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 $1,012 per month in Pogradec vs $1,260 in Playa del Carmen, rent included.

A couple spends around $1,536 per month in Pogradec vs $2,125 in Playa del Carmen, rent included.

A family of three spends $2,059 per month in Pogradec vs $2,990 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 24% lower, Playa del Carmen 5% lower.

Meal at Budget Restaurant

$8.45 ALL 687

$11.72 MX$203

-27.90%

Three-Course Dinner for Two, Mid-Range

$37.70 ALL 3,063

$41.89 MX$725

-10.00%

Fast Food Meal (McDonalds, etc)

$7.24 ALL 588

$10.51 MX$182

-31.11%

Cappuccino

$0.95 ALL 77.2

$3.59 MX$62.0

-73.54%

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

$1.60 ALL 130

$1.51 MX$26.10

5.96%

Water (0.33 liter bottle)

$0.69 ALL 55.9

$0.92 MX$15.83

-25.00%

Local Beer (0.5 liter draught)

$1.39 ALL 113

$2.96 MX$51.2

-53.04%

Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$2.62 ALL 213

$4.41 MX$76.3

-40.59%

Milk (1 liter)

$2.00 ALL 162

$1.40 MX$24.16

42.86%

White Bread (500g)

$0.90 ALL 73.0

$1.88 MX$32.60

-52.13%

Rice (white) (1kg)

$1.94 ALL 157

$1.56 MX$26.97

24.36%

Eggs

$2.06 ALL 168

$2.61 MX$45.14

-21.07%

Local Cheese (1kg)

$7.47 ALL 607

$8.32 MX$144

-10.22%

Chicken Fillets (1kg)

$4.22 ALL 343

$8.35 MX$145

-49.46%

Beef Round Steak (1kg)

$13.30 ALL 1,080

$10.86 MX$188

22.47%

Apples (1kg)

$1.17 ALL 95.0

$2.71 MX$46.93

-56.83%

Banana (1kg)

$2.44 ALL 199

$1.51 MX$26.04

61.59%

Oranges (1kg)

$1.43 ALL 117

$1.87 MX$32.41

-23.53%

Tomato (1kg)

$1.15 ALL 93.6

$2.19 MX$37.89

-47.49%

Potato (1kg)

$0.92 ALL 74.8

$1.86 MX$32.14

-50.54%

Onion (1kg)

$0.95 ALL 77.6

$2.23 MX$38.59

-57.40%

Lettuce (1 head)

$0.98 ALL 79.6

$1.07 MX$18.48

-8.41%

Water (1.5 liter bottle)

$0.77 ALL 62.8

$1.09 MX$18.79

-29.36%

Cigarettes 20 Pack (Marlboro, Camel)

$4.02 ALL 327

$4.19 MX$72.4

-4.06%

Wine (Bottle)

$10.00 ALL 813

$10.43 MX$180

-4.12%

Local Beer (0.5 liter bottle)

$1.15 ALL 93.8

$1.66 MX$28.68

-30.72%

Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$1.73 ALL 141

$2.61 MX$45.19

-33.72%

One-way Ticket (Public Transport)

$0.48 ALL 39.04

$0.54 MX$9.37

-11.11%

Public Transport Monthly Pass (Regular Price)

$19.10 ALL 1,551

$26.16 MX$453

-26.99%

Taxi Start (Normal Tariff)

$3.44 ALL 279

$3.08 MX$53.3

11.69%

Taxi (Normal Tariff) (1km)

$1.55 ALL 126

$2.40 MX$41.61

-35.42%

Taxi 1hour Waiting (Normal Tariff)

$17.75 ALL 1,442

$3.13 MX$54.1

467.09%

Gasoline (1 liter)

$2.17 ALL 177

$1.31 MX$22.69

65.65%

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

$34.9K ALL 2.8M

$29.8K MX$515.7K

17.00%

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

$24.9K ALL 2.0M

$23.3K MX$403.5K

6.75%

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

$68.4 ALL 5,557

$81.3 MX$1,406

-15.85%

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

$17.21 ALL 1,398

$22.56 MX$390

-23.71%

Internet (50+ Mbps, Unlimited Data)

$16.15 ALL 1,312

$30.05 MX$520

-46.26%

Gym Membership (Monthly)

$55.9 ALL 4,544

$52.9 MX$915

5.69%

Tennis Court (1 Hour on Weekend)

$24.92 ALL 2,025

$18.39 MX$318

35.51%

Cinema Ticket

$7.99 ALL 649

$4.92 MX$85.1

62.40%

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

$95.1 ALL 7,724

$201 MX$3,474

-52.66%

International Primary School, 1 Child (Yearly)

$5,175 MX$89.5K

Jeans (Levis 501 Or Similar)

$47.49 ALL 3,858

$35.92 MX$622

32.21%

Summer Dress (H&M, Zara, etc)

$53.0 ALL 4,308

$40.13 MX$694

32.12%

Sport Shoes (Adidas, Nike)

$93.7 ALL 7,609

$79.7 MX$1,379

17.50%

Men's Leather Business Shoes

$141 ALL 11.5K

$86.5 MX$1,496

63.03%

1-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)

$455 ALL 37.0K

$978 MX$16.9K

-53.46%

1-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)

$339 ALL 27.5K

$470 MX$8,140

-27.96%

3-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)

$618 ALL 50.2K

$1,651 MX$28.6K

-62.56%

3-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)

$431 ALL 35.0K

$1,203 MX$20.8K

-64.15%

Buy Apartment in City Center (m2)

$1,551 ALL 126.0K

$3,953 MX$68.4K

-60.76%

Buy Apartment Outside City Center (m2)

$1,448 ALL 117.7K

$6,607 MX$114.3K

-78.08%

Average Monthly Net Salary (After Tax)

$465 ALL 37.8K

$677 MX$11.7K

-31.25%

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: July 26, 2026

Last update for Playa del Carmen: July 27, 2026

Cost Breakdown

A central one-bedroom costs $455 in Pogradec versus $978 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 45% 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 $42.00 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 24%, 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 $1,519 per month in Pogradec and $1,890 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 $1,012 in Pogradec and $1,260 in Playa del Carmen. The difference isn't just one category – it shows up across housing, food, transport, and services.

Public transport costs about 37% 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 $1,012, than in Playa del Carmen at $1,260. 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.