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 $882 per month in Strumica vs $1,297 in Playa del Carmen, rent included.

A couple spends around $1,258 per month in Strumica vs $2,181 in Playa del Carmen, rent included.

A family of three spends $1,634 per month in Strumica vs $3,065 in Playa del Carmen, rent included.

Strumica is about 32% 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 3% lower.

Meal at Budget Restaurant

$3.83 MKD 202

$11.73 MX$203

-67.35%

Three-Course Dinner for Two, Mid-Range

$27.98 MKD 1,475

$41.62 MX$720

-32.77%

Fast Food Meal (McDonalds, etc)

$5.13 MKD 270

$10.64 MX$184

-51.79%

Cappuccino

$1.64 MKD 86.5

$3.52 MX$60.9

-53.41%

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

$1.53 MKD 80.9

$1.51 MX$26.12

1.32%

Water (0.33 liter bottle)

$1.14 MKD 60.2

$0.97 MX$16.84

17.53%

Local Beer (0.5 liter draught)

$1.92 MKD 101

$2.95 MX$51.0

-34.92%

Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$2.27 MKD 119

$4.45 MX$77.0

-48.99%

Milk (1 liter)

$1.35 MKD 71.3

$1.38 MX$23.93

-2.17%

White Bread (500g)

$0.73 MKD 38.35

$1.89 MX$32.72

-61.38%

Rice (white) (1kg)

$1.76 MKD 92.6

$1.64 MX$28.32

7.32%

Eggs

$2.05 MKD 108

$2.51 MX$43.34

-18.33%

Local Cheese (1kg)

$10.30 MKD 543

$8.34 MX$144

23.50%

Chicken Fillets (1kg)

$6.44 MKD 339

$8.34 MX$144

-22.78%

Beef Round Steak (1kg)

$10.39 MKD 548

$10.73 MX$186

-3.17%

Apples (1kg)

$0.68 MKD 35.72

$2.60 MX$45.04

-73.85%

Banana (1kg)

$1.39 MKD 73.3

$1.46 MX$25.20

-4.79%

Oranges (1kg)

$1.19 MKD 62.6

$1.90 MX$32.87

-37.37%

Tomato (1kg)

$1.57 MKD 82.8

$2.08 MX$35.91

-24.52%

Potato (1kg)

$0.89 MKD 47.01

$1.78 MX$30.71

-50.00%

Onion (1kg)

$0.83 MKD 43.56

$2.19 MX$37.80

-62.10%

Lettuce (1 head)

$0.58 MKD 30.73

$1.04 MX$17.99

-44.23%

Water (1.5 liter bottle)

$0.57 MKD 30.12

$1.08 MX$18.62

-47.22%

Cigarettes 20 Pack (Marlboro, Camel)

$2.80 MKD 147

$4.08 MX$70.6

-31.37%

Wine (Bottle)

$5.55 MKD 292

$10.32 MX$178

-46.22%

Local Beer (0.5 liter bottle)

$0.91 MKD 47.91

$1.71 MX$29.61

-46.78%

Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$1.20 MKD 63.2

$2.58 MX$44.54

-53.49%

One-way Ticket (Public Transport)

$0.78 MKD 41.24

$0.51 MX$8.81

52.94%

Public Transport Monthly Pass (Regular Price)

$20.41 MKD 1,075

$26.46 MX$458

-22.86%

Taxi Start (Normal Tariff)

$1.15 MKD 60.8

$3.26 MX$56.4

-64.72%

Taxi (Normal Tariff) (1km)

$0.49 MKD 25.80

$2.49 MX$43.09

-80.32%

Taxi 1hour Waiting (Normal Tariff)

$6.68 MKD 352

$3.25 MX$56.2

105.54%

Gasoline (1 liter)

$1.50 MKD 79.2

$1.31 MX$22.61

14.50%

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

$32.5K MKD 1.7M

$30.3K MX$523.7K

7.37%

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

$33.4K MKD 1.8M

$23.4K MX$405.3K

42.53%

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

$146 MKD 7,709

$82.9 MX$1,433

76.53%

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

$13.16 MKD 694

$22.22 MX$384

-40.77%

Internet (50+ Mbps, Unlimited Data)

$15.48 MKD 816

$29.34 MX$507

-47.24%

Gym Membership (Monthly)

$20.48 MKD 1,079

$51.6 MX$893

-60.33%

Tennis Court (1 Hour on Weekend)

$18.32 MX$317

Cinema Ticket

$4.56 MKD 241

$5.07 MX$87.6

-10.06%

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

$215 MKD 11.3K

$201 MX$3,473

7.20%

International Primary School, 1 Child (Yearly)

$1,202 MKD 63.4K

$5,212 MX$90.1K

-76.93%

Jeans (Levis 501 Or Similar)

$75.4 MKD 3,974

$36.92 MX$639

104.25%

Summer Dress (H&M, Zara, etc)

$47.43 MKD 2,500

$39.79 MX$688

19.20%

Sport Shoes (Adidas, Nike)

$73.6 MKD 3,879

$78.5 MX$1,357

-6.18%

Men's Leather Business Shoes

$93.8 MKD 4,943

$87.1 MX$1,506

7.69%

1-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)

$321 MKD 16.9K

$973 MX$16.8K

-67.03%

1-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)

$242 MKD 12.8K

$468 MX$8,090

-48.27%

3-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)

$507 MKD 26.7K

$1,641 MX$28.4K

-69.10%

3-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)

$304 MKD 16.0K

$1,221 MX$21.1K

-75.08%

Buy Apartment in City Center (m2)

$1,502 MKD 79.2K

$3,946 MX$68.3K

-61.94%

Buy Apartment Outside City Center (m2)

$994 MKD 52.4K

$6,498 MX$112.4K

-84.71%

Average Monthly Net Salary (After Tax)

$649 MKD 34.2K

$664 MX$11.5K

-2.26%

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: May 31, 2026

Last update for Playa del Carmen: June 2, 2026

Cost Breakdown

A central one-bedroom costs $321 in Strumica versus $973 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 2% 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 47%, 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 $1,323 per month in Strumica and $1,945 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 $882 in Strumica and $1,297 in Playa del Carmen. The difference isn't just one category – it shows up across housing, food, transport, and services.

Public transport costs about 30% 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 $882, than in Playa del Carmen at $1,297. 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.