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 $1,297 per month in Playa del Carmen vs $899 in Resen, rent included.

A couple spends around $2,181 per month in Playa del Carmen vs $1,368 in Resen, rent included.

A family of three spends $3,065 per month in Playa del Carmen vs $1,836 in Resen, rent included.

Playa del Carmen costs about 44% more than Resen, driven mainly by Eating Out.

Both Playa del Carmen and Resen are more affordable than the global median – Playa del Carmen 3% lower, Resen 33% lower.

Meal at Budget Restaurant

$11.73 MX$203

$5.67 MKD 299

106.88%

Three-Course Dinner for Two, Mid-Range

$41.62 MX$720

$33.24 MKD 1,752

25.21%

Fast Food Meal (McDonalds, etc)

$10.64 MX$184

$6.49 MKD 342

63.94%

Cappuccino

$3.52 MX$60.9

$2.22 MKD 117

58.56%

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

$1.51 MX$26.12

$2.00 MKD 105

-24.50%

Water (0.33 liter bottle)

$0.97 MX$16.84

$1.29 MKD 68.1

-24.81%

Local Beer (0.5 liter draught)

$2.95 MX$51.0

$2.58 MKD 136

14.34%

Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$4.45 MX$77.0

$2.70 MKD 142

64.81%

Milk (1 liter)

$1.38 MX$23.93

$1.33 MKD 69.9

3.76%

White Bread (500g)

$1.89 MX$32.72

$0.68 MKD 35.88

177.94%

Rice (white) (1kg)

$1.64 MX$28.32

$1.69 MKD 89.1

-2.96%

Eggs

$2.51 MX$43.34

$2.04 MKD 108

23.04%

Local Cheese (1kg)

$8.34 MX$144

$9.17 MKD 483

-9.05%

Chicken Fillets (1kg)

$8.34 MX$144

$7.18 MKD 378

16.16%

Beef Round Steak (1kg)

$10.73 MX$186

$13.65 MKD 719

-21.39%

Apples (1kg)

$2.60 MX$45.04

$1.07 MKD 56.3

142.99%

Banana (1kg)

$1.46 MX$25.20

$1.42 MKD 74.7

2.82%

Oranges (1kg)

$1.90 MX$32.87

$1.30 MKD 68.5

46.15%

Tomato (1kg)

$2.08 MX$35.91

$1.57 MKD 83.0

32.48%

Potato (1kg)

$1.78 MX$30.71

$0.81 MKD 42.70

119.75%

Onion (1kg)

$2.19 MX$37.80

$0.94 MKD 49.47

132.98%

Lettuce (1 head)

$1.04 MX$17.99

$0.54 MKD 28.57

92.59%

Water (1.5 liter bottle)

$1.08 MX$18.62

$0.57 MKD 30.30

89.47%

Cigarettes 20 Pack (Marlboro, Camel)

$4.08 MX$70.6

$2.93 MKD 154

39.25%

Wine (Bottle)

$10.32 MX$178

$7.70 MKD 406

34.03%

Local Beer (0.5 liter bottle)

$1.71 MX$29.61

$1.01 MKD 53.1

69.31%

Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$2.58 MX$44.54

$1.57 MKD 82.9

64.33%

One-way Ticket (Public Transport)

$0.51 MX$8.81

$0.63 MKD 33.37

-19.05%

Public Transport Monthly Pass (Regular Price)

$26.46 MX$458

$19.89 MKD 1,048

33.03%

Taxi Start (Normal Tariff)

$3.26 MX$56.4

$0.91 MKD 47.79

258.24%

Taxi (Normal Tariff) (1km)

$2.49 MX$43.09

$0.50 MKD 26.19

398.00%

Taxi 1hour Waiting (Normal Tariff)

$3.25 MX$56.2

$6.61 MKD 348

-50.83%

Gasoline (1 liter)

$1.31 MX$22.61

$1.47 MKD 77.7

-10.88%

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

$30.3K MX$523.7K

$32.4K MKD 1.7M

-6.57%

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

$23.4K MX$405.3K

$29.5K MKD 1.6M

-20.53%

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

$82.9 MX$1,433

$145 MKD 7,647

-42.89%

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

$22.22 MX$384

$17.90 MKD 943

24.13%

Internet (50+ Mbps, Unlimited Data)

$29.34 MX$507

$15.24 MKD 803

92.52%

Gym Membership (Monthly)

$51.6 MX$893

$26.56 MKD 1,400

94.39%

Tennis Court (1 Hour on Weekend)

$18.32 MX$317

Cinema Ticket

$5.07 MX$87.6

$4.74 MKD 250

6.96%

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

$201 MX$3,473

$218 MKD 11.5K

-7.87%

International Primary School, 1 Child (Yearly)

$5,212 MX$90.1K

$1,216 MKD 64.1K

328.45%

Jeans (Levis 501 Or Similar)

$36.92 MX$639

$75.8 MKD 3,996

-51.31%

Summer Dress (H&M, Zara, etc)

$39.79 MX$688

$39.74 MKD 2,094

0.13%

Sport Shoes (Adidas, Nike)

$78.5 MX$1,357

$74.5 MKD 3,928

5.25%

Men's Leather Business Shoes

$87.1 MX$1,506

$112 MKD 5,914

-22.39%

1-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)

$973 MX$16.8K

$286 MKD 15.1K

239.77%

1-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)

$468 MX$8,090

$197 MKD 10.4K

137.86%

3-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)

$1,641 MX$28.4K

$556 MKD 29.3K

195.25%

3-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)

$1,221 MX$21.1K

$313 MKD 16.5K

289.81%

Buy Apartment in City Center (m2)

$3,946 MX$68.3K

$1,627 MKD 85.8K

142.46%

Buy Apartment Outside City Center (m2)

$6,498 MX$112.4K

$1,116 MKD 58.8K

482.25%

Average Monthly Net Salary (After Tax)

$664 MX$11.5K

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: June 2, 2026

Last update for Resen: June 1, 2026

Cost Breakdown

A central one-bedroom costs $973 in Playa del Carmen versus $286 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 $33.00 in Resen. Monthly groceries follow the same trend: $249 vs $203 – 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 44%, 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 $1,945 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 $1,297 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 33% 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 $1,297. 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.