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

Monthly Cost of Living

A single person spends $1,266 per month in Playa del Carmen vs $820 in Gevgelija, rent included.

A couple spends around $2,279 per month in Playa del Carmen vs $1,273 in Gevgelija, rent included.

A family of three spends $3,292 per month in Playa del Carmen vs $1,726 in Gevgelija, rent included.

Playa del Carmen costs about 54% more than Gevgelija, driven mainly by Groceries & Markets.

Both Playa del Carmen and Gevgelija are more affordable than the global median – Playa del Carmen 7% lower, Gevgelija 40% lower.

Meal at Budget Restaurant

$11.60 MX$200

$7.38 MKD 392

57.18%

Three-Course Dinner for Two, Mid-Range

$47.11 MX$812

$33.19 MKD 1,765

41.94%

Fast Food Meal (McDonalds, etc)

$11.88 MX$205

$5.62 MKD 299

111.39%

Cappuccino

$3.98 MX$68.6

$1.35 MKD 71.9

194.81%

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

$1.43 MX$24.60

$0.94 MKD 49.78

52.13%

Water (0.33 liter bottle)

$0.82 MX$14.22

$0.72 MKD 38.47

13.89%

Local Beer (0.5 liter draught)

$3.19 MX$55.0

$1.21 MKD 64.4

163.64%

Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$6.79 MX$117

$3.26 MKD 173

108.28%

Milk (1 liter)

$1.68 MX$28.89

$1.33 MKD 70.9

26.32%

White Bread (500g)

$2.20 MX$37.88

$0.71 MKD 37.92

209.86%

Rice (white) (1kg)

$1.71 MX$29.45

$0.78 MKD 41.23

119.23%

Eggs

$2.74 MX$47.26

$2.21 MKD 118

23.98%

Local Cheese (1kg)

$9.58 MX$165

$7.65 MKD 407

25.23%

Chicken Fillets (1kg)

$9.01 MX$155

$5.55 MKD 295

62.34%

Beef Round Steak (1kg)

$12.81 MX$221

$11.22 MKD 596

14.17%

Apples (1kg)

$2.89 MX$49.81

$1.16 MKD 61.7

149.14%

Banana (1kg)

$1.50 MX$25.81

$1.15 MKD 61.2

30.43%

Oranges (1kg)

$2.15 MX$37.03

$1.40 MKD 74.4

53.57%

Tomato (1kg)

$2.26 MX$38.96

$1.89 MKD 101

19.58%

Potato (1kg)

$1.98 MX$34.15

$0.58 MKD 30.83

241.38%

Onion (1kg)

$1.99 MX$34.30

$0.39 MKD 20.84

410.26%

Lettuce (1 head)

$1.23 MX$21.28

$0.36 MKD 19.27

241.67%

Water (1.5 liter bottle)

$1.20 MX$20.63

$0.53 MKD 28.33

126.42%

Cigarettes 20 Pack (Marlboro, Camel)

$4.55 MX$78.5

$2.51 MKD 133

81.27%

Wine (Bottle)

$10.37 MX$179

$3.66 MKD 194

183.33%

Local Beer (0.5 liter bottle)

$1.62 MX$27.91

$1.08 MKD 57.5

50.00%

Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$2.88 MX$49.67

$1.52 MKD 80.6

89.47%

One-way Ticket (Public Transport)

$0.60 MX$10.35

$0.72 MKD 38.48

-16.67%

Public Transport Monthly Pass (Regular Price)

$28.80 MX$497

$25.21 MKD 1,341

14.24%

Taxi Start (Normal Tariff)

$5.39 MX$92.9

$1.12 MKD 59.5

381.25%

Taxi (Normal Tariff) (1km)

$3.73 MX$64.3

$0.64 MKD 33.98

482.81%

Taxi 1hour Waiting (Normal Tariff)

$5.77 MX$99.5

$5.73 MKD 305

0.70%

Gasoline (1 liter)

