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 $984 per month in Shkoder vs $1,266 in Playa del Carmen, rent included.

A couple spends around $1,469 per month in Shkoder vs $2,279 in Playa del Carmen, rent included.

A family of three spends $1,954 per month in Shkoder vs $3,292 in Playa del Carmen, rent included.

Shkoder is about 22% cheaper than Playa del Carmen, driven mainly by Eating Out.

Both Shkoder and Playa del Carmen are more affordable than the global median – Shkoder 28% lower, Playa del Carmen 7% lower.

Meal at Budget Restaurant

$9.68 ALL 765

$11.60 MX$200

-16.55%

Three-Course Dinner for Two, Mid-Range

$38.84 ALL 3,069

$47.11 MX$812

-17.55%

Fast Food Meal (McDonalds, etc)

$6.43 ALL 508

$11.88 MX$205

-45.88%

Cappuccino

$2.06 ALL 163

$3.98 MX$68.6

-48.24%

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

$1.91 ALL 151

$1.43 MX$24.60

33.57%

Water (0.33 liter bottle)

$0.67 ALL 52.8

$0.82 MX$14.22

-18.29%

Local Beer (0.5 liter draught)

$1.94 ALL 153

$3.19 MX$55.0

-39.18%

Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$3.13 ALL 247

$6.79 MX$117

-53.90%

Milk (1 liter)

$2.02 ALL 160

$1.68 MX$28.89

20.24%

White Bread (500g)

$1.02 ALL 80.3

$2.20 MX$37.88

-53.64%

Rice (white) (1kg)

$2.08 ALL 164

$1.71 MX$29.45

21.64%

Eggs

$2.77 ALL 219

$2.74 MX$47.26

1.09%

Local Cheese (1kg)

$7.26 ALL 573

$9.58 MX$165

-24.22%

Chicken Fillets (1kg)

$4.98 ALL 393

$9.01 MX$155

-44.73%

Beef Round Steak (1kg)

$10.88 ALL 860

$12.81 MX$221

-15.07%

Apples (1kg)

$1.60 ALL 127

$2.89 MX$49.81

-44.64%

Banana (1kg)

$2.37 ALL 187

$1.50 MX$25.81

58.00%

Oranges (1kg)

$1.71 ALL 135

$2.15 MX$37.03

-20.47%

Tomato (1kg)

$1.55 ALL 123

$2.26 MX$38.96

-31.42%

Potato (1kg)

$1.05 ALL 82.8

$1.98 MX$34.15

-46.97%

Onion (1kg)

$1.23 ALL 97.5

$1.99 MX$34.30

-38.19%

Lettuce (1 head)

$1.17 ALL 92.2

$1.23 MX$21.28

-4.88%

Water (1.5 liter bottle)

$0.74 ALL 58.4

$1.20 MX$20.63

-38.33%

Cigarettes 20 Pack (Marlboro, Camel)

$4.42 ALL 349

$4.55 MX$78.5

-2.86%

Wine (Bottle)

$6.33 ALL 500

$10.37 MX$179

-38.96%

Local Beer (0.5 liter bottle)

$1.61 ALL 127

$1.62 MX$27.91

-0.62%

Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$1.84 ALL 146

$2.88 MX$49.67

-36.11%

One-way Ticket (Public Transport)

$0.47 ALL 37.40

$0.60 MX$10.35

-21.67%

Public Transport Monthly Pass (Regular Price)

$11.72 ALL 926

$28.80 MX$497

-59.31%

Taxi Start (Normal Tariff)

$3.76 ALL 297

$5.39 MX$92.9

-30.24%

Taxi (Normal Tariff) (1km)

$3.92 ALL 310

$3.73 MX$64.3

5.09%

Taxi 1hour Waiting (Normal Tariff)

$18.89 ALL 1,492

$5.77 MX$99.5

227.38%

Gasoline (1 liter)

$2.12 ALL 168

$1.54 MX$26.48

37.66%

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

$35.1K ALL 2.8M

$22.5K MX$388.8K

55.81%

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

$25.6K ALL 2.0M

$26.1K MX$449.3K

-1.72%

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

$61.8 ALL 4,880

$91.4 MX$1,576

-32.40%

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

$16.54 ALL 1,307

$25.20 MX$435

-34.37%

Internet (50+ Mbps, Unlimited Data)

$17.42 ALL 1,376

$31.24 MX$539

-44.24%

Gym Membership (Monthly)

$44.51 ALL 3,517

$67.2 MX$1,159

-33.76%

Tennis Court (1 Hour on Weekend)

$12.64 ALL 999

$29.11 MX$502

-56.58%

Cinema Ticket

$7.51 ALL 593

$4.86 MX$83.8

54.53%

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

$94.2 ALL 7,440

$224 MX$3,856

-57.89%

International Primary School, 1 Child (Yearly)

$1,854 ALL 146.5K

$4,229 MX$72.9K

-56.16%

Jeans (Levis 501 Or Similar)

$49.75 ALL 3,930

$47.10 MX$812

5.63%

Summer Dress (H&M, Zara, etc)

$12.51 ALL 988

$44.29 MX$764

-71.75%

Sport Shoes (Adidas, Nike)

$75.9 ALL 5,993

$80.1 MX$1,381

-5.31%

Men's Leather Business Shoes

$149 ALL 11.8K

$92.7 MX$1,598

60.84%

1-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)

$498 ALL 39.4K

$1,063 MX$18.3K

-53.10%

1-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)

$313 ALL 24.7K

$390 MX$6,728

-19.72%

3-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)

$376 ALL 29.7K

$2,149 MX$37.1K

-82.48%

3-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)

$370 ALL 29.3K

$1,272 MX$21.9K

-70.88%

Buy Apartment in City Center (m2)

$1,907 ALL 150.6K

$4,001 MX$69.0K

-52.35%

Buy Apartment Outside City Center (m2)

$1,263 ALL 99.8K

$6,502 MX$112.1K

-80.57%

Average Monthly Net Salary (After Tax)

$587 ALL 46.4K

$758 MX$13.1K

-22.59%

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 Shkoder: September 15, 2026

Last update for Playa del Carmen: September 12, 2026

Cost Breakdown

A central one-bedroom costs $498 in Shkoder 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 29% 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 Shkoder versus $47.00 in Playa del Carmen. Monthly groceries follow the same trend: $209 vs $276 – 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 29%, 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 $1,476 per month in Shkoder 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 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 $984 in Shkoder 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 146% 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 $984, than in Playa del Carmen at $1,266. 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.