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 $1,287 per month in Playa del Carmen vs $782 in Gevgelija, rent included.

A couple spends around $2,184 per month in Playa del Carmen vs $1,185 in Gevgelija, rent included.

A family of three spends $3,082 per month in Playa del Carmen vs $1,589 in Gevgelija, rent included.

Playa del Carmen costs about 65% more than Gevgelija, driven mainly by Eating Out.

Both Playa del Carmen and Gevgelija are more affordable than the global median – Playa del Carmen 4% lower, Gevgelija 42% lower.

Meal at Budget Restaurant

$11.94 MX$208

$5.60 MKD 294

113.21%

Three-Course Dinner for Two, Mid-Range

$42.75 MX$744

$27.74 MKD 1,457

54.11%

Fast Food Meal (McDonalds, etc)

$10.59 MX$184

$5.17 MKD 271

104.84%

Cappuccino

$3.62 MX$63.0

$1.42 MKD 74.7

154.93%

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

$1.47 MX$25.54

$0.91 MKD 47.75

61.54%

Water (0.33 liter bottle)

$0.94 MX$16.41

$0.68 MKD 35.75

38.24%

Local Beer (0.5 liter draught)

$3.09 MX$53.8

$1.16 MKD 61.1

166.38%

Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$4.46 MX$77.6

$2.67 MKD 140

67.04%

Milk (1 liter)

$1.43 MX$24.80

$1.32 MKD 69.5

8.33%

White Bread (500g)

$1.88 MX$32.79

$0.71 MKD 37.47

164.79%

Rice (white) (1kg)

$1.63 MX$28.34

$0.71 MKD 37.48

129.58%

Eggs

$2.64 MX$45.99

$2.11 MKD 111

25.12%

Local Cheese (1kg)

$8.21 MX$143

$7.29 MKD 383

12.62%

Chicken Fillets (1kg)

$8.29 MX$144

$5.76 MKD 303

43.92%

Beef Round Steak (1kg)

$11.10 MX$193

$11.25 MKD 591

-1.33%

Apples (1kg)

$2.65 MX$46.14

$1.07 MKD 56.2

147.66%

Banana (1kg)

$1.50 MX$26.11

$1.12 MKD 58.8

33.93%

Oranges (1kg)

$1.99 MX$34.59

$1.32 MKD 69.2

50.76%

Tomato (1kg)

$2.08 MX$36.13

$1.56 MKD 82.1

33.33%

Potato (1kg)

$1.79 MX$31.11

$0.55 MKD 28.71

225.45%

Onion (1kg)

$2.18 MX$37.87

$0.36 MKD 19.13

505.56%

Lettuce (1 head)

$1.08 MX$18.73

$0.40 MKD 20.83

170.00%

Water (1.5 liter bottle)

$1.04 MX$18.04

$0.57 MKD 29.88

82.46%

Cigarettes 20 Pack (Marlboro, Camel)

$3.97 MX$69.1

$2.46 MKD 129

61.38%

Wine (Bottle)

$10.20 MX$178

$3.79 MKD 199

169.13%

Local Beer (0.5 liter bottle)

$1.73 MX$30.04

$0.95 MKD 50.1

82.11%

Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$2.50 MX$43.46

$1.53 MKD 80.3

63.40%

One-way Ticket (Public Transport)

$0.52 MX$9.02

$0.64 MKD 33.73

-18.75%

Public Transport Monthly Pass (Regular Price)

$26.97 MX$469

$20.47 MKD 1,075

31.75%

Taxi Start (Normal Tariff)

$3.14 MX$54.7

$1.10 MKD 57.8

185.45%

Taxi (Normal Tariff) (1km)

$2.40 MX$41.80

$0.49 MKD 25.82

389.80%

Taxi 1hour Waiting (Normal Tariff)

$3.09 MX$53.7

$5.70 MKD 300

-45.79%

Gasoline (1 liter)

$1.27 MX$22.16

$1.48 MKD 77.9

-14.19%

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

$30.9K MX$537.3K

$32.2K MKD 1.7M

-3.99%

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

$23.3K MX$405.7K

$34.5K MKD 1.8M

-32.37%

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

$82.0 MX$1,427

$94.6 MKD 4,968

-13.30%

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

$22.45 MX$391

$17.44 MKD 916

28.73%

Internet (50+ Mbps, Unlimited Data)

$29.66 MX$516

$15.45 MKD 812

91.97%

Gym Membership (Monthly)

$51.9 MX$903

$24.20 MKD 1,271

114.34%

Tennis Court (1 Hour on Weekend)

$18.67 MX$325

Cinema Ticket

$4.97 MX$86.5

$4.74 MKD 249

4.85%

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

$198 MX$3,442

$114 MKD 5,971

74.01%

International Primary School, 1 Child (Yearly)

$5,273 MX$91.7K

$1,181 MKD 62.0K

346.57%

Jeans (Levis 501 Or Similar)

$36.34 MX$632

$76.5 MKD 4,015

-52.47%

Summer Dress (H&M, Zara, etc)

$40.05 MX$697

$47.83 MKD 2,512

-16.27%

Sport Shoes (Adidas, Nike)

$79.9 MX$1,390

$56.4 MKD 2,964

41.53%

Men's Leather Business Shoes

$88.9 MX$1,547

$115 MKD 6,037

-22.68%

1-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)

$963 MX$16.8K

$280 MKD 14.7K

243.66%

1-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)

$465 MX$8,086

$193 MKD 10.2K

140.46%

3-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)

$1,596 MX$27.8K

$564 MKD 29.6K

183.22%

3-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)

$1,209 MX$21.0K

$308 MKD 16.2K

292.64%

Buy Apartment in City Center (m2)

$3,942 MX$68.6K

Buy Apartment Outside City Center (m2)

$6,448 MX$112.2K

Average Monthly Net Salary (After Tax)

$720 MX$12.5K

$595 MKD 31.2K

21.08%

20-Year Fixed Mortgage Interest Rate (Annual %)

11.42

90.33%

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

Last update for Playa del Carmen: April 25, 2026

Last update for Gevgelija: April 26, 2026

Cost Breakdown

A central one-bedroom costs $963 in Playa del Carmen versus $280 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 21% 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 $43.00 in Playa del Carmen versus $28.00 in Gevgelija. Monthly groceries follow the same trend: $251 vs $167 – 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 65% more than Gevgelija, with the gap driven mainly by Eating Out. That's enough to noticeably affect everyday spending and lifestyle for anyone choosing between the two.

For a comfortable life, plan on about $1,930 per month in Playa del Carmen and $1,173 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 $198 per month in Playa del Carmen and $114 in Gevgelija. For families with young kids, this one expense can tip the scales when choosing between the two cities.

Groceries cost about 50% 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 $782, than in Playa del Carmen at $1,287. 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 $782 versus $1,287 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.