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 $1,010 per month in Pogradec vs $1,261 in Playa del Carmen, rent included.

A couple spends around $1,509 per month in Pogradec vs $2,130 in Playa del Carmen, rent included.

A family of three spends $2,009 per month in Pogradec vs $2,999 in Playa del Carmen, rent included.

Pogradec is about 20% 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 6% lower.

Meal at Budget Restaurant

$8.17 ALL 665

$11.67 MX$202

-29.99%

Three-Course Dinner for Two, Mid-Range

$36.98 ALL 3,008

$41.88 MX$726

-11.70%

Fast Food Meal (McDonalds, etc)

$7.19 ALL 585

$10.40 MX$180

-30.87%

Cappuccino

$0.92 ALL 74.8

$3.61 MX$62.6

-74.52%

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

$1.63 ALL 133

$1.47 MX$25.45

10.88%

Water (0.33 liter bottle)

$0.73 ALL 59.6

$0.91 MX$15.80

-19.78%

Local Beer (0.5 liter draught)

$1.45 ALL 118

$3.03 MX$52.6

-52.15%

Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$2.52 ALL 205

$4.47 MX$77.4

-43.62%

Milk (1 liter)

$2.03 ALL 165

$1.38 MX$23.83

47.10%

White Bread (500g)

$0.89 ALL 72.6

$1.84 MX$31.93

-51.63%

Rice (white) (1kg)

$1.95 ALL 159

$1.61 MX$27.82

21.12%

Eggs

$2.18 ALL 177

$2.57 MX$44.52

-15.18%

Local Cheese (1kg)

$7.72 ALL 628

$8.49 MX$147

-9.07%

Chicken Fillets (1kg)

$4.00 ALL 325

$8.49 MX$147

-52.89%

Beef Round Steak (1kg)

$13.16 ALL 1,071

$10.99 MX$190

19.75%

Apples (1kg)

$1.14 ALL 93.1

$2.73 MX$47.25

-58.24%

Banana (1kg)

$2.37 ALL 193

$1.50 MX$25.92

58.00%

Oranges (1kg)

$1.44 ALL 117

$1.96 MX$33.93

-26.53%

Tomato (1kg)

$1.17 ALL 95.0

$2.12 MX$36.70

-44.81%

Potato (1kg)

$0.91 ALL 74.2

$1.86 MX$32.30

-51.08%

Onion (1kg)

$0.93 ALL 75.4

$2.17 MX$37.67

-57.14%

Lettuce (1 head)

$0.90 ALL 73.2

$1.07 MX$18.59

-15.89%

Water (1.5 liter bottle)

$0.73 ALL 59.0

$1.05 MX$18.18

-30.48%

Cigarettes 20 Pack (Marlboro, Camel)

$3.96 ALL 322

$4.19 MX$72.6

-5.49%

Wine (Bottle)

$10.34 ALL 842

$10.28 MX$178

0.58%

Local Beer (0.5 liter bottle)

$1.20 ALL 97.7

$1.67 MX$28.87

-28.14%

Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$1.81 ALL 147

$2.49 MX$43.12

-27.31%

One-way Ticket (Public Transport)

$0.49 ALL 40.07

$0.54 MX$9.37

-9.26%

Public Transport Monthly Pass (Regular Price)

$18.86 ALL 1,535

$26.27 MX$455

-28.21%

Taxi Start (Normal Tariff)

$3.40 ALL 277

$3.10 MX$53.8

9.68%

Taxi (Normal Tariff) (1km)

$1.54 ALL 125

$2.46 MX$42.66

-37.40%

Taxi 1hour Waiting (Normal Tariff)

$17.31 ALL 1,408

$3.24 MX$56.1

434.26%

Gasoline (1 liter)

$2.21 ALL 180

$1.26 MX$21.83

75.40%

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

$34.8K ALL 2.8M

$30.2K MX$522.8K

15.48%

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

$25.7K ALL 2.1M

$23.4K MX$406.3K

9.82%

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

$66.8 ALL 5,430

$84.0 MX$1,456

-20.53%

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

$17.58 ALL 1,430

$22.21 MX$385

-20.85%

Internet (50+ Mbps, Unlimited Data)

$15.87 ALL 1,291

$29.65 MX$514

-46.48%

Gym Membership (Monthly)

$55.2 ALL 4,486

$52.6 MX$912

4.77%

Tennis Court (1 Hour on Weekend)

$25.49 ALL 2,074

$18.34 MX$318

38.99%

Cinema Ticket

$8.40 ALL 684

$4.95 MX$85.7

69.70%

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

$94.7 ALL 7,706

$198 MX$3,438

-52.24%

International Primary School, 1 Child (Yearly)

$5,322 MX$92.2K

Jeans (Levis 501 Or Similar)

$47.91 ALL 3,897

$35.95 MX$623

33.27%

Summer Dress (H&M, Zara, etc)

$53.9 ALL 4,388

$40.06 MX$694

34.65%

Sport Shoes (Adidas, Nike)

$96.0 ALL 7,807

$78.8 MX$1,365

21.80%

Men's Leather Business Shoes

$143 ALL 11.6K

$86.5 MX$1,499

64.92%

1-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)

$458 ALL 37.2K

$977 MX$16.9K

-53.15%

1-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)

$340 ALL 27.6K

$471 MX$8,158

-27.85%

3-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)

$621 ALL 50.5K

$1,595 MX$27.6K

-61.10%

3-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)

$440 ALL 35.8K

$1,215 MX$21.1K

-63.82%

Buy Apartment in City Center (m2)

$1,580 ALL 128.6K

$4,032 MX$69.9K

-60.80%

Buy Apartment Outside City Center (m2)

$1,481 ALL 120.5K

$6,579 MX$114.0K

-77.49%

Average Monthly Net Salary (After Tax)

$473 ALL 38.5K

$714 MX$12.4K

-33.74%

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: April 20, 2026

Last update for Playa del Carmen: April 19, 2026

Cost Breakdown

A central one-bedroom costs $458 in Pogradec versus $977 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 51% 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 $37 in Pogradec versus $42 in Playa del Carmen. Monthly groceries follow the same trend: $207 vs $252 – 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 25%, 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 $1,516 per month in Pogradec and $1,891 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 $1,010 in Pogradec and $1,261 in Playa del Carmen. The difference isn't just one category – it shows up across housing, food, transport, and services.

Public transport costs about 39% 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 $1,010, than in Playa del Carmen at $1,261. 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.