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 $1,297 per month in Playa del Carmen vs $882 in Strumica, rent included.

A couple spends around $2,181 per month in Playa del Carmen vs $1,258 in Strumica, rent included.

A family of three spends $3,065 per month in Playa del Carmen vs $1,634 in Strumica, rent included.

Playa del Carmen costs about 47% more than Strumica, driven mainly by Eating Out.

Both Playa del Carmen and Strumica are more affordable than the global median – Playa del Carmen 3% lower, Strumica 34% lower.

Meal at Budget Restaurant

$11.73 MX$203

$3.83 MKD 202

206.27%

Three-Course Dinner for Two, Mid-Range

$41.62 MX$720

$27.98 MKD 1,475

48.75%

Fast Food Meal (McDonalds, etc)

$10.64 MX$184

$5.13 MKD 270

107.41%

Cappuccino

$3.52 MX$60.9

$1.64 MKD 86.5

114.63%

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

$1.51 MX$26.12

$1.53 MKD 80.9

-1.31%

Water (0.33 liter bottle)

$0.97 MX$16.84

$1.14 MKD 60.2

-14.91%

Local Beer (0.5 liter draught)

$2.95 MX$51.0

$1.92 MKD 101

53.65%

Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$4.45 MX$77.0

$2.27 MKD 119

96.04%

Milk (1 liter)

$1.38 MX$23.93

$1.35 MKD 71.3

2.22%

White Bread (500g)

$1.89 MX$32.72

$0.73 MKD 38.35

158.90%

Rice (white) (1kg)

$1.64 MX$28.32

$1.76 MKD 92.6

-6.82%

Eggs

$2.51 MX$43.34

$2.05 MKD 108

22.44%

Local Cheese (1kg)

$8.34 MX$144

$10.30 MKD 543

-19.03%

Chicken Fillets (1kg)

$8.34 MX$144

$6.44 MKD 339

29.50%

Beef Round Steak (1kg)

$10.73 MX$186

$10.39 MKD 548

3.27%

Apples (1kg)

$2.60 MX$45.04

$0.68 MKD 35.72

282.35%

Banana (1kg)

$1.46 MX$25.20

$1.39 MKD 73.3

5.04%

Oranges (1kg)

$1.90 MX$32.87

$1.19 MKD 62.6

59.66%

Tomato (1kg)

$2.08 MX$35.91

$1.57 MKD 82.8

32.48%

Potato (1kg)

$1.78 MX$30.71

$0.89 MKD 47.01

100.00%

Onion (1kg)

$2.19 MX$37.80

$0.83 MKD 43.56

163.86%

Lettuce (1 head)

$1.04 MX$17.99

$0.58 MKD 30.73

79.31%

Water (1.5 liter bottle)

$1.08 MX$18.62

$0.57 MKD 30.12

89.47%

Cigarettes 20 Pack (Marlboro, Camel)

$4.08 MX$70.6

$2.80 MKD 147

45.71%

Wine (Bottle)

$10.32 MX$178

$5.55 MKD 292

85.95%

Local Beer (0.5 liter bottle)

$1.71 MX$29.61

$0.91 MKD 47.91

87.91%

Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$2.58 MX$44.54

$1.20 MKD 63.2

115.00%

One-way Ticket (Public Transport)

$0.51 MX$8.81

$0.78 MKD 41.24

-34.62%

Public Transport Monthly Pass (Regular Price)

$26.46 MX$458

$20.41 MKD 1,075

29.64%

Taxi Start (Normal Tariff)

$3.26 MX$56.4

$1.15 MKD 60.8

183.48%

Taxi (Normal Tariff) (1km)

$2.49 MX$43.09

$0.49 MKD 25.80

408.16%

Taxi 1hour Waiting (Normal Tariff)

$3.25 MX$56.2

$6.68 MKD 352

-51.35%

Gasoline (1 liter)

$1.31 MX$22.61

$1.50 MKD 79.2

-12.67%

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

$30.3K MX$523.7K

$32.5K MKD 1.7M

-6.86%

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

$23.4K MX$405.3K

$33.4K MKD 1.8M

-29.84%

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

$82.9 MX$1,433

$146 MKD 7,709

-43.35%

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

$22.22 MX$384

$13.16 MKD 694

68.84%

Internet (50+ Mbps, Unlimited Data)

$29.34 MX$507

$15.48 MKD 816

89.53%

Gym Membership (Monthly)

$51.6 MX$893

$20.48 MKD 1,079

152.10%

Tennis Court (1 Hour on Weekend)

$18.32 MX$317

Cinema Ticket

$5.07 MX$87.6

$4.56 MKD 241

11.18%

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

$201 MX$3,473

$215 MKD 11.3K

-6.71%

International Primary School, 1 Child (Yearly)

$5,212 MX$90.1K

$1,202 MKD 63.4K

333.49%

Jeans (Levis 501 Or Similar)

$36.92 MX$639

$75.4 MKD 3,974

-51.04%

Summer Dress (H&M, Zara, etc)

$39.79 MX$688

$47.43 MKD 2,500

-16.11%

Sport Shoes (Adidas, Nike)

$78.5 MX$1,357

$73.6 MKD 3,879

6.59%

Men's Leather Business Shoes

$87.1 MX$1,506

$93.8 MKD 4,943

-7.14%

1-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)

$973 MX$16.8K

$321 MKD 16.9K

203.30%

1-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)

$468 MX$8,090

$242 MKD 12.8K

93.29%

3-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)

$1,641 MX$28.4K

$507 MKD 26.7K

223.67%

3-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)

$1,221 MX$21.1K

$304 MKD 16.0K

301.21%

Buy Apartment in City Center (m2)

$3,946 MX$68.3K

$1,502 MKD 79.2K

162.73%

Buy Apartment Outside City Center (m2)

$6,498 MX$112.4K

$994 MKD 52.4K

553.93%

Average Monthly Net Salary (After Tax)

$664 MX$11.5K

$649 MKD 34.2K

2.31%

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: June 2, 2026

Last update for Strumica: May 31, 2026

Cost Breakdown

A central one-bedroom costs $973 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 2% 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 47%, 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 $1,945 per month in Playa del Carmen and $1,323 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 $1,297 in Playa del Carmen and $882 in Strumica. The difference isn't just one category – it shows up across housing, food, transport, and services.

Public transport costs about 30% 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 $882, than in Playa del Carmen at $1,297. 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.