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 $789 per month in Struga vs $1,294 in Playa del Carmen, rent included.

A couple spends around $1,198 per month in Struga vs $2,189 in Playa del Carmen, rent included.

A family of three spends $1,607 per month in Struga vs $3,084 in Playa del Carmen, rent included.

Struga is about 39% 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 3% lower.

Meal at Budget Restaurant

$7.65 MKD 405

$11.73 MX$202

-34.78%

Three-Course Dinner for Two, Mid-Range

$30.64 MKD 1,623

$41.78 MX$719

-26.66%

Fast Food Meal (McDonalds, etc)

$4.68 MKD 248

$10.41 MX$179

-55.04%

Cappuccino

$1.52 MKD 80.4

$3.61 MX$62.1

-57.89%

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

$1.76 MKD 93.4

$1.46 MX$25.06

20.55%

Water (0.33 liter bottle)

$1.28 MKD 68.0

$0.97 MX$16.70

31.96%

Local Beer (0.5 liter draught)

$2.70 MKD 143

$2.92 MX$50.3

-7.53%

Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$3.46 MKD 183

$4.62 MX$79.5

-25.11%

Milk (1 liter)

$1.19 MKD 62.8

$1.43 MX$24.59

-16.78%

White Bread (500g)

$0.64 MKD 34.16

$1.90 MX$32.70

-66.32%

Rice (white) (1kg)

$1.67 MKD 88.4

$1.57 MX$26.95

6.37%

Eggs

$2.01 MKD 106

$2.64 MX$45.34

-23.86%

Local Cheese (1kg)

$6.80 MKD 360

$8.44 MX$145

-19.43%

Chicken Fillets (1kg)

$5.81 MKD 308

$8.58 MX$148

-32.28%

Beef Round Steak (1kg)

$9.44 MKD 500

$11.00 MX$189

-14.18%

Apples (1kg)

$0.58 MKD 30.76

$2.70 MX$46.51

-78.52%

Banana (1kg)

$1.33 MKD 70.7

$1.51 MX$25.92

-11.92%

Oranges (1kg)

$0.98 MKD 52.0

$1.91 MX$32.93

-48.69%

Tomato (1kg)

$1.15 MKD 61.1

$2.17 MX$37.37

-47.00%

Potato (1kg)

$0.73 MKD 38.83

$1.87 MX$32.25

-60.96%

Onion (1kg)

$0.93 MKD 49.15

$2.23 MX$38.43

-58.30%

Lettuce (1 head)

$0.55 MKD 28.89

$1.08 MX$18.60

-49.07%

Water (1.5 liter bottle)

$0.37 MKD 19.42

$1.07 MX$18.47

-65.42%

Cigarettes 20 Pack (Marlboro, Camel)

$3.11 MKD 165

$4.16 MX$71.6

-25.24%

Wine (Bottle)

$4.72 MKD 250

$10.29 MX$177

-54.13%

Local Beer (0.5 liter bottle)

$1.05 MKD 55.7

$1.68 MX$28.95

-37.50%

Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$1.02 MKD 53.9

$2.53 MX$43.59

-59.68%

One-way Ticket (Public Transport)

$0.68 MKD 36.02

$0.55 MX$9.53

23.64%

Public Transport Monthly Pass (Regular Price)

$20.43 MKD 1,082

$26.29 MX$452

-22.29%

Taxi Start (Normal Tariff)

$0.90 MKD 47.80

$3.20 MX$55.0

-71.88%

Taxi (Normal Tariff) (1km)

$0.49 MKD 26.21

$2.46 MX$42.37

-80.08%

Taxi 1hour Waiting (Normal Tariff)

$7.47 MKD 395

$3.20 MX$55.0

133.44%

Gasoline (1 liter)

$1.43 MKD 75.5

$1.32 MX$22.72

8.33%

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

$34.0K MKD 1.8M

$30.2K MX$518.8K

12.83%

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

$29.5K MKD 1.6M

$23.4K MX$402.5K

26.07%

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

$91.7 MKD 4,854

$81.4 MX$1,400

12.66%

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

$15.06 MKD 798

$22.41 MX$386

-32.80%

Internet (50+ Mbps, Unlimited Data)

$18.98 MKD 1,005

$29.97 MX$516

-36.67%

Gym Membership (Monthly)

$26.71 MKD 1,414

$51.6 MX$887

-48.20%

Tennis Court (1 Hour on Weekend)

$22.74 MKD 1,204

$18.39 MX$316

23.65%

Cinema Ticket

$6.52 MKD 345

$5.16 MX$88.9

26.36%

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

$319 MKD 16.9K

$202 MX$3,471

57.92%

International Primary School, 1 Child (Yearly)

$1,211 MKD 64.2K

$5,311 MX$91.4K

-77.19%

Jeans (Levis 501 Or Similar)

$75.9 MKD 4,019

$35.61 MX$613

113.09%

Summer Dress (H&M, Zara, etc)

$27.85 MKD 1,475

$40.37 MX$695

-31.01%

Sport Shoes (Adidas, Nike)

$66.7 MKD 3,535

$78.6 MX$1,353

-15.12%

Men's Leather Business Shoes

$38.10 MKD 2,018

$86.9 MX$1,495

-56.14%

1-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)

$283 MKD 15.0K

$950 MX$16.3K

-70.26%

1-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)

$225 MKD 11.9K

$478 MX$8,227

-52.87%

3-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)

$388 MKD 20.6K

$1,621 MX$27.9K

-76.05%

3-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)

$323 MKD 17.1K

$1,223 MX$21.0K

-73.60%

Buy Apartment in City Center (m2)

$1,570 MKD 83.1K

$4,009 MX$69.0K

-60.85%

Buy Apartment Outside City Center (m2)

$1,405 MKD 74.4K

$6,473 MX$111.4K

-78.29%

Average Monthly Net Salary (After Tax)

$974 MKD 51.6K

$673 MX$11.6K

44.74%

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: June 13, 2026

Last update for Playa del Carmen: June 15, 2026

Cost Breakdown

A central one-bedroom costs $283 in Struga versus $950 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 45% 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: $159 vs $254 – 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 64%, 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 $1,183 per month in Struga and $1,941 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 $789 in Struga and $1,294 in Playa del Carmen. The difference isn't just one category – it shows up across housing, food, transport, and services.

Public transport costs about 29% 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 $789, than in Playa del Carmen at $1,294. 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.