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 $1,256 per month in Playa del Carmen vs $774 in Stip, rent included.

A couple spends around $2,137 per month in Playa del Carmen vs $1,153 in Stip, rent included.

A family of three spends $3,017 per month in Playa del Carmen vs $1,532 in Stip, rent included.

Playa del Carmen costs about 62% more than Stip, driven mainly by Eating Out.

Both Playa del Carmen and Stip are more affordable than the global median – Playa del Carmen 6% lower, Stip 42% lower.

Meal at Budget Restaurant

$11.99 MX$209

$5.80 MKD 311

106.72%

Three-Course Dinner for Two, Mid-Range

$41.78 MX$728

$15.99 MKD 858

161.29%

Fast Food Meal (McDonalds, etc)

$10.75 MX$187

$4.95 MKD 266

117.17%

Cappuccino

$3.50 MX$60.9

$1.98 MKD 106

76.77%

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

$1.45 MX$25.22

$1.76 MKD 94.5

-17.61%

Water (0.33 liter bottle)

$0.88 MX$15.41

$1.23 MKD 66.1

-28.46%

Local Beer (0.5 liter draught)

$2.95 MX$51.3

$2.29 MKD 123

28.82%

Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$4.51 MX$78.6

$2.65 MKD 142

70.19%

Milk (1 liter)

$1.43 MX$24.94

$1.33 MKD 71.2

7.52%

White Bread (500g)

$1.84 MX$31.99

$0.67 MKD 36.09

174.63%

Rice (white) (1kg)

$1.57 MX$27.31

$1.12 MKD 60.0

40.18%

Eggs

$2.51 MX$43.74

$2.03 MKD 109

23.65%

Local Cheese (1kg)

$8.28 MX$144

$10.33 MKD 555

-19.85%

Chicken Fillets (1kg)

$8.43 MX$147

$7.34 MKD 394

14.85%

Beef Round Steak (1kg)

$10.68 MX$186

$7.50 MKD 403

42.40%

Apples (1kg)

$2.61 MX$45.43

$0.90 MKD 48.53

190.00%

Banana (1kg)

$1.44 MX$25.04

$1.38 MKD 74.0

4.35%

Oranges (1kg)

$1.96 MX$34.16

$1.31 MKD 70.2

49.62%

Tomato (1kg)

$2.09 MX$36.47

$1.63 MKD 87.5

28.22%

Potato (1kg)

$1.85 MX$32.24

$0.99 MKD 52.9

86.87%

Onion (1kg)

$2.17 MX$37.74

$1.37 MKD 73.8

58.39%

Lettuce (1 head)

$1.03 MX$17.96

$0.58 MKD 31.02

77.59%

Water (1.5 liter bottle)

$1.07 MX$18.70

$0.41 MKD 22.01

160.98%

Cigarettes 20 Pack (Marlboro, Camel)

$4.10 MX$71.4

$2.95 MKD 159

38.98%

Wine (Bottle)

$10.17 MX$177

$7.60 MKD 408

33.82%

Local Beer (0.5 liter bottle)

$1.68 MX$29.17

$0.99 MKD 53.1

69.70%

Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$2.53 MX$43.98

$1.79 MKD 95.9

41.34%

One-way Ticket (Public Transport)

$0.51 MX$8.87

$0.64 MKD 34.35

-20.31%

Public Transport Monthly Pass (Regular Price)

$26.04 MX$453

$19.79 MKD 1,063

31.58%

Taxi Start (Normal Tariff)

$3.23 MX$56.3

$1.16 MKD 62.1

178.45%

Taxi (Normal Tariff) (1km)

$2.41 MX$41.88

$0.53 MKD 28.38

354.72%

Taxi 1hour Waiting (Normal Tariff)

$3.23 MX$56.2

$5.61 MKD 301

-42.42%

Gasoline (1 liter)

$1.32 MX$23.00

$1.49 MKD 80.0

-11.41%

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

$29.7K MX$517.1K

$31.7K MKD 1.7M

-6.43%

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

$23.7K MX$412.0K

$34.4K MKD 1.8M

-31.16%

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

$82.0 MX$1,428

$147 MKD 7,914

-44.37%

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

$22.95 MX$400

$9.36 MKD 503

145.19%

Internet (50+ Mbps, Unlimited Data)

$30.11 MX$524

$15.45 MKD 829

94.89%

Gym Membership (Monthly)

$52.0 MX$905

$27.94 MKD 1,500

86.01%

Tennis Court (1 Hour on Weekend)

$18.53 MX$323

Cinema Ticket

$4.98 MX$86.6

$4.75 MKD 255

4.84%

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

$197 MX$3,438

$219 MKD 11.8K

-9.85%

International Primary School, 1 Child (Yearly)

$5,336 MX$92.9K

$1,186 MKD 63.7K

349.76%

Jeans (Levis 501 Or Similar)

$35.60 MX$620

$36.87 MKD 1,979

-3.44%

Summer Dress (H&M, Zara, etc)

$40.33 MX$702

$31.76 MKD 1,705

26.98%

Sport Shoes (Adidas, Nike)

$78.8 MX$1,371

$75.4 MKD 4,049

4.40%

Men's Leather Business Shoes

$88.9 MX$1,549

$114 MKD 6,105

-21.81%

1-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)

$947 MX$16.5K

$209 MKD 11.2K

354.02%

1-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)

$474 MX$8,254

$133 MKD 7,150

255.88%

3-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)

$1,644 MX$28.6K

$338 MKD 18.1K

387.04%

3-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)

$1,211 MX$21.1K

$203 MKD 10.9K

497.50%

Buy Apartment in City Center (m2)

$4,056 MX$70.6K

$1,228 MKD 65.9K

230.29%

Buy Apartment Outside City Center (m2)

$6,470 MX$112.7K

$988 MKD 53.0K

555.06%

Average Monthly Net Salary (After Tax)

$654 MX$11.4K

$463 MKD 24.9K

41.24%

20-Year Fixed Mortgage Interest Rate (Annual %)

11.42

7.1

60.85%

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 Stip: July 13, 2026

Cost Breakdown

A central one-bedroom costs $947 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 41% 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 $42.00 in Playa del Carmen versus $16.00 in Stip. Monthly groceries follow the same trend: $249 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 62%, 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 $1,161 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 $1,256 in Playa del Carmen and $774 in Stip. The difference isn't just one category – it shows up across housing, food, transport, and services.

Public transport costs about 32% 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 $774, than in Playa del Carmen at $1,256. 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.