Last update: Oct 2026

Cost of Living Comparison Between Playa del Carmen and Vlore

For one person, living costs are similar in Playa del Carmen and in Vlore: $1,204 and $1,201 a month, rent and utilities included.

Playa del Carmen, Mexico
Vlore, Albania
Playa del Carmen
🇲🇽 Mexico
$1,204
/mo nomad
Vlore
🇦🇱 Albania
$1,201
/mo nomad
Monthly Cost of Living

How much you'll spend in Playa del Carmen and in Vlore

Real prices from locals and on-the-ground checks – rent, groceries, transit and the daily extras. Here's what a month in Playa del Carmen and in Vlore actually costs, broken down by who's living it.

A single person spends $1,204 per month in Playa del Carmen vs $1,201 in Vlore, rent included.

  • Playa del Carmen $1,204
  • Vlore $1,201

A couple spends around $2,082 per month in Playa del Carmen vs $1,795 in Vlore, rent included.

  • Playa del Carmen $2,082
  • Vlore $1,795

A family of three spends $2,959 per month in Playa del Carmen vs $2,390 in Vlore, rent included.

  • Playa del Carmen $2,959
  • Vlore $2,390

Playa del Carmen and Vlore have comparable living costs – the differences are in the details.

Both Playa del Carmen and Vlore are more affordable than the global median – Playa del Carmen 12% lower, Vlore 12% lower.

