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

Monthly Cost of Living

Monthly costs for one person with rent: $1,330 in Playa del Carmen versus $877 in Gostivar.

Estimated couple costs with rent: $2,336 in Playa del Carmen versus $1,294 in Gostivar.

Monthly costs for a family of three with rent: $3,341 in Playa del Carmen versus $1,712 in Gostivar.

Living in Playa del Carmen is roughly 52% more expensive than in Gostivar, driven mainly by Eating Out.

Both cities sit below the global median: Playa del Carmen 3% lower, Gostivar 36% lower.

Meal at Budget Restaurant

$13.02 MX$221

$6.40 MKD 336

103.44%

Three-Course Dinner for Two, Mid-Range

$46.25 MX$784

$27.89 MKD 1,462

65.83%

Fast Food Meal (McDonalds, etc)

$12.59 MX$213

$6.01 MKD 315

109.48%

Cappuccino

$4.00 MX$67.9

$1.44 MKD 75.7

177.78%

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

$1.42 MX$24.08

$1.39 MKD 73.0

2.16%

Water (0.33 liter bottle)

$0.81 MX$13.73

$1.10 MKD 57.5

-26.36%

Local Beer (0.5 liter draught)

$3.05 MX$51.7

$1.36 MKD 71.3

124.26%

Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$6.82 MX$116

$1.86 MKD 97.6

266.67%

Milk (1 liter)

$1.71 MX$29.04

$1.33 MKD 69.8

28.57%

White Bread (500g)

$2.22 MX$37.62

$0.73 MKD 38.03

204.11%

Rice (white) (1kg)

$1.72 MX$29.13

$1.47 MKD 77.1

17.01%

Eggs

$2.71 MX$45.99

$2.51 MKD 131

7.97%

Local Cheese (1kg)

$9.37 MX$159

$6.48 MKD 340

44.60%

Chicken Fillets (1kg)

$8.86 MX$150

$5.54 MKD 291

59.93%

Beef Round Steak (1kg)

$12.78 MX$217

$14.23 MKD 746

-10.19%

Apples (1kg)

$3.13 MX$53.0

$1.47 MKD 76.9

112.93%

Banana (1kg)

$1.55 MX$26.24

$1.47 MKD 77.1

5.44%

Oranges (1kg)

$2.15 MX$36.51

$1.37 MKD 71.7

56.93%

Tomato (1kg)

$2.35 MX$39.89

$1.93 MKD 101

21.76%

Potato (1kg)

$2.02 MX$34.23

$0.86 MKD 45.12

134.88%

Onion (1kg)

$1.99 MX$33.67

$0.72 MKD 37.91

176.39%

Lettuce (1 head)

$1.24 MX$21.09

$0.60 MKD 31.46

106.67%

Water (1.5 liter bottle)

$1.19 MX$20.21

$0.58 MKD 30.25

105.17%

Cigarettes 20 Pack (Marlboro, Camel)

$4.65 MX$78.8

$2.88 MKD 151

61.46%

Wine (Bottle)

$10.47 MX$177

$4.70 MKD 246

122.77%

Local Beer (0.5 liter bottle)

$1.58 MX$26.82

$0.92 MKD 48.16

71.74%

Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$2.92 MX$49.48

$1.48 MKD 77.5

97.30%

One-way Ticket (Public Transport)

$0.56 MX$9.53

$0.76 MKD 39.67

-26.32%

Public Transport Monthly Pass (Regular Price)

$29.76 MX$504

$21.58 MKD 1,132

37.91%

Taxi Start (Normal Tariff)

$5.32 MX$90.2

$0.77 MKD 40.30

590.91%

Taxi (Normal Tariff) (1km)

$3.72 MX$63.0

$0.34 MKD 17.95

994.12%

Taxi 1hour Waiting (Normal Tariff)

$5.78 MX$97.9

$7.60 MKD 398

-23.95%

Gasoline (1 liter)

