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 $780 per month in Struga vs $1,260 in Playa del Carmen, rent included.

A couple spends around $1,193 per month in Struga vs $2,125 in Playa del Carmen, rent included.

A family of three spends $1,605 per month in Struga vs $2,990 in Playa del Carmen, rent included.

Struga is about 38% cheaper than Playa del Carmen, driven mainly by Groceries & Markets.

Both Struga and Playa del Carmen are more affordable than the global median – Struga 41% lower, Playa del Carmen 5% lower.

Meal at Budget Restaurant

$7.69 MKD 411

$11.72 MX$203

-34.39%

Three-Course Dinner for Two, Mid-Range

$30.52 MKD 1,631

$41.89 MX$725

-27.14%

Fast Food Meal (McDonalds, etc)

$4.68 MKD 250

$10.51 MX$182

-55.47%

Cappuccino

$1.51 MKD 80.5

$3.59 MX$62.0

-57.94%

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

$1.69 MKD 90.4

$1.51 MX$26.10

11.92%

Water (0.33 liter bottle)

$1.29 MKD 69.1

$0.92 MX$15.83

40.22%

Local Beer (0.5 liter draught)

$2.66 MKD 142

$2.96 MX$51.2

-10.14%

Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$3.41 MKD 182

$4.41 MX$76.3

-22.68%

Milk (1 liter)

$1.14 MKD 60.9

$1.40 MX$24.16

-18.57%

White Bread (500g)

$0.63 MKD 33.71

$1.88 MX$32.60

-66.49%

Rice (white) (1kg)

$1.75 MKD 93.3

$1.56 MX$26.97

12.18%

Eggs

$2.09 MKD 111

$2.61 MX$45.14

-19.92%

Local Cheese (1kg)

$6.94 MKD 371

$8.32 MX$144

-16.59%

Chicken Fillets (1kg)

$5.62 MKD 300

$8.35 MX$145

-32.69%

Beef Round Steak (1kg)

$9.51 MKD 508

$10.86 MX$188

-12.43%

Apples (1kg)

$0.57 MKD 30.60

$2.71 MX$46.93

-78.97%

Banana (1kg)

$1.32 MKD 70.7

$1.51 MX$26.04

-12.58%

Oranges (1kg)

$0.92 MKD 49.14

$1.87 MX$32.41

-50.80%

Tomato (1kg)

$1.10 MKD 58.9

$2.19 MX$37.89

-49.77%

Potato (1kg)

$0.77 MKD 40.94

$1.86 MX$32.14

-58.60%

Onion (1kg)

$0.90 MKD 47.93

$2.23 MX$38.59

-59.64%

Lettuce (1 head)

$0.54 MKD 28.86

$1.07 MX$18.48

-49.53%

Water (1.5 liter bottle)

$0.37 MKD 19.66

$1.09 MX$18.79

-66.06%

Cigarettes 20 Pack (Marlboro, Camel)

$3.14 MKD 168

$4.19 MX$72.4

-25.06%

Wine (Bottle)

$3.68 MKD 197

$10.43 MX$180

-64.72%

Local Beer (0.5 liter bottle)

$1.06 MKD 56.9

$1.66 MX$28.68

-36.14%

Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$1.01 MKD 53.9

$2.61 MX$45.19

-61.30%

One-way Ticket (Public Transport)

$0.69 MKD 36.87

$0.54 MX$9.37

27.78%

Public Transport Monthly Pass (Regular Price)

$20.37 MKD 1,089

$26.16 MX$453

-22.13%

Taxi Start (Normal Tariff)

$0.99 MKD 52.7

$3.08 MX$53.3

-67.86%

Taxi (Normal Tariff) (1km)

$0.53 MKD 28.21

$2.40 MX$41.61

-77.92%

Taxi 1hour Waiting (Normal Tariff)

$7.70 MKD 412

$3.13 MX$54.1

146.01%

Gasoline (1 liter)

$1.46 MKD 78.1

$1.31 MX$22.69

11.45%

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

$34.0K MKD 1.8M

$29.8K MX$515.7K

14.19%

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

$29.6K MKD 1.6M

$23.3K MX$403.5K

26.96%

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

$90.9 MKD 4,858

$81.3 MX$1,406

11.85%

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

$14.98 MKD 800

$22.56 MX$390

-33.60%

Internet (50+ Mbps, Unlimited Data)

$19.69 MKD 1,052

$30.05 MX$520

-34.48%

Gym Membership (Monthly)

$25.84 MKD 1,381

$52.9 MX$915

-51.16%

Tennis Court (1 Hour on Weekend)

$22.22 MKD 1,187

$18.39 MX$318

20.83%

Cinema Ticket

$6.64 MKD 355

$4.92 MX$85.1

34.96%

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

$311 MKD 16.6K

$201 MX$3,474

55.04%

International Primary School, 1 Child (Yearly)

$1,179 MKD 63.0K

$5,175 MX$89.5K

-77.22%

Jeans (Levis 501 Or Similar)

$77.9 MKD 4,161

$35.92 MX$622

116.79%

Summer Dress (H&M, Zara, etc)

$27.82 MKD 1,486

$40.13 MX$694

-30.68%

Sport Shoes (Adidas, Nike)

$66.4 MKD 3,546

$79.7 MX$1,379

-16.75%

Men's Leather Business Shoes

$37.12 MKD 1,984

$86.5 MX$1,496

-57.07%

1-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)

$290 MKD 15.5K

$978 MX$16.9K

-70.39%

1-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)

$231 MKD 12.3K

$470 MX$8,140

-50.94%

3-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)

$396 MKD 21.2K

$1,651 MX$28.6K

-76.00%

3-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)

$321 MKD 17.2K

$1,203 MX$20.8K

-73.29%

Buy Apartment in City Center (m2)

$1,569 MKD 83.9K

$3,953 MX$68.4K

-60.30%

Buy Apartment Outside City Center (m2)

$1,355 MKD 72.4K

$6,607 MX$114.3K

-79.49%

Average Monthly Net Salary (After Tax)

$878 MKD 46.9K

$677 MX$11.7K

29.82%

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: July 26, 2026

Last update for Playa del Carmen: July 27, 2026

Cost Breakdown

A central one-bedroom costs $290 in Struga versus $978 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 30% 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 $42.00 in Playa del Carmen. Monthly groceries follow the same trend: $156 vs $252 – 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 62%, 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 $1,169 per month in Struga and $1,890 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 $780 in Struga and $1,260 in Playa del Carmen. The difference isn't just one category – it shows up across housing, food, transport, and services.

Public transport costs about 28% 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 $780, than in Playa del Carmen at $1,260. 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.