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 $1,266 per month in Playa del Carmen vs $1,143 in Skopje, rent included.

A couple spends around $2,279 per month in Playa del Carmen vs $1,720 in Skopje, rent included.

A family of three spends $3,292 per month in Playa del Carmen vs $2,296 in Skopje, rent included.

Playa del Carmen costs about 11% more than Skopje, driven mainly by Groceries & Markets.

Both Playa del Carmen and Skopje are more affordable than the global median – Playa del Carmen 7% lower, Skopje 16% lower.

Meal at Budget Restaurant

$11.60 MX$200

$9.35 MKD 497

24.06%

Three-Course Dinner for Two, Mid-Range

$47.11 MX$812

$35.06 MKD 1,864

34.37%

Fast Food Meal (McDonalds, etc)

$11.88 MX$205

$6.78 MKD 360

75.22%

Cappuccino

$3.98 MX$68.6

$2.18 MKD 116

82.57%

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

$1.43 MX$24.60

$1.90 MKD 101

-24.74%

Water (0.33 liter bottle)

$0.82 MX$14.22

$1.36 MKD 72.5

-39.71%

Local Beer (0.5 liter draught)

$3.19 MX$55.0

$2.76 MKD 147

15.58%

Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$6.79 MX$117

$3.35 MKD 178

102.69%

Milk (1 liter)

$1.68 MX$28.89

$1.26 MKD 67.2

33.33%

White Bread (500g)

$2.20 MX$37.88

$0.81 MKD 43.24

171.60%

Rice (white) (1kg)

$1.71 MX$29.45

$1.89 MKD 101

-9.52%

Eggs

$2.74 MX$47.26

$2.52 MKD 134

8.73%

Local Cheese (1kg)

$9.58 MX$165

$8.49 MKD 452

12.84%

Chicken Fillets (1kg)

$9.01 MX$155

$7.38 MKD 393

22.09%

Beef Round Steak (1kg)

$12.81 MX$221

$15.17 MKD 807

-15.56%

Apples (1kg)

$2.89 MX$49.81

$1.47 MKD 78.1

96.60%

Banana (1kg)

$1.50 MX$25.81

$1.42 MKD 75.3

5.63%

Oranges (1kg)

$2.15 MX$37.03

$1.35 MKD 71.6

59.26%

Tomato (1kg)

$2.26 MX$38.96

$2.10 MKD 112

7.62%

Potato (1kg)

$1.98 MX$34.15

$0.85 MKD 45.28

132.94%

Onion (1kg)

$1.99 MX$34.30

$0.81 MKD 43.02

145.68%

Lettuce (1 head)

$1.23 MX$21.28

$0.64 MKD 33.94

92.19%

Water (1.5 liter bottle)

$1.20 MX$20.63

$0.61 MKD 32.55

96.72%

Cigarettes 20 Pack (Marlboro, Camel)

$4.55 MX$78.5

$3.47 MKD 184

31.12%

Wine (Bottle)

$10.37 MX$179

$7.33 MKD 390

41.47%

Local Beer (0.5 liter bottle)

$1.62 MX$27.91

$1.06 MKD 56.2

52.83%

Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$2.88 MX$49.67

$1.52 MKD 81.0

89.47%

One-way Ticket (Public Transport)

$0.60 MX$10.35

$0.77 MKD 40.88

-22.08%

Public Transport Monthly Pass (Regular Price)

$28.80 MX$497

$28.58 MKD 1,520

0.77%

Taxi Start (Normal Tariff)

$5.39 MX$92.9

$1.15 MKD 61.0

368.70%

Taxi (Normal Tariff) (1km)

$3.73 MX$64.3

$0.62 MKD 33.22

501.61%

Taxi 1hour Waiting (Normal Tariff)

$5.77 MX$99.5

$7.97 MKD 424

-27.60%

Gasoline (1 liter)

$1.54 MX$26.48

$1.59 MKD 84.3

-3.14%

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

$22.5K MX$388.8K

$36.7K MKD 1.9M

-38.48%

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

$26.1K MX$449.3K

$28.4K MKD 1.5M

-8.36%

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

$91.4 MX$1,576

$160 MKD 8,502

-42.84%

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

$25.20 MX$435

$18.86 MKD 1,003

33.62%

Internet (50+ Mbps, Unlimited Data)

$31.24 MX$539

$19.61 MKD 1,043

59.31%

Gym Membership (Monthly)

$67.2 MX$1,159

$36.62 MKD 1,947

83.51%

Tennis Court (1 Hour on Weekend)

$29.11 MX$502

$17.67 MKD 940

64.74%

Cinema Ticket

$4.86 MX$83.8

$7.73 MKD 411

-37.13%

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

$224 MX$3,856

$364 MKD 19.4K

-38.65%

International Primary School, 1 Child (Yearly)

$4,229 MX$72.9K

$5,701 MKD 303.2K

-25.82%

Jeans (Levis 501 Or Similar)

$47.10 MX$812

$88.4 MKD 4,702

-46.73%

Summer Dress (H&M, Zara, etc)

$44.29 MX$764

$38.29 MKD 2,036

15.67%

Sport Shoes (Adidas, Nike)

$80.1 MX$1,381

$107 MKD 5,690

-25.13%

Men's Leather Business Shoes

$92.7 MX$1,598

$119 MKD 6,307

-21.87%

1-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)

$1,063 MX$18.3K

$439 MKD 23.3K

142.19%

1-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)

$390 MX$6,728

$332 MKD 17.7K

17.41%

3-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)

$2,149 MX$37.1K

$763 MKD 40.6K

181.77%

3-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)

$1,272 MX$21.9K

$522 MKD 27.8K

143.78%

Buy Apartment in City Center (m2)

$4,001 MX$69.0K

$2,748 MKD 146.1K

45.63%

Buy Apartment Outside City Center (m2)

$6,502 MX$112.1K

$1,838 MKD 97.7K

253.79%

Average Monthly Net Salary (After Tax)

$758 MX$13.1K

$920 MKD 48.9K

-17.60%

20-Year Fixed Mortgage Interest Rate (Annual %)

11.45

4.23

170.69%

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 Skopje: September 14, 2026

Cost Breakdown

A central one-bedroom costs $1,063 in Playa del Carmen versus $439 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 21% 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 $47.00 in Playa del Carmen versus $35.00 in Skopje. Monthly groceries follow the same trend: $276 vs $215 – 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 11%, and the gap shows up most in Groceries & Markets. 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 $1,715 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 $1,266 in Playa del Carmen and $1,143 in Skopje. The difference isn't just one category – it shows up across housing, food, transport, and services.

Public transport costs about 1% 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 $1,143, than in Playa del Carmen at $1,266. 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.