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 $898 per month in Struga vs $1,266 in Playa del Carmen, rent included.

A couple spends around $1,355 per month in Struga vs $2,279 in Playa del Carmen, rent included.

A family of three spends $1,812 per month in Struga vs $3,292 in Playa del Carmen, rent included.

Struga is about 29% cheaper than Playa del Carmen, driven mainly by Eating Out.

Both Struga and Playa del Carmen are more affordable than the global median – Struga 34% lower, Playa del Carmen 7% lower.

Meal at Budget Restaurant

$7.42 MKD 395

$11.60 MX$200

-36.03%

Three-Course Dinner for Two, Mid-Range

$30.35 MKD 1,614

$47.11 MX$812

-35.58%

Fast Food Meal (McDonalds, etc)

$5.47 MKD 291

$11.88 MX$205

-53.96%

Cappuccino

$1.57 MKD 83.7

$3.98 MX$68.6

-60.55%

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

$1.89 MKD 100

$1.43 MX$24.60

32.17%

Water (0.33 liter bottle)

$1.25 MKD 66.7

$0.82 MX$14.22

52.44%

Local Beer (0.5 liter draught)

$2.76 MKD 147

$3.19 MX$55.0

-13.48%

Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$3.35 MKD 178

$6.79 MX$117

-50.66%

Milk (1 liter)

$1.29 MKD 68.8

$1.68 MX$28.89

-23.21%

White Bread (500g)

$0.75 MKD 39.67

$2.20 MX$37.88

-65.91%

Rice (white) (1kg)

$1.59 MKD 84.4

$1.71 MX$29.45

-7.02%

Eggs

$2.09 MKD 111

$2.74 MX$47.26

-23.72%

Local Cheese (1kg)

$7.86 MKD 418

$9.58 MX$165

-17.95%

Chicken Fillets (1kg)

$6.72 MKD 357

$9.01 MX$155

-25.42%

Beef Round Steak (1kg)

$13.02 MKD 693

$12.81 MX$221

1.64%

Apples (1kg)

$1.40 MKD 74.6

$2.89 MX$49.81

-51.56%

Banana (1kg)

$1.40 MKD 74.2

$1.50 MX$25.81

-6.67%

Oranges (1kg)

$1.30 MKD 69.1

$2.15 MX$37.03

-39.53%

Tomato (1kg)

$1.65 MKD 87.6

$2.26 MX$38.96

-26.99%

Potato (1kg)

$0.83 MKD 44.39

$1.98 MX$34.15

-58.08%

Onion (1kg)

$0.86 MKD 45.79

$1.99 MX$34.30

-56.78%

Lettuce (1 head)

$0.65 MKD 34.53

$1.23 MX$21.28

-47.15%

Water (1.5 liter bottle)

$0.58 MKD 30.77

$1.20 MX$20.63

-51.67%

Cigarettes 20 Pack (Marlboro, Camel)

$3.54 MKD 188

$4.55 MX$78.5

-22.20%

Wine (Bottle)

$4.57 MKD 243

$10.37 MX$179

-55.93%

Local Beer (0.5 liter bottle)

$1.09 MKD 58.0

$1.62 MX$27.91

-32.72%

Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$1.54 MKD 81.8

$2.88 MX$49.67

-46.53%

One-way Ticket (Public Transport)

$0.92 MKD 48.84

$0.60 MX$10.35

53.33%

Public Transport Monthly Pass (Regular Price)

$56.5 MKD 3,006

$28.80 MX$497

96.28%

Taxi Start (Normal Tariff)

$1.12 MKD 59.4

$5.39 MX$92.9

-79.22%

Taxi (Normal Tariff) (1km)

$0.60 MKD 31.67

$3.73 MX$64.3

-83.91%

Taxi 1hour Waiting (Normal Tariff)

$5.07 MKD 270

$5.77 MX$99.5

-12.13%

Gasoline (1 liter)

$1.51 MKD 80.3

$1.54 MX$26.48

-1.95%

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

$36.3K MKD 1.9M

$22.5K MX$388.8K

60.86%

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

$27.8K MKD 1.5M

$26.1K MX$449.3K

6.68%

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

$101 MKD 5,364

$91.4 MX$1,576

10.39%

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

$11.22 MKD 597

$25.20 MX$435

-55.48%

Internet (50+ Mbps, Unlimited Data)

$18.94 MKD 1,007

$31.24 MX$539

-39.37%

Gym Membership (Monthly)

$20.17 MKD 1,073

$67.2 MX$1,159

-69.99%

Tennis Court (1 Hour on Weekend)

$12.07 MKD 642

$29.11 MX$502

-58.54%

Cinema Ticket

$7.56 MKD 402

$4.86 MX$83.8

55.56%

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

$124 MKD 6,571

$224 MX$3,856

-44.75%

International Primary School, 1 Child (Yearly)

$1,650 MKD 87.7K

$4,229 MX$72.9K

-60.99%

Jeans (Levis 501 Or Similar)

$86.9 MKD 4,622

$47.10 MX$812

84.52%

Summer Dress (H&M, Zara, etc)

$31.90 MKD 1,696

$44.29 MX$764

-27.97%

Sport Shoes (Adidas, Nike)

$74.4 MKD 3,956

$80.1 MX$1,381

-7.13%

Men's Leather Business Shoes

$55.1 MKD 2,929

$92.7 MX$1,598

-40.56%

1-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)

$280 MKD 14.9K

$1,063 MX$18.3K

-73.62%

1-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)

$227 MKD 12.1K

$390 MX$6,728

-41.76%

3-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)

$451 MKD 24.0K

$2,149 MX$37.1K

-79.03%

3-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)

$370 MKD 19.7K

$1,272 MX$21.9K

-70.92%

Buy Apartment in City Center (m2)

$1,552 MKD 82.5K

$4,001 MX$69.0K

-61.22%

Buy Apartment Outside City Center (m2)

$1,404 MKD 74.7K

$6,502 MX$112.1K

-78.40%

Average Monthly Net Salary (After Tax)

$879 MKD 46.7K

$758 MX$13.1K

15.91%

20-Year Fixed Mortgage Interest Rate (Annual %)

3.75

11.45

-67.25%

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

Last update for Struga: September 12, 2026

Last update for Playa del Carmen: September 12, 2026

Cost Breakdown

A central one-bedroom costs $280 in Struga versus $1,063 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 16% 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 $30.00 in Struga versus $47.00 in Playa del Carmen. Monthly groceries follow the same trend: $192 vs $276 – 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 41%, 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 $1,347 per month in Struga and $1,899 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 $898 in Struga and $1,266 in Playa del Carmen. The difference isn't just one category – it shows up across housing, food, transport, and services.

Public transport costs about 96% 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 $898, than in Playa del Carmen at $1,266. 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.