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 $1,260 per month in Playa del Carmen vs $773 in Gevgelija, rent included.

A couple spends around $2,125 per month in Playa del Carmen vs $1,188 in Gevgelija, rent included.

A family of three spends $2,990 per month in Playa del Carmen vs $1,603 in Gevgelija, rent included.

Playa del Carmen costs about 63% more than Gevgelija, driven mainly by Eating Out.

Both Playa del Carmen and Gevgelija are more affordable than the global median – Playa del Carmen 5% lower, Gevgelija 42% lower.

Meal at Budget Restaurant

$11.72 MX$203

$5.60 MKD 299

109.29%

Three-Course Dinner for Two, Mid-Range

$41.89 MX$725

$28.54 MKD 1,525

46.78%

Fast Food Meal (McDonalds, etc)

$10.51 MX$182

$5.19 MKD 277

102.50%

Cappuccino

$3.59 MX$62.0

$1.41 MKD 75.2

154.61%

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

$1.51 MX$26.10

$0.93 MKD 49.94

62.37%

Water (0.33 liter bottle)

$0.92 MX$15.83

$0.73 MKD 38.95

26.03%

Local Beer (0.5 liter draught)

$2.96 MX$51.2

$1.21 MKD 64.4

144.63%

Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$4.41 MX$76.3

$2.69 MKD 144

63.94%

Milk (1 liter)

$1.40 MX$24.16

$1.28 MKD 68.5

9.37%

White Bread (500g)

$1.88 MX$32.60

$0.72 MKD 38.64

161.11%

Rice (white) (1kg)

$1.56 MX$26.97

$0.77 MKD 41.36

102.60%

Eggs

$2.61 MX$45.14

$2.05 MKD 109

27.32%

Local Cheese (1kg)

$8.32 MX$144

$7.57 MKD 405

9.91%

Chicken Fillets (1kg)

$8.35 MX$145

$5.53 MKD 295

50.99%

Beef Round Steak (1kg)

$10.86 MX$188

$11.15 MKD 596

-2.60%

Apples (1kg)

$2.71 MX$46.93

$1.07 MKD 57.3

153.27%

Banana (1kg)

$1.51 MX$26.04

$1.14 MKD 61.0

32.46%

Oranges (1kg)

$1.87 MX$32.41

$1.26 MKD 67.5

48.41%

Tomato (1kg)

$2.19 MX$37.89

$1.62 MKD 86.7

35.19%

Potato (1kg)

$1.86 MX$32.14

$0.55 MKD 29.13

238.18%

Onion (1kg)

$2.23 MX$38.59

$0.36 MKD 19.43

519.44%

Lettuce (1 head)

$1.07 MX$18.48

$0.39 MKD 20.96

174.36%

Water (1.5 liter bottle)

$1.09 MX$18.79

$0.58 MKD 30.78

87.93%

Cigarettes 20 Pack (Marlboro, Camel)

$4.19 MX$72.4

$2.41 MKD 129

73.86%

Wine (Bottle)

$10.43 MX$180

$3.61 MKD 193

188.92%

Local Beer (0.5 liter bottle)

$1.66 MX$28.68

$1.00 MKD 53.5

66.00%

Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$2.61 MX$45.19

$1.52 MKD 81.3

71.71%

One-way Ticket (Public Transport)

$0.54 MX$9.37

$0.65 MKD 34.59

-16.92%

Public Transport Monthly Pass (Regular Price)

$26.16 MX$453

$19.84 MKD 1,060

31.85%

Taxi Start (Normal Tariff)

$3.08 MX$53.3

$1.10 MKD 58.8

180.00%

Taxi (Normal Tariff) (1km)

$2.40 MX$41.61

$0.54 MKD 28.60

344.44%

Taxi 1hour Waiting (Normal Tariff)

$3.13 MX$54.1

$5.55 MKD 297

-43.60%

Gasoline (1 liter)

$1.31 MX$22.69

$1.43 MKD 76.3

-8.39%

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

$29.8K MX$515.7K

$31.9K MKD 1.7M

-6.57%

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

$23.3K MX$403.5K

$34.1K MKD 1.8M

-31.61%

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

$81.3 MX$1,406

$94.2 MKD 5,036

-13.74%

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

$22.56 MX$390

$17.49 MKD 935

28.99%

Internet (50+ Mbps, Unlimited Data)

$30.05 MX$520

$15.59 MKD 833

92.75%

Gym Membership (Monthly)

$52.9 MX$915

$24.90 MKD 1,330

112.49%

Tennis Court (1 Hour on Weekend)

$18.39 MX$318

Cinema Ticket

$4.92 MX$85.1

$4.59 MKD 245

7.19%

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

$201 MX$3,474

$114 MKD 6,093

76.12%

International Primary School, 1 Child (Yearly)

$5,175 MX$89.5K

$1,203 MKD 64.3K

330.29%

Jeans (Levis 501 Or Similar)

$35.92 MX$622

$76.8 MKD 4,104

-53.22%

Summer Dress (H&M, Zara, etc)

$40.13 MX$694

$47.95 MKD 2,563

-16.31%

Sport Shoes (Adidas, Nike)

$79.7 MX$1,379

$55.9 MKD 2,986

42.63%

Men's Leather Business Shoes

$86.5 MX$1,496

$114 MKD 6,075

-23.95%

1-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)

$978 MX$16.9K

$282 MKD 15.1K

246.95%

1-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)

$470 MX$8,140

$197 MKD 10.5K

138.61%

3-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)

$1,651 MX$28.6K

$565 MKD 30.2K

192.34%

3-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)

$1,203 MX$20.8K

$308 MKD 16.5K

290.86%

Buy Apartment in City Center (m2)

$3,953 MX$68.4K

Buy Apartment Outside City Center (m2)

$6,607 MX$114.3K

Average Monthly Net Salary (After Tax)

$677 MX$11.7K

$589 MKD 31.5K

14.87%

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: July 27, 2026

Last update for Gevgelija: July 27, 2026

Cost Breakdown

A central one-bedroom costs $978 in Playa del Carmen versus $282 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 15% 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 $42.00 in Playa del Carmen versus $29.00 in Gevgelija. Monthly groceries follow the same trend: $252 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 63% 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 $1,890 per month in Playa del Carmen and $1,160 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 $201 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 51% 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 $773, than in Playa del Carmen at $1,260. 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 $773 versus $1,260 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.