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

Monthly Cost of Living

A single person spends $745 per month in Prilep vs $1,260 in Playa del Carmen, rent included.

A couple spends around $1,134 per month in Prilep vs $2,125 in Playa del Carmen, rent included.

A family of three spends $1,523 per month in Prilep vs $2,990 in Playa del Carmen, rent included.

Prilep is about 41% cheaper than Playa del Carmen, driven mainly by Eating Out.

Both Prilep and Playa del Carmen are more affordable than the global median – Prilep 44% lower, Playa del Carmen 5% lower.

Meal at Budget Restaurant

$4.03 MKD 217

$11.72 MX$204

-65.61%

Three-Course Dinner for Two, Mid-Range

$27.76 MKD 1,493

$41.89 MX$731

-33.73%

Fast Food Meal (McDonalds, etc)

$5.74 MKD 308

$10.51 MX$183

-45.39%

Cappuccino

$1.46 MKD 78.6

$3.59 MX$62.5

-59.33%

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

$1.68 MKD 90.2

$1.51 MX$26.31

11.26%

Water (0.33 liter bottle)

$1.29 MKD 69.1

$0.92 MX$15.96

40.22%

Local Beer (0.5 liter draught)

$1.56 MKD 84.1

$2.96 MX$51.6

-47.30%

Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$2.06 MKD 111

$4.41 MX$76.9

-53.29%

Milk (1 liter)

$1.23 MKD 65.9

$1.40 MX$24.35

-12.14%

White Bread (500g)

$0.74 MKD 39.93

$1.88 MX$32.87

-60.64%

Rice (white) (1kg)

$1.59 MKD 85.7

$1.56 MX$27.19

1.92%

Eggs

$2.11 MKD 114

$2.61 MX$45.50

-19.16%

Local Cheese (1kg)

$7.18 MKD 386

$8.32 MX$145

-13.70%

Chicken Fillets (1kg)

$5.78 MKD 311

$8.35 MX$146

-30.78%

Beef Round Steak (1kg)

$9.90 MKD 532

$10.86 MX$189

-8.84%

Apples (1kg)

$0.86 MKD 46.17

$2.71 MX$47.31

-68.27%

Banana (1kg)

$1.36 MKD 72.9

$1.51 MX$26.25

-9.93%

Oranges (1kg)

$0.97 MKD 52.3

$1.87 MX$32.67

-48.13%

Tomato (1kg)

$1.46 MKD 78.8

$2.19 MX$38.19

-33.33%

Potato (1kg)

$0.89 MKD 47.76

$1.86 MX$32.40

-52.15%

Onion (1kg)

$0.96 MKD 51.8

$2.23 MX$38.90

-56.95%

Lettuce (1 head)

$0.61 MKD 32.54

$1.07 MX$18.63

-42.99%

Water (1.5 liter bottle)

$0.44 MKD 23.66

$1.09 MX$18.94

-59.63%

Cigarettes 20 Pack (Marlboro, Camel)

$3.07 MKD 165

$4.19 MX$73.0

-26.73%

Wine (Bottle)

$4.75 MKD 256

$10.43 MX$182

-54.46%

Local Beer (0.5 liter bottle)

$0.91 MKD 48.89

$1.66 MX$28.91

-45.18%

Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$1.22 MKD 65.9

$2.61 MX$45.56

-53.26%

One-way Ticket (Public Transport)

$0.37 MKD 19.78

$0.54 MX$9.45

-31.48%

Public Transport Monthly Pass (Regular Price)

$18.81 MKD 1,012

$26.16 MX$456

-28.10%

Taxi Start (Normal Tariff)

$0.96 MKD 51.5

$3.08 MX$53.7

-68.83%

Taxi (Normal Tariff) (1km)

$0.49 MKD 26.61

$2.40 MX$41.94

-79.58%

Taxi 1hour Waiting (Normal Tariff)

$6.43 MKD 346

$3.13 MX$54.5

105.43%

Gasoline (1 liter)

$1.44 MKD 77.7

$1.31 MX$22.87

9.92%

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

$34.4K MKD 1.8M

$29.8K MX$519.9K

15.40%

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

$29.6K MKD 1.6M

$23.3K MX$406.8K

27.00%

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

$128 MKD 6,888

$81.3 MX$1,418

57.59%

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

$17.38 MKD 934

$22.56 MX$393

-22.96%

Internet (50+ Mbps, Unlimited Data)

$14.24 MKD 766

$30.05 MX$524

-52.61%

Gym Membership (Monthly)

$17.21 MKD 925

$52.9 MX$923

-67.47%

Tennis Court (1 Hour on Weekend)

$5.53 MKD 297

$18.39 MX$321

-69.93%

Cinema Ticket

$5.28 MKD 284

$4.92 MX$85.8

7.32%

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

$281 MKD 15.1K

$201 MX$3,502

39.77%

International Primary School, 1 Child (Yearly)

$1,212 MKD 65.2K

$5,175 MX$90.2K

-76.57%

Jeans (Levis 501 Or Similar)

$42.44 MKD 2,282

$35.92 MX$627

18.15%

Summer Dress (H&M, Zara, etc)

$37.97 MKD 2,042

$40.13 MX$700

-5.38%

Sport Shoes (Adidas, Nike)

$74.7 MKD 4,018

$79.7 MX$1,390

-6.24%

Men's Leather Business Shoes

$95.1 MKD 5,112

$86.5 MX$1,508

9.96%

1-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)

$237 MKD 12.8K

$978 MX$17.1K

-75.75%

1-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)

$173 MKD 9,301

$470 MX$8,206

-63.23%

3-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)

$512 MKD 27.5K

$1,651 MX$28.8K

-69.01%

3-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)

$281 MKD 15.1K

$1,203 MX$21.0K

-76.64%

Buy Apartment in City Center (m2)

$1,044 MKD 56.1K

$3,953 MX$69.0K

-73.60%

Buy Apartment Outside City Center (m2)

$827 MKD 44.5K

$6,607 MX$115.2K

-87.48%

Average Monthly Net Salary (After Tax)

$609 MKD 32.7K

$677 MX$11.8K

-10.00%

20-Year Fixed Mortgage Interest Rate (Annual %)

4.54

11.42

-60.25%

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

Last update for Prilep: July 26, 2026

Last update for Playa del Carmen: July 27, 2026

Cost Breakdown

A central one-bedroom costs $237 in Prilep 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 11% 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 $28.00 in Prilep versus $42.00 in Playa del Carmen. Monthly groceries follow the same trend: $167 vs $252 – making Prilep 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

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

Yes – Playa del Carmen is pricier by about 69%, 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 $1,118 per month in Prilep 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 Prilep, 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 $745 in Prilep 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 39% less in Prilep. For daily commuters, that gap adds up to noticeable savings over a year.

A $1,000 monthly budget goes further in Prilep, where all-in costs run around $745, than in Playa del Carmen at $1,260. In Prilep it covers expenses comfortably, while in Playa del Carmen it requires careful planning or may not stretch far enough.

Families tend to lean toward Prilep – lower housing and cheaper childcare make a real difference, especially on a single income or when paying for private education.

Both have safer and rougher neighborhoods, but overall safety is comparable to other large cities. Neighborhood choice matters more than the city-level comparison – central, well-trafficked areas feel secure in both.

If budget matters most, go with Prilep. 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.