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

Monthly Cost of Living

A single person spends $989 per month in Tetovo vs $1,256 in Playa del Carmen, rent included.

A couple spends around $1,475 per month in Tetovo vs $2,137 in Playa del Carmen, rent included.

A family of three spends $1,960 per month in Tetovo vs $3,017 in Playa del Carmen, rent included.

Tetovo is about 21% cheaper than Playa del Carmen, driven mainly by Eating Out.

Both Tetovo and Playa del Carmen are more affordable than the global median – Tetovo 26% lower, Playa del Carmen 6% lower.

Meal at Budget Restaurant

$5.53 MKD 297

$11.99 MX$210

-53.88%

Three-Course Dinner for Two, Mid-Range

$24.86 MKD 1,333

$41.78 MX$733

-40.50%

Fast Food Meal (McDonalds, etc)

$5.00 MKD 268

$10.75 MX$189

-53.49%

Cappuccino

$1.49 MKD 79.8

$3.50 MX$61.3

-57.43%

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

$1.53 MKD 82.0

$1.45 MX$25.41

5.52%

Water (0.33 liter bottle)

$1.02 MKD 54.5

$0.88 MX$15.52

15.91%

Local Beer (0.5 liter draught)

$2.23 MKD 119

$2.95 MX$51.7

-24.41%

Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$2.14 MKD 115

$4.51 MX$79.1

-52.55%

Milk (1 liter)

$1.29 MKD 69.3

$1.43 MX$25.12

-9.79%

White Bread (500g)

$0.69 MKD 37.16

$1.84 MX$32.23

-62.50%

Rice (white) (1kg)

$1.42 MKD 76.2

$1.57 MX$27.51

-9.55%

Eggs

$2.02 MKD 108

$2.51 MX$44.06

-19.52%

Local Cheese (1kg)

$7.42 MKD 398

$8.28 MX$145

-10.39%

Chicken Fillets (1kg)

$5.39 MKD 289

$8.43 MX$148

-36.06%

Beef Round Steak (1kg)

$10.42 MKD 559

$10.68 MX$187

-2.43%

Apples (1kg)

$1.07 MKD 57.4

$2.61 MX$45.76

-59.00%

Banana (1kg)

$1.37 MKD 73.4

$1.44 MX$25.22

-4.86%

Oranges (1kg)

$1.03 MKD 55.2

$1.96 MX$34.41

-47.45%

Tomato (1kg)

$1.64 MKD 87.9

$2.09 MX$36.74

-21.53%

Potato (1kg)

$0.97 MKD 51.8

$1.85 MX$32.47

-47.57%

Onion (1kg)

$0.74 MKD 39.44

$2.17 MX$38.02

-65.90%

Lettuce (1 head)

$0.86 MKD 46.17

$1.03 MX$18.09

-16.50%

Water (1.5 liter bottle)

$0.56 MKD 30.15

$1.07 MX$18.84

-47.66%

Cigarettes 20 Pack (Marlboro, Camel)

$3.14 MKD 169

$4.10 MX$72.0

-23.41%

Wine (Bottle)

$4.50 MKD 242

$10.17 MX$178

-55.75%

Local Beer (0.5 liter bottle)

$0.94 MKD 50.3

$1.68 MX$29.38

-44.05%

Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$1.46 MKD 78.1

$2.53 MX$44.31

-42.29%

One-way Ticket (Public Transport)

$0.37 MKD 19.58

$0.51 MX$8.93

-27.45%

Public Transport Monthly Pass (Regular Price)

$11.47 MKD 615

$26.04 MX$457

-55.95%

Taxi Start (Normal Tariff)

$1.10 MKD 59.0

$3.23 MX$56.7

-65.94%

Taxi (Normal Tariff) (1km)

$0.53 MKD 28.28

$2.41 MX$42.19

-78.01%

Taxi 1hour Waiting (Normal Tariff)

$6.69 MKD 359

$3.23 MX$56.6

107.12%

Gasoline (1 liter)

$1.50 MKD 80.5

$1.32 MX$23.17

13.64%

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

$31.5K MKD 1.7M

$29.7K MX$520.9K

6.20%

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

$33.4K MKD 1.8M

$23.7K MX$415.0K

40.99%

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

$142 MKD 7,636

$82.0 MX$1,439

73.59%

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

$17.74 MKD 952

$22.95 MX$403

-22.70%

Internet (50+ Mbps, Unlimited Data)

$15.29 MKD 820

$30.11 MX$528

-49.22%

Gym Membership (Monthly)

$88.5 MKD 4,746

$52.0 MX$912

70.23%

Tennis Court (1 Hour on Weekend)

$18.53 MX$325

Cinema Ticket

$4.74 MKD 254

$4.98 MX$87.3

-4.82%

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

$222 MKD 11.9K

$197 MX$3,463

12.26%

International Primary School, 1 Child (Yearly)

$2,252 MKD 120.8K

$5,336 MX$93.6K

-57.81%

Jeans (Levis 501 Or Similar)

$66.2 MKD 3,551

$35.60 MX$624

85.96%

Summer Dress (H&M, Zara, etc)

$48.36 MKD 2,594

$40.33 MX$707

19.91%

Sport Shoes (Adidas, Nike)

$74.8 MKD 4,012

$78.8 MX$1,381

-5.03%

Men's Leather Business Shoes

$114 MKD 6,128

$88.9 MX$1,560

28.47%

1-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)

$358 MKD 19.2K

$947 MX$16.6K

-62.18%

1-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)

$278 MKD 14.9K

$474 MX$8,314

-41.40%

3-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)

$595 MKD 31.9K

$1,644 MX$28.8K

-63.81%

3-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)

$507 MKD 27.2K

$1,211 MX$21.2K

-58.11%

Buy Apartment in City Center (m2)

$1,224 MKD 65.7K

$4,056 MX$71.1K

-69.82%

Buy Apartment Outside City Center (m2)

$1,118 MKD 60.0K

$6,470 MX$113.5K

-82.72%

Average Monthly Net Salary (After Tax)

$888 MKD 47.6K

$654 MX$11.5K

35.78%

20-Year Fixed Mortgage Interest Rate (Annual %)

3.75

11.42

-67.16%

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

Last update for Tetovo: July 12, 2026

Last update for Playa del Carmen: July 13, 2026

Cost Breakdown

A central one-bedroom costs $358 in Tetovo 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 36% higher in Tetovo, 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 $25.00 in Tetovo versus $42.00 in Playa del Carmen. Monthly groceries follow the same trend: $171 vs $249 – making Tetovo 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

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

Yes – Playa del Carmen is pricier by about 27%, 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 $1,483 per month in Tetovo 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 Tetovo, 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 $989 in Tetovo 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 127% less in Tetovo. For daily commuters, that gap adds up to noticeable savings over a year.

A $1,000 monthly budget goes further in Tetovo, where all-in costs run around $989, than in Playa del Carmen at $1,256. In Tetovo it covers expenses comfortably, while in Playa del Carmen it requires careful planning or may not stretch far enough.

Families tend to lean toward Tetovo – 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 Tetovo. 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.