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 $927 per month in Shkoder vs $1,256 in Playa del Carmen, rent included.

A couple spends around $1,350 per month in Shkoder vs $2,137 in Playa del Carmen, rent included.

A family of three spends $1,772 per month in Shkoder vs $3,017 in Playa del Carmen, rent included.

Shkoder is about 26% 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 6% lower.

Meal at Budget Restaurant

$5.95 ALL 486

$11.99 MX$210

-50.38%

Three-Course Dinner for Two, Mid-Range

$32.15 ALL 2,621

$41.78 MX$733

-23.05%

Fast Food Meal (McDonalds, etc)

$4.84 ALL 395

$10.75 MX$189

-54.98%

Cappuccino

$1.81 ALL 148

$3.50 MX$61.3

-48.29%

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

$1.60 ALL 130

$1.45 MX$25.41

10.34%

Water (0.33 liter bottle)

$0.82 ALL 66.5

$0.88 MX$15.52

-6.82%

Local Beer (0.5 liter draught)

$2.31 ALL 189

$2.95 MX$51.7

-21.69%

Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$3.36 ALL 274

$4.51 MX$79.1

-25.50%

Milk (1 liter)

$2.06 ALL 168

$1.43 MX$25.12

44.06%

White Bread (500g)

$0.87 ALL 71.2

$1.84 MX$32.23

-52.72%

Rice (white) (1kg)

$1.95 ALL 159

$1.57 MX$27.51

24.20%

Eggs

$2.94 ALL 239

$2.51 MX$44.06

17.13%

Local Cheese (1kg)

$6.87 ALL 560

$8.28 MX$145

-17.03%

Chicken Fillets (1kg)

$4.99 ALL 407

$8.43 MX$148

-40.81%

Beef Round Steak (1kg)

$10.33 ALL 842

$10.68 MX$187

-3.28%

Apples (1kg)

$1.52 ALL 124

$2.61 MX$45.76

-41.76%

Banana (1kg)

$2.37 ALL 193

$1.44 MX$25.22

64.58%

Oranges (1kg)

$1.74 ALL 142

$1.96 MX$34.41

-11.22%

Tomato (1kg)

$1.38 ALL 112

$2.09 MX$36.74

-33.97%

Potato (1kg)

$1.01 ALL 82.5

$1.85 MX$32.47

-45.41%

Onion (1kg)

$1.21 ALL 98.7

$2.17 MX$38.02

-44.24%

Lettuce (1 head)

$1.11 ALL 90.2

$1.03 MX$18.09

7.77%

Water (1.5 liter bottle)

$0.74 ALL 60.2

$1.07 MX$18.84

-30.84%

Cigarettes 20 Pack (Marlboro, Camel)

$4.09 ALL 334

$4.10 MX$72.0

-0.24%

Wine (Bottle)

$6.02 ALL 491

$10.17 MX$178

-40.81%

Local Beer (0.5 liter bottle)

$1.44 ALL 118

$1.68 MX$29.38

-14.29%

Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$1.72 ALL 141

$2.53 MX$44.31

-32.02%

One-way Ticket (Public Transport)

$0.49 ALL 39.85

$0.51 MX$8.93

-3.92%

Public Transport Monthly Pass (Regular Price)

$11.40 ALL 930

$26.04 MX$457

-56.22%

Taxi Start (Normal Tariff)

$3.46 ALL 282

$3.23 MX$56.7

7.12%

Taxi (Normal Tariff) (1km)

$3.12 ALL 255

$2.41 MX$42.19

29.46%

Taxi 1hour Waiting (Normal Tariff)

$17.64 ALL 1,439

$3.23 MX$56.6

446.13%

Gasoline (1 liter)

$2.10 ALL 171

$1.32 MX$23.17

59.09%

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

$35.2K ALL 2.9M

$29.7K MX$520.9K

18.40%

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

$25.0K ALL 2.0M

$23.7K MX$415.0K

5.49%

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

$66.9 ALL 5,454

$82.0 MX$1,439

-18.45%

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

$16.83 ALL 1,373

$22.95 MX$403

-26.67%

Internet (50+ Mbps, Unlimited Data)

$16.08 ALL 1,311

$30.11 MX$528

-46.60%

Gym Membership (Monthly)

$41.52 ALL 3,386

$52.0 MX$912

-20.11%

Tennis Court (1 Hour on Weekend)

$11.87 ALL 968

$18.53 MX$325

-35.94%

Cinema Ticket

$7.02 ALL 573

$4.98 MX$87.3

40.96%

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

$87.5 ALL 7,137

$197 MX$3,463

-55.67%

International Primary School, 1 Child (Yearly)

$1,756 ALL 143.2K

$5,336 MX$93.6K

-67.10%

Jeans (Levis 501 Or Similar)

$46.51 ALL 3,793

$35.60 MX$624

30.65%

Summer Dress (H&M, Zara, etc)

$11.56 ALL 943

$40.33 MX$707

-71.34%

Sport Shoes (Adidas, Nike)

$69.6 ALL 5,672

$78.8 MX$1,381

-11.68%

Men's Leather Business Shoes

$142 ALL 11.6K

$88.9 MX$1,560

60.00%

1-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)

$306 ALL 24.9K

$947 MX$16.6K

-67.73%

1-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)

$298 ALL 24.3K

$474 MX$8,314

-37.18%

3-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)

$357 ALL 29.1K

$1,644 MX$28.8K

-78.28%

3-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)

$339 ALL 27.6K

$1,211 MX$21.2K

-72.01%

Buy Apartment in City Center (m2)

$1,825 ALL 148.9K

$4,056 MX$71.1K

-55.00%

Buy Apartment Outside City Center (m2)

$1,223 ALL 99.7K

$6,470 MX$113.5K

-81.10%

Average Monthly Net Salary (After Tax)

$572 ALL 46.7K

$654 MX$11.5K

-12.49%

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: July 12, 2026

Last update for Playa del Carmen: July 13, 2026

Cost Breakdown

A central one-bedroom costs $306 in Shkoder versus $947 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 14% 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: $203 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 35%, 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 $1,391 per month in Shkoder and $1,884 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 $927 in Shkoder and $1,256 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 $927, than in Playa del Carmen at $1,256. 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.