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

Monthly Cost of Living

A single person spends $1,305 per month in Playa del Carmen vs $853 in Stip, rent included.

A couple spends around $2,334 per month in Playa del Carmen vs $1,260 in Stip, rent included.

A family of three spends $3,362 per month in Playa del Carmen vs $1,667 in Stip, rent included.

Playa del Carmen costs about 53% more than Stip, driven mainly by Groceries & Markets.

Both Playa del Carmen and Stip are more affordable than the global median – Playa del Carmen 5% lower, Stip 38% lower.

Meal at Budget Restaurant

$11.96 MX$203

$7.53 MKD 398

58.83%

Three-Course Dinner for Two, Mid-Range

$47.38 MX$804

$23.64 MKD 1,249

100.42%

Fast Food Meal (McDonalds, etc)

$11.75 MX$199

$6.78 MKD 358

73.30%

Cappuccino

$4.12 MX$70.0

$1.86 MKD 98.2

121.51%

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

$1.40 MX$23.74

$1.55 MKD 82.0

-9.68%

Water (0.33 liter bottle)

$0.91 MX$15.48

$1.16 MKD 61.4

-21.55%

Local Beer (0.5 liter draught)

$3.21 MX$54.4

$1.84 MKD 97.4

74.46%

Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$7.07 MX$120

$2.92 MKD 154

142.12%

Milk (1 liter)

$1.68 MX$28.44

$1.27 MKD 67.2

32.28%

White Bread (500g)

$2.15 MX$36.48

$0.82 MKD 43.07

162.20%

Rice (white) (1kg)

$1.77 MX$30.10

$1.16 MKD 61.5

52.59%

Eggs

$2.82 MX$47.76

$2.59 MKD 137

8.88%

Local Cheese (1kg)

$9.20 MX$156

$8.69 MKD 459

5.87%

Chicken Fillets (1kg)

$9.23 MX$157

$7.52 MKD 397

22.74%

Beef Round Steak (1kg)

$12.64 MX$214

$7.69 MKD 406

64.37%

Apples (1kg)

$2.95 MX$50.1

$0.93 MKD 49.25

217.20%

Banana (1kg)

$1.58 MX$26.79

$1.43 MKD 75.3

10.49%

Oranges (1kg)

$2.22 MX$37.70

$1.39 MKD 73.5

59.71%

Tomato (1kg)

$2.36 MX$40.09

$1.72 MKD 90.8

37.21%

Potato (1kg)

$1.99 MX$33.81

$0.93 MKD 48.93

113.98%

Onion (1kg)

$1.98 MX$33.58

$0.89 MKD 46.77

122.47%

Lettuce (1 head)

$1.24 MX$21.04

$0.59 MKD 31.21

110.17%

Water (1.5 liter bottle)

$1.21 MX$20.55

$0.42 MKD 22.08

188.10%

Cigarettes 20 Pack (Marlboro, Camel)

$4.60 MX$78.1

$3.26 MKD 172

41.10%

Wine (Bottle)

$10.52 MX$178

$7.61 MKD 402

38.24%

Local Beer (0.5 liter bottle)

$1.69 MX$28.70

$1.09 MKD 57.4

55.05%

Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$2.77 MX$47.06

$1.53 MKD 81.0

81.05%

One-way Ticket (Public Transport)

$0.60 MX$10.22

$0.65 MKD 34.21

-7.69%

Public Transport Monthly Pass (Regular Price)

$29.70 MX$504

$22.86 MKD 1,208

29.92%

Taxi Start (Normal Tariff)

$5.24 MX$88.8

$1.14 MKD 60.3

359.65%

Taxi (Normal Tariff) (1km)

$3.65 MX$61.9

$0.68 MKD 35.94

436.76%

Taxi 1hour Waiting (Normal Tariff)

$5.78 MX$98.1

$5.79 MKD 306

-0.17%

Gasoline (1 liter)

$1.54 MX$26.09

$1.52 MKD 80.5

1.32%

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

$22.8K MX$386.8K

$36.7K MKD 1.9M

-37.82%

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

$25.8K MX$437.9K

$28.1K MKD 1.5M

-8.00%

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

$90.7 MX$1,538

$165 MKD 8,691

-44.89%

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

$25.19 MX$427

$9.36 MKD 495

169.12%

Internet (50+ Mbps, Unlimited Data)

$31.75 MX$539

$17.13 MKD 905

85.35%

Gym Membership (Monthly)

$68.8 MX$1,167

$28.13 MKD 1,486

144.54%

Tennis Court (1 Hour on Weekend)

$29.37 MX$498

Cinema Ticket

$4.86 MX$82.5

$6.64 MKD 351

-26.81%

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

$226 MX$3,828

$381 MKD 20.1K

-40.79%

International Primary School, 1 Child (Yearly)

$4,194 MX$71.1K

$5,594 MKD 295.6K

-25.04%

Jeans (Levis 501 Or Similar)

$47.38 MX$804

$38.16 MKD 2,016

24.16%

Summer Dress (H&M, Zara, etc)

$43.45 MX$737

$31.71 MKD 1,675

37.02%

Sport Shoes (Adidas, Nike)

$80.2 MX$1,361

$108 MKD 5,689

-25.50%

Men's Leather Business Shoes

$91.4 MX$1,550

$114 MKD 6,022

-19.84%

1-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)

$1,086 MX$18.4K

$209 MKD 11.0K

420.61%

1-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)

$409 MX$6,933

$131 MKD 6,901

212.85%

3-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)

$1,972 MX$33.5K

$341 MKD 18.0K

478.45%

3-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)

$1,281 MX$21.7K

$204 MKD 10.8K

526.99%

Buy Apartment in City Center (m2)

$4,046 MX$68.6K

$1,246 MKD 65.9K

224.60%

Buy Apartment Outside City Center (m2)

$6,704 MX$113.7K

$1,000 MKD 52.8K

570.34%

Average Monthly Net Salary (After Tax)

$773 MX$13.1K

$472 MKD 24.9K

63.83%

20-Year Fixed Mortgage Interest Rate (Annual %)

11.45

4.25

169.41%

CityCost data is based on AI and user input – minor inaccuracies may occur.

Last update for Playa del Carmen: September 7, 2026

Last update for Stip: September 5, 2026

Cost Breakdown

A central one-bedroom costs $1,086 in Playa del Carmen versus $209 in Stip. 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 64% 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 $24.00 in Stip. Monthly groceries follow the same trend: $278 vs $186 – making Stip 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 Stip: Cost of Living - Frequently Asked Questions

Yes – Playa del Carmen is pricier by about 53%, 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 $1,958 per month in Playa del Carmen and $1,279 in Stip. That covers rent, food, utilities, transport, and enough left over to feel settled – not just surviving.

Rent is clearly cheaper in Stip, 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 $1,305 in Playa del Carmen and $853 in Stip. The difference isn't just one category – it shows up across housing, food, transport, and services.

Public transport costs about 30% less in Stip. For daily commuters, that gap adds up to noticeable savings over a year.

A $1,500 monthly budget goes further in Stip, where all-in costs run around $853, than in Playa del Carmen at $1,305. In Stip it covers expenses comfortably, while in Playa del Carmen it requires careful planning or may not stretch far enough.

Families tend to lean toward Stip – 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 Stip. 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.