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

Monthly Cost of Living

A single person spends $1,256 per month in Playa del Carmen vs $899 in Resen, rent included.

A couple spends around $2,137 per month in Playa del Carmen vs $1,345 in Resen, rent included.

A family of three spends $3,017 per month in Playa del Carmen vs $1,791 in Resen, rent included.

Playa del Carmen costs about 40% more than Resen, driven mainly by Eating Out.

Both Playa del Carmen and Resen are more affordable than the global median – Playa del Carmen 6% lower, Resen 33% lower.

Meal at Budget Restaurant

$11.99 MX$209

$5.78 MKD 310

107.44%

Three-Course Dinner for Two, Mid-Range

$41.78 MX$728

$33.52 MKD 1,799

24.64%

Fast Food Meal (McDonalds, etc)

$10.75 MX$187

$6.75 MKD 362

59.26%

Cappuccino

$3.50 MX$60.9

$2.28 MKD 122

53.51%

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

$1.45 MX$25.22

$2.03 MKD 109

-28.57%

Water (0.33 liter bottle)

$0.88 MX$15.41

$1.29 MKD 69.0

-31.78%

Local Beer (0.5 liter draught)

$2.95 MX$51.3

$2.59 MKD 139

13.90%

Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$4.51 MX$78.6

$2.70 MKD 145

67.04%

Milk (1 liter)

$1.43 MX$24.94

$1.34 MKD 71.9

6.72%

White Bread (500g)

$1.84 MX$31.99

$0.68 MKD 36.61

170.59%

Rice (white) (1kg)

$1.57 MX$27.31

$1.75 MKD 94.1

-10.29%

Eggs

$2.51 MX$43.74

$2.04 MKD 109

23.04%

Local Cheese (1kg)

$8.28 MX$144

$9.43 MKD 506

-12.20%

Chicken Fillets (1kg)

$8.43 MX$147

$7.13 MKD 383

18.23%

Beef Round Steak (1kg)

$10.68 MX$186

$13.40 MKD 719

-20.30%

Apples (1kg)

$2.61 MX$45.43

$1.01 MKD 54.3

158.42%

Banana (1kg)

$1.44 MX$25.04

$1.37 MKD 73.7

5.11%

Oranges (1kg)

$1.96 MX$34.16

$1.25 MKD 67.3

56.80%

Tomato (1kg)

$2.09 MX$36.47

$1.64 MKD 87.9

27.44%

Potato (1kg)

$1.85 MX$32.24

$0.83 MKD 44.69

122.89%

Onion (1kg)

$2.17 MX$37.74

$0.91 MKD 48.60

138.46%

Lettuce (1 head)

$1.03 MX$17.96

$0.58 MKD 31.33

77.59%

Water (1.5 liter bottle)

$1.07 MX$18.70

$0.54 MKD 28.98

98.15%

Cigarettes 20 Pack (Marlboro, Camel)

$4.10 MX$71.4

$3.05 MKD 164

34.43%

Wine (Bottle)

$10.17 MX$177

$7.45 MKD 400

36.51%

Local Beer (0.5 liter bottle)

$1.68 MX$29.17

$0.95 MKD 51.0

76.84%

Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$2.53 MX$43.98

$1.57 MKD 84.3

61.15%

One-way Ticket (Public Transport)

$0.51 MX$8.87

$0.68 MKD 36.70

-25.00%

Public Transport Monthly Pass (Regular Price)

$26.04 MX$453

$20.59 MKD 1,105

26.47%

Taxi Start (Normal Tariff)

$3.23 MX$56.3

$0.91 MKD 48.88

254.95%

Taxi (Normal Tariff) (1km)

$2.41 MX$41.88

$0.53 MKD 28.45

354.72%

Taxi 1hour Waiting (Normal Tariff)

$3.23 MX$56.2

$6.45 MKD 346

-49.92%

Gasoline (1 liter)

$1.32 MX$23.00

$1.48 MKD 79.5

-10.81%

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

$29.7K MX$517.1K

$32.5K MKD 1.7M

-8.65%

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

$23.7K MX$412.0K

$29.4K MKD 1.6M

-19.54%

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

$82.0 MX$1,428

$145 MKD 7,768

-43.33%

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

$22.95 MX$400

$17.69 MKD 950

29.73%

Internet (50+ Mbps, Unlimited Data)

$30.11 MX$524

$15.61 MKD 838

92.89%

Gym Membership (Monthly)

$52.0 MX$905

$26.59 MKD 1,427

95.45%

Tennis Court (1 Hour on Weekend)

$18.53 MX$323

Cinema Ticket

$4.98 MX$86.6

$4.67 MKD 251

6.64%

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

$197 MX$3,438

$218 MKD 11.7K

-9.63%

International Primary School, 1 Child (Yearly)

$5,336 MX$92.9K

$1,200 MKD 64.4K

344.55%

Jeans (Levis 501 Or Similar)

$35.60 MX$620

$78.0 MKD 4,186

-54.35%

Summer Dress (H&M, Zara, etc)

$40.33 MX$702

$39.47 MKD 2,119

2.18%

Sport Shoes (Adidas, Nike)

$78.8 MX$1,371

$74.9 MKD 4,018

5.21%

Men's Leather Business Shoes

$88.9 MX$1,549

$110 MKD 5,891

-18.96%

1-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)

$947 MX$16.5K

$285 MKD 15.3K

232.46%

1-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)

$474 MX$8,254

$198 MKD 10.6K

139.55%

3-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)

$1,644 MX$28.6K

$563 MKD 30.2K

192.16%

3-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)

$1,211 MX$21.1K

$308 MKD 16.6K

292.53%

Buy Apartment in City Center (m2)

$4,056 MX$70.6K

$1,572 MKD 84.4K

157.96%

Buy Apartment Outside City Center (m2)

$6,470 MX$112.7K

$1,191 MKD 63.9K

443.41%

Average Monthly Net Salary (After Tax)

$654 MX$11.4K

20-Year Fixed Mortgage Interest Rate (Annual %)

11.42

4.54

151.54%

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

Last update for Playa del Carmen: July 13, 2026

Last update for Resen: July 11, 2026

Cost Breakdown

A central one-bedroom costs $947 in Playa del Carmen versus $285 in Resen. Rent is usually the largest line item in a monthly budget, so the gap here sets the tone for the overall comparison.

A mid-range dinner for two costs $42.00 in Playa del Carmen versus $34.00 in Resen. Monthly groceries follow the same trend: $249 vs $202 – making Resen 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

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

Yes – Playa del Carmen is pricier by about 40%, 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 $1,884 per month in Playa del Carmen and $1,349 in Resen. That covers rent, food, utilities, transport, and enough left over to feel settled – not just surviving.

Rent is clearly cheaper in Resen, 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 $1,256 in Playa del Carmen and $899 in Resen. The difference isn't just one category – it shows up across housing, food, transport, and services.

Public transport costs about 26% less in Resen. For daily commuters, that gap adds up to noticeable savings over a year.

A $1,500 monthly budget goes further in Resen, where all-in costs run around $899, than in Playa del Carmen at $1,256. In Resen it covers expenses comfortably, while in Playa del Carmen it requires careful planning or may not stretch far enough.

Families tend to lean toward Resen – 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 Resen. 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.