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

Monthly Cost of Living

A single person spends $1,260 per month in Playa del Carmen vs $780 in Struga, rent included.

A couple spends around $2,125 per month in Playa del Carmen vs $1,193 in Struga, rent included.

A family of three spends $2,990 per month in Playa del Carmen vs $1,605 in Struga, rent included.

Playa del Carmen costs about 62% more than Struga, driven mainly by Groceries & Markets.

Both Playa del Carmen and Struga are more affordable than the global median – Playa del Carmen 5% lower, Struga 41% lower.

Meal at Budget Restaurant

$11.72 MX$203

$7.69 MKD 411

52.41%

Three-Course Dinner for Two, Mid-Range

$41.89 MX$725

$30.52 MKD 1,631

37.25%

Fast Food Meal (McDonalds, etc)

$10.51 MX$182

$4.68 MKD 250

124.57%

Cappuccino

$3.59 MX$62.0

$1.51 MKD 80.5

137.75%

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

$1.51 MX$26.10

$1.69 MKD 90.4

-10.65%

Water (0.33 liter bottle)

$0.92 MX$15.83

$1.29 MKD 69.1

-28.68%

Local Beer (0.5 liter draught)

$2.96 MX$51.2

$2.66 MKD 142

11.28%

Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$4.41 MX$76.3

$3.41 MKD 182

29.33%

Milk (1 liter)

$1.40 MX$24.16

$1.14 MKD 60.9

22.81%

White Bread (500g)

$1.88 MX$32.60

$0.63 MKD 33.71

198.41%

Rice (white) (1kg)

$1.56 MX$26.97

$1.75 MKD 93.3

-10.86%

Eggs

$2.61 MX$45.14

$2.09 MKD 111

24.88%

Local Cheese (1kg)

$8.32 MX$144

$6.94 MKD 371

19.88%

Chicken Fillets (1kg)

$8.35 MX$145

$5.62 MKD 300

48.58%

Beef Round Steak (1kg)

$10.86 MX$188

$9.51 MKD 508

14.20%

Apples (1kg)

$2.71 MX$46.93

$0.57 MKD 30.60

375.44%

Banana (1kg)

$1.51 MX$26.04

$1.32 MKD 70.7

14.39%

Oranges (1kg)

$1.87 MX$32.41

$0.92 MKD 49.14

103.26%

Tomato (1kg)

$2.19 MX$37.89

$1.10 MKD 58.9

99.09%

Potato (1kg)

$1.86 MX$32.14

$0.77 MKD 40.94

141.56%

Onion (1kg)

$2.23 MX$38.59

$0.90 MKD 47.93

147.78%

Lettuce (1 head)

$1.07 MX$18.48

$0.54 MKD 28.86

98.15%

Water (1.5 liter bottle)

$1.09 MX$18.79

$0.37 MKD 19.66

194.59%

Cigarettes 20 Pack (Marlboro, Camel)

$4.19 MX$72.4

$3.14 MKD 168

33.44%

Wine (Bottle)

$10.43 MX$180

$3.68 MKD 197

183.42%

Local Beer (0.5 liter bottle)

$1.66 MX$28.68

$1.06 MKD 56.9

56.60%

Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$2.61 MX$45.19

$1.01 MKD 53.9

158.42%

One-way Ticket (Public Transport)

$0.54 MX$9.37

$0.69 MKD 36.87

-21.74%

Public Transport Monthly Pass (Regular Price)

$26.16 MX$453

$20.37 MKD 1,089

28.42%

Taxi Start (Normal Tariff)

$3.08 MX$53.3

$0.99 MKD 52.7

211.11%

Taxi (Normal Tariff) (1km)

$2.40 MX$41.61

$0.53 MKD 28.21

352.83%

Taxi 1hour Waiting (Normal Tariff)

$3.13 MX$54.1

$7.70 MKD 412

-59.35%

Gasoline (1 liter)

$1.31 MX$22.69

$1.46 MKD 78.1

-10.27%

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

$29.8K MX$515.7K

$34.0K MKD 1.8M

-12.43%

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

$23.3K MX$403.5K

$29.6K MKD 1.6M

-21.23%

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

$81.3 MX$1,406

$90.9 MKD 4,858

-10.59%

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

$22.56 MX$390

$14.98 MKD 800

50.60%

Internet (50+ Mbps, Unlimited Data)

$30.05 MX$520

$19.69 MKD 1,052

52.62%

Gym Membership (Monthly)

$52.9 MX$915

$25.84 MKD 1,381

104.76%

Tennis Court (1 Hour on Weekend)

$18.39 MX$318

$22.22 MKD 1,187

-17.24%

Cinema Ticket

$4.92 MX$85.1

$6.64 MKD 355

-25.90%

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

$201 MX$3,474

$311 MKD 16.6K

-35.50%

International Primary School, 1 Child (Yearly)

$5,175 MX$89.5K

$1,179 MKD 63.0K

339.04%

Jeans (Levis 501 Or Similar)

$35.92 MX$622

$77.9 MKD 4,161

-53.87%

Summer Dress (H&M, Zara, etc)

$40.13 MX$694

$27.82 MKD 1,486

44.25%

Sport Shoes (Adidas, Nike)

$79.7 MX$1,379

$66.4 MKD 3,546

20.12%

Men's Leather Business Shoes

$86.5 MX$1,496

$37.12 MKD 1,984

132.92%

1-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)

$978 MX$16.9K

$290 MKD 15.5K

237.74%

1-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)

$470 MX$8,140

$231 MKD 12.3K

103.83%

3-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)

$1,651 MX$28.6K

$396 MKD 21.2K

316.65%

3-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)

$1,203 MX$20.8K

$321 MKD 17.2K

274.37%

Buy Apartment in City Center (m2)

$3,953 MX$68.4K

$1,569 MKD 83.9K

151.91%

Buy Apartment Outside City Center (m2)

$6,607 MX$114.3K

$1,355 MKD 72.4K

387.53%

Average Monthly Net Salary (After Tax)

$677 MX$11.7K

$878 MKD 46.9K

-22.97%

20-Year Fixed Mortgage Interest Rate (Annual %)

11.42

3.5

226.29%

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

Last update for Playa del Carmen: July 27, 2026

Last update for Struga: July 26, 2026

Cost Breakdown

A central one-bedroom costs $978 in Playa del Carmen versus $290 in Struga. 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 30% higher in Struga, 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 $42.00 in Playa del Carmen versus $31.00 in Struga. Monthly groceries follow the same trend: $252 vs $156 – making Struga 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

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

Yes – Playa del Carmen is pricier by about 62%, 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 $1,890 per month in Playa del Carmen and $1,169 in Struga. That covers rent, food, utilities, transport, and enough left over to feel settled – not just surviving.

Rent is clearly cheaper in Struga, 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 $1,260 in Playa del Carmen and $780 in Struga. The difference isn't just one category – it shows up across housing, food, transport, and services.

Public transport costs about 28% less in Struga. For daily commuters, that gap adds up to noticeable savings over a year.

A $2,000 monthly budget goes further in Struga, where all-in costs run around $780, than in Playa del Carmen at $1,260. In Struga it covers expenses comfortably, while in Playa del Carmen it requires careful planning or may not stretch far enough.

Families tend to lean toward Struga – 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 Struga. 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.