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

Monthly Cost of Living

A single person spends $853 per month in Stip vs $1,305 in Playa del Carmen, rent included.

A couple spends around $1,260 per month in Stip vs $2,334 in Playa del Carmen, rent included.

A family of three spends $1,667 per month in Stip vs $3,362 in Playa del Carmen, rent included.

Stip is about 35% cheaper than Playa del Carmen, driven mainly by Groceries & Markets.

Both Stip and Playa del Carmen are more affordable than the global median – Stip 38% lower, Playa del Carmen 5% lower.

Meal at Budget Restaurant

$7.53 MKD 398

$11.96 MX$203

-37.04%

Three-Course Dinner for Two, Mid-Range

$23.64 MKD 1,249

$47.38 MX$804

-50.11%

Fast Food Meal (McDonalds, etc)

$6.78 MKD 358

$11.75 MX$199

-42.30%

Cappuccino

$1.86 MKD 98.2

$4.12 MX$70.0

-54.85%

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

$1.55 MKD 82.0

$1.40 MX$23.74

10.71%

Water (0.33 liter bottle)

$1.16 MKD 61.4

$0.91 MX$15.48

27.47%

Local Beer (0.5 liter draught)

$1.84 MKD 97.4

$3.21 MX$54.4

-42.68%

Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$2.92 MKD 154

$7.07 MX$120

-58.70%

Milk (1 liter)

$1.27 MKD 67.2

$1.68 MX$28.44

-24.40%

White Bread (500g)

$0.82 MKD 43.07

$2.15 MX$36.48

-61.86%

Rice (white) (1kg)

$1.16 MKD 61.5

$1.77 MX$30.10

-34.46%

Eggs

$2.59 MKD 137

$2.82 MX$47.76

-8.16%

Local Cheese (1kg)

$8.69 MKD 459

$9.20 MX$156

-5.54%

Chicken Fillets (1kg)

$7.52 MKD 397

$9.23 MX$157

-18.53%

Beef Round Steak (1kg)

$7.69 MKD 406

$12.64 MX$214

-39.16%

Apples (1kg)

$0.93 MKD 49.25

$2.95 MX$50.1

-68.47%

Banana (1kg)

$1.43 MKD 75.3

$1.58 MX$26.79

-9.49%

Oranges (1kg)

$1.39 MKD 73.5

$2.22 MX$37.70

-37.39%

Tomato (1kg)

$1.72 MKD 90.8

$2.36 MX$40.09

-27.12%

Potato (1kg)

$0.93 MKD 48.93

$1.99 MX$33.81

-53.27%

Onion (1kg)

$0.89 MKD 46.77

$1.98 MX$33.58

-55.05%

Lettuce (1 head)

$0.59 MKD 31.21

$1.24 MX$21.04

-52.42%

Water (1.5 liter bottle)

$0.42 MKD 22.08

$1.21 MX$20.55

-65.29%

Cigarettes 20 Pack (Marlboro, Camel)

$3.26 MKD 172

$4.60 MX$78.1

-29.13%

Wine (Bottle)

$7.61 MKD 402

$10.52 MX$178

-27.66%

Local Beer (0.5 liter bottle)

$1.09 MKD 57.4

$1.69 MX$28.70

-35.50%

Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$1.53 MKD 81.0

$2.77 MX$47.06

-44.77%

One-way Ticket (Public Transport)

$0.65 MKD 34.21

$0.60 MX$10.22

8.33%

Public Transport Monthly Pass (Regular Price)

$22.86 MKD 1,208

$29.70 MX$504

-23.03%

Taxi Start (Normal Tariff)

$1.14 MKD 60.3

$5.24 MX$88.8

-78.24%

Taxi (Normal Tariff) (1km)

$0.68 MKD 35.94

$3.65 MX$61.9

-81.37%

Taxi 1hour Waiting (Normal Tariff)

$5.79 MKD 306

$5.78 MX$98.1

0.17%

Gasoline (1 liter)

$1.52 MKD 80.5

$1.54 MX$26.09

-1.30%

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

$36.7K MKD 1.9M

$22.8K MX$386.8K

60.81%

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

$28.1K MKD 1.5M

$25.8K MX$437.9K

8.70%

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

$165 MKD 8,691

$90.7 MX$1,538

81.45%

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

$9.36 MKD 495

$25.19 MX$427

-62.84%

Internet (50+ Mbps, Unlimited Data)

$17.13 MKD 905

$31.75 MX$539

-46.05%

Gym Membership (Monthly)

$28.13 MKD 1,486

$68.8 MX$1,167

-59.11%

Tennis Court (1 Hour on Weekend)

$29.37 MX$498

Cinema Ticket

$6.64 MKD 351

$4.86 MX$82.5

36.63%

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

$381 MKD 20.1K

$226 MX$3,828

68.90%

International Primary School, 1 Child (Yearly)

$5,594 MKD 295.6K

$4,194 MX$71.1K

33.40%

Jeans (Levis 501 Or Similar)

$38.16 MKD 2,016

$47.38 MX$804

-19.46%

Summer Dress (H&M, Zara, etc)

$31.71 MKD 1,675

$43.45 MX$737

-27.02%

Sport Shoes (Adidas, Nike)

$108 MKD 5,689

$80.2 MX$1,361

34.23%

Men's Leather Business Shoes

$114 MKD 6,022

$91.4 MX$1,550

24.75%

1-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)

$209 MKD 11.0K

$1,086 MX$18.4K

-80.79%

1-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)

$131 MKD 6,901

$409 MX$6,933

-68.04%

3-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)

$341 MKD 18.0K

$1,972 MX$33.5K

-82.71%

3-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)

$204 MKD 10.8K

$1,281 MX$21.7K

-84.05%

Buy Apartment in City Center (m2)

$1,246 MKD 65.9K

$4,046 MX$68.6K

-69.19%

Buy Apartment Outside City Center (m2)

$1,000 MKD 52.8K

$6,704 MX$113.7K

-85.08%

Average Monthly Net Salary (After Tax)

$472 MKD 24.9K

$773 MX$13.1K

-38.96%

20-Year Fixed Mortgage Interest Rate (Annual %)

4.25

11.45

-62.88%

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

Last update for Stip: September 5, 2026

Last update for Playa del Carmen: September 7, 2026

Cost Breakdown

A central one-bedroom costs $209 in Stip versus $1,086 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 64% 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 $24.00 in Stip versus $47.00 in Playa del Carmen. Monthly groceries follow the same trend: $186 vs $278 – making Stip 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

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

Yes – Playa del Carmen is pricier by about 53%, and the gap shows up most in Groceries & Markets. It's not just housing either; the difference applies across most spending categories.

For a comfortable life, plan on about $1,279 per month in Stip and $1,958 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 Stip, 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 $853 in Stip and $1,305 in Playa del Carmen. The difference isn't just one category – it shows up across housing, food, transport, and services.

Public transport costs about 30% less in Stip. For daily commuters, that gap adds up to noticeable savings over a year.

A $1,500 monthly budget goes further in Stip, where all-in costs run around $853, than in Playa del Carmen at $1,305. In Stip it covers expenses comfortably, while in Playa del Carmen it requires careful planning or may not stretch far enough.

Families tend to lean toward Stip – 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 Stip. 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.