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 $1,044 per month in Tetovo vs $1,305 in Playa del Carmen, rent included.

A couple spends around $1,546 per month in Tetovo vs $2,334 in Playa del Carmen, rent included.

A family of three spends $2,048 per month in Tetovo vs $3,362 in Playa del Carmen, rent included.

Tetovo is about 20% cheaper than Playa del Carmen, driven mainly by Groceries & Markets.

Both Tetovo and Playa del Carmen are more affordable than the global median – Tetovo 24% lower, Playa del Carmen 5% lower.

Meal at Budget Restaurant

$7.44 MKD 393

$11.96 MX$203

-37.79%

Three-Course Dinner for Two, Mid-Range

$28.55 MKD 1,508

$47.38 MX$804

-39.74%

Fast Food Meal (McDonalds, etc)

$6.12 MKD 323

$11.75 MX$199

-47.91%

Cappuccino

$1.62 MKD 85.6

$4.12 MX$70.0

-60.68%

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

$1.60 MKD 84.7

$1.40 MX$23.74

14.29%

Water (0.33 liter bottle)

$1.03 MKD 54.3

$0.91 MX$15.48

13.19%

Local Beer (0.5 liter draught)

$2.25 MKD 119

$3.21 MX$54.4

-29.91%

Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$2.30 MKD 122

$7.07 MX$120

-67.47%

Milk (1 liter)

$1.32 MKD 69.9

$1.68 MX$28.44

-21.43%

White Bread (500g)

$0.67 MKD 35.33

$2.15 MX$36.48

-68.84%

Rice (white) (1kg)

$1.43 MKD 75.4

$1.77 MX$30.10

-19.21%

Eggs

$2.11 MKD 112

$2.82 MX$47.76

-25.18%

Local Cheese (1kg)

$7.35 MKD 388

$9.20 MX$156

-20.11%

Chicken Fillets (1kg)

$5.55 MKD 293

$9.23 MX$157

-39.87%

Beef Round Steak (1kg)

$10.44 MKD 551

$12.64 MX$214

-17.41%

Apples (1kg)

$1.43 MKD 75.6

$2.95 MX$50.1

-51.53%

Banana (1kg)

$1.42 MKD 75.2

$1.58 MX$26.79

-10.13%

Oranges (1kg)

$1.00 MKD 52.7

$2.22 MX$37.70

-54.95%

Tomato (1kg)

$2.09 MKD 110

$2.36 MX$40.09

-11.44%

Potato (1kg)

$0.86 MKD 45.30

$1.99 MX$33.81

-56.78%

Onion (1kg)

$0.73 MKD 38.78

$1.98 MX$33.58

-63.13%

Lettuce (1 head)

$0.66 MKD 34.68

$1.24 MX$21.04

-46.77%

Water (1.5 liter bottle)

$0.57 MKD 29.88

$1.21 MX$20.55

-52.89%

Cigarettes 20 Pack (Marlboro, Camel)

$3.14 MKD 166

$4.60 MX$78.1

-31.74%

Wine (Bottle)

$4.80 MKD 254

$10.52 MX$178

-54.37%

Local Beer (0.5 liter bottle)

$1.10 MKD 58.0

$1.69 MX$28.70

-34.91%

Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$1.48 MKD 78.4

$2.77 MX$47.06

-46.57%

One-way Ticket (Public Transport)

$0.40 MKD 20.87

$0.60 MX$10.22

-33.33%

Public Transport Monthly Pass (Regular Price)

$11.47 MKD 606

$29.70 MX$504

-61.38%

Taxi Start (Normal Tariff)

$1.10 MKD 58.1

$5.24 MX$88.8

-79.01%

Taxi (Normal Tariff) (1km)

$0.60 MKD 31.45

$3.65 MX$61.9

-83.56%

Taxi 1hour Waiting (Normal Tariff)

$7.74 MKD 409

$5.78 MX$98.1

33.91%

Gasoline (1 liter)

$1.52 MKD 80.2

$1.54 MX$26.09

-1.30%

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

$36.4K MKD 1.9M

$22.8K MX$386.8K

59.71%

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

$28.2K MKD 1.5M

$25.8K MX$437.9K

9.07%

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

$165 MKD 8,736

$90.7 MX$1,538

82.38%

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

$19.08 MKD 1,008

$25.19 MX$427

-24.26%

Internet (50+ Mbps, Unlimited Data)

$20.12 MKD 1,063

$31.75 MX$539

-36.63%

Gym Membership (Monthly)

$71.7 MKD 3,790

$68.8 MX$1,167

4.29%

Tennis Court (1 Hour on Weekend)

$18.56 MKD 980

$29.37 MX$498

-36.81%

Cinema Ticket

$5.76 MKD 304

$4.86 MX$82.5

18.52%

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

$228 MKD 12.0K

$226 MX$3,828

0.93%

International Primary School, 1 Child (Yearly)

$2,292 MKD 121.1K

$4,194 MX$71.1K

-45.34%

Jeans (Levis 501 Or Similar)

$65.7 MKD 3,469

$47.38 MX$804

38.58%

Summer Dress (H&M, Zara, etc)

$40.10 MKD 2,119

$43.45 MX$737

-7.71%

Sport Shoes (Adidas, Nike)

$109 MKD 5,735

$80.2 MX$1,361

35.33%

Men's Leather Business Shoes

$117 MKD 6,162

$91.4 MX$1,550

27.64%

1-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)

$369 MKD 19.5K

$1,086 MX$18.4K

-66.04%

1-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)

$282 MKD 14.9K

$409 MX$6,933

-31.05%

3-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)

$605 MKD 32.0K

$1,972 MX$33.5K

-69.32%

3-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)

$504 MKD 26.6K

$1,281 MX$21.7K

-60.64%

Buy Apartment in City Center (m2)

$1,284 MKD 67.8K

$4,046 MX$68.6K

-68.27%

Buy Apartment Outside City Center (m2)

$1,115 MKD 58.9K

$6,704 MX$113.7K

-83.37%

Average Monthly Net Salary (After Tax)

$899 MKD 47.5K

$773 MX$13.1K

16.26%

20-Year Fixed Mortgage Interest Rate (Annual %)

3.75

11.45

-67.25%

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

Last update for Tetovo: September 7, 2026

Last update for Playa del Carmen: September 7, 2026

Cost Breakdown

A central one-bedroom costs $369 in Tetovo 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 16% 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 $29.00 in Tetovo versus $47.00 in Playa del Carmen. Monthly groceries follow the same trend: $177 vs $278 – 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 25%, 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 $1,566 per month in Tetovo 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 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 $1,044 in Tetovo 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 159% 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 $1,044, than in Playa del Carmen at $1,305. 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.