Last update: Nov 2026

Cost of Living Comparison Between Playa del Carmen and Resita

For one person, living is cheaper in Resita: $1,005 a month against $1,202 in Playa del Carmen, rent and utilities included – about $2,400 less a year. The total is higher in Playa del Carmen despite lower rent and utilities.

Playa del Carmen, Mexico
Resita, Romania
Playa del Carmen
🇲🇽 Mexico
$1,202
/mo nomad
Resita
🇷🇴 Romania
$1,005
/mo nomad
Monthly Cost of Living

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

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

A single person spends $1,202 per month in Playa del Carmen vs $1,005 in Resita, rent included.

  • Playa del Carmen $1,202
  • Resita $1,005

A couple spends around $2,082 per month in Playa del Carmen vs $1,505 in Resita, rent included.

  • Playa del Carmen $2,082
  • Resita $1,505

A family of three spends $2,962 per month in Playa del Carmen vs $2,005 in Resita, rent included.

  • Playa del Carmen $2,962
  • Resita $2,005

Playa del Carmen costs about 20% more than Resita, and outside of rent the biggest gap is in groceries.

Both Playa del Carmen and Resita are more affordable than the global median – Playa del Carmen 11% lower, Resita 26% lower.

Currency
🍽 Eating Out
Playa del Carmen
Resita
Difference
Meal at Budget Restaurant
$10.67 MX$201
$7.51 RON 35.79
42.08%
Three-Course Dinner for Two, Mid-Range
$43.80 MX$824
$41.46 RON 198
5.64%
Fast Food Meal (McDonalds, etc)
$11.79 MX$222
$7.22 RON 34.42
63.30%
Cappuccino
$3.79 MX$71.2
$1.69 RON 8.06
124.26%
Coke/Pepsi/Fanta/Sprite (0.33 liter bottle)
$1.30 MX$24.41
$2.19 RON 10.46
-40.64%
Water (0.33 liter bottle)
$0.83 MX$15.69
$1.79 RON 8.52
-53.63%
Local Beer (0.5 liter draught)
$3.15 MX$59.2
$2.16 RON 10.28
45.83%
Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)
$4.93 MX$92.9
$3.44 RON 16.38
43.31%
🛒 Groceries & Markets
Playa del Carmen
Resita
Difference
Milk (1 liter)
$1.41 MX$26.51
$1.13 RON 5.41
24.78%
White Bread (500g)
$2.20 MX$41.32
$0.81 RON 3.86
171.60%
Rice (white) (1kg)
$1.47 MX$27.71
$1.37 RON 6.54
7.30%
Eggs
$2.50 MX$46.99
$3.42 RON 16.32
-26.90%
Local Cheese (1kg)
$7.29 MX$137
$7.10 RON 33.86
2.68%
Chicken Fillets (1kg)
$7.95 MX$150
$6.13 RON 29.22
29.69%
Beef Round Steak (1kg)
$12.86 MX$242
$11.13 RON 53.1
15.54%
Apples (1kg)
$2.90 MX$54.5
$1.01 RON 4.83
187.13%
Banana (1kg)
$1.38 MX$26.03
$1.49 RON 7.08
-7.38%
Oranges (1kg)
$2.49 MX$46.88
$1.45 RON 6.92
71.72%
Tomato (1kg)
$2.03 MX$38.20
$1.76 RON 8.41
15.34%
Potato (1kg)
$2.02 MX$38.11
$0.83 RON 3.97
143.37%
Onion (1kg)
$1.90 MX$35.82
$0.85 RON 4.07
123.53%
Lettuce (1 head)
$1.14 MX$21.54
$0.70 RON 3.32
62.86%
Water (1.5 liter bottle)
$1.24 MX$23.32
$0.69 RON 3.31
79.71%
Cigarettes 20 Pack (Marlboro, Camel)
$4.27 MX$80.4
$5.71 RON 27.22
-25.22%
Wine (Bottle)
$9.81 MX$185
$5.39 RON 25.71
82.00%
Local Beer (0.5 liter bottle)
$1.59 MX$29.85
$0.65 RON 3.10
144.62%
Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)
$2.75 MX$51.7
$1.07 RON 5.12
157.01%
🚌 Getting Around
Playa del Carmen
Resita
Difference
One-way Ticket (Public Transport)
$0.51 MX$9.69
$0.66 RON 3.15
-22.73%
Public Transport Monthly Pass (Regular Price)
$27.39 MX$515
$21.77 RON 104
25.82%
Taxi Start (Normal Tariff)
$4.76 MX$89.6
$0.60 RON 2.86
693.33%
Taxi (Normal Tariff) (1km)
$3.25 MX$61.1
$0.66 RON 3.13
392.42%
Taxi 1hour Waiting (Normal Tariff)
$5.39 MX$101
$9.63 RON 45.90
-44.03%
Gasoline (1 liter)
$1.53 MX$28.76
$1.44 RON 6.85
6.25%
Midsize Hatchback 1.4l (Volkswagen Golf, Toyota Prius, Honda Civic, etc)
$21.2K MX$399.2K
$29.1K RON 138.5K
-26.98%
Compact Sedan 1.6l (Toyota Corolla, Mazda3, Kia K4, Hyundai Elantra, etc)
$23.3K MX$437.8K
$25.4K RON 120.9K
-8.27%
🧾 Monthly Utilities & Internet
Playa del Carmen
Resita
Difference
Utilities for 2 People in 2-bedroom Apartment (Heating, Electricity, Gas, Water, Garbage) (85m2)
$83.5 MX$1,571
$186 RON 886
-55.07%
SIM Card Monthly Plan (Calls and 10GB+ Data)
$23.19 MX$436
$9.56 RON 45.55
142.57%
Internet (50+ Mbps, Unlimited Data)
$27.61 MX$520
$11.49 RON 54.8
140.30%
🎉 Sport & Entertainment
Playa del Carmen
Resita
Difference
Gym Membership (Monthly)
$56.4 MX$1,062
$38.22 RON 182
47.65%
Tennis Court (1 Hour on Weekend)
$28.19 MX$531
$23.30 RON 111
20.99%
Cinema Ticket
$5.00 MX$94.1
$7.17 RON 34.15
-30.26%
🧸 Childcare & Education
Playa del Carmen
Resita
Difference
Preschool or Kindergarten, Full Day, Private, 1 Child (Monthly)
$207 MX$3,897
$332 RON 1,584
-37.69%
International Primary School, 1 Child (Yearly)
$5,231 MX$98.4K
$8,059 RON 38.4K
-35.09%
👕👟 Clothing & Footwear
Playa del Carmen
Resita
Difference
Jeans (Levis 501 Or Similar)
$43.45 MX$818
$41.15 RON 196
5.59%
Summer Dress (H&M, Zara, etc)
$42.54 MX$801
$51.8 RON 247
-17.94%
Sport Shoes (Adidas, Nike)
$72.8 MX$1,369
$74.8 RON 356
-2.70%
Men's Leather Business Shoes
$88.4 MX$1,663
$62.7 RON 299
41.07%
🏠 Accommodation & Living
Playa del Carmen
Resita
Difference
1-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)
$995 MX$18.7K
$378 RON 1,801
163.29%
1-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)
$382 MX$7,197
$294 RON 1,401
30.09%
3-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)
$1,674 MX$31.5K
$622 RON 2,966
169.07%
3-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)
$1,081 MX$20.3K
$459 RON 2,190
135.20%
Buy Apartment in City Center (m2)
$3,909 MX$73.6K
$1,937 RON 9,230
101.84%
Buy Apartment Outside City Center (m2)
$6,138 MX$115.5K
$1,365 RON 6,508
349.52%
💵 Salaries & Financials
Playa del Carmen
Resita
Difference
Average Monthly Net Salary (After Tax)
$832 MX$15.7K
$816 RON 3,890
1.98%
20-Year Fixed Mortgage Interest Rate (Annual %)
11.45
6.84
67.40%

