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 $1,297 per month in Playa del Carmen vs $887 in Sveti Nikole, rent included.

A couple spends around $2,181 per month in Playa del Carmen vs $1,323 in Sveti Nikole, rent included.

A family of three spends $3,065 per month in Playa del Carmen vs $1,759 in Sveti Nikole, rent included.

Playa del Carmen costs about 46% 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 3% lower, Sveti Nikole 34% 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

$28.63 MKD 1,509

45.37%

Fast Food Meal (McDonalds, etc)

$10.64 MX$184

$5.21 MKD 275

104.22%

Cappuccino

$3.52 MX$60.9

$1.73 MKD 91.4

103.47%

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

$1.51 MX$26.12

$1.67 MKD 88.3

-9.58%

Water (0.33 liter bottle)

$0.97 MX$16.84

$1.26 MKD 66.5

-23.02%

Local Beer (0.5 liter draught)

$2.95 MX$51.0

$2.20 MKD 116

34.09%

Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$4.45 MX$77.0

$2.69 MKD 142

65.43%

Milk (1 liter)

$1.38 MX$23.93

$1.29 MKD 68.1

6.98%

White Bread (500g)

$1.89 MX$32.72

$0.71 MKD 37.59

166.20%

Rice (white) (1kg)

$1.64 MX$28.32

$1.72 MKD 90.7

-4.65%

Eggs

$2.51 MX$43.34

$2.08 MKD 110

20.67%

Local Cheese (1kg)

$8.34 MX$144

$8.30 MKD 438

0.48%

Chicken Fillets (1kg)

$8.34 MX$144

$6.47 MKD 341

28.90%

Beef Round Steak (1kg)

$10.73 MX$186

$13.33 MKD 703

-19.50%

Apples (1kg)

$2.60 MX$45.04

$1.07 MKD 56.5

142.99%

Banana (1kg)

$1.46 MX$25.20

$1.45 MKD 76.2

0.69%

Oranges (1kg)

$1.90 MX$32.87

$1.27 MKD 66.7

49.61%

Tomato (1kg)

$2.08 MX$35.91

$1.58 MKD 83.1

31.65%

Potato (1kg)

$1.78 MX$30.71

$0.94 MKD 49.70

89.36%

Onion (1kg)

$2.19 MX$37.80

$0.99 MKD 52.3

121.21%

Lettuce (1 head)

$1.04 MX$17.99

$0.62 MKD 32.51

67.74%

Water (1.5 liter bottle)

$1.08 MX$18.62

$0.53 MKD 27.75

103.77%

Cigarettes 20 Pack (Marlboro, Camel)

$4.08 MX$70.6

$3.06 MKD 161

33.33%

Wine (Bottle)

$10.32 MX$178

$6.48 MKD 341

59.26%

Local Beer (0.5 liter bottle)

$1.71 MX$29.61

$1.01 MKD 53.3

69.31%

Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$2.58 MX$44.54

$1.46 MKD 76.8

76.71%

One-way Ticket (Public Transport)

$0.51 MX$8.81

$0.65 MKD 34.20

-21.54%

Public Transport Monthly Pass (Regular Price)

$26.46 MX$458

$20.07 MKD 1,058

31.84%

Taxi Start (Normal Tariff)

$3.26 MX$56.4

$1.29 MKD 68.2

152.71%

Taxi (Normal Tariff) (1km)

$2.49 MX$43.09

$0.49 MKD 25.87

408.16%

Taxi 1hour Waiting (Normal Tariff)

$3.25 MX$56.2

$6.44 MKD 339

-49.53%

Gasoline (1 liter)

$1.31 MX$22.61

$1.43 MKD 75.5

-8.39%

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

$30.3K MX$523.7K

$32.1K MKD 1.7M

-5.64%

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

$23.4K MX$405.3K

$30.0K MKD 1.6M

-21.79%

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

$82.9 MX$1,433

$145 MKD 7,619

-42.68%

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

$22.22 MX$384

$17.35 MKD 915

28.07%

Internet (50+ Mbps, Unlimited Data)

$29.34 MX$507

$15.43 MKD 813

90.15%

Gym Membership (Monthly)

$51.6 MX$893

$26.73 MKD 1,409

93.15%

Tennis Court (1 Hour on Weekend)

$18.32 MX$317

Cinema Ticket

$5.07 MX$87.6

$4.60 MKD 243

10.22%

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

$201 MX$3,473

$215 MKD 11.4K

-6.77%

International Primary School, 1 Child (Yearly)

$5,212 MX$90.1K

$1,226 MKD 64.6K

325.13%

Jeans (Levis 501 Or Similar)

$36.92 MX$639

$76.1 MKD 4,009

-51.47%

Summer Dress (H&M, Zara, etc)

$39.79 MX$688

$39.12 MKD 2,061

1.71%

Sport Shoes (Adidas, Nike)

$78.5 MX$1,357

$74.4 MKD 3,922

5.42%

Men's Leather Business Shoes

$87.1 MX$1,506

$111 MKD 5,860

-21.67%

1-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)

$973 MX$16.8K

$281 MKD 14.8K

245.78%

1-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)

$468 MX$8,090

$198 MKD 10.4K

136.02%

3-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)

$1,641 MX$28.4K

$563 MKD 29.7K

191.67%

3-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)

$1,221 MX$21.1K

$309 MKD 16.3K

295.16%

Buy Apartment in City Center (m2)

$3,946 MX$68.3K

$1,644 MKD 86.6K

140.06%

Buy Apartment Outside City Center (m2)

$6,498 MX$112.4K

$1,276 MKD 67.3K

409.10%

Average Monthly Net Salary (After Tax)

$664 MX$11.5K

$568 MKD 29.9K

16.84%

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: June 2, 2026

Last update for Sveti Nikole: May 31, 2026

Cost Breakdown

A central one-bedroom costs $973 in Playa del Carmen versus $281 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 $29.00 in Sveti Nikole. Monthly groceries follow the same trend: $249 vs $194 – 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 46%, 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 $1,331 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 $1,297 in Playa del Carmen and $887 in Sveti Nikole. The difference isn't just one category – it shows up across housing, food, transport, and services.

Public transport costs about 32% 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 $887, than in Playa del Carmen at $1,297. 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.