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

Monthly Cost of Living

Monthly costs for one person with rent: $1,266 in Playa del Carmen versus $783 in Gjilan.

Estimated couple costs with rent: $2,279 in Playa del Carmen versus $1,180 in Gjilan.

Monthly costs for a family of three with rent: $3,292 in Playa del Carmen versus $1,576 in Gjilan.

Living in Playa del Carmen is roughly 62% more expensive than in Gjilan, driven mainly by Eating Out.

Both cities sit below the global median: Playa del Carmen 7% lower, Gjilan 43% lower.

Meal at Budget Restaurant

$11.60 MX$200

$4.39 €3.82

164.24%

Three-Course Dinner for Two, Mid-Range

$47.11 MX$812

$23.15 €20.18

103.50%

Fast Food Meal (McDonalds, etc)

$11.88 MX$205

$5.74 €5.01

106.97%

Cappuccino

$3.98 MX$68.6

$1.46 €1.27

172.60%

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

$1.43 MX$24.60

$1.13 €0.98

26.55%

Water (0.33 liter bottle)

$0.82 MX$14.22

$0.96 €0.83

-14.58%

Local Beer (0.5 liter draught)

$3.19 MX$55.0

$1.70 €1.48

87.65%

Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$6.79 MX$117

$1.37 €1.20

395.62%

Milk (1 liter)

$1.68 MX$28.89

$1.34 €1.17

25.37%

White Bread (500g)

$2.20 MX$37.88

$0.45 €0.39

388.89%

Rice (white) (1kg)

$1.71 MX$29.45

$1.37 €1.20

24.82%

Eggs

$2.74 MX$47.26

$1.84 €1.61

48.91%

Local Cheese (1kg)

$9.58 MX$165

$8.07 €7.04

18.71%

Chicken Fillets (1kg)

$9.01 MX$155

$6.72 €5.86

34.08%

Beef Round Steak (1kg)

$12.81 MX$221

$12.77 €11.13

0.31%

Apples (1kg)

$2.89 MX$49.81

$1.60 €1.39

80.63%

Banana (1kg)

$1.50 MX$25.81

$1.65 €1.44

-9.09%

Oranges (1kg)

$2.15 MX$37.03

$1.84 €1.60

16.85%

Tomato (1kg)

$2.26 MX$38.96

$1.71 €1.49

32.16%

Potato (1kg)

$1.98 MX$34.15

$0.95 €0.83

108.42%

Onion (1kg)

$1.99 MX$34.30

$0.89 €0.78

123.60%

Lettuce (1 head)

$1.23 MX$21.28

$0.87 €0.76

41.38%

Water (1.5 liter bottle)

$1.20 MX$20.63

$0.52 €0.45

130.77%

Cigarettes 20 Pack (Marlboro, Camel)

$4.55 MX$78.5

$3.50 €3.05

30.00%

Wine (Bottle)

$10.37 MX$179

$5.70 €4.97

81.93%

Local Beer (0.5 liter bottle)

$1.62 MX$27.91

$1.03 €0.90

57.28%

Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$2.88 MX$49.67

$1.26 €1.10

128.57%

One-way Ticket (Public Transport)

$0.60 MX$10.35

$0.60 €0.52

Public Transport Monthly Pass (Regular Price)

$28.80 MX$497

Taxi Start (Normal Tariff)

$5.39 MX$92.9

$2.29 €2.00

135.37%

Taxi (Normal Tariff) (1km)

$3.73 MX$64.3

$0.56 €0.48

566.07%

Taxi 1hour Waiting (Normal Tariff)

$5.77 MX$99.5

$3.43 €2.99

68.22%

Gasoline (1 liter)

$1.54 MX$26.48

$1.53 €1.33

0.65%

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

$22.5K MX$388.8K

$22.9K €20.0K

-1.58%

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

$26.1K MX$449.3K

$26.4K €23.0K

-1.43%

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

$91.4 MX$1,576

$106 €92.8

-14.12%

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

$25.20 MX$435

$11.60 €10.11

117.24%

Internet (50+ Mbps, Unlimited Data)

