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

Monthly Cost of Living

A single person spends $1,256 per month in Playa del Carmen vs $883 in Strumica, rent included.

A couple spends around $2,137 per month in Playa del Carmen vs $1,273 in Strumica, rent included.

A family of three spends $3,017 per month in Playa del Carmen vs $1,663 in Strumica, rent included.

Playa del Carmen costs about 42% more than Strumica, driven mainly by Eating Out.

Both Playa del Carmen and Strumica are more affordable than the global median – Playa del Carmen 6% lower, Strumica 34% lower.

Meal at Budget Restaurant

$11.99 MX$209

$3.78 MKD 203

217.20%

Three-Course Dinner for Two, Mid-Range

$41.78 MX$728

$28.20 MKD 1,514

48.16%

Fast Food Meal (McDonalds, etc)

$10.75 MX$187

$4.94 MKD 265

117.61%

Cappuccino

$3.50 MX$60.9

$1.70 MKD 91.4

105.88%

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

$1.45 MX$25.22

$1.48 MKD 79.7

-2.03%

Water (0.33 liter bottle)

$0.88 MX$15.41

$1.16 MKD 62.5

-24.14%

Local Beer (0.5 liter draught)

$2.95 MX$51.3

$1.93 MKD 104

52.85%

Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$4.51 MX$78.6

$2.31 MKD 124

95.24%

Milk (1 liter)

$1.43 MX$24.94

$1.41 MKD 75.5

1.42%

White Bread (500g)

$1.84 MX$31.99

$0.69 MKD 36.95

166.67%

Rice (white) (1kg)

$1.57 MX$27.31

$1.78 MKD 95.8

-11.80%

Eggs

$2.51 MX$43.74

$2.02 MKD 108

24.26%

Local Cheese (1kg)

$8.28 MX$144

$10.32 MKD 554

-19.77%

Chicken Fillets (1kg)

$8.43 MX$147

$6.30 MKD 338

33.81%

Beef Round Steak (1kg)

$10.68 MX$186

$10.48 MKD 562

1.91%

Apples (1kg)

$2.61 MX$45.43

$0.63 MKD 33.67

314.29%

Banana (1kg)

$1.44 MX$25.04

$1.44 MKD 77.5

Oranges (1kg)

$1.96 MX$34.16

$1.19 MKD 64.1

64.71%

Tomato (1kg)

$2.09 MX$36.47

$1.62 MKD 87.0

29.01%

Potato (1kg)

$1.85 MX$32.24

$0.95 MKD 51.3

94.74%

Onion (1kg)

$2.17 MX$37.74

$0.82 MKD 43.98

164.63%

Lettuce (1 head)

$1.03 MX$17.96

$0.57 MKD 30.60

80.70%

Water (1.5 liter bottle)

$1.07 MX$18.70

$0.54 MKD 28.76

98.15%

Cigarettes 20 Pack (Marlboro, Camel)

$4.10 MX$71.4

$2.83 MKD 152

44.88%

Wine (Bottle)

$10.17 MX$177

$5.57 MKD 299

82.59%

Local Beer (0.5 liter bottle)

$1.68 MX$29.17

$0.96 MKD 51.4

75.00%

Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$2.53 MX$43.98

$1.23 MKD 66.1

105.69%

One-way Ticket (Public Transport)

$0.51 MX$8.87

$0.74 MKD 39.54

-31.08%

Public Transport Monthly Pass (Regular Price)

$26.04 MX$453

$20.36 MKD 1,093

27.90%

Taxi Start (Normal Tariff)

$3.23 MX$56.3

$1.16 MKD 62.4

178.45%

Taxi (Normal Tariff) (1km)

$2.41 MX$41.88

$0.49 MKD 26.16

391.84%

Taxi 1hour Waiting (Normal Tariff)

$3.23 MX$56.2

$6.49 MKD 349

-50.23%

Gasoline (1 liter)

$1.32 MX$23.00

$1.44 MKD 77.1

-8.33%

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

$29.7K MX$517.1K

$32.3K MKD 1.7M

-8.12%

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

$23.7K MX$412.0K

$33.6K MKD 1.8M

-29.65%

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

$82.0 MX$1,428

$148 MKD 7,931

-44.49%

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

$22.95 MX$400

$13.05 MKD 701

75.86%

Internet (50+ Mbps, Unlimited Data)

$30.11 MX$524

$15.67 MKD 841

92.15%

Gym Membership (Monthly)

$52.0 MX$905

$20.43 MKD 1,097

154.38%

Tennis Court (1 Hour on Weekend)

$18.53 MX$323

Cinema Ticket

$4.98 MX$86.6

$4.61 MKD 248

8.03%

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

$197 MX$3,438

$217 MKD 11.6K

-8.92%

International Primary School, 1 Child (Yearly)

$5,336 MX$92.9K

$1,220 MKD 65.5K

337.44%

Jeans (Levis 501 Or Similar)

$35.60 MX$620

$75.9 MKD 4,074

-53.10%

Summer Dress (H&M, Zara, etc)

$40.33 MX$702

$48.46 MKD 2,602

-16.78%

Sport Shoes (Adidas, Nike)

$78.8 MX$1,371

$74.6 MKD 4,005

5.55%

Men's Leather Business Shoes

$88.9 MX$1,549

$95.4 MKD 5,121

-6.78%

1-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)

$947 MX$16.5K

$321 MKD 17.2K

195.09%

1-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)

$474 MX$8,254

$239 MKD 12.8K

98.16%

3-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)

$1,644 MX$28.6K

$499 MKD 26.8K

229.71%

3-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)

$1,211 MX$21.1K

$299 MKD 16.0K

305.49%

Buy Apartment in City Center (m2)

$4,056 MX$70.6K

$1,456 MKD 78.1K

178.63%

Buy Apartment Outside City Center (m2)

$6,470 MX$112.7K

$995 MKD 53.4K

550.52%

Average Monthly Net Salary (After Tax)

$654 MX$11.4K

$651 MKD 35.0K

0.37%

20-Year Fixed Mortgage Interest Rate (Annual %)

11.42

185.50%

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

Last update for Playa del Carmen: July 13, 2026

Last update for Strumica: July 11, 2026

Cost Breakdown

A central one-bedroom costs $947 in Playa del Carmen versus $321 in Strumica. 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 0% higher in Playa del Carmen, which partly offsets the higher cost of living there. Purchasing power depends on which expenses matter most to you.

A mid-range dinner for two costs $42.00 in Playa del Carmen versus $28.00 in Strumica. Monthly groceries follow the same trend: $249 vs $186 – making Strumica 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 Strumica: Cost of Living - Frequently Asked Questions

Yes – Playa del Carmen is pricier by about 42%, 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 $1,884 per month in Playa del Carmen and $1,324 in Strumica. That covers rent, food, utilities, transport, and enough left over to feel settled – not just surviving.

Rent is clearly cheaper in Strumica, 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 $1,256 in Playa del Carmen and $883 in Strumica. The difference isn't just one category – it shows up across housing, food, transport, and services.

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

A $1,000 monthly budget goes further in Strumica, where all-in costs run around $883, than in Playa del Carmen at $1,256. In Strumica it covers expenses comfortably, while in Playa del Carmen it requires careful planning or may not stretch far enough.

Families tend to lean toward Strumica – 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 Strumica. 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.