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

Monthly Cost of Living

A single person spends $917 per month in Elbasan vs $1,260 in Playa del Carmen, rent included.

A couple spends around $1,433 per month in Elbasan vs $2,125 in Playa del Carmen, rent included.

A family of three spends $1,949 per month in Elbasan vs $2,990 in Playa del Carmen, rent included.

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

Both Elbasan and Playa del Carmen are more affordable than the global median – Elbasan 31% lower, Playa del Carmen 5% lower.

Meal at Budget Restaurant

$9.47 ALL 770

$11.72 MX$203

-19.20%

Three-Course Dinner for Two, Mid-Range

$32.67 ALL 2,655

$41.89 MX$725

-22.01%

Fast Food Meal (McDonalds, etc)

$7.12 ALL 579

$10.51 MX$182

-32.25%

Cappuccino

$1.80 ALL 147

$3.59 MX$62.0

-49.86%

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

$1.29 ALL 105

$1.51 MX$26.10

-14.57%

Water (0.33 liter bottle)

$0.75 ALL 60.5

$0.92 MX$15.83

-18.48%

Local Beer (0.5 liter draught)

$1.81 ALL 147

$2.96 MX$51.2

-38.85%

Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$2.30 ALL 187

$4.41 MX$76.3

-47.85%

Milk (1 liter)

$1.80 ALL 146

$1.40 MX$24.16

28.57%

White Bread (500g)

$0.92 ALL 75.0

$1.88 MX$32.60

-51.06%

Rice (white) (1kg)

$1.49 ALL 121

$1.56 MX$26.97

-4.49%

Eggs

$3.00 ALL 244

$2.61 MX$45.14

14.94%

Local Cheese (1kg)

$9.69 ALL 787

$8.32 MX$144

16.47%

Chicken Fillets (1kg)

$5.44 ALL 442

$8.35 MX$145

-34.85%

Beef Round Steak (1kg)

$12.45 ALL 1,012

$10.86 MX$188

14.64%

Apples (1kg)

$0.87 ALL 70.5

$2.71 MX$46.93

-67.90%

Banana (1kg)

$2.37 ALL 193

$1.51 MX$26.04

56.95%

Oranges (1kg)

$1.25 ALL 102

$1.87 MX$32.41

-33.16%

Tomato (1kg)

$0.93 ALL 75.5

$2.19 MX$37.89

-57.53%

Potato (1kg)

$1.01 ALL 81.7

$1.86 MX$32.14

-45.70%

Onion (1kg)

$1.03 ALL 83.8

$2.23 MX$38.59

-53.81%

Lettuce (1 head)

$0.90 ALL 73.0

$1.07 MX$18.48

-15.89%

Water (1.5 liter bottle)

$0.57 ALL 46.05

$1.09 MX$18.79

-47.71%

Cigarettes 20 Pack (Marlboro, Camel)

$3.96 ALL 321

$4.19 MX$72.4

-5.49%

Wine (Bottle)

$8.13 ALL 661

$10.43 MX$180

-22.05%

Local Beer (0.5 liter bottle)

$0.90 ALL 73.0

$1.66 MX$28.68

-45.78%

Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$1.43 ALL 116

$2.61 MX$45.19

-45.21%

One-way Ticket (Public Transport)

$0.48 ALL 39.02

$0.54 MX$9.37

-11.11%

Public Transport Monthly Pass (Regular Price)

$18.61 ALL 1,512

$26.16 MX$453

-28.86%

Taxi Start (Normal Tariff)

$3.43 ALL 279

$3.08 MX$53.3

11.36%

Taxi (Normal Tariff) (1km)

$1.28 ALL 104

$2.40 MX$41.61

-46.67%

Taxi 1hour Waiting (Normal Tariff)

$14.32 ALL 1,163

$3.13 MX$54.1

357.51%

Gasoline (1 liter)

$2.18 ALL 177

$1.31 MX$22.69

66.41%

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

$21.6K ALL 1.8M

$29.8K MX$515.7K

-27.57%

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

$27.7K ALL 2.2M

$23.3K MX$403.5K

18.63%

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

$66.8 ALL 5,425

$81.3 MX$1,406

-17.86%

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

$17.59 ALL 1,429

$22.56 MX$390

-22.03%

Internet (50+ Mbps, Unlimited Data)

$15.21 ALL 1,235

$30.05 MX$520

-49.38%

Gym Membership (Monthly)

$66.0 ALL 5,364

$52.9 MX$915

24.76%

Tennis Court (1 Hour on Weekend)

$16.18 ALL 1,314

$18.39 MX$318

-12.02%

Cinema Ticket

$5.67 ALL 461

$4.92 MX$85.1

15.24%

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

$139 ALL 11.3K

$201 MX$3,474

-30.85%

International Primary School, 1 Child (Yearly)

$1,791 ALL 145.5K

$5,175 MX$89.5K

-65.38%

Jeans (Levis 501 Or Similar)

$47.58 ALL 3,866

$35.92 MX$622

32.46%

Summer Dress (H&M, Zara, etc)

$34.42 ALL 2,797

$40.13 MX$694

-14.23%

Sport Shoes (Adidas, Nike)

$95.5 ALL 7,760

$79.7 MX$1,379

19.84%

Men's Leather Business Shoes

$179 ALL 14.5K

$86.5 MX$1,496

106.90%

1-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)

$286 ALL 23.2K

$978 MX$16.9K

-70.77%

1-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)

$194 ALL 15.7K

$470 MX$8,140

-58.86%

3-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)

$415 ALL 33.8K

$1,651 MX$28.6K

-74.84%

3-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)

$296 ALL 24.0K

$1,203 MX$20.8K

-75.42%

Buy Apartment in City Center (m2)

$1,310 ALL 106.5K

$3,953 MX$68.4K

-66.86%

Buy Apartment Outside City Center (m2)

$866 ALL 70.3K

$6,607 MX$114.3K

-86.90%

Average Monthly Net Salary (After Tax)

$550 ALL 44.7K

$677 MX$11.7K

-18.66%

20-Year Fixed Mortgage Interest Rate (Annual %)

6.1

11.42

-46.58%

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

Last update for Elbasan: July 27, 2026

Last update for Playa del Carmen: July 27, 2026

Cost Breakdown

A central one-bedroom costs $286 in Elbasan versus $978 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 23% higher in Playa del Carmen, 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 $33.00 in Elbasan versus $42.00 in Playa del Carmen. Monthly groceries follow the same trend: $206 vs $252 – making Elbasan 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

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

Yes – Playa del Carmen is pricier by about 37%, 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 $1,375 per month in Elbasan and $1,890 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 Elbasan, especially for central apartments. Housing is actually the single biggest factor behind the overall cost gap between these two cities.

Groceries cost about 22% more in Playa del Carmen, though it depends on what you buy. Local produce may be comparable; imported and premium items show the biggest price gap.

A mid-range dinner for two costs $33.00 in Elbasan and $42.00 in Playa del Carmen. That's a good indicator of the overall restaurant and café pricing gap between the two cities.

A $1,500 monthly budget goes further in Elbasan, where all-in costs run around $917, than in Playa del Carmen at $1,260. In Elbasan it covers expenses comfortably, while in Playa del Carmen it requires careful planning or may not stretch far enough.

Families tend to lean toward Elbasan – lower housing and cheaper childcare make a real difference, especially on a single income or when paying for private education.

If budget matters most, go with Elbasan. 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.