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 $1,266 per month in Playa del Carmen vs $988 in Resen, rent included.

A couple spends around $2,279 per month in Playa del Carmen vs $1,492 in Resen, rent included.

A family of three spends $3,292 per month in Playa del Carmen vs $1,997 in Resen, rent included.

Playa del Carmen costs about 28% more than Resen, driven mainly by Groceries & Markets.

Both Playa del Carmen and Resen are more affordable than the global median – Playa del Carmen 7% lower, Resen 28% lower.

Meal at Budget Restaurant

$11.60 MX$200

$9.48 MKD 507

22.36%

Three-Course Dinner for Two, Mid-Range

$47.11 MX$811

$35.55 MKD 1,903

32.52%

Fast Food Meal (McDonalds, etc)

$11.88 MX$205

$6.80 MKD 364

74.71%

Cappuccino

$3.98 MX$68.5

$2.18 MKD 117

82.57%

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

$1.43 MX$24.57

$1.89 MKD 101

-24.34%

Water (0.33 liter bottle)

$0.82 MX$14.20

$1.31 MKD 70.2

-37.40%

Local Beer (0.5 liter draught)

$3.19 MX$54.9

$2.63 MKD 141

21.29%

Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$6.79 MX$117

$2.65 MKD 142

156.23%

Milk (1 liter)

$1.68 MX$28.85

$1.33 MKD 71.4

26.32%

White Bread (500g)

$2.20 MX$37.83

$0.76 MKD 40.91

189.47%

Rice (white) (1kg)

$1.71 MX$29.41

$1.83 MKD 98.0

-6.56%

Eggs

$2.74 MX$47.20

$2.45 MKD 131

11.84%

Local Cheese (1kg)

$9.58 MX$165

$8.27 MKD 443

15.84%

Chicken Fillets (1kg)

$9.01 MX$155

$7.34 MKD 393

22.75%

Beef Round Steak (1kg)

$12.81 MX$221

$14.84 MKD 794

-13.68%

Apples (1kg)

$2.89 MX$49.74

$1.47 MKD 78.6

96.60%

Banana (1kg)

$1.50 MX$25.78

$1.47 MKD 78.8

2.04%

Oranges (1kg)

$2.15 MX$36.98

$1.37 MKD 73.2

56.93%

Tomato (1kg)

$2.26 MX$38.91

$2.09 MKD 112

8.13%

Potato (1kg)

$1.98 MX$34.10

$0.91 MKD 48.77

117.58%

Onion (1kg)

$1.99 MX$34.26

$0.86 MKD 46.23

131.40%

Lettuce (1 head)

$1.23 MX$21.25

$0.60 MKD 32.12

105.00%

Water (1.5 liter bottle)

$1.20 MX$20.60

$0.63 MKD 33.68

90.48%

Cigarettes 20 Pack (Marlboro, Camel)

$4.55 MX$78.3

$3.65 MKD 195

24.66%

Wine (Bottle)

$10.37 MX$179

$7.48 MKD 400

38.64%

Local Beer (0.5 liter bottle)

$1.62 MX$27.88

$1.08 MKD 57.9

50.00%

Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$2.88 MX$49.60

$1.54 MKD 82.3

87.01%

One-way Ticket (Public Transport)

$0.60 MX$10.34

$0.77 MKD 41.23

-22.08%

Public Transport Monthly Pass (Regular Price)

$28.80 MX$496

$24.07 MKD 1,288

19.65%

Taxi Start (Normal Tariff)

$5.39 MX$92.8

$1.12 MKD 59.9

381.25%

Taxi (Normal Tariff) (1km)

$3.73 MX$64.2

$0.63 MKD 33.81

492.06%

Taxi 1hour Waiting (Normal Tariff)

$5.77 MX$99.3

$7.99 MKD 427

-27.78%

Gasoline (1 liter)

$1.54 MX$26.45

$1.61 MKD 86.0

-4.35%

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

$22.5K MX$388.3K

$36.4K MKD 1.9M

-38.01%

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

$26.1K MX$448.7K

$27.9K MKD 1.5M

-6.71%

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

$91.4 MX$1,573

$165 MKD 8,816

-44.53%

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

$25.20 MX$434

$18.71 MKD 1,002

34.69%

Internet (50+ Mbps, Unlimited Data)

$31.24 MX$538

$19.33 MKD 1,034

61.61%

Gym Membership (Monthly)

$67.2 MX$1,157

$25.43 MKD 1,361

164.25%

Tennis Court (1 Hour on Weekend)

$29.11 MX$501

$18.76 MKD 1,004

55.17%

Cinema Ticket

$4.86 MX$83.7

$7.67 MKD 411

-36.64%

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

$224 MX$3,851

$369 MKD 19.7K

-39.37%

International Primary School, 1 Child (Yearly)

$4,229 MX$72.8K

$5,800 MKD 310.4K

-27.09%

Jeans (Levis 501 Or Similar)

$47.10 MX$811

$85.8 MKD 4,592

-45.10%

Summer Dress (H&M, Zara, etc)

$44.29 MX$763

$38.45 MKD 2,058

15.19%

Sport Shoes (Adidas, Nike)

$80.1 MX$1,379

$106 MKD 5,652

-24.15%

Men's Leather Business Shoes

$92.7 MX$1,596

$117 MKD 6,250

-20.65%

1-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)

$1,063 MX$18.3K

$265 MKD 14.2K

301.69%

1-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)

$390 MX$6,719

$170 MKD 9,086

129.87%

3-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)

$2,149 MX$37.0K

$480 MKD 25.7K

347.43%

3-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)

$1,272 MX$21.9K

$307 MKD 16.4K

314.75%

Buy Apartment in City Center (m2)

$4,001 MX$68.9K

$1,590 MKD 85.1K

151.70%

Buy Apartment Outside City Center (m2)

$6,502 MX$112.0K

$1,202 MKD 64.3K

440.84%

Average Monthly Net Salary (After Tax)

$758 MX$13.1K

20-Year Fixed Mortgage Interest Rate (Annual %)

11.45

4.23

170.69%

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

Last update for Playa del Carmen: September 12, 2026

Last update for Resen: September 15, 2026

Cost Breakdown

A central one-bedroom costs $1,063 in Playa del Carmen versus $265 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 $47.00 in Playa del Carmen versus $36.00 in Resen. Monthly groceries follow the same trend: $276 vs $214 – 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 28%, and the gap shows up most in Groceries & Markets. It's not just housing either; the difference applies across most spending categories.

For a comfortable life, plan on about $1,899 per month in Playa del Carmen and $1,482 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 $1,266 in Playa del Carmen and $988 in Resen. The difference isn't just one category – it shows up across housing, food, transport, and services.

Public transport costs about 20% 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 $988, than in Playa del Carmen at $1,266. 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.