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 $1,305 per month in Playa del Carmen vs $1,044 in Tetovo, rent included.

A couple spends around $2,334 per month in Playa del Carmen vs $1,546 in Tetovo, rent included.

A family of three spends $3,362 per month in Playa del Carmen vs $2,048 in Tetovo, rent included.

Playa del Carmen costs about 25% more than Tetovo, driven mainly by Groceries & Markets.

Both Playa del Carmen and Tetovo are more affordable than the global median – Playa del Carmen 5% lower, Tetovo 24% lower.

Meal at Budget Restaurant

$11.96 MX$203

$7.44 MKD 393

60.75%

Three-Course Dinner for Two, Mid-Range

$47.38 MX$804

$28.55 MKD 1,508

65.95%

Fast Food Meal (McDonalds, etc)

$11.75 MX$199

$6.12 MKD 323

91.99%

Cappuccino

$4.12 MX$70.0

$1.62 MKD 85.6

154.32%

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

$1.40 MX$23.74

$1.60 MKD 84.7

-12.50%

Water (0.33 liter bottle)

$0.91 MX$15.48

$1.03 MKD 54.3

-11.65%

Local Beer (0.5 liter draught)

$3.21 MX$54.4

$2.25 MKD 119

42.67%

Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$7.07 MX$120

$2.30 MKD 122

207.39%

Milk (1 liter)

$1.68 MX$28.44

$1.32 MKD 69.9

27.27%

White Bread (500g)

$2.15 MX$36.48

$0.67 MKD 35.33

220.90%

Rice (white) (1kg)

$1.77 MX$30.10

$1.43 MKD 75.4

23.78%

Eggs

$2.82 MX$47.76

$2.11 MKD 112

33.65%

Local Cheese (1kg)

$9.20 MX$156

$7.35 MKD 388

25.17%

Chicken Fillets (1kg)

$9.23 MX$157

$5.55 MKD 293

66.31%

Beef Round Steak (1kg)

$12.64 MX$214

$10.44 MKD 551

21.07%

Apples (1kg)

$2.95 MX$50.1

$1.43 MKD 75.6

106.29%

Banana (1kg)

$1.58 MX$26.79

$1.42 MKD 75.2

11.27%

Oranges (1kg)

$2.22 MX$37.70

$1.00 MKD 52.7

122.00%

Tomato (1kg)

$2.36 MX$40.09

$2.09 MKD 110

12.92%

Potato (1kg)

$1.99 MX$33.81

$0.86 MKD 45.30

131.40%

Onion (1kg)

$1.98 MX$33.58

$0.73 MKD 38.78

171.23%

Lettuce (1 head)

$1.24 MX$21.04

$0.66 MKD 34.68

87.88%

Water (1.5 liter bottle)

$1.21 MX$20.55

$0.57 MKD 29.88

112.28%

Cigarettes 20 Pack (Marlboro, Camel)

$4.60 MX$78.1

$3.14 MKD 166

46.50%

Wine (Bottle)

$10.52 MX$178

$4.80 MKD 254

119.17%

Local Beer (0.5 liter bottle)

$1.69 MX$28.70

$1.10 MKD 58.0

53.64%

Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$2.77 MX$47.06

$1.48 MKD 78.4

87.16%

One-way Ticket (Public Transport)

$0.60 MX$10.22

$0.40 MKD 20.87

50.00%

Public Transport Monthly Pass (Regular Price)

$29.70 MX$504

$11.47 MKD 606

158.94%

Taxi Start (Normal Tariff)

$5.24 MX$88.8

$1.10 MKD 58.1

376.36%

Taxi (Normal Tariff) (1km)

$3.65 MX$61.9

$0.60 MKD 31.45

508.33%

Taxi 1hour Waiting (Normal Tariff)

$5.78 MX$98.1

$7.74 MKD 409

-25.32%

Gasoline (1 liter)

$1.54 MX$26.09

$1.52 MKD 80.2

1.32%

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

$22.8K MX$386.8K

$36.4K MKD 1.9M

-37.39%

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

$25.8K MX$437.9K

$28.2K MKD 1.5M

-8.31%

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

$90.7 MX$1,538

$165 MKD 8,736

-45.17%

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

$25.19 MX$427

$19.08 MKD 1,008

32.02%

Internet (50+ Mbps, Unlimited Data)

$31.75 MX$539

$20.12 MKD 1,063

57.80%

Gym Membership (Monthly)

$68.8 MX$1,167

$71.7 MKD 3,790

-4.11%

Tennis Court (1 Hour on Weekend)

$29.37 MX$498

$18.56 MKD 980

58.24%

Cinema Ticket

$4.86 MX$82.5

$5.76 MKD 304

-15.62%

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

$226 MX$3,828

$228 MKD 12.0K

-0.93%

International Primary School, 1 Child (Yearly)

$4,194 MX$71.1K

$2,292 MKD 121.1K

82.95%

Jeans (Levis 501 Or Similar)

$47.38 MX$804

$65.7 MKD 3,469

-27.84%

Summer Dress (H&M, Zara, etc)

$43.45 MX$737

$40.10 MKD 2,119

8.35%

Sport Shoes (Adidas, Nike)

$80.2 MX$1,361

$109 MKD 5,735

-26.11%

Men's Leather Business Shoes

$91.4 MX$1,550

$117 MKD 6,162

-21.66%

1-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)

$1,086 MX$18.4K

$369 MKD 19.5K

194.45%

1-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)

$409 MX$6,933

$282 MKD 14.9K

45.04%

3-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)

$1,972 MX$33.5K

$605 MKD 32.0K

225.98%

3-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)

$1,281 MX$21.7K

$504 MKD 26.6K

154.05%

Buy Apartment in City Center (m2)

$4,046 MX$68.6K

$1,284 MKD 67.8K

215.12%

Buy Apartment Outside City Center (m2)

$6,704 MX$113.7K

$1,115 MKD 58.9K

501.22%

Average Monthly Net Salary (After Tax)

$773 MX$13.1K

$899 MKD 47.5K

-13.99%

20-Year Fixed Mortgage Interest Rate (Annual %)

11.45

3.75

205.33%

CityCost data is based on AI and user input – minor inaccuracies may occur.

Last update for Playa del Carmen: September 7, 2026

Last update for Tetovo: September 7, 2026

Cost Breakdown

A central one-bedroom costs $1,086 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 16% 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 $47.00 in Playa del Carmen versus $29.00 in Tetovo. Monthly groceries follow the same trend: $278 vs $177 – 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 25%, 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 $1,958 per month in Playa del Carmen and $1,566 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 $1,305 in Playa del Carmen and $1,044 in Tetovo. The difference isn't just one category – it shows up across housing, food, transport, and services.

Public transport costs about 159% 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 $1,044, than in Playa del Carmen at $1,305. 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.