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

Monthly Cost of Living

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

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

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

Struga is about 37% cheaper than Playa del Carmen, driven mainly by Groceries & Markets.

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

Meal at Budget Restaurant

$7.47 MKD 394

$11.94 MX$209

-37.44%

Three-Course Dinner for Two, Mid-Range

$30.53 MKD 1,610

$42.75 MX$748

-28.58%

Fast Food Meal (McDonalds, etc)

$4.74 MKD 250

$10.59 MX$185

-55.24%

Cappuccino

$1.58 MKD 83.1

$3.62 MX$63.4

-56.35%

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

$1.78 MKD 93.7

$1.47 MX$25.69

21.09%

Water (0.33 liter bottle)

$1.23 MKD 64.8

$0.94 MX$16.51

30.85%

Local Beer (0.5 liter draught)

$2.65 MKD 140

$3.09 MX$54.1

-14.24%

Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$3.35 MKD 177

$4.46 MX$78.0

-24.89%

Milk (1 liter)

$1.19 MKD 62.8

$1.43 MX$24.94

-16.78%

White Bread (500g)

$0.67 MKD 35.56

$1.88 MX$32.97

-64.36%

Rice (white) (1kg)

$1.76 MKD 92.8

$1.63 MX$28.50

7.98%

Eggs

$2.07 MKD 109

$2.64 MX$46.26

-21.59%

Local Cheese (1kg)

$6.68 MKD 352

$8.21 MX$144

-18.64%

Chicken Fillets (1kg)

$5.49 MKD 289

$8.29 MX$145

-33.78%

Beef Round Steak (1kg)

$9.31 MKD 491

$11.10 MX$194

-16.13%

Apples (1kg)

$0.55 MKD 28.88

$2.65 MX$46.40

-79.25%

Banana (1kg)

$1.32 MKD 69.7

$1.50 MX$26.26

-12.00%

Oranges (1kg)

$0.95 MKD 50.3

$1.99 MX$34.79

-52.26%

Tomato (1kg)

$1.16 MKD 61.0

$2.08 MX$36.33

-44.23%

Potato (1kg)

$0.72 MKD 38.09

$1.79 MX$31.29

-59.78%

Onion (1kg)

$0.99 MKD 52.0

$2.18 MX$38.09

-54.59%

Lettuce (1 head)

$0.58 MKD 30.47

$1.08 MX$18.84

-46.30%

Water (1.5 liter bottle)

$0.40 MKD 20.93

$1.04 MX$18.15

-61.54%

Cigarettes 20 Pack (Marlboro, Camel)

$3.26 MKD 172

$3.97 MX$69.5

-17.88%

Wine (Bottle)

$4.63 MKD 244

$10.20 MX$179

-54.61%

Local Beer (0.5 liter bottle)

$1.10 MKD 57.9

$1.73 MX$30.22

-36.42%

Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$1.00 MKD 53.0

$2.50 MX$43.71

-60.00%

One-way Ticket (Public Transport)

$0.63 MKD 33.22

$0.52 MX$9.07

21.15%

Public Transport Monthly Pass (Regular Price)

$20.30 MKD 1,070

$26.97 MX$472

-24.73%

Taxi Start (Normal Tariff)

$0.96 MKD 50.8

$3.14 MX$55.0

-69.43%

Taxi (Normal Tariff) (1km)

$0.50 MKD 26.25

$2.40 MX$42.04

-79.17%

Taxi 1hour Waiting (Normal Tariff)

$7.54 MKD 398

$3.09 MX$54.0

144.01%

Gasoline (1 liter)

$1.47 MKD 77.6

$1.27 MX$22.28

15.75%

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

$33.6K MKD 1.8M

$30.9K MX$540.4K

8.69%

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

$29.9K MKD 1.6M

$23.3K MX$408.0K

28.18%

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

$90.7 MKD 4,783

$82.0 MX$1,435

10.62%

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

$15.09 MKD 796

$22.45 MX$393

-32.78%

Internet (50+ Mbps, Unlimited Data)

$19.15 MKD 1,010

$29.66 MX$519

-35.43%

Gym Membership (Monthly)

$26.68 MKD 1,407

$51.9 MX$908

-48.56%

Tennis Court (1 Hour on Weekend)

$22.16 MKD 1,169

$18.67 MX$327

18.69%

Cinema Ticket

$6.38 MKD 336

$4.97 MX$87.0

28.37%

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

$323 MKD 17.0K

$198 MX$3,462

63.28%

International Primary School, 1 Child (Yearly)

$1,180 MKD 62.2K

$5,273 MX$92.3K

-77.61%

Jeans (Levis 501 Or Similar)

$78.3 MKD 4,127

$36.34 MX$636

115.35%

Summer Dress (H&M, Zara, etc)

$27.71 MKD 1,461

$40.05 MX$701

-30.81%

Sport Shoes (Adidas, Nike)

$67.0 MKD 3,531

$79.9 MX$1,398

-16.17%

Men's Leather Business Shoes

$37.26 MKD 1,965

$88.9 MX$1,555

-58.08%

1-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)

$287 MKD 15.1K

$963 MX$16.9K

-70.24%

1-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)

$230 MKD 12.1K

$465 MX$8,133

-50.58%

3-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)

$387 MKD 20.4K

$1,596 MX$27.9K

-75.77%

3-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)

$318 MKD 16.8K

$1,209 MX$21.2K

-73.66%

Buy Apartment in City Center (m2)

$1,626 MKD 85.7K

$3,942 MX$69.0K

-58.74%

Buy Apartment Outside City Center (m2)

$1,431 MKD 75.5K

$6,448 MX$112.8K

-77.81%

Average Monthly Net Salary (After Tax)

$1,009 MKD 53.2K

$720 MX$12.6K

40.01%

20-Year Fixed Mortgage Interest Rate (Annual %)

3.5

11.42

-69.35%

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

Last update for Struga: April 27, 2026

Last update for Playa del Carmen: April 25, 2026

Cost Breakdown

A central one-bedroom costs $287 in Struga versus $963 in Playa del Carmen. 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 $31.00 in Struga versus $43.00 in Playa del Carmen. Monthly groceries follow the same trend: $158 vs $251 – 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

Struga vs Playa del Carmen: 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 $1,212 per month in Struga and $1,930 in Playa del Carmen. 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 $808 in Struga and $1,287 in Playa del Carmen. 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.