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

Monthly Cost of Living

A single person spends $1,007 per month in Pogradec vs $1,271 in Playa del Carmen, rent included.

A couple spends around $1,499 per month in Pogradec vs $2,126 in Playa del Carmen, rent included.

A family of three spends $1,991 per month in Pogradec vs $2,980 in Playa del Carmen, rent included.

Pogradec is about 21% cheaper than Playa del Carmen, driven mainly by Eating Out.

Both Pogradec and Playa del Carmen are more affordable than the global median – Pogradec 25% lower, Playa del Carmen 5% lower.

Meal at Budget Restaurant

$8.02 ALL 655

$11.87 MX$204

-32.43%

Three-Course Dinner for Two, Mid-Range

$37.69 ALL 3,079

$42.90 MX$736

-12.14%

Fast Food Meal (McDonalds, etc)

$7.28 ALL 595

$10.65 MX$183

-31.64%

Cappuccino

$0.93 ALL 75.7

$3.45 MX$59.2

-73.04%

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

$1.60 ALL 131

$1.50 MX$25.81

6.67%

Water (0.33 liter bottle)

$0.70 ALL 56.8

$0.95 MX$16.28

-26.32%

Local Beer (0.5 liter draught)

$1.37 ALL 112

$3.03 MX$51.9

-54.79%

Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$2.52 ALL 206

$4.61 MX$79.1

-45.34%

Milk (1 liter)

$2.02 ALL 165

$1.38 MX$23.61

46.38%

White Bread (500g)

$0.85 ALL 69.5

$1.85 MX$31.70

-54.05%

Rice (white) (1kg)

$2.02 ALL 165

$1.61 MX$27.65

25.47%

Eggs

$2.06 ALL 168

$2.59 MX$44.51

-20.46%

Local Cheese (1kg)

$7.43 ALL 607

$8.26 MX$142

-10.05%

Chicken Fillets (1kg)

$4.14 ALL 338

$8.37 MX$144

-50.54%

Beef Round Steak (1kg)

$13.17 ALL 1,076

$10.66 MX$183

23.55%

Apples (1kg)

$1.16 ALL 94.9

$2.63 MX$45.12

-55.89%

Banana (1kg)

$2.37 ALL 193

$1.49 MX$25.53

59.06%

Oranges (1kg)

$1.39 ALL 113

$1.92 MX$32.94

-27.60%

Tomato (1kg)

$1.20 ALL 98.2

$2.09 MX$35.81

-42.58%

Potato (1kg)

$0.93 ALL 75.8

$1.86 MX$31.88

-50.00%

Onion (1kg)

$0.97 ALL 79.1

$2.26 MX$38.81

-57.08%

Lettuce (1 head)

$0.97 ALL 79.3

$1.06 MX$18.23

-8.49%

Water (1.5 liter bottle)

$0.72 ALL 58.6

$1.09 MX$18.67

-33.94%

Cigarettes 20 Pack (Marlboro, Camel)

$3.96 ALL 324

$4.15 MX$71.2

-4.58%

Wine (Bottle)

$9.93 ALL 811

$10.39 MX$178

-4.43%

Local Beer (0.5 liter bottle)

$1.17 ALL 95.3

$1.72 MX$29.59

-31.98%

Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$1.76 ALL 144

$2.61 MX$44.85

-32.57%

One-way Ticket (Public Transport)

$0.48 ALL 39.34

$0.54 MX$9.30

-11.11%

Public Transport Monthly Pass (Regular Price)

$19.06 ALL 1,557

$26.94 MX$462

-29.25%

Taxi Start (Normal Tariff)

$3.47 ALL 283

$3.13 MX$53.7

10.86%

Taxi (Normal Tariff) (1km)

$1.60 ALL 130

$2.51 MX$43.09

-36.25%

Taxi 1hour Waiting (Normal Tariff)

$17.57 ALL 1,436

$3.15 MX$54.1

457.78%

Gasoline (1 liter)

$2.11 ALL 172

$1.27 MX$21.88

66.14%

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

$34.0K ALL 2.8M

$30.4K MX$521.3K

11.85%

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

$25.0K ALL 2.0M

$23.6K MX$404.5K

5.91%

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

$67.0 ALL 5,476

$83.0 MX$1,425

-19.24%

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

$17.67 ALL 1,444

$22.71 MX$390

-22.19%

Internet (50+ Mbps, Unlimited Data)

$15.99 ALL 1,306

$29.46 MX$506

-45.72%

Gym Membership (Monthly)

$55.3 ALL 4,520

$51.0 MX$875

8.49%

Tennis Court (1 Hour on Weekend)

$25.27 ALL 2,064

$18.33 MX$315

37.86%

Cinema Ticket

$8.05 ALL 658

$4.93 MX$84.5

63.29%

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

$94.0 ALL 7,680

$197 MX$3,386

-52.36%

International Primary School, 1 Child (Yearly)

$5,280 MX$90.6K

Jeans (Levis 501 Or Similar)

$46.63 ALL 3,810

$36.90 MX$633

26.37%

Summer Dress (H&M, Zara, etc)

$53.6 ALL 4,378

$39.89 MX$685

34.34%

Sport Shoes (Adidas, Nike)

$95.8 ALL 7,830

$80.0 MX$1,373

19.79%

Men's Leather Business Shoes

$142 ALL 11.6K

$89.5 MX$1,536

58.86%

1-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)

$443 ALL 36.2K

$956 MX$16.4K

-53.67%

1-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)

$338 ALL 27.6K

$477 MX$8,189

-29.23%

3-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)

$611 ALL 49.9K

$1,646 MX$28.3K

-62.89%

3-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)

$437 ALL 35.7K

$1,225 MX$21.0K

-64.35%

Buy Apartment in City Center (m2)

$1,552 ALL 126.8K

$3,918 MX$67.2K

-60.40%

Buy Apartment Outside City Center (m2)

$1,451 ALL 118.6K

$6,459 MX$110.9K

-77.53%

Average Monthly Net Salary (After Tax)

$462 ALL 37.7K

$667 MX$11.4K

-30.77%

20-Year Fixed Mortgage Interest Rate (Annual %)

11.42

-64.97%

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

Last update for Pogradec: June 8, 2026

Last update for Playa del Carmen: June 7, 2026

Cost Breakdown

A central one-bedroom costs $443 in Pogradec versus $956 in Playa del Carmen. 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 44% 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 $38.00 in Pogradec versus $43.00 in Playa del Carmen. Monthly groceries follow the same trend: $206 vs $250 – making Pogradec 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

Pogradec vs Playa del Carmen: Cost of Living - Frequently Asked Questions

Yes – Playa del Carmen is pricier by about 26%, 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 $1,510 per month in Pogradec and $1,906 in Playa del Carmen. That covers rent, food, utilities, transport, and enough left over to feel settled – not just surviving.

Rent is clearly cheaper in Pogradec, 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 $1,007 in Pogradec and $1,271 in Playa del Carmen. The difference isn't just one category – it shows up across housing, food, transport, and services.

Public transport costs about 41% less in Pogradec. For daily commuters, that gap adds up to noticeable savings over a year.

A $1,000 monthly budget goes further in Pogradec, where all-in costs run around $1,007, than in Playa del Carmen at $1,271. In Pogradec it covers expenses comfortably, while in Playa del Carmen it requires careful planning or may not stretch far enough.

Families tend to lean toward Pogradec – 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 Pogradec. 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.