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

Monthly Cost of Living

A single person spends $1,287 per month in Playa del Carmen vs $1,006 in Pogradec, rent included.

A couple spends around $2,184 per month in Playa del Carmen vs $1,536 in Pogradec, rent included.

A family of three spends $3,082 per month in Playa del Carmen vs $2,066 in Pogradec, rent included.

Playa del Carmen costs about 28% more than Pogradec, driven mainly by Eating Out.

Both Playa del Carmen and Pogradec are more affordable than the global median – Playa del Carmen 4% lower, Pogradec 25% lower.

Meal at Budget Restaurant

$11.94 MX$209

$8.03 ALL 655

48.69%

Three-Course Dinner for Two, Mid-Range

$42.75 MX$748

$36.74 ALL 3,000

16.36%

Fast Food Meal (McDonalds, etc)

$10.59 MX$185

$6.91 ALL 564

53.26%

Cappuccino

$3.62 MX$63.4

$0.90 ALL 73.7

302.22%

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

$1.47 MX$25.69

$1.62 ALL 133

-9.26%

Water (0.33 liter bottle)

$0.94 MX$16.51

$0.73 ALL 59.8

28.77%

Local Beer (0.5 liter draught)

$3.09 MX$54.1

$1.42 ALL 116

117.61%

Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$4.46 MX$78.0

$2.55 ALL 208

74.90%

Milk (1 liter)

$1.43 MX$24.94

$2.04 ALL 167

-29.90%

White Bread (500g)

$1.88 MX$32.97

$0.84 ALL 68.6

123.81%

Rice (white) (1kg)

$1.63 MX$28.50

$1.94 ALL 158

-15.98%

Eggs

$2.64 MX$46.26

$2.17 ALL 177

21.66%

Local Cheese (1kg)

$8.21 MX$144

$7.49 ALL 611

9.61%

Chicken Fillets (1kg)

$8.29 MX$145

$4.22 ALL 345

96.45%

Beef Round Steak (1kg)

$11.10 MX$194

$13.10 ALL 1,070

-15.27%

Apples (1kg)

$2.65 MX$46.40

$1.15 ALL 94.1

130.43%

Banana (1kg)

$1.50 MX$26.26

$2.45 ALL 200

-38.78%

Oranges (1kg)

$1.99 MX$34.79

$1.39 ALL 113

43.17%

Tomato (1kg)

$2.08 MX$36.33

$1.21 ALL 99.1

71.90%

Potato (1kg)

$1.79 MX$31.29

$0.95 ALL 77.9

88.42%

Onion (1kg)

$2.18 MX$38.09

$0.92 ALL 75.0

136.96%

Lettuce (1 head)

$1.08 MX$18.84

$0.98 ALL 80.3

10.20%

Water (1.5 liter bottle)

$1.04 MX$18.15

$0.72 ALL 59.0

44.44%

Cigarettes 20 Pack (Marlboro, Camel)

$3.97 MX$69.5

$4.00 ALL 327

-0.75%

Wine (Bottle)

$10.20 MX$179

$10.21 ALL 834

-0.10%

Local Beer (0.5 liter bottle)

$1.73 MX$30.22

$1.20 ALL 97.6

44.17%

Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$2.50 MX$43.71

$1.79 ALL 146

39.66%

One-way Ticket (Public Transport)

$0.52 MX$9.07

$0.49 ALL 39.73

6.12%

Public Transport Monthly Pass (Regular Price)

$26.97 MX$472

$19.07 ALL 1,557

41.43%

Taxi Start (Normal Tariff)

$3.14 MX$55.0

$3.52 ALL 288

-10.80%

Taxi (Normal Tariff) (1km)

$2.40 MX$42.04

$1.54 ALL 126

55.84%

Taxi 1hour Waiting (Normal Tariff)

$3.09 MX$54.0

$17.85 ALL 1,458

-82.69%

Gasoline (1 liter)

$1.27 MX$22.28

$2.19 ALL 179

-42.01%

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

$30.9K MX$540.4K

$34.7K ALL 2.8M

-10.89%

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

$23.3K MX$408.0K

$25.7K ALL 2.1M

-9.22%

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

$82.0 MX$1,435

$66.6 ALL 5,435

23.19%

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

$22.45 MX$393

$17.43 ALL 1,423

28.80%

Internet (50+ Mbps, Unlimited Data)

$29.66 MX$519

$15.65 ALL 1,277

89.52%

Gym Membership (Monthly)

$51.9 MX$908

$55.8 ALL 4,552

-6.96%

Tennis Court (1 Hour on Weekend)

$18.67 MX$327

$25.57 ALL 2,088

-26.98%

Cinema Ticket

$4.97 MX$87.0

$8.20 ALL 670

-39.39%

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

$198 MX$3,462

$95.4 ALL 7,793

107.26%

International Primary School, 1 Child (Yearly)

$5,273 MX$92.3K

Jeans (Levis 501 Or Similar)

$36.34 MX$636

$47.50 ALL 3,878

-23.49%

Summer Dress (H&M, Zara, etc)

$40.05 MX$701

$52.8 ALL 4,314

-24.21%

Sport Shoes (Adidas, Nike)

$79.9 MX$1,398

$93.4 ALL 7,625

-14.47%

Men's Leather Business Shoes

$88.9 MX$1,555

$140 ALL 11.4K

-36.44%

1-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)

$963 MX$16.9K

$442 ALL 36.1K

117.84%

1-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)

$465 MX$8,133

$342 ALL 27.9K

35.87%

3-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)

$1,596 MX$27.9K

$618 ALL 50.5K

158.27%

3-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)

$1,209 MX$21.2K

$431 ALL 35.2K

180.28%

Buy Apartment in City Center (m2)

$3,942 MX$69.0K

$1,599 ALL 130.6K

146.45%

Buy Apartment Outside City Center (m2)

$6,448 MX$112.8K

$1,462 ALL 119.4K

341.04%

Average Monthly Net Salary (After Tax)

$720 MX$12.6K

$464 ALL 37.9K

55.09%

20-Year Fixed Mortgage Interest Rate (Annual %)

11.42

185.50%

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 Pogradec: April 26, 2026

Cost Breakdown

A central one-bedroom costs $963 in Playa del Carmen versus $442 in Pogradec. 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 55% 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 $37.00 in Pogradec. Monthly groceries follow the same trend: $251 vs $208 – making Pogradec 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 Pogradec: Cost of Living - Frequently Asked Questions

Yes – Playa del Carmen is pricier by about 28%, and the gap shows up most in Eating Out. It's not just housing either; the difference applies across most spending categories.

For a comfortable life, plan on about $1,930 per month in Playa del Carmen and $1,509 in Pogradec. That covers rent, food, utilities, transport, and enough left over to feel settled – not just surviving.

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

Monthly expenses with rent come to $1,287 in Playa del Carmen and $1,006 in Pogradec. The difference isn't just one category – it shows up across housing, food, transport, and services.

Public transport costs about 41% less in Pogradec. For daily commuters, that gap adds up to noticeable savings over a year.

A $1,000 monthly budget goes further in Pogradec, where all-in costs run around $1,006, than in Playa del Carmen at $1,287. In Pogradec it covers expenses comfortably, while in Playa del Carmen it requires careful planning or may not stretch far enough.

Families tend to lean toward Pogradec – lower housing and cheaper childcare make a real difference, especially on a single income or when paying for private education.

If budget matters most, go with Pogradec. 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.