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 $1,294 per month in Playa del Carmen vs $789 in Struga, rent included.

A couple spends around $2,189 per month in Playa del Carmen vs $1,198 in Struga, rent included.

A family of three spends $3,084 per month in Playa del Carmen vs $1,607 in Struga, rent included.

Playa del Carmen costs about 64% more than Struga, driven mainly by Groceries & Markets.

Both Playa del Carmen and Struga are more affordable than the global median – Playa del Carmen 3% lower, Struga 41% lower.

Meal at Budget Restaurant

$11.73 MX$202

$7.65 MKD 405

53.33%

Three-Course Dinner for Two, Mid-Range

$41.78 MX$719

$30.64 MKD 1,623

36.36%

Fast Food Meal (McDonalds, etc)

$10.41 MX$179

$4.68 MKD 248

122.44%

Cappuccino

$3.61 MX$62.1

$1.52 MKD 80.4

137.50%

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

$1.46 MX$25.06

$1.76 MKD 93.4

-17.05%

Water (0.33 liter bottle)

$0.97 MX$16.70

$1.28 MKD 68.0

-24.22%

Local Beer (0.5 liter draught)

$2.92 MX$50.3

$2.70 MKD 143

8.15%

Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$4.62 MX$79.5

$3.46 MKD 183

33.53%

Milk (1 liter)

$1.43 MX$24.59

$1.19 MKD 62.8

20.17%

White Bread (500g)

$1.90 MX$32.70

$0.64 MKD 34.16

196.87%

Rice (white) (1kg)

$1.57 MX$26.95

$1.67 MKD 88.4

-5.99%

Eggs

$2.64 MX$45.34

$2.01 MKD 106

31.34%

Local Cheese (1kg)

$8.44 MX$145

$6.80 MKD 360

24.12%

Chicken Fillets (1kg)

$8.58 MX$148

$5.81 MKD 308

47.68%

Beef Round Steak (1kg)

$11.00 MX$189

$9.44 MKD 500

16.53%

Apples (1kg)

$2.70 MX$46.51

$0.58 MKD 30.76

365.52%

Banana (1kg)

$1.51 MX$25.92

$1.33 MKD 70.7

13.53%

Oranges (1kg)

$1.91 MX$32.93

$0.98 MKD 52.0

94.90%

Tomato (1kg)

$2.17 MX$37.37

$1.15 MKD 61.1

88.70%

Potato (1kg)

$1.87 MX$32.25

$0.73 MKD 38.83

156.16%

Onion (1kg)

$2.23 MX$38.43

$0.93 MKD 49.15

139.78%

Lettuce (1 head)

$1.08 MX$18.60

$0.55 MKD 28.89

96.36%

Water (1.5 liter bottle)

$1.07 MX$18.47

$0.37 MKD 19.42

189.19%

Cigarettes 20 Pack (Marlboro, Camel)

$4.16 MX$71.6

$3.11 MKD 165

33.76%

Wine (Bottle)

$10.29 MX$177

$4.72 MKD 250

118.01%

Local Beer (0.5 liter bottle)

$1.68 MX$28.95

$1.05 MKD 55.7

60.00%

Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$2.53 MX$43.59

$1.02 MKD 53.9

148.04%

One-way Ticket (Public Transport)

$0.55 MX$9.53

$0.68 MKD 36.02

-19.12%

Public Transport Monthly Pass (Regular Price)

$26.29 MX$452

$20.43 MKD 1,082

28.68%

Taxi Start (Normal Tariff)

$3.20 MX$55.0

$0.90 MKD 47.80

255.56%

Taxi (Normal Tariff) (1km)

$2.46 MX$42.37

$0.49 MKD 26.21

402.04%

Taxi 1hour Waiting (Normal Tariff)

$3.20 MX$55.0

$7.47 MKD 395

-57.16%

Gasoline (1 liter)

$1.32 MX$22.72

$1.43 MKD 75.5

-7.69%

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

$30.2K MX$518.8K

$34.0K MKD 1.8M

-11.37%

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

$23.4K MX$402.5K

$29.5K MKD 1.6M

-20.68%

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

$81.4 MX$1,400

$91.7 MKD 4,854

-11.24%

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

$22.41 MX$386

$15.06 MKD 798

48.80%

Internet (50+ Mbps, Unlimited Data)

$29.97 MX$516

$18.98 MKD 1,005

57.90%

Gym Membership (Monthly)

$51.6 MX$887

$26.71 MKD 1,414

93.04%

Tennis Court (1 Hour on Weekend)

$18.39 MX$316

$22.74 MKD 1,204

-19.13%

Cinema Ticket

$5.16 MX$88.9

$6.52 MKD 345

-20.86%

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

$202 MX$3,471

$319 MKD 16.9K

-36.68%

International Primary School, 1 Child (Yearly)

$5,311 MX$91.4K

$1,211 MKD 64.2K

338.37%

Jeans (Levis 501 Or Similar)

$35.61 MX$613

$75.9 MKD 4,019

-53.07%

Summer Dress (H&M, Zara, etc)

$40.37 MX$695

$27.85 MKD 1,475

44.96%

Sport Shoes (Adidas, Nike)

$78.6 MX$1,353

$66.7 MKD 3,535

17.82%

Men's Leather Business Shoes

$86.9 MX$1,495

$38.10 MKD 2,018

127.98%

1-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)

$950 MX$16.3K

$283 MKD 15.0K

236.22%

1-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)

$478 MX$8,227

$225 MKD 11.9K

112.20%

3-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)

$1,621 MX$27.9K

$388 MKD 20.6K

317.48%

3-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)

$1,223 MX$21.0K

$323 MKD 17.1K

278.81%

Buy Apartment in City Center (m2)

$4,009 MX$69.0K

$1,570 MKD 83.1K

155.44%

Buy Apartment Outside City Center (m2)

$6,473 MX$111.4K

$1,405 MKD 74.4K

360.59%

Average Monthly Net Salary (After Tax)

$673 MX$11.6K

$974 MKD 51.6K

-30.91%

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: June 15, 2026

Last update for Struga: June 13, 2026

Cost Breakdown

A central one-bedroom costs $950 in Playa del Carmen versus $283 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 45% 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: $254 vs $159 – 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 64%, 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 $1,941 per month in Playa del Carmen and $1,183 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 $1,294 in Playa del Carmen and $789 in Struga. The difference isn't just one category – it shows up across housing, food, transport, and services.

Public transport costs about 29% 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 $789, than in Playa del Carmen at $1,294. 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.