$1.54 MX$26.48

$1.61 MKD 85.8

-4.35%

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

$22.5K MX$388.8K

$36.9K MKD 2.0M

-38.87%

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

$26.1K MX$449.3K

$28.2K MKD 1.5M

-7.67%

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

$91.4 MX$1,576

$94.2 MKD 5,008

-2.95%

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

$25.20 MX$435

$18.84 MKD 1,002

33.76%

Internet (50+ Mbps, Unlimited Data)

$31.24 MX$539

$18.94 MKD 1,007

64.94%

Gym Membership (Monthly)

$67.2 MX$1,159

$24.56 MKD 1,306

173.62%

Tennis Court (1 Hour on Weekend)

$29.11 MX$502

$19.15 MKD 1,018

52.01%

Cinema Ticket

$4.86 MX$83.8

$5.76 MKD 306

-15.62%

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

$224 MX$3,856

$112 MKD 5,973

99.10%

International Primary School, 1 Child (Yearly)

$4,229 MX$72.9K

$5,697 MKD 302.9K

-25.76%

Jeans (Levis 501 Or Similar)

$47.10 MX$812

$88.0 MKD 4,679

-46.47%

Summer Dress (H&M, Zara, etc)

$44.29 MX$764

$38.10 MKD 2,026

16.25%

Sport Shoes (Adidas, Nike)

$80.1 MX$1,381

$56.4 MKD 2,997

42.17%

Men's Leather Business Shoes

$92.7 MX$1,598

$116 MKD 6,166

-20.08%

1-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)

$1,063 MX$18.3K

$248 MKD 13.2K

328.26%

1-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)

$390 MX$6,728

$196 MKD 10.4K

99.20%

3-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)

$2,149 MX$37.1K

$465 MKD 24.7K

362.65%

3-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)

$1,272 MX$21.9K

$285 MKD 15.2K

346.23%

Buy Apartment in City Center (m2)

$4,001 MX$69.0K

$1,752 MKD 93.2K

128.43%

Buy Apartment Outside City Center (m2)

$6,502 MX$112.1K

$1,199 MKD 63.7K

442.40%

Average Monthly Net Salary (After Tax)

$758 MX$13.1K

$593 MKD 31.5K

27.86%

20-Year Fixed Mortgage Interest Rate (Annual %)

11.45

4.23

170.69%

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

Last update for Playa del Carmen: September 12, 2026

Last update for Gevgelija: September 13, 2026

Cost Breakdown

A central one-bedroom costs $1,063 in Playa del Carmen versus $248 in Gevgelija. 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 28% 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 $47.00 in Playa del Carmen versus $33.00 in Gevgelija. Monthly groceries follow the same trend: $276 vs $171 – making Gevgelija 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

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

Playa del Carmen costs about 54% more than Gevgelija, with the gap driven mainly by Groceries & Markets. That's enough to noticeably affect everyday spending and lifestyle for anyone choosing between the two.

For a comfortable life, plan on about $1,899 per month in Playa del Carmen and $1,230 in Gevgelija. That covers rent, food, utilities, transport, and enough left over to feel settled – not just surviving.

Rent is clearly cheaper in Gevgelija, especially for central apartments. Housing is actually the single biggest factor behind the overall cost gap between these two cities.

Kindergarten costs $224 per month in Playa del Carmen and $112 in Gevgelija. For families with young kids, this one expense can tip the scales when choosing between the two cities.

Groceries cost about 62% 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 $1,000 monthly budget goes further in Gevgelija, where all-in costs run around $820, than in Playa del Carmen at $1,266. In Gevgelija it covers expenses comfortably, while in Playa del Carmen it requires careful planning or may not stretch far enough.

For digital nomads, it depends on budget. Gevgelija costs $820 versus $1,266 in Playa del Carmen. Both have workable remote work infrastructure, but the cost gap matters when income varies month to month.

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 Gevgelija. 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.