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

Monthly Cost of Living

A single person spends $1,305 per month in Playa del Carmen vs $811 in Prilep, rent included.

A couple spends around $2,334 per month in Playa del Carmen vs $1,200 in Prilep, rent included.

A family of three spends $3,362 per month in Playa del Carmen vs $1,589 in Prilep, rent included.

Playa del Carmen costs about 61% more than Prilep, driven mainly by Eating Out.

Both Playa del Carmen and Prilep are more affordable than the global median – Playa del Carmen 5% lower, Prilep 41% lower.

Meal at Budget Restaurant

$11.96 MX$203

$4.12 MKD 218

190.29%

Three-Course Dinner for Two, Mid-Range

$47.38 MX$805

$28.42 MKD 1,501

66.71%

Fast Food Meal (McDonalds, etc)

$11.75 MX$200

$5.83 MKD 308

101.54%

Cappuccino

$4.12 MX$70.1

$1.50 MKD 79.1

174.67%

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

$1.40 MX$23.78

$1.67 MKD 88.3

-16.17%

Water (0.33 liter bottle)

$0.91 MX$15.50

$1.29 MKD 68.1

-29.46%

Local Beer (0.5 liter draught)

$3.21 MX$54.5

$1.63 MKD 85.9

96.93%

Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$7.07 MX$120

$2.05 MKD 108

244.88%

Milk (1 liter)

$1.68 MX$28.49

$1.18 MKD 62.5

42.37%

White Bread (500g)

$2.15 MX$36.53

$0.74 MKD 39.30

190.54%

Rice (white) (1kg)

$1.77 MX$30.14

$1.65 MKD 87.0

7.27%

Eggs

$2.82 MX$47.83

$2.11 MKD 111

33.65%

Local Cheese (1kg)

$9.20 MX$156

$7.25 MKD 383

26.90%

Chicken Fillets (1kg)

$9.23 MX$157

$5.89 MKD 311

56.71%

Beef Round Steak (1kg)

$12.64 MX$215

$10.23 MKD 540

23.56%

Apples (1kg)

$2.95 MX$50.1

$0.92 MKD 48.37

220.65%

Banana (1kg)

$1.58 MX$26.83

$1.38 MKD 73.0

14.49%

Oranges (1kg)

$2.22 MX$37.76

$0.97 MKD 51.1

128.87%

Tomato (1kg)

$2.36 MX$40.15

$1.47 MKD 77.9

60.54%

Potato (1kg)

$1.99 MX$33.86

$0.81 MKD 42.92

145.68%

Onion (1kg)

$1.98 MX$33.63

$0.84 MKD 44.29

135.71%

Lettuce (1 head)

$1.24 MX$21.07

$0.62 MKD 32.70

100.00%

Water (1.5 liter bottle)

$1.21 MX$20.58

$0.42 MKD 22.13

188.10%

Cigarettes 20 Pack (Marlboro, Camel)

$4.60 MX$78.2

$3.06 MKD 161

50.33%

Wine (Bottle)

$10.52 MX$179

$4.68 MKD 247

124.79%

Local Beer (0.5 liter bottle)

$1.69 MX$28.74

$0.93 MKD 48.91

81.72%

Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$2.77 MX$47.13

$1.18 MKD 62.3

134.75%

One-way Ticket (Public Transport)

$0.60 MX$10.24

$0.37 MKD 19.49

62.16%

Public Transport Monthly Pass (Regular Price)

$29.70 MX$505

$19.14 MKD 1,011

55.17%

Taxi Start (Normal Tariff)

$5.24 MX$89.0

$1.15 MKD 60.9

355.65%

Taxi (Normal Tariff) (1km)

$3.65 MX$62.0

$0.69 MKD 36.56

428.99%

Taxi 1hour Waiting (Normal Tariff)

$5.78 MX$98.3

$6.47 MKD 342

-10.66%

Gasoline (1 liter)

$1.54 MX$26.13

$1.52 MKD 80.2

1.32%

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

$22.8K MX$387.4K

$33.6K MKD 1.8M

-32.04%

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

$25.8K MX$438.5K

$28.5K MKD 1.5M

-9.52%

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

$90.7 MX$1,540

$127 MKD 6,725

-28.77%

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

$25.19 MX$428

$17.81 MKD 941

41.44%

Internet (50+ Mbps, Unlimited Data)

$31.75 MX$539

$14.41 MKD 761

120.33%

Gym Membership (Monthly)

$68.8 MX$1,169

$21.17 MKD 1,118

224.94%

Tennis Court (1 Hour on Weekend)

$29.37 MX$499

$18.75 MKD 991

56.64%

Cinema Ticket

$4.86 MX$82.6

$5.40 MKD 285

-10.00%

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

$226 MX$3,834

$288 MKD 15.2K

-21.60%

International Primary School, 1 Child (Yearly)

$4,194 MX$71.2K

$1,186 MKD 62.6K

253.66%

Jeans (Levis 501 Or Similar)

$47.38 MX$805

$42.38 MKD 2,239

11.80%

Summer Dress (H&M, Zara, etc)

$43.45 MX$738

$37.13 MKD 1,961

17.02%

Sport Shoes (Adidas, Nike)

$80.2 MX$1,363

$74.9 MKD 3,958

7.09%

Men's Leather Business Shoes

$91.4 MX$1,552

$94.7 MKD 5,005

-3.55%

1-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)

$1,086 MX$18.4K

$235 MKD 12.4K

361.38%

1-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)

$409 MX$6,943

$206 MKD 10.9K

97.92%

3-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)

$1,972 MX$33.5K

$517 MKD 27.3K

281.59%

3-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)

$1,281 MX$21.8K

$284 MKD 15.0K

351.08%

Buy Apartment in City Center (m2)

$4,046 MX$68.7K

$1,034 MKD 54.6K

291.38%

Buy Apartment Outside City Center (m2)

$6,704 MX$113.9K

$843 MKD 44.6K

694.86%

Average Monthly Net Salary (After Tax)

$773 MX$13.1K

$618 MKD 32.6K

25.16%

20-Year Fixed Mortgage Interest Rate (Annual %)

11.45

4.25

169.41%

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

Last update for Playa del Carmen: September 7, 2026

Last update for Prilep: September 7, 2026

Cost Breakdown

A central one-bedroom costs $1,086 in Playa del Carmen versus $235 in Prilep. 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 25% 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 $47.00 in Playa del Carmen versus $28.00 in Prilep. Monthly groceries follow the same trend: $278 vs $168 – making Prilep 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 Prilep: Cost of Living - Frequently Asked Questions

Yes – Playa del Carmen is pricier by about 61%, 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 $1,958 per month in Playa del Carmen and $1,216 in Prilep. That covers rent, food, utilities, transport, and enough left over to feel settled – not just surviving.

Rent is clearly cheaper in Prilep, 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 $1,305 in Playa del Carmen and $811 in Prilep. The difference isn't just one category – it shows up across housing, food, transport, and services.

Public transport costs about 55% less in Prilep. For daily commuters, that gap adds up to noticeable savings over a year.

A $1,000 monthly budget goes further in Prilep, where all-in costs run around $811, than in Playa del Carmen at $1,305. In Prilep it covers expenses comfortably, while in Playa del Carmen it requires careful planning or may not stretch far enough.

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

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 Prilep. 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.