$31.24 MX$539

$24.06 €20.97

29.84%

Gym Membership (Monthly)

$67.2 MX$1,159

$20.41 €17.79

229.25%

Tennis Court (1 Hour on Weekend)

$29.11 MX$502

Cinema Ticket

$4.86 MX$83.8

$4.56 €3.97

6.58%

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

$224 MX$3,856

$172 €150

29.89%

International Primary School, 1 Child (Yearly)

$4,229 MX$72.9K

$1,479 €1,290

185.84%

Jeans (Levis 501 Or Similar)

$47.10 MX$812

$43.37 €37.80

8.60%

Summer Dress (H&M, Zara, etc)

$44.29 MX$764

$31.88 €27.79

38.93%

Sport Shoes (Adidas, Nike)

$80.1 MX$1,381

$64.3 €56.1

24.61%

Men's Leather Business Shoes

$92.7 MX$1,598

$83.6 €72.9

10.81%

1-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)

$1,063 MX$18.3K

$283 €247

275.01%

1-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)

$390 MX$6,728

$227 €198

71.71%

3-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)

$2,149 MX$37.1K

$482 €420

345.98%

3-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)

$1,272 MX$21.9K

$379 €330

235.55%

Buy Apartment in City Center (m2)

$4,001 MX$69.0K

$960 €837

316.76%

Buy Apartment Outside City Center (m2)

$6,502 MX$112.1K

$739 €645

779.36%

Average Monthly Net Salary (After Tax)

$758 MX$13.1K

$466 €407

62.57%

20-Year Fixed Mortgage Interest Rate (Annual %)

11.45

4.44

157.88%

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 Gjilan: September 13, 2026

Cost Breakdown

A one-bedroom apartment in the center runs $1,063 in Playa del Carmen and $283 in Gjilan. Housing cost is often the main lever when comparing two cities.

Playa del Carmen pays 63% more on average. The extra income cushions the higher costs, though housing choices and lifestyle decide how much of the gap is truly closed.

Dining out: $47.00 in Playa del Carmen vs $23.00 in Gjilan for a mid-range dinner for two. Groceries echo the gap at $276 vs $194 per month, with Gjilan cheaper across the board.

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 Gjilan: Cost of Living - Frequently Asked Questions

Playa del Carmen and Gjilan differ by about 62% in total monthly costs ($1,266 vs $783 including rent). Gjilan is meaningfully more affordable – a gap that matters a lot on a fixed or modest income.

Average pay runs 63% higher in Playa del Carmen, which matters when comparing affordability. Whether that higher income actually nets you more depends on your spending habits and housing choices.

Rent for a central apartment: $1,063 in Playa del Carmen versus $283 in Gjilan. Housing is usually the single largest factor when comparing overall living costs between the two.

Supermarket bills run roughly 42% higher in Playa del Carmen. For households that cook at home regularly, that difference adds up over a month.

All in, you'll spend $1,266 per month in Playa del Carmen versus $783 in Gjilan – a 62% gap that adds up to real savings over time for anyone picking the cheaper option.

At $783 in Gjilan versus $1,266 in Playa del Carmen, a $2,000 budget is realistic in Gjilan but tight or insufficient in Playa del Carmen. The gap between the two cities makes Gjilan the clear choice for anyone on this budget.

Both cities offer a good standard of living with different trade-offs. Neither is objectively better – the right pick depends on what matters most: affordability, career, cultural scene, or climate.

Safety-wise, Playa del Carmen and Gjilan are on par. Petty crime is typical for cities this size, and most residents feel comfortable going about their daily routines in either place.

Expats usually find Gjilan gentler on the wallet – expenses run 62% less than in Playa del Carmen. Beyond cost, consider language, visa policies, and how big the international community is in each city.