Currency
🍽 Eating Out
Playa del Carmen
Vlore
Difference
Meal at Budget Restaurant
$10.92 MX$205
$10.08 ALL 819
8.33%
Three-Course Dinner for Two, Mid-Range
$43.37 MX$814
$39.28 ALL 3,190
10.41%
Fast Food Meal (McDonalds, etc)
$11.78 MX$221
$7.56 ALL 614
55.82%
Cappuccino
$3.81 MX$71.5
$1.93 ALL 156
97.41%
Coke/Pepsi/Fanta/Sprite (0.33 liter bottle)
$1.28 MX$24.07
$1.81 ALL 147
-29.28%
Water (0.33 liter bottle)
$0.78 MX$14.70
$0.68 ALL 55.5
14.71%
Local Beer (0.5 liter draught)
$3.17 MX$59.5
$2.50 ALL 203
26.80%
Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)
$4.93 MX$92.7
$3.38 ALL 274
45.86%
🛒 Groceries & Markets
Playa del Carmen
Vlore
Difference
Milk (1 liter)
$1.41 MX$26.40
$1.98 ALL 161
-28.79%
White Bread (500g)
$2.22 MX$41.62
$0.92 ALL 74.6
141.30%
Rice (white) (1kg)
$1.42 MX$26.61
$2.04 ALL 166
-30.39%
Eggs
$2.52 MX$47.36
$2.70 ALL 219
-6.67%
Local Cheese (1kg)
$7.26 MX$136
$10.40 ALL 845
-30.19%
Chicken Fillets (1kg)
$7.70 MX$144
$8.32 ALL 676
-7.45%
Beef Round Steak (1kg)
$12.69 MX$238
$14.24 ALL 1,156
-10.88%
Apples (1kg)
$2.78 MX$52.3
$2.02 ALL 164
37.62%
Banana (1kg)
$1.37 MX$25.68
$2.31 ALL 187
-40.69%
Oranges (1kg)
$2.55 MX$47.89
$1.66 ALL 135
53.61%
Tomato (1kg)
$2.12 MX$39.86
$1.59 ALL 129
33.33%
Potato (1kg)
$1.94 MX$36.39
$1.04 ALL 84.8
86.54%
Onion (1kg)
$1.89 MX$35.41
$1.24 ALL 101
52.42%
Lettuce (1 head)
$1.15 MX$21.53
$1.20 ALL 97.8
-4.17%
Water (1.5 liter bottle)
$1.18 MX$22.13
$0.82 ALL 66.6
43.90%
Cigarettes 20 Pack (Marlboro, Camel)
$4.30 MX$80.6
$4.23 ALL 343
1.65%
Wine (Bottle)
$9.95 MX$187
$7.97 ALL 648
24.84%
Local Beer (0.5 liter bottle)
$1.58 MX$29.73
$1.72 ALL 140
-8.14%
Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)
$2.67 MX$50.1
$1.83 ALL 148
45.90%
🚌 Getting Around
Playa del Carmen
Vlore
Difference
One-way Ticket (Public Transport)
$0.55 MX$10.39
$0.50 ALL 41.01
10.00%
Public Transport Monthly Pass (Regular Price)
$26.62 MX$500
$24.77 ALL 2,012
7.47%
Taxi Start (Normal Tariff)
$4.97 MX$93.3
$3.69 ALL 299
34.69%
Taxi (Normal Tariff) (1km)
$3.33 MX$62.5
$3.73 ALL 303
-10.72%
Taxi 1hour Waiting (Normal Tariff)
$5.36 MX$101
$18.60 ALL 1,511
-71.18%
Gasoline (1 liter)
$1.44 MX$27.11
$2.17 ALL 176
-33.64%
Midsize Hatchback 1.4l (Volkswagen Golf, Toyota Prius, Honda Civic, etc)
$20.7K MX$388.0K
$33.4K ALL 2.7M
-38.20%
Compact Sedan 1.6l (Toyota Corolla, Mazda3, Kia K4, Hyundai Elantra, etc)
$23.5K MX$440.5K
$24.7K ALL 2.0M
-5.18%
🧾 Monthly Utilities & Internet
Playa del Carmen
Vlore
Difference
Utilities for 2 People in 2-bedroom Apartment (Heating, Electricity, Gas, Water, Garbage) (85m2)
$84.8 MX$1,592
$60.8 ALL 4,936
39.53%
SIM Card Monthly Plan (Calls and 10GB+ Data)
$23.41 MX$439
$16.42 ALL 1,334
42.57%
Internet (50+ Mbps, Unlimited Data)
$28.66 MX$538
$17.46 ALL 1,418
64.15%
🎉 Sport & Entertainment
Playa del Carmen
Vlore
Difference
Gym Membership (Monthly)
$57.1 MX$1,071
$57.3 ALL 4,654
-0.44%
Tennis Court (1 Hour on Weekend)
$28.91 MX$543
$29.41 ALL 2,388
-1.70%
Cinema Ticket
$5.14 MX$96.5
$8.63 ALL 701
-40.44%
🧸 Childcare & Education
Playa del Carmen
Vlore
Difference
Preschool or Kindergarten, Full Day, Private, 1 Child (Monthly)
$207 MX$3,878
$100 ALL 8,141
106.07%
International Primary School, 1 Child (Yearly)
$3,927 MX$73.7K
-
-
👕👟 Clothing & Footwear
Playa del Carmen
Vlore
Difference
Jeans (Levis 501 Or Similar)
$43.35 MX$814
$49.72 ALL 4,038
-12.81%
Summer Dress (H&M, Zara, etc)
$41.44 MX$778
$55.7 ALL 4,526
-25.64%
Sport Shoes (Adidas, Nike)
$74.2 MX$1,393
$101 ALL 8,185
-26.37%
Men's Leather Business Shoes
$89.3 MX$1,676
$146 ALL 11.9K
-39.01%
🏠 Accommodation & Living
Playa del Carmen
Vlore
Difference
1-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)
$980 MX$18.4K
$547 ALL 44.4K
79.11%
1-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)
$381 MX$7,150
$418 ALL 33.9K
-8.81%
3-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)
$1,708 MX$32.1K
$703 ALL 57.1K
142.87%
3-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)
$1,075 MX$20.2K
$552 ALL 44.9K
94.65%
Buy Apartment in City Center (m2)
$3,943 MX$74.0K
$2,068 ALL 168.0K
90.62%
Buy Apartment Outside City Center (m2)
$6,158 MX$115.6K
$1,416 ALL 115.0K
334.91%
💵 Salaries & Financials
Playa del Carmen
Vlore
Difference
Average Monthly Net Salary (After Tax)
$735 MX$13.8K
$859 ALL 69.8K
-14.52%
20-Year Fixed Mortgage Interest Rate (Annual %)
11.45
5
129.00%

