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 $916 per month in Elbasan vs $1,287 in Playa del Carmen, rent included.

A couple spends around $1,471 per month in Elbasan vs $2,184 in Playa del Carmen, rent included.

A family of three spends $2,026 per month in Elbasan vs $3,082 in Playa del Carmen, rent included.

Elbasan is about 29% cheaper than Playa del Carmen, driven mainly by Clothing & Footwear.

Both Elbasan and Playa del Carmen are more affordable than the global median – Elbasan 32% lower, Playa del Carmen 4% lower.

Meal at Budget Restaurant

$9.24 ALL 754

$11.94 MX$209

-22.61%

Three-Course Dinner for Two, Mid-Range

$31.89 ALL 2,604

$42.75 MX$748

-25.40%

Fast Food Meal (McDonalds, etc)

$7.18 ALL 586

$10.59 MX$185

-32.20%

Cappuccino

$1.80 ALL 147

$3.62 MX$63.4

-50.28%

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

$1.27 ALL 103

$1.47 MX$25.69

-13.61%

Water (0.33 liter bottle)

$0.68 ALL 55.4

$0.94 MX$16.51

-27.66%

Local Beer (0.5 liter draught)

$1.74 ALL 142

$3.09 MX$54.1

-43.69%

Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$2.37 ALL 194

$4.46 MX$78.0

-46.86%

Milk (1 liter)

$1.84 ALL 150

$1.43 MX$24.94

28.67%

White Bread (500g)

$0.92 ALL 74.9

$1.88 MX$32.97

-51.06%

Rice (white) (1kg)

$1.56 ALL 128

$1.63 MX$28.50

-4.29%

Eggs

$2.91 ALL 238

$2.64 MX$46.26

10.23%

Local Cheese (1kg)

$9.77 ALL 798

$8.21 MX$144

19.00%

Chicken Fillets (1kg)

$5.34 ALL 436

$8.29 MX$145

-35.59%

Beef Round Steak (1kg)

$12.41 ALL 1,013

$11.10 MX$194

11.80%

Apples (1kg)

$0.91 ALL 74.5

$2.65 MX$46.40

-65.66%

Banana (1kg)

$2.37 ALL 193

$1.50 MX$26.26

58.00%

Oranges (1kg)

$1.26 ALL 103

$1.99 MX$34.79

-36.68%

Tomato (1kg)

$0.89 ALL 73.1

$2.08 MX$36.33

-57.21%

Potato (1kg)

$0.92 ALL 75.3

$1.79 MX$31.29

-48.60%

Onion (1kg)

$1.09 ALL 88.8

$2.18 MX$38.09

-50.00%

Lettuce (1 head)

$0.98 ALL 80.3

$1.08 MX$18.84

-9.26%

Water (1.5 liter bottle)

$0.60 ALL 49.04

$1.04 MX$18.15

-42.31%

Cigarettes 20 Pack (Marlboro, Camel)

$3.99 ALL 326

$3.97 MX$69.5

0.50%

Wine (Bottle)

$8.24 ALL 672

$10.20 MX$179

-19.22%

Local Beer (0.5 liter bottle)

$0.92 ALL 75.4

$1.73 MX$30.22

-46.82%

Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$1.46 ALL 119

$2.50 MX$43.71

-41.60%

One-way Ticket (Public Transport)

$0.45 ALL 36.64

$0.52 MX$9.07

-13.46%

Public Transport Monthly Pass (Regular Price)

$18.66 ALL 1,523

$26.97 MX$472

-30.81%

Taxi Start (Normal Tariff)

$3.60 ALL 294

$3.14 MX$55.0

14.65%

Taxi (Normal Tariff) (1km)

$1.29 ALL 105

$2.40 MX$42.04

-46.25%

Taxi 1hour Waiting (Normal Tariff)

$14.36 ALL 1,173

$3.09 MX$54.0

364.72%

Gasoline (1 liter)

$2.11 ALL 172

$1.27 MX$22.28

66.14%

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

$21.0K ALL 1.7M

$30.9K MX$540.4K

-31.90%

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

$27.5K ALL 2.2M

$23.3K MX$408.0K

17.99%

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

$67.2 ALL 5,487

$82.0 MX$1,435

-18.05%

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

$17.26 ALL 1,409

$22.45 MX$393

-23.12%

Internet (50+ Mbps, Unlimited Data)

$15.29 ALL 1,248

$29.66 MX$519

-48.45%

Gym Membership (Monthly)

$65.6 ALL 5,359

$51.9 MX$908

26.53%

Tennis Court (1 Hour on Weekend)

$16.37 ALL 1,336

$18.67 MX$327

-12.32%

Cinema Ticket

$5.43 ALL 443

$4.97 MX$87.0

9.26%

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

$139 ALL 11.4K

$198 MX$3,462

-29.67%

International Primary School, 1 Child (Yearly)

$1,789 ALL 146.1K

$5,273 MX$92.3K

-66.06%

Jeans (Levis 501 Or Similar)

$104 ALL 8,511

$36.34 MX$636

186.85%

Summer Dress (H&M, Zara, etc)

$34.21 ALL 2,793

$40.05 MX$701

-14.58%

Sport Shoes (Adidas, Nike)

$93.8 ALL 7,660

$79.9 MX$1,398

17.45%

Men's Leather Business Shoes

$180 ALL 14.7K

$88.9 MX$1,555

102.33%

1-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)

$289 ALL 23.6K

$963 MX$16.9K

-70.00%

1-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)

$198 ALL 16.2K

$465 MX$8,133

-57.32%

3-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)

$421 ALL 34.4K

$1,596 MX$27.9K

-73.63%

3-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)

$300 ALL 24.5K

$1,209 MX$21.2K

-75.20%

Buy Apartment in City Center (m2)

$1,362 ALL 111.2K

$3,942 MX$69.0K

-65.45%

Buy Apartment Outside City Center (m2)

$847 ALL 69.1K

$6,448 MX$112.8K

-86.87%

Average Monthly Net Salary (After Tax)

$550 ALL 44.9K

$720 MX$12.6K

-23.59%

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: April 27, 2026

Last update for Playa del Carmen: April 25, 2026

Cost Breakdown

A central one-bedroom costs $289 in Elbasan 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 31% 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 $32.00 in Elbasan versus $43.00 in Playa del Carmen. Monthly groceries follow the same trend: $207 vs $251 – 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 40%, 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 $1,374 per month in Elbasan 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 Elbasan, especially for central apartments. Housing is actually the single biggest factor behind the overall cost gap between these two cities.

Groceries cost about 21% 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 $32.00 in Elbasan and $43.00 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 $916, than in Playa del Carmen at $1,287. 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.