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 $1,297 per month in Playa del Carmen vs $778 in Stip, rent included.

A couple spends around $2,181 per month in Playa del Carmen vs $1,138 in Stip, rent included.

A family of three spends $3,065 per month in Playa del Carmen vs $1,497 in Stip, rent included.

Playa del Carmen costs about 67% more than Stip, driven mainly by Eating Out.

Both Playa del Carmen and Stip are more affordable than the global median – Playa del Carmen 3% lower, Stip 42% lower.

Meal at Budget Restaurant

$11.73 MX$203

$5.74 MKD 302

104.36%

Three-Course Dinner for Two, Mid-Range

$41.62 MX$720

$16.11 MKD 849

158.35%

Fast Food Meal (McDonalds, etc)

$10.64 MX$184

$4.92 MKD 259

116.26%

Cappuccino

$3.52 MX$60.9

$1.89 MKD 99.4

86.24%

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

$1.51 MX$26.12

$1.74 MKD 92.0

-13.22%

Water (0.33 liter bottle)

$0.97 MX$16.84

$1.21 MKD 64.0

-19.83%

Local Beer (0.5 liter draught)

$2.95 MX$51.0

$2.21 MKD 117

33.48%

Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$4.45 MX$77.0

$2.79 MKD 147

59.50%

Milk (1 liter)

$1.38 MX$23.93

$1.29 MKD 67.9

6.98%

White Bread (500g)

$1.89 MX$32.72

$0.68 MKD 35.66

177.94%

Rice (white) (1kg)

$1.64 MX$28.32

$1.10 MKD 58.2

49.09%

Eggs

$2.51 MX$43.34

$2.10 MKD 111

19.52%

Local Cheese (1kg)

$8.34 MX$144

$10.32 MKD 544

-19.19%

Chicken Fillets (1kg)

$8.34 MX$144

$7.23 MKD 381

15.35%

Beef Round Steak (1kg)

$10.73 MX$186

$7.43 MKD 392

44.41%

Apples (1kg)

$2.60 MX$45.04

$0.97 MKD 51.2

168.04%

Banana (1kg)

$1.46 MX$25.20

$1.43 MKD 75.6

2.10%

Oranges (1kg)

$1.90 MX$32.87

$1.31 MKD 69.0

45.04%

Tomato (1kg)

$2.08 MX$35.91

$1.58 MKD 83.1

31.65%

Potato (1kg)

$1.78 MX$30.71

$0.93 MKD 48.85

91.40%

Onion (1kg)

$2.19 MX$37.80

$1.39 MKD 73.1

57.55%

Lettuce (1 head)

$1.04 MX$17.99

$0.53 MKD 28.17

96.23%

Water (1.5 liter bottle)

$1.08 MX$18.62

$0.40 MKD 21.30

170.00%

Cigarettes 20 Pack (Marlboro, Camel)

$4.08 MX$70.6

$3.05 MKD 161

33.77%

Wine (Bottle)

$10.32 MX$178

$7.49 MKD 395

37.78%

Local Beer (0.5 liter bottle)

$1.71 MX$29.61

$1.01 MKD 53.4

69.31%

Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$2.58 MX$44.54

$1.81 MKD 95.3

42.54%

One-way Ticket (Public Transport)

$0.51 MX$8.81

$0.63 MKD 33.06

-19.05%

Public Transport Monthly Pass (Regular Price)

$26.46 MX$458

$20.52 MKD 1,082

28.95%

Taxi Start (Normal Tariff)

$3.26 MX$56.4

$1.10 MKD 58.1

196.36%

Taxi (Normal Tariff) (1km)

$2.49 MX$43.09

$0.49 MKD 25.84

408.16%

Taxi 1hour Waiting (Normal Tariff)

$3.25 MX$56.2

$5.61 MKD 296

-42.07%

Gasoline (1 liter)

$1.31 MX$22.61

$1.45 MKD 76.2

-9.66%

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

$30.3K MX$523.7K

$31.4K MKD 1.7M

-3.48%

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

$23.4K MX$405.3K

$34.4K MKD 1.8M

-31.87%

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

$82.9 MX$1,433

$144 MKD 7,568

-42.30%

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

$22.22 MX$384

$9.23 MKD 486

140.74%

Internet (50+ Mbps, Unlimited Data)

$29.34 MX$507

$15.31 MKD 807

91.64%

Gym Membership (Monthly)

$51.6 MX$893

$27.83 MKD 1,467

85.52%

Tennis Court (1 Hour on Weekend)

$18.32 MX$317

Cinema Ticket

$5.07 MX$87.6

$4.74 MKD 250

6.96%

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

$201 MX$3,473

$216 MKD 11.4K

-7.24%

International Primary School, 1 Child (Yearly)

$5,212 MX$90.1K

$1,182 MKD 62.3K

341.00%

Jeans (Levis 501 Or Similar)

$36.92 MX$639

$38.03 MKD 2,004

-2.92%

Summer Dress (H&M, Zara, etc)

$39.79 MX$688

$31.80 MKD 1,676

25.13%

Sport Shoes (Adidas, Nike)

$78.5 MX$1,357

$74.6 MKD 3,933

5.12%

Men's Leather Business Shoes

$87.1 MX$1,506

$114 MKD 6,013

-23.67%

1-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)

$973 MX$16.8K

$207 MKD 10.9K

370.03%

1-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)

$468 MX$8,090

$133 MKD 7,008

251.70%

3-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)

$1,641 MX$28.4K

$344 MKD 18.1K

376.65%

3-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)

$1,221 MX$21.1K

$204 MKD 10.8K

497.03%

Buy Apartment in City Center (m2)

$3,946 MX$68.3K

$1,257 MKD 66.3K

213.88%

Buy Apartment Outside City Center (m2)

$6,498 MX$112.4K

$1,026 MKD 54.1K

533.14%

Average Monthly Net Salary (After Tax)

$664 MX$11.5K

$467 MKD 24.6K

42.28%

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: June 2, 2026

Last update for Stip: June 1, 2026

Cost Breakdown

A central one-bedroom costs $973 in Playa del Carmen versus $207 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 42% 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 $185 – 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 67%, 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 $1,167 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 $1,297 in Playa del Carmen and $778 in Stip. The difference isn't just one category – it shows up across housing, food, transport, and services.

Public transport costs about 29% 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 $778, than in Playa del Carmen at $1,297. 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.