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 $1,256 per month in Playa del Carmen vs $989 in Tetovo, rent included.

A couple spends around $2,137 per month in Playa del Carmen vs $1,475 in Tetovo, rent included.

A family of three spends $3,017 per month in Playa del Carmen vs $1,960 in Tetovo, rent included.

Playa del Carmen costs about 27% more than Tetovo, driven mainly by Eating Out.

Both Playa del Carmen and Tetovo are more affordable than the global median – Playa del Carmen 6% lower, Tetovo 26% lower.

Meal at Budget Restaurant

$11.99 MX$210

$5.53 MKD 297

116.82%

Three-Course Dinner for Two, Mid-Range

$41.78 MX$733

$24.86 MKD 1,333

68.06%

Fast Food Meal (McDonalds, etc)

$10.75 MX$189

$5.00 MKD 268

115.00%

Cappuccino

$3.50 MX$61.3

$1.49 MKD 79.8

134.90%

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

$1.45 MX$25.41

$1.53 MKD 82.0

-5.23%

Water (0.33 liter bottle)

$0.88 MX$15.52

$1.02 MKD 54.5

-13.73%

Local Beer (0.5 liter draught)

$2.95 MX$51.7

$2.23 MKD 119

32.29%

Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$4.51 MX$79.1

$2.14 MKD 115

110.75%

Milk (1 liter)

$1.43 MX$25.12

$1.29 MKD 69.3

10.85%

White Bread (500g)

$1.84 MX$32.23

$0.69 MKD 37.16

166.67%

Rice (white) (1kg)

$1.57 MX$27.51

$1.42 MKD 76.2

10.56%

Eggs

$2.51 MX$44.06

$2.02 MKD 108

24.26%

Local Cheese (1kg)

$8.28 MX$145

$7.42 MKD 398

11.59%

Chicken Fillets (1kg)

$8.43 MX$148

$5.39 MKD 289

56.40%

Beef Round Steak (1kg)

$10.68 MX$187

$10.42 MKD 559

2.50%

Apples (1kg)

$2.61 MX$45.76

$1.07 MKD 57.4

143.93%

Banana (1kg)

$1.44 MX$25.22

$1.37 MKD 73.4

5.11%

Oranges (1kg)

$1.96 MX$34.41

$1.03 MKD 55.2

90.29%

Tomato (1kg)

$2.09 MX$36.74

$1.64 MKD 87.9

27.44%

Potato (1kg)

$1.85 MX$32.47

$0.97 MKD 51.8

90.72%

Onion (1kg)

$2.17 MX$38.02

$0.74 MKD 39.44

193.24%

Lettuce (1 head)

$1.03 MX$18.09

$0.86 MKD 46.17

19.77%

Water (1.5 liter bottle)

$1.07 MX$18.84

$0.56 MKD 30.15

91.07%

Cigarettes 20 Pack (Marlboro, Camel)

$4.10 MX$72.0

$3.14 MKD 169

30.57%

Wine (Bottle)

$10.17 MX$178

$4.50 MKD 242

126.00%

Local Beer (0.5 liter bottle)

$1.68 MX$29.38

$0.94 MKD 50.3

78.72%

Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$2.53 MX$44.31

$1.46 MKD 78.1

73.29%

One-way Ticket (Public Transport)

$0.51 MX$8.93

$0.37 MKD 19.58

37.84%

Public Transport Monthly Pass (Regular Price)

$26.04 MX$457

$11.47 MKD 615

127.03%

Taxi Start (Normal Tariff)

$3.23 MX$56.7

$1.10 MKD 59.0

193.64%

Taxi (Normal Tariff) (1km)

$2.41 MX$42.19

$0.53 MKD 28.28

354.72%

Taxi 1hour Waiting (Normal Tariff)

$3.23 MX$56.6

$6.69 MKD 359

-51.72%

Gasoline (1 liter)

$1.32 MX$23.17

$1.50 MKD 80.5

-12.00%

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

$29.7K MX$520.9K

$31.5K MKD 1.7M

-5.84%

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

$23.7K MX$415.0K

$33.4K MKD 1.8M

-29.07%

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

$82.0 MX$1,439

$142 MKD 7,636

-42.39%

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

$22.95 MX$403

$17.74 MKD 952

29.37%

Internet (50+ Mbps, Unlimited Data)

$30.11 MX$528

$15.29 MKD 820

96.93%

Gym Membership (Monthly)

$52.0 MX$912

$88.5 MKD 4,746

-41.26%

Tennis Court (1 Hour on Weekend)

$18.53 MX$325

Cinema Ticket

$4.98 MX$87.3

$4.74 MKD 254

5.06%

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

$197 MX$3,463

$222 MKD 11.9K

-10.92%

International Primary School, 1 Child (Yearly)

$5,336 MX$93.6K

$2,252 MKD 120.8K

137.01%

Jeans (Levis 501 Or Similar)

$35.60 MX$624

$66.2 MKD 3,551

-46.22%

Summer Dress (H&M, Zara, etc)

$40.33 MX$707

$48.36 MKD 2,594

-16.60%

Sport Shoes (Adidas, Nike)

$78.8 MX$1,381

$74.8 MKD 4,012

5.29%

Men's Leather Business Shoes

$88.9 MX$1,560

$114 MKD 6,128

-22.16%

1-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)

$947 MX$16.6K

$358 MKD 19.2K

164.38%

1-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)

$474 MX$8,314

$278 MKD 14.9K

70.64%

3-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)

$1,644 MX$28.8K

$595 MKD 31.9K

176.35%

3-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)

$1,211 MX$21.2K

$507 MKD 27.2K

138.71%

Buy Apartment in City Center (m2)

$4,056 MX$71.1K

$1,224 MKD 65.7K

231.33%

Buy Apartment Outside City Center (m2)

$6,470 MX$113.5K

$1,118 MKD 60.0K

478.63%

Average Monthly Net Salary (After Tax)

$654 MX$11.5K

$888 MKD 47.6K

-26.35%

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: July 13, 2026

Last update for Tetovo: July 12, 2026

Cost Breakdown

A central one-bedroom costs $947 in Playa del Carmen versus $358 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 36% 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 $171 – 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 27%, 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 $1,483 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 $1,256 in Playa del Carmen and $989 in Tetovo. The difference isn't just one category – it shows up across housing, food, transport, and services.

Public transport costs about 127% 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 $989, than in Playa del Carmen at $1,256. 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.