Cost of Living Comparison Between Playa del Carmen and Tetovo Cost of Living Comparison Between Playa del Carmen and Tetovo

Monthly Cost of Living

A single person spends $1,297 per month in Playa del Carmen vs $998 in Tetovo, rent included.

A couple spends around $2,181 per month in Playa del Carmen vs $1,481 in Tetovo, rent included.

A family of three spends $3,065 per month in Playa del Carmen vs $1,963 in Tetovo, rent included.

Playa del Carmen costs about 30% more than Tetovo, driven mainly by Eating Out.

Both Playa del Carmen and Tetovo are more affordable than the global median – Playa del Carmen 3% lower, Tetovo 26% lower.

Meal at Budget Restaurant

$11.73 MX$203

$5.80 MKD 306

102.24%

Three-Course Dinner for Two, Mid-Range

$41.62 MX$720

$25.17 MKD 1,327

65.36%

Fast Food Meal (McDonalds, etc)

$10.64 MX$184

$5.15 MKD 271

106.60%

Cappuccino

$3.52 MX$60.9

$1.46 MKD 77.1

141.10%

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

$1.51 MX$26.12

$1.48 MKD 78.1

2.03%

Water (0.33 liter bottle)

$0.97 MX$16.84

$0.95 MKD 50.3

2.11%

Local Beer (0.5 liter draught)

$2.95 MX$51.0

$2.22 MKD 117

32.88%

Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$4.45 MX$77.0

$2.20 MKD 116

102.27%

Milk (1 liter)

$1.38 MX$23.93

$1.25 MKD 66.0

10.40%

White Bread (500g)

$1.89 MX$32.72

$0.64 MKD 33.91

195.31%

Rice (white) (1kg)

$1.64 MX$28.32

$1.35 MKD 71.2

21.48%

Eggs

$2.51 MX$43.34

$2.09 MKD 110

20.10%

Local Cheese (1kg)

$8.34 MX$144

$7.34 MKD 387

13.62%

Chicken Fillets (1kg)

$8.34 MX$144

$5.29 MKD 279

57.66%

Beef Round Steak (1kg)

$10.73 MX$186

$10.45 MKD 551

2.68%

Apples (1kg)

$2.60 MX$45.04

$1.08 MKD 56.9

140.74%

Banana (1kg)

$1.46 MX$25.20

$1.39 MKD 73.2

5.04%

Oranges (1kg)

$1.90 MX$32.87

$1.02 MKD 53.5

86.27%

Tomato (1kg)

$2.08 MX$35.91

$1.57 MKD 83.0

32.48%

Potato (1kg)

$1.78 MX$30.71

$0.92 MKD 48.29

93.48%

Onion (1kg)

$2.19 MX$37.80

$0.72 MKD 38.10

204.17%

Lettuce (1 head)

$1.04 MX$17.99

$0.85 MKD 44.75

22.35%

Water (1.5 liter bottle)

$1.08 MX$18.62

$0.55 MKD 29.21

96.36%

Cigarettes 20 Pack (Marlboro, Camel)

$4.08 MX$70.6

$3.12 MKD 165

30.77%

Wine (Bottle)

$10.32 MX$178

$4.80 MKD 253

115.00%

Local Beer (0.5 liter bottle)

$1.71 MX$29.61

$1.01 MKD 53.2

69.31%

Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$2.58 MX$44.54

$1.47 MKD 77.3

75.51%

One-way Ticket (Public Transport)

$0.51 MX$8.81

$0.36 MKD 19.22

41.67%

Public Transport Monthly Pass (Regular Price)

$26.46 MX$458

$11.24 MKD 592

135.41%

Taxi Start (Normal Tariff)

$3.26 MX$56.4

$1.15 MKD 60.7

183.48%

Taxi (Normal Tariff) (1km)

$2.49 MX$43.09

$0.50 MKD 26.33

398.00%

Taxi 1hour Waiting (Normal Tariff)

$3.25 MX$56.2

$6.66 MKD 351

-51.20%

Gasoline (1 liter)

$1.31 MX$22.61

$1.50 MKD 78.9

-12.67%

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

$30.3K MX$523.7K

$32.0K MKD 1.7M

-5.44%

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

$23.4K MX$405.3K

$33.9K MKD 1.8M

-30.99%

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

$82.9 MX$1,433

$144 MKD 7,611

-42.62%

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

$22.22 MX$384

$17.60 MKD 928

26.25%

Internet (50+ Mbps, Unlimited Data)

$29.34 MX$507

$15.27 MKD 804

92.14%

Gym Membership (Monthly)

$51.6 MX$893

$90.4 MKD 4,761

-42.86%

Tennis Court (1 Hour on Weekend)

$18.32 MX$317

Cinema Ticket

$5.07 MX$87.6

$4.63 MKD 244

9.50%

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

$201 MX$3,473

$222 MKD 11.7K

-9.72%

International Primary School, 1 Child (Yearly)

$5,212 MX$90.1K

$2,221 MKD 117.1K

134.64%

Jeans (Levis 501 Or Similar)

$36.92 MX$639

$67.0 MKD 3,533

-44.93%

Summer Dress (H&M, Zara, etc)

$39.79 MX$688

$47.33 MKD 2,494

-15.93%

Sport Shoes (Adidas, Nike)

$78.5 MX$1,357

$74.8 MKD 3,940

4.94%

Men's Leather Business Shoes

$87.1 MX$1,506

$111 MKD 5,848

-21.51%

1-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)

$973 MX$16.8K

$369 MKD 19.5K

163.32%

1-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)

$468 MX$8,090

$285 MKD 15.0K

64.27%

3-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)

$1,641 MX$28.4K

$601 MKD 31.7K

173.26%

3-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)

$1,221 MX$21.1K

$500 MKD 26.3K

144.32%

Buy Apartment in City Center (m2)

$3,946 MX$68.3K

$1,287 MKD 67.8K

206.71%

Buy Apartment Outside City Center (m2)

$6,498 MX$112.4K

$1,142 MKD 60.2K

468.96%

Average Monthly Net Salary (After Tax)

$664 MX$11.5K

$912 MKD 48.1K

-27.23%

20-Year Fixed Mortgage Interest Rate (Annual %)

11.42

3.75

204.53%

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 Tetovo: May 30, 2026

Cost Breakdown

A central one-bedroom costs $973 in Playa del Carmen versus $369 in Tetovo. 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 37% higher in Tetovo, which reinforces the cost advantage – you earn more and spend less. Purchasing power leans clearly in its favor.

A mid-range dinner for two costs $42.00 in Playa del Carmen versus $25.00 in Tetovo. Monthly groceries follow the same trend: $249 vs $170 – making Tetovo 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 Tetovo: Cost of Living - Frequently Asked Questions

Yes – Playa del Carmen is pricier by about 30%, 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 $1,497 in Tetovo. That covers rent, food, utilities, transport, and enough left over to feel settled – not just surviving.

Rent is clearly cheaper in Tetovo, 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 $998 in Tetovo. The difference isn't just one category – it shows up across housing, food, transport, and services.

Public transport costs about 135% less in Tetovo. For daily commuters, that gap adds up to noticeable savings over a year.

A $1,000 monthly budget goes further in Tetovo, where all-in costs run around $998, than in Playa del Carmen at $1,297. In Tetovo it covers expenses comfortably, while in Playa del Carmen it requires careful planning or may not stretch far enough.

Families tend to lean toward Tetovo – lower housing and cheaper childcare make a real difference, especially on a single income or when paying for private education.

If budget matters most, go with Tetovo. 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.