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

Monthly Cost of Living

A single person spends $1,087 per month in Skopje vs $1,256 in Playa del Carmen, rent included.

A couple spends around $1,634 per month in Skopje vs $2,137 in Playa del Carmen, rent included.

A family of three spends $2,180 per month in Skopje vs $3,017 in Playa del Carmen, rent included.

Skopje is about 13% cheaper than Playa del Carmen, driven mainly by Eating Out.

Both Skopje and Playa del Carmen are more affordable than the global median – Skopje 19% lower, Playa del Carmen 6% lower.

Meal at Budget Restaurant

$7.58 MKD 407

$11.99 MX$209

-36.78%

Three-Course Dinner for Two, Mid-Range

$33.45 MKD 1,796

$41.78 MX$728

-19.94%

Fast Food Meal (McDonalds, etc)

$6.70 MKD 360

$10.75 MX$187

-37.67%

Cappuccino

$2.27 MKD 122

$3.50 MX$60.9

-35.14%

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

$2.03 MKD 109

$1.45 MX$25.22

40.00%

Water (0.33 liter bottle)

$1.29 MKD 69.3

$0.88 MX$15.41

46.59%

Local Beer (0.5 liter draught)

$2.66 MKD 143

$2.95 MX$51.3

-9.83%

Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$3.35 MKD 180

$4.51 MX$78.6

-25.72%

Milk (1 liter)

$1.29 MKD 69.5

$1.43 MX$24.94

-9.79%

White Bread (500g)

$0.76 MKD 40.83

$1.84 MX$31.99

-58.70%

Rice (white) (1kg)

$1.67 MKD 89.7

$1.57 MX$27.31

6.37%

Eggs

$2.21 MKD 119

$2.51 MX$43.74

-11.95%

Local Cheese (1kg)

$9.13 MKD 490

$8.28 MX$144

10.27%

Chicken Fillets (1kg)

$7.78 MKD 418

$8.43 MX$147

-7.71%

Beef Round Steak (1kg)

$13.71 MKD 736

$10.68 MX$186

28.37%

Apples (1kg)

$1.06 MKD 57.1

$2.61 MX$45.43

-59.39%

Banana (1kg)

$1.43 MKD 76.8

$1.44 MX$25.04

-0.69%

Oranges (1kg)

$1.35 MKD 72.6

$1.96 MX$34.16

-31.12%

Tomato (1kg)

$2.17 MKD 116

$2.09 MX$36.47

3.83%

Potato (1kg)

$0.89 MKD 47.79

$1.85 MX$32.24

-51.89%

Onion (1kg)

$0.90 MKD 48.49

$2.17 MX$37.74

-58.53%

Lettuce (1 head)

$0.69 MKD 36.95

$1.03 MX$17.96

-33.01%

Water (1.5 liter bottle)

$0.55 MKD 29.72

$1.07 MX$18.70

-48.60%

Cigarettes 20 Pack (Marlboro, Camel)

$3.18 MKD 171

$4.10 MX$71.4

-22.44%

Wine (Bottle)

$7.26 MKD 390

$10.17 MX$177

-28.61%

Local Beer (0.5 liter bottle)

$1.07 MKD 57.3

$1.68 MX$29.17

-36.31%

Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$1.52 MKD 81.5

$2.53 MX$43.98

-39.92%

One-way Ticket (Public Transport)

$0.76 MKD 40.98

$0.51 MX$8.87

49.02%

Public Transport Monthly Pass (Regular Price)

$28.58 MKD 1,534

$26.04 MX$453

9.75%

Taxi Start (Normal Tariff)

$0.96 MKD 51.6

$3.23 MX$56.3

-70.28%

Taxi (Normal Tariff) (1km)

$0.48 MKD 26.03

$2.41 MX$41.88

-80.08%

Taxi 1hour Waiting (Normal Tariff)

$7.41 MKD 398

$3.23 MX$56.2

129.41%

Gasoline (1 liter)

$1.49 MKD 79.7

$1.32 MX$23.00

12.88%

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

$33.7K MKD 1.8M

$29.7K MX$517.1K

13.34%

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

$29.3K MKD 1.6M

$23.7K MX$412.0K

23.69%

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

$160 MKD 8,580

$82.0 MX$1,428

94.90%

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

$18.05 MKD 969

$22.95 MX$400

-21.35%

Internet (50+ Mbps, Unlimited Data)

$19.13 MKD 1,027

$30.11 MX$524

-36.47%

Gym Membership (Monthly)

$38.66 MKD 2,075

$52.0 MX$905

-25.61%

Tennis Court (1 Hour on Weekend)

$17.36 MKD 932

$18.53 MX$323

-6.31%

Cinema Ticket

$6.62 MKD 356

$4.98 MX$86.6

32.93%

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

$320 MKD 17.2K

$197 MX$3,438

62.15%

International Primary School, 1 Child (Yearly)

$4,642 MKD 249.2K

$5,336 MX$92.9K

-13.02%

Jeans (Levis 501 Or Similar)

$77.5 MKD 4,160

$35.60 MX$620

117.70%

Summer Dress (H&M, Zara, etc)

$40.16 MKD 2,156

$40.33 MX$702

-0.42%

Sport Shoes (Adidas, Nike)

$100 MKD 5,368

$78.8 MX$1,371

26.98%

Men's Leather Business Shoes

$110 MKD 5,918

$88.9 MX$1,549

23.96%

1-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)

$425 MKD 22.8K

$947 MX$16.5K

-55.17%

1-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)

$310 MKD 16.6K

$474 MX$8,254

-34.61%

3-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)

$645 MKD 34.6K

$1,644 MX$28.6K

-60.74%

3-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)

$463 MKD 24.8K

$1,211 MX$21.1K

-61.77%

Buy Apartment in City Center (m2)

$2,731 MKD 146.6K

$4,056 MX$70.6K

-32.67%

Buy Apartment Outside City Center (m2)

$1,740 MKD 93.4K

$6,470 MX$112.7K

-73.11%

Average Monthly Net Salary (After Tax)

$886 MKD 47.6K

$654 MX$11.4K

35.48%

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 Skopje: July 11, 2026

Last update for Playa del Carmen: July 13, 2026

Cost Breakdown

A central one-bedroom costs $425 in Skopje 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 35% higher in Skopje, which reinforces the cost advantage – you earn more and spend less. Purchasing power leans clearly in its favor.

A mid-range dinner for two costs $33.00 in Skopje versus $42.00 in Playa del Carmen. Monthly groceries follow the same trend: $210 vs $249 – making Skopje 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

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

Yes – Playa del Carmen is pricier by about 16%, 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 $1,631 per month in Skopje 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 Skopje, 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 $1,087 in Skopje 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 10% less in Skopje. For daily commuters, that gap adds up to noticeable savings over a year.

A $1,000 monthly budget goes further in Skopje, where all-in costs run around $1,087, than in Playa del Carmen at $1,256. In Skopje it covers expenses comfortably, while in Playa del Carmen it requires careful planning or may not stretch far enough.

Families tend to lean toward Skopje – 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 Skopje. 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.