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 $885 per month in Sveti Nikole vs $1,256 in Playa del Carmen, rent included.

A couple spends around $1,299 per month in Sveti Nikole vs $2,137 in Playa del Carmen, rent included.

A family of three spends $1,713 per month in Sveti Nikole vs $3,017 in Playa del Carmen, rent included.

Sveti Nikole is about 30% 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 6% lower.

Meal at Budget Restaurant

$5.66 MKD 303

$11.99 MX$210

-52.79%

Three-Course Dinner for Two, Mid-Range

$27.68 MKD 1,485

$41.78 MX$733

-33.75%

Fast Food Meal (McDonalds, etc)

$5.13 MKD 275

$10.75 MX$189

-52.28%

Cappuccino

$1.71 MKD 91.9

$3.50 MX$61.3

-51.14%

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

$1.61 MKD 86.3

$1.45 MX$25.41

11.03%

Water (0.33 liter bottle)

$1.23 MKD 66.2

$0.88 MX$15.52

39.77%

Local Beer (0.5 liter draught)

$2.32 MKD 124

$2.95 MX$51.7

-21.36%

Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$2.74 MKD 147

$4.51 MX$79.1

-39.25%

Milk (1 liter)

$1.25 MKD 66.8

$1.43 MX$25.12

-12.59%

White Bread (500g)

$0.73 MKD 39.37

$1.84 MX$32.23

-60.33%

Rice (white) (1kg)

$1.69 MKD 90.7

$1.57 MX$27.51

7.64%

Eggs

$2.04 MKD 110

$2.51 MX$44.06

-18.73%

Local Cheese (1kg)

$8.56 MKD 459

$8.28 MX$145

3.38%

Chicken Fillets (1kg)

$6.33 MKD 339

$8.43 MX$148

-24.91%

Beef Round Steak (1kg)

$13.78 MKD 739

$10.68 MX$187

29.03%

Apples (1kg)

$1.07 MKD 57.4

$2.61 MX$45.76

-59.00%

Banana (1kg)

$1.37 MKD 73.6

$1.44 MX$25.22

-4.86%

Oranges (1kg)

$1.25 MKD 67.0

$1.96 MX$34.41

-36.22%

Tomato (1kg)

$1.63 MKD 87.5

$2.09 MX$36.74

-22.01%

Potato (1kg)

$0.95 MKD 50.8

$1.85 MX$32.47

-48.65%

Onion (1kg)

$0.91 MKD 48.76

$2.17 MX$38.02

-58.06%

Lettuce (1 head)

$0.61 MKD 32.50

$1.03 MX$18.09

-40.78%

Water (1.5 liter bottle)

$0.54 MKD 28.75

$1.07 MX$18.84

-49.53%

Cigarettes 20 Pack (Marlboro, Camel)

$3.07 MKD 165

$4.10 MX$72.0

-25.12%

Wine (Bottle)

$6.62 MKD 355

$10.17 MX$178

-34.91%

Local Beer (0.5 liter bottle)

$0.96 MKD 51.4

$1.68 MX$29.38

-42.86%

Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$1.52 MKD 81.6

$2.53 MX$44.31

-39.92%

One-way Ticket (Public Transport)

$0.64 MKD 34.09

$0.51 MX$8.93

25.49%

Public Transport Monthly Pass (Regular Price)

$20.57 MKD 1,103

$26.04 MX$457

-21.01%

Taxi Start (Normal Tariff)

$1.34 MKD 72.0

$3.23 MX$56.7

-58.51%

Taxi (Normal Tariff) (1km)

$0.50 MKD 26.71

$2.41 MX$42.19

-79.25%

Taxi 1hour Waiting (Normal Tariff)

$6.69 MKD 359

$3.23 MX$56.6

107.12%

Gasoline (1 liter)

$1.42 MKD 76.1

$1.32 MX$23.17

7.58%

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

$31.7K MKD 1.7M

$29.7K MX$520.9K

6.86%

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

$29.5K MKD 1.6M

$23.7K MX$415.0K

24.64%

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

$146 MKD 7,851

$82.0 MX$1,439

78.47%

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

$17.61 MKD 944

$22.95 MX$403

-23.27%

Internet (50+ Mbps, Unlimited Data)

$15.28 MKD 820

$30.11 MX$528

-49.25%

Gym Membership (Monthly)

$26.21 MKD 1,406

$52.0 MX$912

-49.57%

Tennis Court (1 Hour on Weekend)

$18.53 MX$325

Cinema Ticket

$4.58 MKD 246

$4.98 MX$87.3

-8.03%

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

$223 MKD 12.0K

$197 MX$3,463

13.10%

International Primary School, 1 Child (Yearly)

$1,208 MKD 64.8K

$5,336 MX$93.6K

-77.36%

Jeans (Levis 501 Or Similar)

$76.2 MKD 4,085

$35.60 MX$624

113.90%

Summer Dress (H&M, Zara, etc)

$40.34 MKD 2,164

$40.33 MX$707

0.02%

Sport Shoes (Adidas, Nike)

$76.0 MKD 4,079

$78.8 MX$1,381

-3.44%

Men's Leather Business Shoes

$113 MKD 6,050

$88.9 MX$1,560

26.82%

1-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)

$280 MKD 15.0K

$947 MX$16.6K

-70.42%

1-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)

$193 MKD 10.3K

$474 MX$8,314

-59.34%

3-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)

$573 MKD 30.7K

$1,644 MX$28.8K

-65.16%

3-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)

$305 MKD 16.4K

$1,211 MX$21.2K

-74.80%

Buy Apartment in City Center (m2)

$1,602 MKD 85.9K

$4,056 MX$71.1K

-60.51%

Buy Apartment Outside City Center (m2)

$1,274 MKD 68.3K

$6,470 MX$113.5K

-80.31%

Average Monthly Net Salary (After Tax)

$561 MKD 30.1K

$654 MX$11.5K

-14.23%

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: July 13, 2026

Last update for Playa del Carmen: July 13, 2026

Cost Breakdown

A central one-bedroom costs $280 in Sveti Nikole 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 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 $28.00 in Sveti Nikole versus $42.00 in Playa del Carmen. Monthly groceries follow the same trend: $195 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 42%, 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 $1,327 per month in Sveti Nikole 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 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 $885 in Sveti Nikole 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 27% 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 $885, than in Playa del Carmen at $1,256. 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.