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 $1,256 per month in Playa del Carmen vs $1,087 in Skopje, rent included.

A couple spends around $2,137 per month in Playa del Carmen vs $1,634 in Skopje, rent included.

A family of three spends $3,017 per month in Playa del Carmen vs $2,180 in Skopje, rent included.

Playa del Carmen costs about 16% more than Skopje, driven mainly by Eating Out.

Both Playa del Carmen and Skopje are more affordable than the global median – Playa del Carmen 6% lower, Skopje 19% lower.

Meal at Budget Restaurant

$11.99 MX$209

$7.58 MKD 407

58.18%

Three-Course Dinner for Two, Mid-Range

$41.78 MX$728

$33.45 MKD 1,796

24.90%

Fast Food Meal (McDonalds, etc)

$10.75 MX$187

$6.70 MKD 360

60.45%

Cappuccino

$3.50 MX$60.9

$2.27 MKD 122

54.19%

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

$1.45 MX$25.22

$2.03 MKD 109

-28.57%

Water (0.33 liter bottle)

$0.88 MX$15.41

$1.29 MKD 69.3

-31.78%

Local Beer (0.5 liter draught)

$2.95 MX$51.3

$2.66 MKD 143

10.90%

Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$4.51 MX$78.6

$3.35 MKD 180

34.63%

Milk (1 liter)

$1.43 MX$24.94

$1.29 MKD 69.5

10.85%

White Bread (500g)

$1.84 MX$31.99

$0.76 MKD 40.83

142.11%

Rice (white) (1kg)

$1.57 MX$27.31

$1.67 MKD 89.7

-5.99%

Eggs

$2.51 MX$43.74

$2.21 MKD 119

13.57%

Local Cheese (1kg)

$8.28 MX$144

$9.13 MKD 490

-9.31%

Chicken Fillets (1kg)

$8.43 MX$147

$7.78 MKD 418

8.35%

Beef Round Steak (1kg)

$10.68 MX$186

$13.71 MKD 736

-22.10%

Apples (1kg)

$2.61 MX$45.43

$1.06 MKD 57.1

146.23%

Banana (1kg)

$1.44 MX$25.04

$1.43 MKD 76.8

0.70%

Oranges (1kg)

$1.96 MX$34.16

$1.35 MKD 72.6

45.19%

Tomato (1kg)

$2.09 MX$36.47

$2.17 MKD 116

-3.69%

Potato (1kg)

$1.85 MX$32.24

$0.89 MKD 47.79

107.87%

Onion (1kg)

$2.17 MX$37.74

$0.90 MKD 48.49

141.11%

Lettuce (1 head)

$1.03 MX$17.96

$0.69 MKD 36.95

49.28%

Water (1.5 liter bottle)

$1.07 MX$18.70

$0.55 MKD 29.72

94.55%

Cigarettes 20 Pack (Marlboro, Camel)

$4.10 MX$71.4

$3.18 MKD 171

28.93%

Wine (Bottle)

$10.17 MX$177

$7.26 MKD 390

40.08%

Local Beer (0.5 liter bottle)

$1.68 MX$29.17

$1.07 MKD 57.3

57.01%

Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$2.53 MX$43.98

$1.52 MKD 81.5

66.45%

One-way Ticket (Public Transport)

$0.51 MX$8.87

$0.76 MKD 40.98

-32.89%

Public Transport Monthly Pass (Regular Price)

$26.04 MX$453

$28.58 MKD 1,534

-8.89%

Taxi Start (Normal Tariff)

$3.23 MX$56.3

$0.96 MKD 51.6

236.46%

Taxi (Normal Tariff) (1km)

$2.41 MX$41.88

$0.48 MKD 26.03

402.08%

Taxi 1hour Waiting (Normal Tariff)

$3.23 MX$56.2

$7.41 MKD 398

-56.41%

Gasoline (1 liter)

$1.32 MX$23.00

$1.49 MKD 79.7

-11.41%

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

$29.7K MX$517.1K

$33.7K MKD 1.8M

-11.77%

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

$23.7K MX$412.0K

$29.3K MKD 1.6M

-19.15%

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

$82.0 MX$1,428

$160 MKD 8,580

-48.69%

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

$22.95 MX$400

$18.05 MKD 969

27.15%

Internet (50+ Mbps, Unlimited Data)

$30.11 MX$524

$19.13 MKD 1,027

57.40%

Gym Membership (Monthly)

$52.0 MX$905

$38.66 MKD 2,075

34.43%

Tennis Court (1 Hour on Weekend)

$18.53 MX$323

$17.36 MKD 932

6.74%

Cinema Ticket

$4.98 MX$86.6

$6.62 MKD 356

-24.77%

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

$197 MX$3,438

$320 MKD 17.2K

-38.33%

International Primary School, 1 Child (Yearly)

$5,336 MX$92.9K

$4,642 MKD 249.2K

14.97%

Jeans (Levis 501 Or Similar)

$35.60 MX$620

$77.5 MKD 4,160

-54.06%

Summer Dress (H&M, Zara, etc)

$40.33 MX$702

$40.16 MKD 2,156

0.42%

Sport Shoes (Adidas, Nike)

$78.8 MX$1,371

$100 MKD 5,368

-21.25%

Men's Leather Business Shoes

$88.9 MX$1,549

$110 MKD 5,918

-19.33%

1-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)

$947 MX$16.5K

$425 MKD 22.8K

123.05%

1-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)

$474 MX$8,254

$310 MKD 16.6K

52.93%

3-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)

$1,644 MX$28.6K

$645 MKD 34.6K

154.69%

3-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)

$1,211 MX$21.1K

$463 MKD 24.8K

161.61%

Buy Apartment in City Center (m2)

$4,056 MX$70.6K

$2,731 MKD 146.6K

48.52%

Buy Apartment Outside City Center (m2)

$6,470 MX$112.7K

$1,740 MKD 93.4K

271.84%

Average Monthly Net Salary (After Tax)

$654 MX$11.4K

$886 MKD 47.6K

-26.19%

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 13, 2026

Last update for Skopje: July 11, 2026

Cost Breakdown

A central one-bedroom costs $947 in Playa del Carmen versus $425 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 35% 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 $33.00 in Skopje. Monthly groceries follow the same trend: $249 vs $210 – 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 16%, 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 $1,884 per month in Playa del Carmen and $1,631 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 $1,256 in Playa del Carmen and $1,087 in Skopje. The difference isn't just one category – it shows up across housing, food, transport, and services.

Public transport costs about 10% 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 $1,087, than in Playa del Carmen at $1,256. 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.