Last update: Oct 2026

Cost of Living Comparison Between Manresa and Playa del Carmen

For one person, living costs are similar in Manresa and in Playa del Carmen: $1,260 and $1,210 a month, rent and utilities included.

Manresa
🇪🇸 Spain
$1,260
/mo nomad
Playa del Carmen
🇲🇽 Mexico
$1,210
/mo nomad
Monthly Cost of Living

How much you'll spend in Manresa and in Playa del Carmen

Real prices from locals and on-the-ground checks – rent, groceries, transit and the daily extras. Here's what a month in Manresa and in Playa del Carmen actually costs, broken down by who's living it.

Monthly costs for one person with rent: $1,260 in Manresa versus $1,210 in Playa del Carmen.

  • Manresa $1,260
  • Playa del Carmen $1,210

Estimated couple costs with rent: $1,994 in Manresa versus $2,113 in Playa del Carmen.

  • Manresa $1,994
  • Playa del Carmen $2,113

Monthly costs for a family of three with rent: $2,728 in Manresa versus $3,016 in Playa del Carmen.

  • Manresa $2,728
  • Playa del Carmen $3,016

Living in Manresa is roughly 4% more expensive than in Playa del Carmen, and outside of rent the biggest gap is in eating out.

Both cities sit below the global median: Manresa 7% lower, Playa del Carmen 10% lower.

