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

Monthly Cost of Living

A single person spends $910 per month in Strumica vs $1,305 in Playa del Carmen, rent included.

A couple spends around $1,275 per month in Strumica vs $2,334 in Playa del Carmen, rent included.

A family of three spends $1,640 per month in Strumica vs $3,362 in Playa del Carmen, rent included.

Strumica is about 30% cheaper than Playa del Carmen, driven mainly by Eating Out.

Both Strumica and Playa del Carmen are more affordable than the global median – Strumica 34% lower, Playa del Carmen 5% lower.

Meal at Budget Restaurant

$3.68 MKD 194

$11.96 MX$203

-69.23%

Three-Course Dinner for Two, Mid-Range

$23.33 MKD 1,233

$47.38 MX$804

-50.76%

Fast Food Meal (McDonalds, etc)

$3.84 MKD 203

$11.75 MX$199

-67.32%

Cappuccino

$1.60 MKD 84.4

$4.12 MX$70.0

-61.17%

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

$1.43 MKD 75.6

$1.40 MX$23.74

2.14%

Water (0.33 liter bottle)

$1.21 MKD 63.9

$0.91 MX$15.48

32.97%

Local Beer (0.5 liter draught)

$1.95 MKD 103

$3.21 MX$54.4

-39.25%

Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$2.05 MKD 109

$7.07 MX$120

-71.00%

Milk (1 liter)

$1.29 MKD 67.9

$1.68 MX$28.44

-23.21%

White Bread (500g)

$0.82 MKD 43.56

$2.15 MX$36.48

-61.86%

Rice (white) (1kg)

$1.81 MKD 95.9

$1.77 MX$30.10

2.26%

Eggs

$2.31 MKD 122

$2.82 MX$47.76

-18.09%

Local Cheese (1kg)

$8.61 MKD 455

$9.20 MX$156

-6.41%

Chicken Fillets (1kg)

$6.32 MKD 334

$9.23 MX$157

-31.53%

Beef Round Steak (1kg)

$10.37 MKD 548

$12.64 MX$214

-17.96%

Apples (1kg)

$0.69 MKD 36.57

$2.95 MX$50.1

-76.61%

Banana (1kg)

$1.48 MKD 78.2

$1.58 MX$26.79

-6.33%

Oranges (1kg)

$1.25 MKD 66.2

$2.22 MX$37.70

-43.69%

Tomato (1kg)

$2.14 MKD 113

$2.36 MX$40.09

-9.32%

Potato (1kg)

$0.87 MKD 45.71

$1.99 MX$33.81

-56.28%

Onion (1kg)

$0.84 MKD 44.32

$1.98 MX$33.58

-57.58%

Lettuce (1 head)

$0.65 MKD 34.12

$1.24 MX$21.04

-47.58%

Water (1.5 liter bottle)

$0.62 MKD 32.97

$1.21 MX$20.55

-48.76%

Cigarettes 20 Pack (Marlboro, Camel)

$2.80 MKD 148

$4.60 MX$78.1

-39.13%

Wine (Bottle)

$5.75 MKD 304

$10.52 MX$178

-45.34%

Local Beer (0.5 liter bottle)

$0.94 MKD 49.52

$1.69 MX$28.70

-44.38%

Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$1.25 MKD 66.2

$2.77 MX$47.06

-54.87%

One-way Ticket (Public Transport)

$0.78 MKD 41.44

$0.60 MX$10.22

30.00%

Public Transport Monthly Pass (Regular Price)

$29.70 MX$504

Taxi Start (Normal Tariff)

$1.11 MKD 58.5

$5.24 MX$88.8

-78.82%

Taxi (Normal Tariff) (1km)

$0.65 MKD 34.15

$3.65 MX$61.9

-82.19%

Taxi 1hour Waiting (Normal Tariff)

$8.07 MKD 426

$5.78 MX$98.1

39.62%

Gasoline (1 liter)

$1.60 MKD 84.3

$1.54 MX$26.09

3.90%

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

$36.6K MKD 1.9M

$22.8K MX$386.8K

60.67%

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

$28.6K MKD 1.5M

$25.8K MX$437.9K

10.94%

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

$154 MKD 8,154

$90.7 MX$1,538

70.22%

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

$13.20 MKD 697

$25.19 MX$427

-47.60%

Internet (50+ Mbps, Unlimited Data)

$18.60 MKD 983

$31.75 MX$539

-41.42%

Gym Membership (Monthly)

$20.43 MKD 1,079

$68.8 MX$1,167

-70.30%

Tennis Court (1 Hour on Weekend)

$29.37 MX$498

Cinema Ticket

$7.07 MKD 374

$4.86 MX$82.5

45.47%

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

$383 MKD 20.2K

$226 MX$3,828

69.59%

International Primary School, 1 Child (Yearly)

$5,508 MKD 291.0K

$4,194 MX$71.1K

31.33%

Jeans (Levis 501 Or Similar)

$91.7 MKD 4,842

$47.38 MX$804

93.46%

Summer Dress (H&M, Zara, etc)

$39.33 MKD 2,078

$43.45 MX$737

-9.48%

Sport Shoes (Adidas, Nike)

$110 MKD 5,810

$80.2 MX$1,361

37.09%

Men's Leather Business Shoes

$95.1 MKD 5,024

$91.4 MX$1,550

4.07%

1-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)

$323 MKD 17.0K

$1,086 MX$18.4K

-70.28%

1-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)

$239 MKD 12.7K

$409 MX$6,933

-41.40%

3-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)

$506 MKD 26.7K

$1,972 MX$33.5K

-74.34%

3-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)

$296 MKD 15.6K

$1,281 MX$21.7K

-76.90%

Buy Apartment in City Center (m2)

$1,535 MKD 81.1K

$4,046 MX$68.6K

-62.07%

Buy Apartment Outside City Center (m2)

$1,008 MKD 53.3K

$6,704 MX$113.7K

-84.96%

Average Monthly Net Salary (After Tax)

$653 MKD 34.5K

$773 MX$13.1K

-15.55%

20-Year Fixed Mortgage Interest Rate (Annual %)

11.45

-65.07%

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

Last update for Strumica: September 6, 2026

Last update for Playa del Carmen: September 7, 2026

Cost Breakdown

A central one-bedroom costs $323 in Strumica versus $1,086 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 18% 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 $23.00 in Strumica versus $47.00 in Playa del Carmen. Monthly groceries follow the same trend: $187 vs $278 – 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

Strumica vs Playa del Carmen: Cost of Living - Frequently Asked Questions

Yes – Playa del Carmen is pricier by about 43%, 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 $1,366 per month in Strumica and $1,958 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 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 $910 in Strumica and $1,305 in Playa del Carmen. The difference isn't just one category – it shows up across housing, food, transport, and services.

Kindergarten costs $383 per month in Strumica and $226 in Playa del Carmen. For families with young kids, this one expense can tip the scales when choosing between the two cities.

A $1,000 monthly budget goes further in Strumica, where all-in costs run around $910, than in Playa del Carmen at $1,305. 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.