.21

$10.39 MX$178

-20.40%

Local Beer (0.5 liter bottle)

$1.36 zł 4.98

$1.72 MX$29.59

-20.93%

Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$1.94 zł 7.10

$2.61 MX$44.85

-25.67%

One-way Ticket (Public Transport)

$1.22 zł 4.44

$0.54 MX$9.30

125.93%

Public Transport Monthly Pass (Regular Price)

$29.89 zł 109

$26.94 MX$462

10.95%

Taxi Start (Normal Tariff)

$2.69 zł 9.83

$3.13 MX$53.7

-14.06%

Taxi (Normal Tariff) (1km)

$1.02 zł 3.72

$2.51 MX$43.09

-59.36%

Taxi 1hour Waiting (Normal Tariff)

$13.84 zł 50.6

$3.15 MX$54.1

339.37%

Gasoline (1 liter)

$1.75 zł 6.40

$1.27 MX$21.88

37.80%

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

$32.6K zł 119.3K

$30.4K MX$521.3K

7.50%

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

$33.4K zł 122.1K

$23.6K MX$404.5K

41.76%

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

$358 zł 1,308

$83.0 MX$1,425

331.16%

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

$10.14 zł 37.06

$22.71 MX$390

-55.35%

Internet (50+ Mbps, Unlimited Data)

$17.61 zł 64.4

$29.46 MX$506

-40.22%

Gym Membership (Monthly)

$44.24 zł 162

$51.0 MX$875

-13.25%

Tennis Court (1 Hour on Weekend)

$29.04 zł 106

$18.33 MX$315

58.43%

Cinema Ticket

$9.78 zł 35.76

$4.93 MX$84.5

98.38%

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

$570 zł 2,084

$197 MX$3,386

189.00%

International Primary School, 1 Child (Yearly)

$15.3K zł 56.0K

$5,280 MX$90.6K

190.38%

Jeans (Levis 501 Or Similar)

$97.9 zł 358

$36.90 MX$633

165.39%

Summer Dress (H&M, Zara, etc)

$46.82 zł 171

$39.89 MX$685

17.37%

Sport Shoes (Adidas, Nike)

$92.6 zł 338

$80.0 MX$1,373

15.71%

Men's Leather Business Shoes

$110 zł 400

$89.5 MX$1,536

22.42%

1-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)

$1,121 zł 4,097

$956 MX$16.4K

17.23%

1-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)

$912 zł 3,333

$477 MX$8,189

91.16%

3-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)

$2,032 zł 7,429

$1,646 MX$28.3K

23.48%

3-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)

$1,536 zł 5,615

$1,225 MX$21.0K

25.44%

Buy Apartment in City Center (m2)

$6,351 zł 23.2K

$3,918 MX$67.2K

62.11%

Buy Apartment Outside City Center (m2)

$4,022 zł 14.7K

$6,459 MX$110.9K

-37.73%

Average Monthly Net Salary (After Tax)

$2,257 zł 8,250

$667 MX$11.4K

238.40%

20-Year Fixed Mortgage Interest Rate (Annual %)

7.55

11.42

-33.89%

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

Last update for Warsaw: June 7, 2026

Last update for Playa del Carmen: June 7, 2026

Cost Breakdown

A central one-bedroom costs $1,121 in Warsaw versus $956 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 238% 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 $56.0 in Warsaw versus $43.00 in Playa del Carmen. Groceries tell a different story – $245 in Warsaw vs $250 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 58%, 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 $3,009 per month in Warsaw and $1,906 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 $2,006 in Warsaw and $1,271 in Playa del Carmen. The difference isn't just one category – it shows up across housing, food, transport, and services.

Public transport costs about 11% 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 $1,271, than in Warsaw at $2,006. 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.