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 $883 per month in Strumica vs $1,256 in Playa del Carmen, rent included.

A couple spends around $1,273 per month in Strumica vs $2,137 in Playa del Carmen, rent included.

A family of three spends $1,663 per month in Strumica vs $3,017 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 6% lower.

Meal at Budget Restaurant

$3.78 MKD 203

$11.99 MX$210

-68.47%

Three-Course Dinner for Two, Mid-Range

$28.20 MKD 1,513

$41.78 MX$733

-32.50%

Fast Food Meal (McDonalds, etc)

$4.94 MKD 265

$10.75 MX$189

-54.05%

Cappuccino

$1.70 MKD 91.4

$3.50 MX$61.3

-51.43%

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

$1.48 MKD 79.6

$1.45 MX$25.41

2.07%

Water (0.33 liter bottle)

$1.16 MKD 62.4

$0.88 MX$15.52

31.82%

Local Beer (0.5 liter draught)

$1.93 MKD 104

$2.95 MX$51.7

-34.58%

Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$2.31 MKD 124

$4.51 MX$79.1

-48.78%

Milk (1 liter)

$1.41 MKD 75.4

$1.43 MX$25.12

-1.40%

White Bread (500g)

$0.69 MKD 36.92

$1.84 MX$32.23

-62.50%

Rice (white) (1kg)

$1.78 MKD 95.7

$1.57 MX$27.51

13.38%

Eggs

$2.02 MKD 108

$2.51 MX$44.06

-19.52%

Local Cheese (1kg)

$10.32 MKD 553

$8.28 MX$145

24.64%

Chicken Fillets (1kg)

$6.30 MKD 338

$8.43 MX$148

-25.27%

Beef Round Steak (1kg)

$10.48 MKD 562

$10.68 MX$187

-1.87%

Apples (1kg)

$0.63 MKD 33.64

$2.61 MX$45.76

-75.86%

Banana (1kg)

$1.44 MKD 77.5

$1.44 MX$25.22

Oranges (1kg)

$1.19 MKD 64.0

$1.96 MX$34.41

-39.29%

Tomato (1kg)

$1.62 MKD 87.0

$2.09 MX$36.74

-22.49%

Potato (1kg)

$0.95 MKD 51.2

$1.85 MX$32.47

-48.65%

Onion (1kg)

$0.82 MKD 43.95

$2.17 MX$38.02

-62.21%

Lettuce (1 head)

$0.57 MKD 30.58

$1.03 MX$18.09

-44.66%

Water (1.5 liter bottle)

$0.54 MKD 28.74

$1.07 MX$18.84

-49.53%

Cigarettes 20 Pack (Marlboro, Camel)

$2.83 MKD 152

$4.10 MX$72.0

-30.98%

Wine (Bottle)

$5.57 MKD 299

$10.17 MX$178

-45.23%

Local Beer (0.5 liter bottle)

$0.96 MKD 51.4

$1.68 MX$29.38

-42.86%

Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$1.23 MKD 66.0

$2.53 MX$44.31

-51.38%

One-way Ticket (Public Transport)

$0.74 MKD 39.51

$0.51 MX$8.93

45.10%

Public Transport Monthly Pass (Regular Price)

$20.36 MKD 1,092

$26.04 MX$457

-21.81%

Taxi Start (Normal Tariff)

$1.16 MKD 62.4

$3.23 MX$56.7

-64.09%

Taxi (Normal Tariff) (1km)

$0.49 MKD 26.14

$2.41 MX$42.19

-79.67%

Taxi 1hour Waiting (Normal Tariff)

$6.49 MKD 348

$3.23 MX$56.6

100.93%

Gasoline (1 liter)

$1.44 MKD 77.0

$1.32 MX$23.17

9.09%

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

$32.3K MKD 1.7M

$29.7K MX$520.9K

8.84%

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

$33.6K MKD 1.8M

$23.7K MX$415.0K

42.14%

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

$148 MKD 7,925

$82.0 MX$1,439

80.15%

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

$13.05 MKD 700

$22.95 MX$403

-43.14%

Internet (50+ Mbps, Unlimited Data)

$15.67 MKD 841

$30.11 MX$528

-47.96%

Gym Membership (Monthly)

$20.43 MKD 1,096

$52.0 MX$912

-60.69%

Tennis Court (1 Hour on Weekend)

$18.53 MX$325

Cinema Ticket

$4.61 MKD 247

$4.98 MX$87.3

-7.43%

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

$217 MKD 11.6K

$197 MX$3,463

9.79%

International Primary School, 1 Child (Yearly)

$1,220 MKD 65.4K

$5,336 MX$93.6K

-77.14%

Jeans (Levis 501 Or Similar)

$75.9 MKD 4,071

$35.60 MX$624

113.20%

Summer Dress (H&M, Zara, etc)

$48.46 MKD 2,600

$40.33 MX$707

20.16%

Sport Shoes (Adidas, Nike)

$74.6 MKD 4,002

$78.8 MX$1,381

-5.26%

Men's Leather Business Shoes

$95.4 MKD 5,117

$88.9 MX$1,560

7.28%

1-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)

$321 MKD 17.2K

$947 MX$16.6K

-66.11%

1-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)

$239 MKD 12.8K

$474 MX$8,314

-49.54%

3-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)

$499 MKD 26.7K

$1,644 MX$28.8K

-69.67%

3-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)

$299 MKD 16.0K

$1,211 MX$21.2K

-75.34%

Buy Apartment in City Center (m2)

$1,456 MKD 78.1K

$4,056 MX$71.1K

-64.11%

Buy Apartment Outside City Center (m2)

$995 MKD 53.3K

$6,470 MX$113.5K

-84.63%

Average Monthly Net Salary (After Tax)

$651 MKD 34.9K

$654 MX$11.5K

-0.37%

20-Year Fixed Mortgage Interest Rate (Annual %)

11.42

-64.97%

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

Last update for Strumica: July 11, 2026

Last update for Playa del Carmen: July 13, 2026

Cost Breakdown

A central one-bedroom costs $321 in Strumica versus $947 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 0% 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 $28.00 in Strumica versus $42.00 in Playa del Carmen. Monthly groceries follow the same trend: $186 vs $249 – 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 42%, 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 $1,324 per month in Strumica and $1,884 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 $883 in Strumica and $1,256 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 Strumica. For daily commuters, that gap adds up to noticeable savings over a year.

A $1,000 monthly budget goes further in Strumica, where all-in costs run around $883, than in Playa del Carmen at $1,256. 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.