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

Last update for Playa del Carmen: October 25, 2026

Last update for Vlore: October 25, 2026

Monthly budget structure
Share of the monthly basket for one person, rent included.
Accommodation & Living
Playa del Carmen
$381
Vlore
$418 9.7% $37
Groceries & Markets
Playa del Carmen
$255
Vlore
$250 1.7% $4.3
Eating Out
Playa del Carmen
$202
Vlore
$156 23.1% $47
Monthly Utilities & Internet
Playa del Carmen
$137
Vlore
$95 30.8% $42
Clothing & Footwear
Playa del Carmen
$112
Vlore
$159 42% $47
Sport & Entertainment
Playa del Carmen
$67
Vlore
$75 10.7% $7.2
Getting Around
Playa del Carmen
$50
Vlore
$49 2.6% $1.3

Cost Breakdown

A central one-bedroom costs $980 in Playa del Carmen versus $547 in Vlore. 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 Vlore. Purchasing power depends on which expenses matter most to you.

A mid-range dinner for two costs $43 in Playa del Carmen versus $39 in Vlore. Monthly groceries follow the same trend: $255 vs $250 – making Vlore the more affordable choice for daily food spending.

Good to know
🇲🇽 Playa del Carmen
🇦🇱 Vlore
🕒 Local time
17:16 5:16 PM
23:16 11:16 PM
6 h ahead of Playa del Carmen
🌤 Weather
👥 Population
149,923
79,513
💱 Currency
Exchange rates and currency converter

ALL, USD, EUR to MXN – Mexican Peso Converter

Mexican Peso exchange rates as of November 1, 2026: 1 USD = 18.77 MXN (100 MXN = 5.33 USD). 1 EUR = 20.96 MXN (100 MXN = 4.77 EUR).

Albanian Lek exchange rates as of November 1, 2026: 1 USD = 81.22 ALL (100 ALL = 1.23 USD). 1 EUR = 90.69 ALL (100 ALL = 1.1 EUR).

On the map
Between locations
  • Playa del Carmen Vlore 9,840 km ≈ 13 h nonstop flight
From you
  • Playa del Carmen
  • Vlore

Distances are measured in a straight line. Your location is detected approximately.

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 Vlore: Cost of Living - Frequently Asked Questions
What income do you need for each city?
For a comfortable life, plan on about $1,806 per month in Playa del Carmen and $1,801 in Vlore. That covers rent, food, utilities, transport, and enough left over to feel settled – not just surviving.
Which city has lower housing costs?
Rent is clearly cheaper in Vlore, especially for central apartments: a one-bedroom in the center costs $547 there versus $980 in Playa del Carmen.
Is eating out cheaper in Playa del Carmen or in Vlore?
A mid-range dinner for two costs $43 in Playa del Carmen and $39 in Vlore. That’s a good indicator of the overall restaurant and café pricing gap between the two cities.
Which city has cheaper kindergarten?
Kindergarten costs $207 per month in Playa del Carmen and $100 in Vlore. For families with young kids, this one expense can tip the scales when choosing between the two cities.
Is $1,000 enough to cover costs in Playa del Carmen or in Vlore?
$1,000 is a stretch for both – monthly costs hit $1,204 in Playa del Carmen and $1,201 in Vlore. You’ll need shared housing and careful budgeting no matter which city you pick.
Is Playa del Carmen or Vlore more family-friendly?
Families tend to lean toward Vlore – lower housing and cheaper childcare make a real difference, especially on a single income or when paying for private education.

Playa del Carmen vs other spots: cost of living compared

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