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

Monthly Cost of Living

A single person spends $1,297 per month in Playa del Carmen vs $1,112 in Skopje, rent included.

A couple spends around $2,181 per month in Playa del Carmen vs $1,621 in Skopje, rent included.

A family of three spends $3,065 per month in Playa del Carmen vs $2,130 in Skopje, rent included.

Playa del Carmen costs about 17% more than Skopje, driven mainly by Eating Out.

Both Playa del Carmen and Skopje are more affordable than the global median – Playa del Carmen 3% lower, Skopje 17% lower.

Meal at Budget Restaurant

$11.73 MX$203

$7.57 MKD 399

54.95%

Three-Course Dinner for Two, Mid-Range

$41.62 MX$719

$34.02 MKD 1,791

22.34%

Fast Food Meal (McDonalds, etc)

$10.64 MX$184

$6.65 MKD 350

60.00%

Cappuccino

$3.52 MX$60.8

$2.19 MKD 115

60.73%

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

$1.51 MX$26.09

$1.94 MKD 102

-22.16%

Water (0.33 liter bottle)

$0.97 MX$16.82

$1.28 MKD 67.5

-24.22%

Local Beer (0.5 liter draught)

$2.95 MX$51.0

$2.70 MKD 142

9.26%

Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$4.45 MX$77.0

$3.47 MKD 183

28.24%

Milk (1 liter)

$1.38 MX$23.90

$1.34 MKD 70.6

2.99%

White Bread (500g)

$1.89 MX$32.69

$0.82 MKD 43.34

130.49%

Rice (white) (1kg)

$1.64 MX$28.29

$1.75 MKD 92.4

-6.29%

Eggs

$2.51 MX$43.30

$2.19 MKD 115

14.61%

Local Cheese (1kg)

$8.34 MX$144

$9.22 MKD 485

-9.54%

Chicken Fillets (1kg)

$8.34 MX$144

$7.99 MKD 421

4.38%

Beef Round Steak (1kg)

$10.73 MX$185

$13.63 MKD 718

-21.28%

Apples (1kg)

$2.60 MX$45.00

$1.01 MKD 53.3

157.43%

Banana (1kg)

$1.46 MX$25.18

$1.41 MKD 74.4

3.55%

Oranges (1kg)

$1.90 MX$32.84

$1.32 MKD 69.6

43.94%

Tomato (1kg)

$2.08 MX$35.88

$2.17 MKD 114

-4.15%

Potato (1kg)

$1.78 MX$30.68

$0.88 MKD 46.53

102.27%

Onion (1kg)

$2.19 MX$37.76

$0.92 MKD 48.49

138.04%

Lettuce (1 head)

$1.04 MX$17.97

$0.71 MKD 37.39

46.48%

Water (1.5 liter bottle)

$1.08 MX$18.60

$0.58 MKD 30.57

86.21%

Cigarettes 20 Pack (Marlboro, Camel)

$4.08 MX$70.5

$3.15 MKD 166

29.52%

Wine (Bottle)

$10.32 MX$178

$7.41 MKD 390

39.27%

Local Beer (0.5 liter bottle)

$1.71 MX$29.59

$1.06 MKD 55.8

61.32%

Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$2.58 MX$44.50

$1.51 MKD 79.7

70.86%

One-way Ticket (Public Transport)

$0.51 MX$8.81

$0.77 MKD 40.40

-33.77%

Public Transport Monthly Pass (Regular Price)

$26.46 MX$457

$27.67 MKD 1,457

-4.37%

Taxi Start (Normal Tariff)

$3.26 MX$56.4

$0.98 MKD 51.4

232.65%

Taxi (Normal Tariff) (1km)

$2.49 MX$43.05

$0.49 MKD 25.59

408.16%

Taxi 1hour Waiting (Normal Tariff)

$3.25 MX$56.1

$7.60 MKD 400

-57.24%

Gasoline (1 liter)

$1.31 MX$22.59

$1.47 MKD 77.3

-10.88%

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

$30.3K MX$523.2K

$34.0K MKD 1.8M

-11.02%

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

$23.4K MX$404.9K

$29.6K MKD 1.6M

-20.81%

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

$82.9 MX$1,432

$160 MKD 8,438

-48.29%

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

$22.22 MX$384

$18.34 MKD 965

21.16%

Internet (50+ Mbps, Unlimited Data)

$29.34 MX$507

$19.13 MKD 1,007

53.37%

Gym Membership (Monthly)

$51.6 MX$892

$38.37 MKD 2,020

34.56%

Tennis Court (1 Hour on Weekend)

$18.32 MX$317

$17.56 MKD 925

4.33%

Cinema Ticket

$5.07 MX$87.5

$6.72 MKD 354

-24.55%

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

$201 MX$3,470

$312 MKD 16.4K

-35.72%

International Primary School, 1 Child (Yearly)

$5,212 MX$90.1K

$4,509 MKD 237.4K

15.58%

Jeans (Levis 501 Or Similar)

$36.92 MX$638

$77.2 MKD 4,063

-52.16%

Summer Dress (H&M, Zara, etc)

$39.79 MX$688

$40.43 MKD 2,129

-1.58%

Sport Shoes (Adidas, Nike)

$78.5 MX$1,356

$100 MKD 5,270

-21.63%

Men's Leather Business Shoes

$87.1 MX$1,505

$110 MKD 5,804

-21.01%

1-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)

$973 MX$16.8K

$429 MKD 22.6K

126.46%

1-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)

$468 MX$8,082

$310 MKD 16.3K

50.80%

3-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)

$1,641 MX$28.4K

$645 MKD 34.0K

154.42%

3-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)

$1,221 MX$21.1K

$459 MKD 24.1K

166.23%

Buy Apartment in City Center (m2)

$3,946 MX$68.2K

$2,801 MKD 147.5K

40.86%

Buy Apartment Outside City Center (m2)

$6,498 MX$112.3K

$1,829 MKD 96.3K

255.31%

Average Monthly Net Salary (After Tax)

$664 MX$11.5K

$913 MKD 48.1K

-27.26%

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: June 2, 2026

Last update for Skopje: May 31, 2026

Cost Breakdown

A central one-bedroom costs $973 in Playa del Carmen versus $429 in Skopje. 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 37% higher in Skopje, which reinforces the cost advantage – you earn more and spend less. Purchasing power leans clearly in its favor.

A mid-range dinner for two costs $42.00 in Playa del Carmen versus $34.00 in Skopje. Monthly groceries follow the same trend: $249 vs $213 – making Skopje 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 Skopje: Cost of Living - Frequently Asked Questions

Yes – Playa del Carmen is pricier by about 17%, 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 $1,945 per month in Playa del Carmen and $1,667 in Skopje. That covers rent, food, utilities, transport, and enough left over to feel settled – not just surviving.

Rent is clearly cheaper in Skopje, 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 $1,297 in Playa del Carmen and $1,112 in Skopje. The difference isn't just one category – it shows up across housing, food, transport, and services.

Public transport costs about 5% less in Skopje. For daily commuters, that gap adds up to noticeable savings over a year.

A $1,000 monthly budget goes further in Skopje, where all-in costs run around $1,112, than in Playa del Carmen at $1,297. In Skopje it covers expenses comfortably, while in Playa del Carmen it requires careful planning or may not stretch far enough.

Families tend to lean toward Skopje – 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 Skopje. 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.