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

Monthly Cost of Living

A single person spends $922 per month in Shkoder vs $1,297 in Playa del Carmen, rent included.

A couple spends around $1,353 per month in Shkoder vs $2,181 in Playa del Carmen, rent included.

A family of three spends $1,784 per month in Shkoder vs $3,065 in Playa del Carmen, rent included.

Shkoder is about 29% cheaper than Playa del Carmen, driven mainly by Eating Out.

Both Shkoder and Playa del Carmen are more affordable than the global median – Shkoder 31% lower, Playa del Carmen 3% lower.

Meal at Budget Restaurant

$6.04 ALL 496

$11.73 MX$203

-48.51%

Three-Course Dinner for Two, Mid-Range

$32.04 ALL 2,627

$41.62 MX$721

-23.02%

Fast Food Meal (McDonalds, etc)

$4.61 ALL 378

$10.64 MX$184

-56.67%

Cappuccino

$1.79 ALL 147

$3.52 MX$61.0

-49.15%

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

$1.57 ALL 129

$1.51 MX$26.17

3.97%

Water (0.33 liter bottle)

$0.80 ALL 65.7

$0.97 MX$16.87

-17.53%

Local Beer (0.5 liter draught)

$2.43 ALL 199

$2.95 MX$51.1

-17.63%

Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$3.18 ALL 260

$4.45 MX$77.2

-28.54%

Milk (1 liter)

$2.06 ALL 169

$1.38 MX$23.97

49.28%

White Bread (500g)

$0.93 ALL 75.9

$1.89 MX$32.78

-50.79%

Rice (white) (1kg)

$2.01 ALL 165

$1.64 MX$28.37

22.56%

Eggs

$2.91 ALL 239

$2.51 MX$43.42

15.94%

Local Cheese (1kg)

$6.87 ALL 563

$8.34 MX$145

-17.63%

Chicken Fillets (1kg)

$4.89 ALL 401

$8.34 MX$145

-41.37%

Beef Round Steak (1kg)

$10.35 ALL 849

$10.73 MX$186

-3.54%

Apples (1kg)

$1.52 ALL 125

$2.60 MX$45.12

-41.54%

Banana (1kg)

$2.34 ALL 192

$1.46 MX$25.25

60.27%

Oranges (1kg)

$1.66 ALL 136

$1.90 MX$32.94

-12.63%

Tomato (1kg)

$1.34 ALL 110

$2.08 MX$35.98

-35.58%

Potato (1kg)

$0.98 ALL 80.7

$1.78 MX$30.77

-44.94%

Onion (1kg)

$1.17 ALL 95.8

$2.19 MX$37.87

-46.58%

Lettuce (1 head)

$1.09 ALL 89.6

$1.04 MX$18.02

4.81%

Water (1.5 liter bottle)

$0.69 ALL 56.9

$1.08 MX$18.66

-36.11%

Cigarettes 20 Pack (Marlboro, Camel)

$4.13 ALL 338

$4.08 MX$70.7

1.23%

Wine (Bottle)

$6.22 ALL 510

$10.32 MX$179

-39.73%

Local Beer (0.5 liter bottle)

$1.46 ALL 120

$1.71 MX$29.67

-14.62%

Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$1.67 ALL 137

$2.58 MX$44.63

-35.27%

One-way Ticket (Public Transport)

$0.45 ALL 36.87

$0.51 MX$8.83

-11.76%

Public Transport Monthly Pass (Regular Price)

$11.61 ALL 952

$26.46 MX$459

-56.12%

Taxi Start (Normal Tariff)

$3.60 ALL 295

$3.26 MX$56.5

10.43%

Taxi (Normal Tariff) (1km)

$3.07 ALL 252

$2.49 MX$43.17

23.29%

Taxi 1hour Waiting (Normal Tariff)

$17.92 ALL 1,470

$3.25 MX$56.3

451.38%

Gasoline (1 liter)

$2.19 ALL 180

$1.31 MX$22.65

67.18%

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

$34.6K ALL 2.8M

$30.3K MX$524.7K

14.26%

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

$24.9K ALL 2.0M

$23.4K MX$406.0K

6.16%

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

$67.9 ALL 5,570

$82.9 MX$1,436

-18.03%

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

$16.90 ALL 1,386

$22.22 MX$385

-23.94%

Internet (50+ Mbps, Unlimited Data)

$16.11 ALL 1,321

$29.34 MX$508

-45.09%

Gym Membership (Monthly)

$40.50 ALL 3,321

$51.6 MX$895

-21.56%

Tennis Court (1 Hour on Weekend)

$11.69 ALL 958

$18.32 MX$317

-36.19%

Cinema Ticket

$7.20 ALL 590

$5.07 MX$87.8

42.01%

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

$89.0 ALL 7,296

$201 MX$3,480

-55.69%

International Primary School, 1 Child (Yearly)

$1,796 ALL 147.3K

$5,212 MX$90.3K

-65.54%

Jeans (Levis 501 Or Similar)

$47.65 ALL 3,907

$36.92 MX$640

29.06%

Summer Dress (H&M, Zara, etc)

$11.91 ALL 977

$39.79 MX$689

-70.07%

Sport Shoes (Adidas, Nike)

$72.0 ALL 5,901

$78.5 MX$1,360

-8.27%

Men's Leather Business Shoes

$142 ALL 11.6K

$87.1 MX$1,509

62.52%

1-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)

$310 ALL 25.4K

$973 MX$16.9K

-68.17%

1-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)

$300 ALL 24.6K

$468 MX$8,105

-35.88%

3-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)

$353 ALL 28.9K

$1,641 MX$28.4K

-78.51%

3-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)

$347 ALL 28.4K

$1,221 MX$21.2K

-71.59%

Buy Apartment in City Center (m2)

$1,819 ALL 149.1K

$3,946 MX$68.4K

-53.91%

Buy Apartment Outside City Center (m2)

$1,231 ALL 101.0K

$6,498 MX$112.6K

-81.05%

Average Monthly Net Salary (After Tax)

$571 ALL 46.9K

$664 MX$11.5K

-13.93%

20-Year Fixed Mortgage Interest Rate (Annual %)

11.42

-56.22%

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

Last update for Shkoder: May 31, 2026

Last update for Playa del Carmen: June 2, 2026

Cost Breakdown

A central one-bedroom costs $310 in Shkoder versus $973 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 16% 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 $32.00 in Shkoder versus $42.00 in Playa del Carmen. Monthly groceries follow the same trend: $202 vs $249 – making Shkoder 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

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

Yes – Playa del Carmen is pricier by about 41%, 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 $1,383 per month in Shkoder and $1,945 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 Shkoder, 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 $922 in Shkoder and $1,297 in Playa del Carmen. The difference isn't just one category – it shows up across housing, food, transport, and services.

Public transport costs about 128% less in Shkoder. For daily commuters, that gap adds up to noticeable savings over a year.

A $2,000 monthly budget goes further in Shkoder, where all-in costs run around $922, than in Playa del Carmen at $1,297. In Shkoder it covers expenses comfortably, while in Playa del Carmen it requires careful planning or may not stretch far enough.

Families tend to lean toward Shkoder – 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 Shkoder. 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.