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 $1,256 per month in Playa del Carmen vs $885 in Sveti Nikole, rent included.

A couple spends around $2,137 per month in Playa del Carmen vs $1,299 in Sveti Nikole, rent included.

A family of three spends $3,017 per month in Playa del Carmen vs $1,713 in Sveti Nikole, rent included.

Playa del Carmen costs about 42% more than Sveti Nikole, driven mainly by Eating Out.

Both Playa del Carmen and Sveti Nikole are more affordable than the global median – Playa del Carmen 6% lower, Sveti Nikole 34% lower.

Meal at Budget Restaurant

$11.99 MX$209

$5.66 MKD 304

111.84%

Three-Course Dinner for Two, Mid-Range

$41.78 MX$728

$27.68 MKD 1,486

50.94%

Fast Food Meal (McDonalds, etc)

$10.75 MX$187

$5.13 MKD 275

109.55%

Cappuccino

$3.50 MX$60.9

$1.71 MKD 91.9

104.68%

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

$1.45 MX$25.22

$1.61 MKD 86.4

-9.94%

Water (0.33 liter bottle)

$0.88 MX$15.41

$1.23 MKD 66.3

-28.46%

Local Beer (0.5 liter draught)

$2.95 MX$51.3

$2.32 MKD 124

27.16%

Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$4.51 MX$78.6

$2.74 MKD 147

64.60%

Milk (1 liter)

$1.43 MX$24.94

$1.25 MKD 66.8

14.40%

White Bread (500g)

$1.84 MX$31.99

$0.73 MKD 39.40

152.05%

Rice (white) (1kg)

$1.57 MX$27.31

$1.69 MKD 90.8

-7.10%

Eggs

$2.51 MX$43.74

$2.04 MKD 110

23.04%

Local Cheese (1kg)

$8.28 MX$144

$8.56 MKD 460

-3.27%

Chicken Fillets (1kg)

$8.43 MX$147

$6.33 MKD 340

33.18%

Beef Round Steak (1kg)

$10.68 MX$186

$13.78 MKD 740

-22.50%

Apples (1kg)

$2.61 MX$45.43

$1.07 MKD 57.5

143.93%

Banana (1kg)

$1.44 MX$25.04

$1.37 MKD 73.6

5.11%

Oranges (1kg)

$1.96 MX$34.16

$1.25 MKD 67.0

56.80%

Tomato (1kg)

$2.09 MX$36.47

$1.63 MKD 87.6

28.22%

Potato (1kg)

$1.85 MX$32.24

$0.95 MKD 50.8

94.74%

Onion (1kg)

$2.17 MX$37.74

$0.91 MKD 48.80

138.46%

Lettuce (1 head)

$1.03 MX$17.96

$0.61 MKD 32.52

68.85%

Water (1.5 liter bottle)

$1.07 MX$18.70

$0.54 MKD 28.77

98.15%

Cigarettes 20 Pack (Marlboro, Camel)

$4.10 MX$71.4

$3.07 MKD 165

33.55%

Wine (Bottle)

$10.17 MX$177

$6.62 MKD 356

53.63%

Local Beer (0.5 liter bottle)

$1.68 MX$29.17

$0.96 MKD 51.4

75.00%

Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$2.53 MX$43.98

$1.52 MKD 81.6

66.45%

One-way Ticket (Public Transport)

$0.51 MX$8.87

$0.64 MKD 34.11

-20.31%

Public Transport Monthly Pass (Regular Price)

$26.04 MX$453

$20.57 MKD 1,104

26.59%

Taxi Start (Normal Tariff)

$3.23 MX$56.3

$1.34 MKD 72.0

141.04%

Taxi (Normal Tariff) (1km)

$2.41 MX$41.88

$0.50 MKD 26.73

382.00%

Taxi 1hour Waiting (Normal Tariff)

$3.23 MX$56.2

$6.69 MKD 359

-51.72%

Gasoline (1 liter)

$1.32 MX$23.00

$1.42 MKD 76.2

-7.04%

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

$29.7K MX$517.1K

$31.7K MKD 1.7M

-6.42%

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

$23.7K MX$412.0K

$29.5K MKD 1.6M

-19.77%

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

$82.0 MX$1,428

$146 MKD 7,857

-43.97%

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

$22.95 MX$400

$17.61 MKD 945

30.32%

Internet (50+ Mbps, Unlimited Data)

$30.11 MX$524

$15.28 MKD 820

97.05%

Gym Membership (Monthly)

$52.0 MX$905

$26.21 MKD 1,407

98.28%

Tennis Court (1 Hour on Weekend)

$18.53 MX$323

Cinema Ticket

$4.98 MX$86.6

$4.58 MKD 246

8.73%

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

$197 MX$3,438

$223 MKD 12.0K

-11.58%

International Primary School, 1 Child (Yearly)

$5,336 MX$92.9K

$1,208 MKD 64.9K

341.70%

Jeans (Levis 501 Or Similar)

$35.60 MX$620

$76.2 MKD 4,088

-53.25%

Summer Dress (H&M, Zara, etc)

$40.33 MX$702

$40.34 MKD 2,166

-0.02%

Sport Shoes (Adidas, Nike)

$78.8 MX$1,371

$76.0 MKD 4,082

3.56%

Men's Leather Business Shoes

$88.9 MX$1,549

$113 MKD 6,054

-21.15%

1-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)

$947 MX$16.5K

$280 MKD 15.0K

238.05%

1-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)

$474 MX$8,254

$193 MKD 10.3K

145.94%

3-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)

$1,644 MX$28.6K

$573 MKD 30.7K

187.01%

3-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)

$1,211 MX$21.1K

$305 MKD 16.4K

296.89%

Buy Apartment in City Center (m2)

$4,056 MX$70.6K

$1,602 MKD 86.0K

153.26%

Buy Apartment Outside City Center (m2)

$6,470 MX$112.7K

$1,274 MKD 68.4K

407.79%

Average Monthly Net Salary (After Tax)

$654 MX$11.4K

$561 MKD 30.1K

16.58%

20-Year Fixed Mortgage Interest Rate (Annual %)

11.42

4.54

151.54%

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 Sveti Nikole: July 13, 2026

Cost Breakdown

A central one-bedroom costs $947 in Playa del Carmen versus $280 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 17% 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 $28.00 in Sveti Nikole. Monthly groceries follow the same trend: $249 vs $195 – 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 42%, 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 $1,327 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 $1,256 in Playa del Carmen and $885 in Sveti Nikole. The difference isn't just one category – it shows up across housing, food, transport, and services.

Public transport costs about 27% 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 $885, than in Playa del Carmen at $1,256. 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.