Currency
🍽 Eating Out
Manresa
Playa del Carmen
Difference
Meal at Budget Restaurant
$8.80 €7.83
$10.76 MX$199
-18.22%
Three-Course Dinner for Two, Mid-Range
$34.31 €30.52
$43.03 MX$795
-20.26%
Fast Food Meal (McDonalds, etc)
$7.80 €6.94
$11.79 MX$218
-33.84%
Cappuccino
$1.84 €1.64
$3.87 MX$71.4
-52.45%
Coke/Pepsi/Fanta/Sprite (0.33 liter bottle)
$2.12 €1.89
$1.37 MX$25.29
54.74%
Water (0.33 liter bottle)
$1.19 €1.06
$0.84 MX$15.44
41.67%
Local Beer (0.5 liter draught)
$2.18 €1.94
$3.10 MX$57.3
-29.68%
Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)
$2.21 €1.96
$5.07 MX$93.6
-56.41%
🛒 Groceries & Markets
Manresa
Playa del Carmen
Difference
Milk (1 liter)
$1.09 €0.97
$1.44 MX$26.55
-24.31%
White Bread (500g)
$1.20 €1.07
$2.23 MX$41.23
-46.19%
Rice (white) (1kg)
$0.93 €0.82
$1.47 MX$27.17
-36.73%
Eggs
$3.05 €2.71
$2.53 MX$46.71
20.55%
Local Cheese (1kg)
$11.32 €10.07
$7.30 MX$135
55.07%
Chicken Fillets (1kg)
$8.29 €7.37
$7.86 MX$145
5.47%
Beef Round Steak (1kg)
$9.23 €8.21
$12.79 MX$236
-27.83%
Apples (1kg)
$1.87 €1.66
$2.90 MX$53.6
-35.52%
Banana (1kg)
$1.79 €1.59
$1.44 MX$26.53
24.31%
Oranges (1kg)
$1.65 €1.47
$2.55 MX$47.07
-35.29%
Tomato (1kg)
$2.44 €2.17
$2.06 MX$38.03
18.45%
Potato (1kg)
$1.11 €0.98
$2.00 MX$36.97
-44.50%
Onion (1kg)
$1.39 €1.23
$2.01 MX$37.07
-30.85%
Lettuce (1 head)
$1.38 €1.23
$1.19 MX$22.02
15.97%
Water (1.5 liter bottle)
$0.35 €0.31
$1.26 MX$23.23
-72.22%
Cigarettes 20 Pack (Marlboro, Camel)
$5.51 €4.90
$4.40 MX$81.4
25.23%
Wine (Bottle)
$5.46 €4.86
$9.59 MX$177
-43.07%
Local Beer (0.5 liter bottle)
$0.68 €0.61
$1.59 MX$29.41
-57.23%
Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)
$0.88 €0.78
$2.81 MX$51.9
-68.68%
🚌 Getting Around
Manresa
Playa del Carmen
Difference
One-way Ticket (Public Transport)
$2.18 €1.93
$0.57 MX$10.47
282.46%
Public Transport Monthly Pass (Regular Price)
$22.06 €19.62
$27.82 MX$514
-20.70%
Taxi Start (Normal Tariff)
$3.97 €3.53
$4.98 MX$92.1
-20.28%
Taxi (Normal Tariff) (1km)
$1.44 €1.28
$3.50 MX$64.6
-58.86%
Taxi 1hour Waiting (Normal Tariff)
$14.42 €12.83
$5.40 MX$99.8
167.04%
Gasoline (1 liter)
$1.75 €1.56
$1.47 MX$27.08
19.05%
Midsize Hatchback 1.4l (Volkswagen Golf, Toyota Prius, Honda Civic, etc)
$38.6K €34.3K
$21.0K MX$387.8K
84.02%
Compact Sedan 1.6l (Toyota Corolla, Mazda3, Kia K4, Hyundai Elantra, etc)
$31.5K €28.0K
$23.9K MX$441.8K
31.77%
🧾 Monthly Utilities & Internet
Manresa
Playa del Carmen
Difference
Utilities for 2 People in 2-bedroom Apartment (Heating, Electricity, Gas, Water, Garbage) (85m2)
$117 €104
$84.2 MX$1,556
38.43%
SIM Card Monthly Plan (Calls and 10GB+ Data)
$13.49 €12.00
$23.99 MX$443
-43.77%
Internet (50+ Mbps, Unlimited Data)
$25.14 €22.36
$29.02 MX$536
-13.37%
🎉 Sport & Entertainment
Manresa
Playa del Carmen
Difference
Gym Membership (Monthly)
$47.37 €42.13
$63.0 MX$1,164
-24.79%
Tennis Court (1 Hour on Weekend)
$15.47 €13.76
$29.14 MX$539
-46.91%
Cinema Ticket
$7.20 €6.41
$4.94 MX$91.3
45.75%
🧸 Childcare & Education
Manresa
Playa del Carmen
Difference
Preschool or Kindergarten, Full Day, Private, 1 Child (Monthly)
$568 €506
$204 MX$3,763
179.19%
International Primary School, 1 Child (Yearly)
$9,949 €8,850
$3,941 MX$72.8K
152.46%
👕👟 Clothing & Footwear
Manresa
Playa del Carmen
Difference
Jeans (Levis 501 Or Similar)
$63.6 €56.5
$43.60 MX$806
45.78%
Summer Dress (H&M, Zara, etc)
$21.46 €19.09
$43.12 MX$797
-50.23%
Sport Shoes (Adidas, Nike)
$110 €97.9
$75.8 MX$1,400
45.26%
Men's Leather Business Shoes
$160 €142
$88.6 MX$1,637
80.70%
🏠 Accommodation & Living
Manresa
Playa del Carmen
Difference
1-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)
$910 €809
$1,008 MX$18.6K
-9.78%
1-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)
$484 €430
$374 MX$6,911
29.30%
3-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)
$1,329 €1,182
$1,708 MX$31.6K
-22.23%
3-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)
$1,011 €899
$1,106 MX$20.4K
-8.62%
Buy Apartment in City Center (m2)
$3,318 €2,952
$3,944 MX$72.9K
-15.87%
Buy Apartment Outside City Center (m2)
$2,244 €1,996
$6,169 MX$114.0K
-63.63%
💵 Salaries & Financials
Manresa
Playa del Carmen
Difference
Average Monthly Net Salary (After Tax)
$1,931 €1,718
$754 MX$13.9K
156.05%
20-Year Fixed Mortgage Interest Rate (Annual %)
3.3
11.45
-71.18%

