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 $1,287 per month in Playa del Carmen vs $808 in Struga, rent included.

A couple spends around $2,184 per month in Playa del Carmen vs $1,194 in Struga, rent included.

A family of three spends $3,082 per month in Playa del Carmen vs $1,580 in Struga, rent included.

Playa del Carmen costs about 59% more than Struga, driven mainly by Groceries & Markets.

Both Playa del Carmen and Struga are more affordable than the global median – Playa del Carmen 4% lower, Struga 40% lower.

Meal at Budget Restaurant

$11.94 MX$209

$7.47 MKD 394

59.84%

Three-Course Dinner for Two, Mid-Range

$42.75 MX$748

$30.53 MKD 1,610

40.03%

Fast Food Meal (McDonalds, etc)

$10.59 MX$185

$4.74 MKD 250

123.42%

Cappuccino

$3.62 MX$63.4

$1.58 MKD 83.1

129.11%

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

$1.47 MX$25.69

$1.78 MKD 93.7

-17.42%

Water (0.33 liter bottle)

$0.94 MX$16.51

$1.23 MKD 64.8

-23.58%

Local Beer (0.5 liter draught)

$3.09 MX$54.1

$2.65 MKD 140

16.60%

Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$4.46 MX$78.0

$3.35 MKD 177

33.13%

Milk (1 liter)

$1.43 MX$24.94

$1.19 MKD 62.8

20.17%

White Bread (500g)

$1.88 MX$32.97

$0.67 MKD 35.56

180.60%

Rice (white) (1kg)

$1.63 MX$28.50

$1.76 MKD 92.8

-7.39%

Eggs

$2.64 MX$46.26

$2.07 MKD 109

27.54%

Local Cheese (1kg)

$8.21 MX$144

$6.68 MKD 352

22.90%

Chicken Fillets (1kg)

$8.29 MX$145

$5.49 MKD 289

51.00%

Beef Round Steak (1kg)

$11.10 MX$194

$9.31 MKD 491

19.23%

Apples (1kg)

$2.65 MX$46.40

$0.55 MKD 28.88

381.82%

Banana (1kg)

$1.50 MX$26.26

$1.32 MKD 69.7

13.64%

Oranges (1kg)

$1.99 MX$34.79

$0.95 MKD 50.3

109.47%

Tomato (1kg)

$2.08 MX$36.33

$1.16 MKD 61.0

79.31%

Potato (1kg)

$1.79 MX$31.29

$0.72 MKD 38.09

148.61%

Onion (1kg)

$2.18 MX$38.09

$0.99 MKD 52.0

120.20%

Lettuce (1 head)

$1.08 MX$18.84

$0.58 MKD 30.47

86.21%

Water (1.5 liter bottle)

$1.04 MX$18.15

$0.40 MKD 20.93

160.00%

Cigarettes 20 Pack (Marlboro, Camel)

$3.97 MX$69.5

$3.26 MKD 172

21.78%

Wine (Bottle)

$10.20 MX$179

$4.63 MKD 244

120.30%

Local Beer (0.5 liter bottle)

$1.73 MX$30.22

$1.10 MKD 57.9

57.27%

Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$2.50 MX$43.71

$1.00 MKD 53.0

150.00%

One-way Ticket (Public Transport)

$0.52 MX$9.07

$0.63 MKD 33.22

-17.46%

Public Transport Monthly Pass (Regular Price)

$26.97 MX$472

$20.30 MKD 1,070

32.86%

Taxi Start (Normal Tariff)

$3.14 MX$55.0

$0.96 MKD 50.8

227.08%

Taxi (Normal Tariff) (1km)

$2.40 MX$42.04

$0.50 MKD 26.25

380.00%

Taxi 1hour Waiting (Normal Tariff)

$3.09 MX$54.0

$7.54 MKD 398

-59.02%

Gasoline (1 liter)

$1.27 MX$22.28

$1.47 MKD 77.6

-13.61%

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

$30.9K MX$540.4K

$33.6K MKD 1.8M

-7.99%

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

$23.3K MX$408.0K

$29.9K MKD 1.6M

-21.99%

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

$82.0 MX$1,435

$90.7 MKD 4,783

-9.60%

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

$22.45 MX$393

$15.09 MKD 796

48.77%

Internet (50+ Mbps, Unlimited Data)

$29.66 MX$519

$19.15 MKD 1,010

54.88%

Gym Membership (Monthly)

$51.9 MX$908

$26.68 MKD 1,407

94.42%

Tennis Court (1 Hour on Weekend)

$18.67 MX$327

$22.16 MKD 1,169

-15.75%

Cinema Ticket

$4.97 MX$87.0

$6.38 MKD 336

-22.10%

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

$198 MX$3,462

$323 MKD 17.0K

-38.76%

International Primary School, 1 Child (Yearly)

$5,273 MX$92.3K

$1,180 MKD 62.2K

346.73%

Jeans (Levis 501 Or Similar)

$36.34 MX$636

$78.3 MKD 4,127

-53.57%

Summer Dress (H&M, Zara, etc)

$40.05 MX$701

$27.71 MKD 1,461

44.53%

Sport Shoes (Adidas, Nike)

$79.9 MX$1,398

$67.0 MKD 3,531

19.30%

Men's Leather Business Shoes

$88.9 MX$1,555

$37.26 MKD 1,965

138.54%

1-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)

$963 MX$16.9K

$287 MKD 15.1K

236.07%

1-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)

$465 MX$8,133

$230 MKD 12.1K

102.34%

3-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)

$1,596 MX$27.9K

$387 MKD 20.4K

312.73%

3-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)

$1,209 MX$21.2K

$318 MKD 16.8K

279.60%

Buy Apartment in City Center (m2)

$3,942 MX$69.0K

$1,626 MKD 85.7K

142.39%

Buy Apartment Outside City Center (m2)

$6,448 MX$112.8K

$1,431 MKD 75.5K

350.59%

Average Monthly Net Salary (After Tax)

$720 MX$12.6K

$1,009 MKD 53.2K

-28.58%

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: April 25, 2026

Last update for Struga: April 27, 2026

Cost Breakdown

A central one-bedroom costs $963 in Playa del Carmen versus $287 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 40% 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 $43.00 in Playa del Carmen versus $31.00 in Struga. Monthly groceries follow the same trend: $251 vs $158 – 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 59%, 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 $1,930 per month in Playa del Carmen and $1,212 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 $1,287 in Playa del Carmen and $808 in Struga. The difference isn't just one category – it shows up across housing, food, transport, and services.

Public transport costs about 33% 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 $808, than in Playa del Carmen at $1,287. 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.