Cost of Living Comparison Between Sveti Nikole and Playa del Carmen Cost of Living Comparison Between Sveti Nikole and Playa del Carmen

Monthly Cost of Living

A single person spends $887 per month in Sveti Nikole vs $1,297 in Playa del Carmen, rent included.

A couple spends around $1,323 per month in Sveti Nikole vs $2,181 in Playa del Carmen, rent included.

A family of three spends $1,759 per month in Sveti Nikole vs $3,065 in Playa del Carmen, rent included.

Sveti Nikole is about 32% cheaper than Playa del Carmen, driven mainly by Eating Out.

Both Sveti Nikole and Playa del Carmen are more affordable than the global median – Sveti Nikole 34% lower, Playa del Carmen 3% lower.

Meal at Budget Restaurant

$5.74 MKD 302

$11.73 MX$203

-51.07%

Three-Course Dinner for Two, Mid-Range

$28.63 MKD 1,509

$41.62 MX$720

-31.21%

Fast Food Meal (McDonalds, etc)

$5.21 MKD 275

$10.64 MX$184

-51.03%

Cappuccino

$1.73 MKD 91.4

$3.52 MX$60.9

-50.85%

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

$1.67 MKD 88.3

$1.51 MX$26.12

10.60%

Water (0.33 liter bottle)

$1.26 MKD 66.5

$0.97 MX$16.84

29.90%

Local Beer (0.5 liter draught)

$2.20 MKD 116

$2.95 MX$51.0

-25.42%

Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$2.69 MKD 142

$4.45 MX$77.0

-39.55%

Milk (1 liter)

$1.29 MKD 68.1

$1.38 MX$23.93

-6.52%

White Bread (500g)

$0.71 MKD 37.59

$1.89 MX$32.72

-62.43%

Rice (white) (1kg)

$1.72 MKD 90.7

$1.64 MX$28.32

4.88%

Eggs

$2.08 MKD 110

$2.51 MX$43.34

-17.13%

Local Cheese (1kg)

$8.30 MKD 438

$8.34 MX$144

-0.48%

Chicken Fillets (1kg)

$6.47 MKD 341

$8.34 MX$144

-22.42%

Beef Round Steak (1kg)

$13.33 MKD 703

$10.73 MX$186

24.23%

Apples (1kg)

$1.07 MKD 56.5

$2.60 MX$45.04

-58.85%

Banana (1kg)

$1.45 MKD 76.2

$1.46 MX$25.20

-0.68%

Oranges (1kg)

$1.27 MKD 66.7

$1.90 MX$32.87

-33.16%

Tomato (1kg)

$1.58 MKD 83.1

$2.08 MX$35.91

-24.04%

Potato (1kg)

$0.94 MKD 49.70

$1.78 MX$30.71

-47.19%

Onion (1kg)

$0.99 MKD 52.3

$2.19 MX$37.80

-54.79%

Lettuce (1 head)

$0.62 MKD 32.51

$1.04 MX$17.99

-40.38%

Water (1.5 liter bottle)

$0.53 MKD 27.75

$1.08 MX$18.62

-50.93%

Cigarettes 20 Pack (Marlboro, Camel)

$3.06 MKD 161

$4.08 MX$70.6

-25.00%

Wine (Bottle)

$6.48 MKD 341

$10.32 MX$178

-37.21%

Local Beer (0.5 liter bottle)

$1.01 MKD 53.3

$1.71 MX$29.61

-40.94%

Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$1.46 MKD 76.8

$2.58 MX$44.54

-43.41%

One-way Ticket (Public Transport)

$0.65 MKD 34.20

$0.51 MX$8.81

27.45%

Public Transport Monthly Pass (Regular Price)

$20.07 MKD 1,058

$26.46 MX$458

-24.15%

Taxi Start (Normal Tariff)

$1.29 MKD 68.2

$3.26 MX$56.4

-60.43%

Taxi (Normal Tariff) (1km)

$0.49 MKD 25.87

$2.49 MX$43.09

-80.32%

Taxi 1hour Waiting (Normal Tariff)

$6.44 MKD 339

$3.25 MX$56.2

98.15%

Gasoline (1 liter)

$1.43 MKD 75.5

$1.31 MX$22.61

9.16%

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

$32.1K MKD 1.7M

$30.3K MX$523.7K

5.98%

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

$30.0K MKD 1.6M

$23.4K MX$405.3K

27.86%

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

$145 MKD 7,619

$82.9 MX$1,433

74.47%

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

$17.35 MKD 915

$22.22 MX$384

-21.92%

Internet (50+ Mbps, Unlimited Data)

$15.43 MKD 813

$29.34 MX$507

-47.41%

Gym Membership (Monthly)

$26.73 MKD 1,409

$51.6 MX$893

-48.23%

Tennis Court (1 Hour on Weekend)

$18.32 MX$317

Cinema Ticket

$4.60 MKD 243

$5.07 MX$87.6

-9.27%

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

$215 MKD 11.4K

$201 MX$3,473

7.26%

International Primary School, 1 Child (Yearly)

$1,226 MKD 64.6K

$5,212 MX$90.1K

-76.48%

Jeans (Levis 501 Or Similar)

$76.1 MKD 4,009

$36.92 MX$639

106.04%

Summer Dress (H&M, Zara, etc)

$39.12 MKD 2,061

$39.79 MX$688

-1.68%

Sport Shoes (Adidas, Nike)

$74.4 MKD 3,922

$78.5 MX$1,357

-5.14%

Men's Leather Business Shoes

$111 MKD 5,860

$87.1 MX$1,506

27.67%

1-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)

$281 MKD 14.8K

$973 MX$16.8K

-71.08%

1-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)

$198 MKD 10.4K

$468 MX$8,090

-57.63%

3-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)

$563 MKD 29.7K

$1,641 MX$28.4K

-65.72%

3-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)

$309 MKD 16.3K

$1,221 MX$21.1K

-74.69%

Buy Apartment in City Center (m2)

$1,644 MKD 86.6K

$3,946 MX$68.3K

-58.34%

Buy Apartment Outside City Center (m2)

$1,276 MKD 67.3K

$6,498 MX$112.4K

-80.36%

Average Monthly Net Salary (After Tax)

$568 MKD 29.9K

$664 MX$11.5K

-14.42%

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 Sveti Nikole: May 31, 2026

Last update for Playa del Carmen: June 2, 2026

Cost Breakdown

A central one-bedroom costs $281 in Sveti Nikole 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 17% 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 $29.00 in Sveti Nikole versus $42.00 in Playa del Carmen. Monthly groceries follow the same trend: $194 vs $249 – making Sveti Nikole 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

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

Yes – Playa del Carmen is pricier by about 46%, 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 $1,331 per month in Sveti Nikole 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 Sveti Nikole, 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 $887 in Sveti Nikole 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 32% less in Sveti Nikole. For daily commuters, that gap adds up to noticeable savings over a year.

A $1,000 monthly budget goes further in Sveti Nikole, where all-in costs run around $887, than in Playa del Carmen at $1,297. In Sveti Nikole it covers expenses comfortably, while in Playa del Carmen it requires careful planning or may not stretch far enough.

Families tend to lean toward Sveti Nikole – 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 Sveti Nikole. 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.