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 $909 per month in Elbasan vs $1,266 in Playa del Carmen, rent included.

A couple spends around $1,431 per month in Elbasan vs $2,279 in Playa del Carmen, rent included.

A family of three spends $1,953 per month in Elbasan vs $3,292 in Playa del Carmen, rent included.

Elbasan is about 28% cheaper than Playa del Carmen, driven mainly by Eating Out.

Both Elbasan and Playa del Carmen are more affordable than the global median – Elbasan 34% lower, Playa del Carmen 7% lower.

Meal at Budget Restaurant

$9.89 ALL 784

$11.60 MX$200

-14.74%

Three-Course Dinner for Two, Mid-Range

$38.18 ALL 3,026

$47.11 MX$811

-18.96%

Fast Food Meal (McDonalds, etc)

$6.97 ALL 553

$11.88 MX$205

-41.33%

Cappuccino

$1.74 ALL 138

$3.98 MX$68.5

-56.28%

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

$1.42 ALL 112

$1.43 MX$24.58

-0.70%

Water (0.33 liter bottle)

$0.70 ALL 55.7

$0.82 MX$14.20

-14.63%

Local Beer (0.5 liter draught)

$2.22 ALL 176

$3.19 MX$54.9

-30.41%

Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$2.88 ALL 228

$6.79 MX$117

-57.58%

Milk (1 liter)

$1.98 ALL 157

$1.68 MX$28.86

17.86%

White Bread (500g)

$0.99 ALL 78.7

$2.20 MX$37.84

-55.00%

Rice (white) (1kg)

$1.62 ALL 128

$1.71 MX$29.42

-5.26%

Eggs

$2.78 ALL 221

$2.74 MX$47.21

1.46%

Local Cheese (1kg)

$10.41 ALL 825

$9.58 MX$165

8.66%

Chicken Fillets (1kg)

$5.95 ALL 472

$9.01 MX$155

-33.96%

Beef Round Steak (1kg)

$11.51 ALL 912

$12.81 MX$221

-10.15%

Apples (1kg)

$1.27 ALL 101

$2.89 MX$49.75

-56.06%

Banana (1kg)

$2.26 ALL 179

$1.50 MX$25.79

50.67%

Oranges (1kg)

$1.42 ALL 112

$2.15 MX$37.00

-33.95%

Tomato (1kg)

$1.12 ALL 88.7

$2.26 MX$38.92

-50.44%

Potato (1kg)

$1.05 ALL 83.4

$1.98 MX$34.11

-46.97%

Onion (1kg)

$1.07 ALL 84.6

$1.99 MX$34.27

-46.23%

Lettuce (1 head)

$0.81 ALL 63.8

$1.23 MX$21.26

-34.15%

Water (1.5 liter bottle)

$0.67 ALL 53.1

$1.20 MX$20.61

-44.17%

Cigarettes 20 Pack (Marlboro, Camel)

$4.53 ALL 359

$4.55 MX$78.4

-0.44%

Wine (Bottle)

$8.20 ALL 650

$10.37 MX$179

-20.93%

Local Beer (0.5 liter bottle)

$1.08 ALL 85.7

$1.62 MX$27.88

-33.33%

Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$1.88 ALL 149

$2.88 MX$49.61

-34.72%

One-way Ticket (Public Transport)

$0.48 ALL 38.21

$0.60 MX$10.34

-20.00%

Public Transport Monthly Pass (Regular Price)

$20.37 ALL 1,614

$28.80 MX$496

-29.27%

Taxi Start (Normal Tariff)

$3.80 ALL 301

$5.39 MX$92.8

-29.50%

Taxi (Normal Tariff) (1km)

$1.54 ALL 122

$3.73 MX$64.2

-58.71%

Taxi 1hour Waiting (Normal Tariff)

$15.22 ALL 1,207

$5.77 MX$99.4

163.78%

Gasoline (1 liter)

$2.18 ALL 173

$1.54 MX$26.46

41.56%

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

$30.3K ALL 2.4M

$22.5K MX$388.4K

34.33%

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

$30.5K ALL 2.4M

$26.1K MX$448.8K

17.18%

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

$61.7 ALL 4,890

$91.4 MX$1,574

-32.48%

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

$15.59 ALL 1,236

$25.20 MX$434

-38.13%

Internet (50+ Mbps, Unlimited Data)

$12.04 ALL 954

$31.24 MX$538

-61.46%

Gym Membership (Monthly)

$59.9 ALL 4,746

$67.2 MX$1,158

-10.89%

Tennis Court (1 Hour on Weekend)

$17.30 ALL 1,371

$29.11 MX$501

-40.57%

Cinema Ticket

$4.33 ALL 343

$4.86 MX$83.8

-10.91%

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

$147 ALL 11.7K

$224 MX$3,852

-34.12%

International Primary School, 1 Child (Yearly)

$1,867 ALL 148.0K

$4,229 MX$72.8K

-55.84%

Jeans (Levis 501 Or Similar)

$76.5 ALL 6,058

$47.10 MX$811

62.31%

Summer Dress (H&M, Zara, etc)

$45.86 ALL 3,635

$44.29 MX$763

3.54%

Sport Shoes (Adidas, Nike)

$97.8 ALL 7,749

$80.1 MX$1,380

22.06%

Men's Leather Business Shoes

$98.5 ALL 7,808

$92.7 MX$1,596

6.32%

1-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)

$306 ALL 24.2K

$1,063 MX$18.3K

-71.23%

1-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)

$206 ALL 16.3K

$390 MX$6,721

-47.31%

3-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)

$445 ALL 35.3K

$2,149 MX$37.0K

-79.30%

3-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)

$324 ALL 25.7K

$1,272 MX$21.9K

-74.49%

Buy Apartment in City Center (m2)

$1,392 ALL 110.3K

$4,001 MX$68.9K

-65.20%

Buy Apartment Outside City Center (m2)

$895 ALL 70.9K

$6,502 MX$112.0K

-86.24%

Average Monthly Net Salary (After Tax)

$559 ALL 44.3K

$758 MX$13.1K

-26.27%

20-Year Fixed Mortgage Interest Rate (Annual %)

6.1

11.45

-46.72%

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

Last update for Elbasan: September 12, 2026

Last update for Playa del Carmen: September 12, 2026

Cost Breakdown

A central one-bedroom costs $306 in Elbasan versus $1,063 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 36% 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 $38.00 in Elbasan versus $47.00 in Playa del Carmen. Monthly groceries follow the same trend: $216 vs $276 – 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 39%, 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 $1,364 per month in Elbasan and $1,899 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 28% 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 $38.00 in Elbasan and $47.00 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 $909, than in Playa del Carmen at $1,266. 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.