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

Last update for Manresa: October 13, 2026

Last update for Playa del Carmen: October 10, 2026

Monthly budget structure
Share of the monthly basket for one person, rent included.
Accommodation & Living
Manresa
$484
Playa del Carmen
$374 22.7% $110
Groceries & Markets
Manresa
$213
Playa del Carmen
$258 21.5% $46
Clothing & Footwear
Manresa
$160
Playa del Carmen
$113 29.3% $47
Monthly Utilities & Internet
Manresa
$155
Playa del Carmen
$137 11.6% $18
Eating Out
Manresa
$145
Playa del Carmen
$202 39.9% $58
Sport & Entertainment
Manresa
$62
Playa del Carmen
$73 18% $11
Getting Around
Manresa
$42
Playa del Carmen
$53 25.4% $11

Cost Breakdown

A one-bedroom apartment in the center runs $910 in Manresa and $1,008 in Playa del Carmen. Housing cost is often the main lever when comparing two cities.

Manresa pays 156% more on average. The extra income cushions the higher costs, though housing choices and lifestyle decide how much of the gap is truly closed.

Dining out: $34.00 in Manresa vs $43.00 in Playa del Carmen for a mid-range dinner for two. Groceries echo the gap at $213 vs $258 per month, with Manresa cheaper across the board.

Good to know
🇪🇸 Manresa
🇲🇽 Playa del Carmen
🕒 Local time
22:35 10:35 PM
15:35 3:35 PM
7 h behind Manresa
🌤 Weather
👥 Population
78,877
149,923
💱 Currency
Euro EUR €
Exchange rates and currency converter

MXN, USD to EUR – Euro Converter

Euro exchange rates as of October 17, 2026: 1 USD = 0.889 EUR (1 EUR = 1.12 USD).

Mexican Peso exchange rates as of October 17, 2026: 1 USD = 18.48 MXN (100 MXN = 5.41 USD). 1 EUR = 20.78 MXN (100 MXN = 4.81 EUR).

On the map
Between locations
  • Manresa Playa del Carmen 8,410 km ≈ 11 h nonstop flight
From you
  • Manresa
  • Playa del Carmen

Distances are measured in a straight line. Your location is detected approximately.

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
Manresa vs Playa del Carmen: Cost of Living - Frequently Asked Questions
Which city is more expensive, Manresa or Playa del Carmen?
Playa del Carmen wins on cost – living expenses run 4% lower than in Manresa. Housing and daily spending are where you'll feel the difference most, making Playa del Carmen the obvious pick if budget is a priority.
Are salaries higher in Manresa or in Playa del Carmen?
Average pay runs 156% higher in Manresa, which matters when comparing affordability. Whether that higher income actually nets you more depends on your spending habits and housing choices.
How much does a 1-bedroom apartment cost in Manresa compared to Playa del Carmen?
Rent for a central apartment: $910 in Manresa versus $1,008 in Playa del Carmen. Housing is usually the single largest factor when comparing overall living costs between the two.
How much does it cost to live in Manresa compared to Playa del Carmen?
All in, you'll spend $1,260 per month in Manresa versus $1,210 in Playa del Carmen – a 4% gap that adds up to real savings over time for anyone picking the cheaper option.
How expensive is transport in Manresa compared to Playa del Carmen?
A monthly transit pass in Playa del Carmen runs roughly 26% less than in Manresa. Both cities have functional networks, but the price difference matters if you're watching your budget.
Can you live on $1,500/month in Manresa or in Playa del Carmen?
At $1,210 in Playa del Carmen versus $1,260 in Manresa, a $1,500 budget is realistic in Playa del Carmen but tight or insufficient in Manresa. The gap between the two cities makes Playa del Carmen the clear choice for anyone on this budget.
Which city is better for digital nomads, Manresa or Playa del Carmen?
Both work as nomad bases, but Playa del Carmen delivers better value – similar infrastructure at $1,210 monthly. If stretching your runway or maximizing savings is the goal, the price difference makes Playa del Carmen hard to pass up.
How safe is Manresa compared to Playa del Carmen?
Safety-wise, Manresa and Playa del Carmen are on par. Petty crime is typical for cities this size, and most residents feel comfortable going about their daily routines in either place.
Which city is more affordable for expats?
Expats usually find Playa del Carmen gentler on the wallet – expenses run 4% less than in Manresa. Beyond cost, consider language, visa policies, and how big the international community is in each city.

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