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 $1,260 per month in Playa del Carmen vs $745 in Prilep, rent included.

A couple spends around $2,125 per month in Playa del Carmen vs $1,134 in Prilep, rent included.

A family of three spends $2,990 per month in Playa del Carmen vs $1,523 in Prilep, rent included.

Playa del Carmen costs about 69% 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 44% lower.

Meal at Budget Restaurant

$11.72 MX$204

$4.03 MKD 217

190.82%

Three-Course Dinner for Two, Mid-Range

$41.89 MX$731

$27.76 MKD 1,493

50.90%

Fast Food Meal (McDonalds, etc)

$10.51 MX$183

$5.74 MKD 308

83.10%

Cappuccino

$3.59 MX$62.5

$1.46 MKD 78.6

145.89%

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

$1.51 MX$26.31

$1.68 MKD 90.2

-10.12%

Water (0.33 liter bottle)

$0.92 MX$15.96

$1.29 MKD 69.1

-28.68%

Local Beer (0.5 liter draught)

$2.96 MX$51.6

$1.56 MKD 84.1

89.74%

Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$4.41 MX$76.9

$2.06 MKD 111

114.08%

Milk (1 liter)

$1.40 MX$24.35

$1.23 MKD 65.9

13.82%

White Bread (500g)

$1.88 MX$32.87

$0.74 MKD 39.93

154.05%

Rice (white) (1kg)

$1.56 MX$27.19

$1.59 MKD 85.7

-1.89%

Eggs

$2.61 MX$45.50

$2.11 MKD 114

23.70%

Local Cheese (1kg)

$8.32 MX$145

$7.18 MKD 386

15.88%

Chicken Fillets (1kg)

$8.35 MX$146

$5.78 MKD 311

44.46%

Beef Round Steak (1kg)

$10.86 MX$189

$9.90 MKD 532

9.70%

Apples (1kg)

$2.71 MX$47.31

$0.86 MKD 46.17

215.12%

Banana (1kg)

$1.51 MX$26.25

$1.36 MKD 72.9

11.03%

Oranges (1kg)

$1.87 MX$32.67

$0.97 MKD 52.3

92.78%

Tomato (1kg)

$2.19 MX$38.19

$1.46 MKD 78.8

50.00%

Potato (1kg)

$1.86 MX$32.40

$0.89 MKD 47.76

108.99%

Onion (1kg)

$2.23 MX$38.90

$0.96 MKD 51.8

132.29%

Lettuce (1 head)

$1.07 MX$18.63

$0.61 MKD 32.54

75.41%

Water (1.5 liter bottle)

$1.09 MX$18.94

$0.44 MKD 23.66

147.73%

Cigarettes 20 Pack (Marlboro, Camel)

$4.19 MX$73.0

$3.07 MKD 165

36.48%

Wine (Bottle)

$10.43 MX$182

$4.75 MKD 256

119.58%

Local Beer (0.5 liter bottle)

$1.66 MX$28.91

$0.91 MKD 48.89

82.42%

Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$2.61 MX$45.56

$1.22 MKD 65.9

113.93%

One-way Ticket (Public Transport)

$0.54 MX$9.45

$0.37 MKD 19.78

45.95%

Public Transport Monthly Pass (Regular Price)

$26.16 MX$456

$18.81 MKD 1,012

39.07%

Taxi Start (Normal Tariff)

$3.08 MX$53.7

$0.96 MKD 51.5

220.83%

Taxi (Normal Tariff) (1km)

$2.40 MX$41.94

$0.49 MKD 26.61

389.80%

Taxi 1hour Waiting (Normal Tariff)

$3.13 MX$54.5

$6.43 MKD 346

-51.32%

Gasoline (1 liter)

$1.31 MX$22.87

$1.44 MKD 77.7

-9.03%

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

$29.8K MX$519.9K

$34.4K MKD 1.8M

-13.34%

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

$23.3K MX$406.8K

$29.6K MKD 1.6M

-21.26%

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

$81.3 MX$1,418

$128 MKD 6,888

-36.54%

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

$22.56 MX$393

$17.38 MKD 934

29.80%

Internet (50+ Mbps, Unlimited Data)

$30.05 MX$524

$14.24 MKD 766

111.03%

Gym Membership (Monthly)

$52.9 MX$923

$17.21 MKD 925

207.44%

Tennis Court (1 Hour on Weekend)

$18.39 MX$321

$5.53 MKD 297

232.55%

Cinema Ticket

$4.92 MX$85.8

$5.28 MKD 284

-6.82%

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

$201 MX$3,502

$281 MKD 15.1K

-28.45%

International Primary School, 1 Child (Yearly)

$5,175 MX$90.2K

$1,212 MKD 65.2K

326.85%

Jeans (Levis 501 Or Similar)

$35.92 MX$627

$42.44 MKD 2,282

-15.36%

Summer Dress (H&M, Zara, etc)

$40.13 MX$700

$37.97 MKD 2,042

5.69%

Sport Shoes (Adidas, Nike)

$79.7 MX$1,390

$74.7 MKD 4,018

6.65%

Men's Leather Business Shoes

$86.5 MX$1,508

$95.1 MKD 5,112

-9.06%

1-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)

$978 MX$17.1K

$237 MKD 12.8K

312.34%

1-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)

$470 MX$8,206

$173 MKD 9,301

171.99%

3-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)

$1,651 MX$28.8K

$512 MKD 27.5K

222.73%

3-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)

$1,203 MX$21.0K

$281 MKD 15.1K

328.02%

Buy Apartment in City Center (m2)

$3,953 MX$69.0K

$1,044 MKD 56.1K

278.77%

Buy Apartment Outside City Center (m2)

$6,607 MX$115.2K

$827 MKD 44.5K

698.60%

Average Monthly Net Salary (After Tax)

$677 MX$11.8K

$609 MKD 32.7K

11.12%

20-Year Fixed Mortgage Interest Rate (Annual %)

11.42

4.54

151.54%

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 Prilep: July 26, 2026

Cost Breakdown

A central one-bedroom costs $978 in Playa del Carmen versus $237 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 11% 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 $28.00 in Prilep. Monthly groceries follow the same trend: $252 vs $167 – 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 69%, 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 $1,890 per month in Playa del Carmen and $1,118 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 $1,260 in Playa del Carmen and $745 in Prilep. The difference isn't just one category – it shows up across housing, food, transport, and services.

Public transport costs about 39% 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 $745, than in Playa del Carmen at $1,260. 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.