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 $847 per month in Pogradec vs $1,266 in Playa del Carmen, rent included.

A couple spends around $1,393 per month in Pogradec vs $2,279 in Playa del Carmen, rent included.

A family of three spends $1,938 per month in Pogradec vs $3,292 in Playa del Carmen, rent included.

Pogradec is about 33% cheaper than Playa del Carmen, driven mainly by Eating Out.

Both Pogradec and Playa del Carmen are more affordable than the global median – Pogradec 38% lower, Playa del Carmen 7% lower.

Meal at Budget Restaurant

$10.19 ALL 805

$11.60 MX$200

-12.16%

Three-Course Dinner for Two, Mid-Range

$39.39 ALL 3,112

$47.11 MX$812

-16.39%

Fast Food Meal (McDonalds, etc)

$7.74 ALL 611

$11.88 MX$205

-34.85%

Cappuccino

$1.57 ALL 124

$3.98 MX$68.6

-60.55%

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

$1.94 ALL 153

$1.43 MX$24.60

35.66%

Water (0.33 liter bottle)

$0.65 ALL 51.1

$0.82 MX$14.22

-20.73%

Local Beer (0.5 liter draught)

$1.47 ALL 116

$3.19 MX$55.0

-53.92%

Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$2.69 ALL 213

$6.79 MX$117

-60.38%

Milk (1 liter)

$2.05 ALL 162

$1.68 MX$28.89

22.02%

White Bread (500g)

$0.92 ALL 72.7

$2.20 MX$37.88

-58.18%

Rice (white) (1kg)

$2.10 ALL 166

$1.71 MX$29.45

22.81%

Eggs

$2.21 ALL 175

$2.74 MX$47.26

-19.34%

Local Cheese (1kg)

$8.41 ALL 664

$9.58 MX$165

-12.21%

Chicken Fillets (1kg)

$4.49 ALL 355

$9.01 MX$155

-50.17%

Beef Round Steak (1kg)

$14.24 ALL 1,125

$12.81 MX$221

11.16%

Apples (1kg)

$1.23 ALL 97.5

$2.89 MX$49.81

-57.44%

Banana (1kg)

$2.35 ALL 186

$1.50 MX$25.81

56.67%

Oranges (1kg)

$1.55 ALL 122

$2.15 MX$37.03

-27.91%

Tomato (1kg)

$1.24 ALL 98.2

$2.26 MX$38.96

-45.13%

Potato (1kg)

$1.02 ALL 80.9

$1.98 MX$34.15

-48.48%

Onion (1kg)

$1.04 ALL 81.9

$1.99 MX$34.30

-47.74%

Lettuce (1 head)

$1.03 ALL 81.3

$1.23 MX$21.28

-16.26%

Water (1.5 liter bottle)

$0.85 ALL 67.1

$1.20 MX$20.63

-29.17%

Cigarettes 20 Pack (Marlboro, Camel)

$4.28 ALL 338

$4.55 MX$78.5

-5.93%

Wine (Bottle)

$10.13 ALL 800

$10.37 MX$179

-2.31%

Local Beer (0.5 liter bottle)

$1.23 ALL 96.8

$1.62 MX$27.91

-24.07%

Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$1.92 ALL 152

$2.88 MX$49.67

-33.33%

One-way Ticket (Public Transport)

$0.52 ALL 41.43

$0.60 MX$10.35

-13.33%

Public Transport Monthly Pass (Regular Price)

$19.24 ALL 1,520

$28.80 MX$497

-33.19%

Taxi Start (Normal Tariff)

$3.70 ALL 292

$5.39 MX$92.9

-31.35%

Taxi (Normal Tariff) (1km)

$1.92 ALL 152

$3.73 MX$64.3

-48.53%

Taxi 1hour Waiting (Normal Tariff)

$18.83 ALL 1,487

$5.77 MX$99.5

226.34%

Gasoline (1 liter)

$2.24 ALL 177

$1.54 MX$26.48

45.45%

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

$34.1K ALL 2.7M

$22.5K MX$388.8K

51.13%

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

$25.7K ALL 2.0M

$26.1K MX$449.3K

-1.22%

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

$63.4 ALL 5,011

$91.4 MX$1,576

-30.60%

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

$16.30 ALL 1,288

$25.20 MX$435

-35.32%

Internet (50+ Mbps, Unlimited Data)

$17.24 ALL 1,362

$31.24 MX$539

-44.81%

Gym Membership (Monthly)

$35.85 ALL 2,832

$67.2 MX$1,159

-46.65%

Tennis Court (1 Hour on Weekend)

$19.00 ALL 1,501

$29.11 MX$502

-34.73%

Cinema Ticket

$9.05 ALL 715

$4.86 MX$83.8

86.21%

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

$101 ALL 7,962

$224 MX$3,856

-54.93%

International Primary School, 1 Child (Yearly)

$4,229 MX$72.9K

Jeans (Levis 501 Or Similar)

$50.9 ALL 4,020

$47.10 MX$812

8.03%

Summer Dress (H&M, Zara, etc)

$57.0 ALL 4,499

$44.29 MX$764

28.58%

Sport Shoes (Adidas, Nike)

$101 ALL 8,000

$80.1 MX$1,381

26.40%

Men's Leather Business Shoes

$148 ALL 11.7K

$92.7 MX$1,598

59.71%

1-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)

$185 ALL 14.6K

$1,063 MX$18.3K

-82.57%

1-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)

$126 ALL 9,954

$390 MX$6,728

-67.71%

3-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)

$378 ALL 29.9K

$2,149 MX$37.1K

-82.40%

3-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)

$248 ALL 19.6K

$1,272 MX$21.9K

-80.47%

Buy Apartment in City Center (m2)

$1,604 ALL 126.7K

$4,001 MX$69.0K

-59.92%

Buy Apartment Outside City Center (m2)

$1,534 ALL 121.2K

$6,502 MX$112.1K

-76.40%

Average Monthly Net Salary (After Tax)

$490 ALL 38.7K

$758 MX$13.1K

-35.37%

20-Year Fixed Mortgage Interest Rate (Annual %)

11.45

-56.33%

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

Last update for Pogradec: September 13, 2026

Last update for Playa del Carmen: September 12, 2026

Cost Breakdown

A central one-bedroom costs $185 in Pogradec versus $1,063 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 55% 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 $39.00 in Pogradec versus $47.00 in Playa del Carmen. Monthly groceries follow the same trend: $220 vs $276 – 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 49%, 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 $1,270 per month in Pogradec and $1,899 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 $847 in Pogradec and $1,266 in Playa del Carmen. The difference isn't just one category – it shows up across housing, food, transport, and services.

Public transport costs about 50% 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 $847, than in Playa del Carmen at $1,266. 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.