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 $1,266 per month in Playa del Carmen vs $898 in Struga, rent included.

A couple spends around $2,279 per month in Playa del Carmen vs $1,355 in Struga, rent included.

A family of three spends $3,292 per month in Playa del Carmen vs $1,812 in Struga, rent included.

Playa del Carmen costs about 41% more than Struga, driven mainly by Eating Out.

Both Playa del Carmen and Struga are more affordable than the global median – Playa del Carmen 7% lower, Struga 34% lower.

Meal at Budget Restaurant

$11.60 MX$200

$7.42 MKD 395

56.33%

Three-Course Dinner for Two, Mid-Range

$47.11 MX$812

$30.35 MKD 1,614

55.22%

Fast Food Meal (McDonalds, etc)

$11.88 MX$205

$5.47 MKD 291

117.18%

Cappuccino

$3.98 MX$68.6

$1.57 MKD 83.7

153.50%

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

$1.43 MX$24.60

$1.89 MKD 100

-24.34%

Water (0.33 liter bottle)

$0.82 MX$14.22

$1.25 MKD 66.7

-34.40%

Local Beer (0.5 liter draught)

$3.19 MX$55.0

$2.76 MKD 147

15.58%

Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$6.79 MX$117

$3.35 MKD 178

102.69%

Milk (1 liter)

$1.68 MX$28.89

$1.29 MKD 68.8

30.23%

White Bread (500g)

$2.20 MX$37.88

$0.75 MKD 39.67

193.33%

Rice (white) (1kg)

$1.71 MX$29.45

$1.59 MKD 84.4

7.55%

Eggs

$2.74 MX$47.26

$2.09 MKD 111

31.10%

Local Cheese (1kg)

$9.58 MX$165

$7.86 MKD 418

21.88%

Chicken Fillets (1kg)

$9.01 MX$155

$6.72 MKD 357

34.08%

Beef Round Steak (1kg)

$12.81 MX$221

$13.02 MKD 693

-1.61%

Apples (1kg)

$2.89 MX$49.81

$1.40 MKD 74.6

106.43%

Banana (1kg)

$1.50 MX$25.81

$1.40 MKD 74.2

7.14%

Oranges (1kg)

$2.15 MX$37.03

$1.30 MKD 69.1

65.38%

Tomato (1kg)

$2.26 MX$38.96

$1.65 MKD 87.6

36.97%

Potato (1kg)

$1.98 MX$34.15

$0.83 MKD 44.39

138.55%

Onion (1kg)

$1.99 MX$34.30

$0.86 MKD 45.79

131.40%

Lettuce (1 head)

$1.23 MX$21.28

$0.65 MKD 34.53

89.23%

Water (1.5 liter bottle)

$1.20 MX$20.63

$0.58 MKD 30.77

106.90%

Cigarettes 20 Pack (Marlboro, Camel)

$4.55 MX$78.5

$3.54 MKD 188

28.53%

Wine (Bottle)

$10.37 MX$179

$4.57 MKD 243

126.91%

Local Beer (0.5 liter bottle)

$1.62 MX$27.91

$1.09 MKD 58.0

48.62%

Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$2.88 MX$49.67

$1.54 MKD 81.8

87.01%

One-way Ticket (Public Transport)

$0.60 MX$10.35

$0.92 MKD 48.84

-34.78%

Public Transport Monthly Pass (Regular Price)

$28.80 MX$497

$56.5 MKD 3,006

-49.05%

Taxi Start (Normal Tariff)

$5.39 MX$92.9

$1.12 MKD 59.4

381.25%

Taxi (Normal Tariff) (1km)

$3.73 MX$64.3

$0.60 MKD 31.67

521.67%

Taxi 1hour Waiting (Normal Tariff)

$5.77 MX$99.5

$5.07 MKD 270

13.81%

Gasoline (1 liter)

$1.54 MX$26.48

$1.51 MKD 80.3

1.99%

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

$22.5K MX$388.8K

$36.3K MKD 1.9M

-37.83%

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

$26.1K MX$449.3K

$27.8K MKD 1.5M

-6.26%

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

$91.4 MX$1,576

$101 MKD 5,364

-9.41%

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

$25.20 MX$435

$11.22 MKD 597

124.60%

Internet (50+ Mbps, Unlimited Data)

$31.24 MX$539

$18.94 MKD 1,007

64.94%

Gym Membership (Monthly)

$67.2 MX$1,159

$20.17 MKD 1,073

233.17%

Tennis Court (1 Hour on Weekend)

$29.11 MX$502

$12.07 MKD 642

141.18%

Cinema Ticket

$4.86 MX$83.8

$7.56 MKD 402

-35.71%

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

$224 MX$3,856

$124 MKD 6,571

80.99%

International Primary School, 1 Child (Yearly)

$4,229 MX$72.9K

$1,650 MKD 87.7K

156.38%

Jeans (Levis 501 Or Similar)

$47.10 MX$812

$86.9 MKD 4,622

-45.81%

Summer Dress (H&M, Zara, etc)

$44.29 MX$764

$31.90 MKD 1,696

38.84%

Sport Shoes (Adidas, Nike)

$80.1 MX$1,381

$74.4 MKD 3,956

7.67%

Men's Leather Business Shoes

$92.7 MX$1,598

$55.1 MKD 2,929

68.23%

1-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)

$1,063 MX$18.3K

$280 MKD 14.9K

279.08%

1-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)

$390 MX$6,728

$227 MKD 12.1K

71.71%

3-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)

$2,149 MX$37.1K

$451 MKD 24.0K

376.97%

3-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)

$1,272 MX$21.9K

$370 MKD 19.7K

243.94%

Buy Apartment in City Center (m2)

$4,001 MX$69.0K

$1,552 MKD 82.5K

157.87%

Buy Apartment Outside City Center (m2)

$6,502 MX$112.1K

$1,404 MKD 74.7K

363.05%

Average Monthly Net Salary (After Tax)

$758 MX$13.1K

$879 MKD 46.7K

-13.73%

20-Year Fixed Mortgage Interest Rate (Annual %)

11.45

3.75

205.33%

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

Last update for Playa del Carmen: September 12, 2026

Last update for Struga: September 12, 2026

Cost Breakdown

A central one-bedroom costs $1,063 in Playa del Carmen versus $280 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 16% 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 $47.00 in Playa del Carmen versus $30.00 in Struga. Monthly groceries follow the same trend: $276 vs $192 – 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 41%, 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 $1,899 per month in Playa del Carmen and $1,347 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 $1,266 in Playa del Carmen and $898 in Struga. The difference isn't just one category – it shows up across housing, food, transport, and services.

Public transport costs about 96% 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 $898, than in Playa del Carmen at $1,266. 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.