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

Monthly Cost of Living

A single person spends $1,266 per month in Playa del Carmen vs $984 in Shkoder, rent included.

A couple spends around $2,279 per month in Playa del Carmen vs $1,469 in Shkoder, rent included.

A family of three spends $3,292 per month in Playa del Carmen vs $1,954 in Shkoder, rent included.

Playa del Carmen costs about 29% more than Shkoder, driven mainly by Eating Out.

Both Playa del Carmen and Shkoder are more affordable than the global median – Playa del Carmen 7% lower, Shkoder 28% lower.

Meal at Budget Restaurant

$11.60 MX$200

$9.68 ALL 765

19.83%

Three-Course Dinner for Two, Mid-Range

$47.11 MX$812

$38.84 ALL 3,069

21.29%

Fast Food Meal (McDonalds, etc)

$11.88 MX$205

$6.43 ALL 508

84.76%

Cappuccino

$3.98 MX$68.6

$2.06 ALL 163

93.20%

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

$1.43 MX$24.60

$1.91 ALL 151

-25.13%

Water (0.33 liter bottle)

$0.82 MX$14.22

$0.67 ALL 52.8

22.39%

Local Beer (0.5 liter draught)

$3.19 MX$55.0

$1.94 ALL 153

64.43%

Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$6.79 MX$117

$3.13 ALL 247

116.93%

Milk (1 liter)

$1.68 MX$28.89

$2.02 ALL 160

-16.83%

White Bread (500g)

$2.20 MX$37.88

$1.02 ALL 80.3

115.69%

Rice (white) (1kg)

$1.71 MX$29.45

$2.08 ALL 164

-17.79%

Eggs

$2.74 MX$47.26

$2.77 ALL 219

-1.08%

Local Cheese (1kg)

$9.58 MX$165

$7.26 ALL 573

31.96%

Chicken Fillets (1kg)

$9.01 MX$155

$4.98 ALL 393

80.92%

Beef Round Steak (1kg)

$12.81 MX$221

$10.88 ALL 860

17.74%

Apples (1kg)

$2.89 MX$49.81

$1.60 ALL 127

80.63%

Banana (1kg)

$1.50 MX$25.81

$2.37 ALL 187

-36.71%

Oranges (1kg)

$2.15 MX$37.03

$1.71 ALL 135

25.73%

Tomato (1kg)

$2.26 MX$38.96

$1.55 ALL 123

45.81%

Potato (1kg)

$1.98 MX$34.15

$1.05 ALL 82.8

88.57%

Onion (1kg)

$1.99 MX$34.30

$1.23 ALL 97.5

61.79%

Lettuce (1 head)

$1.23 MX$21.28

$1.17 ALL 92.2

5.13%

Water (1.5 liter bottle)

$1.20 MX$20.63

$0.74 ALL 58.4

62.16%

Cigarettes 20 Pack (Marlboro, Camel)

$4.55 MX$78.5

$4.42 ALL 349

2.94%

Wine (Bottle)

$10.37 MX$179

$6.33 ALL 500

63.82%

Local Beer (0.5 liter bottle)

$1.62 MX$27.91

$1.61 ALL 127

0.62%

Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$2.88 MX$49.67

$1.84 ALL 146

56.52%

One-way Ticket (Public Transport)

$0.60 MX$10.35

$0.47 ALL 37.40

27.66%

Public Transport Monthly Pass (Regular Price)

$28.80 MX$497

$11.72 ALL 926

145.73%

Taxi Start (Normal Tariff)

$5.39 MX$92.9

$3.76 ALL 297

43.35%

Taxi (Normal Tariff) (1km)

$3.73 MX$64.3

$3.92 ALL 310

-4.85%

Taxi 1hour Waiting (Normal Tariff)

$5.77 MX$99.5

$18.89 ALL 1,492

-69.45%

Gasoline (1 liter)

$1.54 MX$26.48

$2.12 ALL 168

-27.36%

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

$22.5K MX$388.8K

$35.1K ALL 2.8M

-35.82%

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

$26.1K MX$449.3K

$25.6K ALL 2.0M

1.75%

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

$91.4 MX$1,576

$61.8 ALL 4,880

47.94%

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

$25.20 MX$435

$16.54 ALL 1,307

52.36%

Internet (50+ Mbps, Unlimited Data)

$31.24 MX$539

$17.42 ALL 1,376

79.33%

Gym Membership (Monthly)

$67.2 MX$1,159

$44.51 ALL 3,517

50.98%

Tennis Court (1 Hour on Weekend)

$29.11 MX$502

$12.64 ALL 999

130.30%

Cinema Ticket

$4.86 MX$83.8

$7.51 ALL 593

-35.29%

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

$224 MX$3,856

$94.2 ALL 7,440

137.45%

International Primary School, 1 Child (Yearly)

$4,229 MX$72.9K

$1,854 ALL 146.5K

128.11%

Jeans (Levis 501 Or Similar)

$47.10 MX$812

$49.75 ALL 3,930

-5.33%

Summer Dress (H&M, Zara, etc)

$44.29 MX$764

$12.51 ALL 988

254.04%

Sport Shoes (Adidas, Nike)

$80.1 MX$1,381

$75.9 ALL 5,993

5.60%

Men's Leather Business Shoes

$92.7 MX$1,598

$149 ALL 11.8K

-37.82%

1-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)

$1,063 MX$18.3K

$498 ALL 39.4K

113.24%

1-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)

$390 MX$6,728

$313 ALL 24.7K

24.56%

3-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)

$2,149 MX$37.1K

$376 ALL 29.7K

470.82%

3-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)

$1,272 MX$21.9K

$370 ALL 29.3K

243.37%

Buy Apartment in City Center (m2)

$4,001 MX$69.0K

$1,907 ALL 150.6K

109.86%

Buy Apartment Outside City Center (m2)

$6,502 MX$112.1K

$1,263 ALL 99.8K

414.63%

Average Monthly Net Salary (After Tax)

$758 MX$13.1K

$587 ALL 46.4K

29.19%

20-Year Fixed Mortgage Interest Rate (Annual %)

11.45

129.00%

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 Shkoder: September 15, 2026

Cost Breakdown

A central one-bedroom costs $1,063 in Playa del Carmen versus $498 in Shkoder. 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 29% 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 $39.00 in Shkoder. Monthly groceries follow the same trend: $276 vs $209 – making Shkoder 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 Shkoder: Cost of Living - Frequently Asked Questions

Yes – Playa del Carmen is pricier by about 29%, 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 $1,899 per month in Playa del Carmen and $1,476 in Shkoder. That covers rent, food, utilities, transport, and enough left over to feel settled – not just surviving.

Rent is clearly cheaper in Shkoder, 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 $1,266 in Playa del Carmen and $984 in Shkoder. The difference isn't just one category – it shows up across housing, food, transport, and services.

Public transport costs about 146% less in Shkoder. For daily commuters, that gap adds up to noticeable savings over a year.

A $2,000 monthly budget goes further in Shkoder, where all-in costs run around $984, than in Playa del Carmen at $1,266. In Shkoder it covers expenses comfortably, while in Playa del Carmen it requires careful planning or may not stretch far enough.

Families tend to lean toward Shkoder – 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 Shkoder. 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.