Cost of Living Comparison Between Playa del Carmen and Sveti Nikole Cost of Living Comparison Between Playa del Carmen and Sveti Nikole

Monthly Cost of Living

A single person spends $1,293 per month in Playa del Carmen vs $894 in Sveti Nikole, rent included.

A couple spends around $2,334 per month in Playa del Carmen vs $1,352 in Sveti Nikole, rent included.

A family of three spends $3,374 per month in Playa del Carmen vs $1,811 in Sveti Nikole, rent included.

Playa del Carmen costs about 45% more than Sveti Nikole, driven mainly by Groceries & Markets.

Both Playa del Carmen and Sveti Nikole are more affordable than the global median – Playa del Carmen 6% lower, Sveti Nikole 35% lower.

Meal at Budget Restaurant

$11.71 MX$198

$9.38 MKD 495

24.84%

Three-Course Dinner for Two, Mid-Range

$46.59 MX$788

$34.67 MKD 1,828

34.38%

Fast Food Meal (McDonalds, etc)

$11.65 MX$197

$5.40 MKD 285

115.74%

Cappuccino

$4.09 MX$69.2

$1.75 MKD 92.1

133.71%

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

$1.37 MX$23.23

$1.45 MKD 76.5

-5.52%

Water (0.33 liter bottle)

$0.83 MX$14.09

$1.01 MKD 53.5

-17.82%

Local Beer (0.5 liter draught)

$3.35 MX$56.7

$1.58 MKD 83.3

112.03%

Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$6.91 MX$117

$1.86 MKD 98.3

271.51%

Milk (1 liter)

$1.73 MX$29.20

$1.40 MKD 74.1

23.57%

White Bread (500g)

$2.26 MX$38.21

$0.56 MKD 29.58

303.57%

Rice (white) (1kg)

$1.77 MX$29.91

$1.20 MKD 63.3

47.50%

Eggs

$2.73 MX$46.19

$2.55 MKD 135

7.06%

Local Cheese (1kg)

$9.18 MX$155

$9.66 MKD 509

-4.97%

Chicken Fillets (1kg)

$8.92 MX$151

$4.64 MKD 245

92.24%

Beef Round Steak (1kg)

$12.60 MX$213

$12.40 MKD 654

1.61%

Apples (1kg)

$3.02 MX$51.1

$1.39 MKD 73.4

117.27%

Banana (1kg)

$1.57 MX$26.55

$1.36 MKD 71.6

15.44%

Oranges (1kg)

$2.13 MX$35.93

$1.35 MKD 71.4

57.78%

Tomato (1kg)

$2.26 MX$38.28

$1.78 MKD 93.8

26.97%

Potato (1kg)

$2.00 MX$33.88

$0.79 MKD 41.50

153.16%

Onion (1kg)

$2.06 MX$34.90

$1.21 MKD 63.9

70.25%

Lettuce (1 head)

$1.18 MX$19.94

$0.83 MKD 43.89

42.17%

Water (1.5 liter bottle)

$1.20 MX$20.35

$0.41 MKD 21.58

192.68%

Cigarettes 20 Pack (Marlboro, Camel)

$4.63 MX$78.4

$3.13 MKD 165

47.92%

Wine (Bottle)

$10.69 MX$181

$6.45 MKD 340

65.74%

Local Beer (0.5 liter bottle)

$1.62 MX$27.38

$1.06 MKD 55.8

52.83%

Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$2.88 MX$48.70

$1.47 MKD 77.7

95.92%

One-way Ticket (Public Transport)

$0.57 MX$9.69

$0.78 MKD 41.20

-26.92%

Public Transport Monthly Pass (Regular Price)

$29.83 MX$504

$25.00 MKD 1,318

19.32%

Taxi Start (Normal Tariff)

$5.45 MX$92.1

$1.55 MKD 81.8

251.61%

Taxi (Normal Tariff) (1km)

$3.70 MX$62.6

$1.06 MKD 56.0

249.06%

Taxi 1hour Waiting (Normal Tariff)

$5.98 MX$101

$3.83 MKD 202

56.14%

Gasoline (1 liter)

$1.55 MX$26.26

$1.44 MKD 76.1

7.64%

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

$22.3K MX$377.4K

$33.8K MKD 1.8M

-34.02%

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

$25.9K MX$438.7K

$28.0K MKD 1.5M

-7.32%

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

$89.1 MX$1,507

$152 MKD 8,017

-41.37%

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

$25.04 MX$423

$15.96 MKD 841

56.89%

Internet (50+ Mbps, Unlimited Data)

$31.50 MX$532

$12.48 MKD 658

152.40%

Gym Membership (Monthly)

$67.8 MX$1,146

$23.62 MKD 1,245

186.96%

Tennis Court (1 Hour on Weekend)

$28.92 MX$489

$16.78 MKD 885

72.35%

Cinema Ticket

$5.05 MX$85.4

$5.21 MKD 275

-3.07%

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

$225 MX$3,803

$356 MKD 18.8K

-36.82%

International Primary School, 1 Child (Yearly)

$4,222 MX$71.4K

$4,864 MKD 256.5K

-13.19%

Jeans (Levis 501 Or Similar)

$47.44 MX$802

$77.0 MKD 4,062

-38.42%

Summer Dress (H&M, Zara, etc)

$44.98 MX$760

$33.42 MKD 1,762

34.59%

Sport Shoes (Adidas, Nike)

$82.0 MX$1,386

$83.6 MKD 4,410

-1.97%

Men's Leather Business Shoes

$92.1 MX$1,557

$88.8 MKD 4,685

3.68%

1-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)

$1,069 MX$18.1K

$312 MKD 16.5K

242.69%

1-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)

$405 MX$6,852

$184 MKD 9,690

120.57%

3-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)

$1,935 MX$32.7K

$491 MKD 25.9K

294.32%

3-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)

$1,301 MX$22.0K

$305 MKD 16.1K

326.16%

Buy Apartment in City Center (m2)

$3,995 MX$67.5K

$1,613 MKD 85.0K

147.75%

Buy Apartment Outside City Center (m2)

$6,626 MX$112.0K

$1,204 MKD 63.5K

450.36%

Average Monthly Net Salary (After Tax)

$749 MX$12.7K

$569 MKD 30.0K

31.48%

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: August 29, 2026

Last update for Sveti Nikole: August 29, 2026

Cost Breakdown

A central one-bedroom costs $1,069 in Playa del Carmen versus $312 in Sveti Nikole. 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 31% 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 $35.00 in Sveti Nikole. Monthly groceries follow the same trend: $277 vs $188 – making Sveti Nikole 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 Sveti Nikole: Cost of Living - Frequently Asked Questions

Yes – Playa del Carmen is pricier by about 45%, 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 $1,940 per month in Playa del Carmen and $1,341 in Sveti Nikole. That covers rent, food, utilities, transport, and enough left over to feel settled – not just surviving.

Rent is clearly cheaper in Sveti Nikole, 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 $1,293 in Playa del Carmen and $894 in Sveti Nikole. The difference isn't just one category – it shows up across housing, food, transport, and services.

Public transport costs about 19% less in Sveti Nikole. For daily commuters, that gap adds up to noticeable savings over a year.

A $1,000 monthly budget goes further in Sveti Nikole, where all-in costs run around $894, than in Playa del Carmen at $1,293. In Sveti Nikole it covers expenses comfortably, while in Playa del Carmen it requires careful planning or may not stretch far enough.

Families tend to lean toward Sveti Nikole – 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 Sveti Nikole. 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.