$1.55 MX$26.27

$1.50 MKD 78.7

3.33%

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

$22.4K MX$379.1K

$33.6K MKD 1.8M

-33.40%

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

$25.6K MX$433.3K

$28.2K MKD 1.5M

-9.20%

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

$89.3 MX$1,513

$134 MKD 7,028

-33.40%

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

$23.30 MX$395

$11.27 MKD 591

106.74%

Internet (50+ Mbps, Unlimited Data)

$31.72 MX$538

$19.53 MKD 1,024

62.42%

Gym Membership (Monthly)

$68.8 MX$1,165

$27.73 MKD 1,454

147.96%

Tennis Court (1 Hour on Weekend)

$29.40 MX$498

$16.90 MKD 886

73.96%

Cinema Ticket

$5.06 MX$85.7

$6.93 MKD 363

-26.98%

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

$222 MX$3,765

$383 MKD 20.1K

-41.94%

International Primary School, 1 Child (Yearly)

$4,293 MX$72.7K

$5,550 MKD 291.0K

-22.66%

Jeans (Levis 501 Or Similar)

$46.21 MX$783

$37.29 MKD 1,955

23.92%

Summer Dress (H&M, Zara, etc)

$44.43 MX$753

$38.33 MKD 2,010

15.91%

Sport Shoes (Adidas, Nike)

$95.5 MX$1,618

$108 MKD 5,639

-11.25%

Men's Leather Business Shoes

$92.5 MX$1,568

$117 MKD 6,133

-20.89%

1-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)

$1,069 MX$18.1K

$285 MKD 15.0K

274.75%

1-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)

$393 MX$6,663

$206 MKD 10.8K

91.18%

3-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)

$1,988 MX$33.7K

$451 MKD 23.6K

340.94%

3-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)

$1,304 MX$22.1K

$305 MKD 16.0K

327.95%

Buy Apartment in City Center (m2)

$4,037 MX$68.4K

$1,651 MKD 86.6K

144.49%

Buy Apartment Outside City Center (m2)

$6,627 MX$112.3K

$1,286 MKD 67.4K

415.20%

Average Monthly Net Salary (After Tax)

$747 MX$12.7K

$889 MKD 46.6K

-15.95%

20-Year Fixed Mortgage Interest Rate (Annual %)

11.6

4.25

172.94%

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

Last update for Playa del Carmen: August 18, 2026

Last update for Gostivar: August 16, 2026

Cost Breakdown

A one-bedroom apartment in the center runs $1,069 in Playa del Carmen and $285 in Gostivar. Housing cost is often the main lever when comparing two cities.

Gostivar pays 19% more on average while also being the cheaper of the two. The combined effect is a noticeably stronger local purchasing power.

Dining out: $46.00 in Playa del Carmen vs $28.00 in Gostivar for a mid-range dinner for two. Groceries echo the gap at $277 vs $188 per month, with Gostivar 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 Gostivar: Cost of Living - Frequently Asked Questions

Gostivar wins on cost – living expenses run 52% lower than in Playa del Carmen. Housing and daily spending are where you'll feel the difference most, making Gostivar the obvious pick if budget is a priority.

On paper, salaries run 19% lower in Gostivar. That's worth factoring in alongside costs, though remote workers earning in a stronger currency may not notice the difference at all.

Rent for a central apartment: $1,069 in Playa del Carmen versus $285 in Gostivar. Housing is usually the single largest factor when comparing overall living costs between the two.

All in, you'll spend $1,330 per month in Playa del Carmen versus $877 in Gostivar – a 52% gap that adds up to real savings over time for anyone picking the cheaper option.

A monthly transit pass in Gostivar runs roughly 38% less than in Playa del Carmen. Both cities have functional networks, but the price difference matters if you're watching your budget.

At $877 in Gostivar versus $1,330 in Playa del Carmen, a $1,000 budget is realistic in Gostivar but tight or insufficient in Playa del Carmen. The gap between the two cities makes Gostivar the clear choice for anyone on this budget.

Both work as nomad bases, but Gostivar delivers better value – similar infrastructure at $877 monthly. If stretching your runway or maximizing savings is the goal, the price difference makes Gostivar hard to pass up.

Expats usually find Gostivar gentler on the wallet – expenses run 52% less than in Playa del Carmen. Beyond cost, consider language, visa policies, and how big the international community is in each city.