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

Last update for Playa del Carmen: November 2, 2026

Last update for Resita: November 1, 2026

Monthly budget structure
Share of the monthly basket for one person, rent included.
Accommodation & Living
Playa del Carmen
$382
Resita
$294 23.1% $88
Groceries & Markets
Playa del Carmen
$257
Resita
$184 28.5% $73
Eating Out
Playa del Carmen
$200
Resita
$136 32.3% $65
Monthly Utilities & Internet
Playa del Carmen
$134
Resita
$207 54.1% $73
Clothing & Footwear
Playa del Carmen
$111
Resita
$104 6.8% $7.5
Sport & Entertainment
Playa del Carmen
$66
Resita
$53 20.9% $14
Getting Around
Playa del Carmen
$50
Resita
$28 43.9% $22

Cost Breakdown

A central one-bedroom costs $995 in Playa del Carmen versus $378 in Resita. 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 $44 in Playa del Carmen versus $41 in Resita. Monthly groceries follow the same trend: $257 vs $184 – making Resita the more affordable choice for daily food spending.

Good to know
🇲🇽 Playa del Carmen
🇷🇴 Resita
🕒 Local time
05:50 5:50 AM
12:50 12:50 PM
7 h ahead of Playa del Carmen
🌤 Weather
👥 Population
149,923
73,282
💱 Currency
Exchange rates and currency converter

RON, USD, EUR to MXN – Mexican Peso Converter

Mexican Peso exchange rates as of November 4, 2026: 1 USD = 18.82 MXN (100 MXN = 5.31 USD). 1 EUR = 21.1 MXN (100 MXN = 4.74 EUR).

Romanian Leu exchange rates as of November 4, 2026: 1 USD = 4.77 RON (1 RON = 0.21 USD). 1 EUR = 5.34 RON (1 RON = 0.187 EUR).

On the map
Between locations
  • Playa del Carmen Resita 9,780 km ≈ 13 h nonstop flight
From you
  • Playa del Carmen
  • Resita

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
Playa del Carmen vs Resita: Cost of Living - Frequently Asked Questions
Is Resita cheaper than Playa del Carmen?
Yes – Playa del Carmen is pricier by about 20%, and outside of rent the gap shows up most in groceries.
What income do you need for each city?
For a comfortable life, plan on about $1,804 per month in Playa del Carmen and $1,508 in Resita. That covers rent, food, utilities, transport, and enough left over to feel settled – not just surviving.
Which city has lower housing costs?
Rent is clearly cheaper in Resita, especially for central apartments: a one-bedroom in the center costs $378 there versus $995 in Playa del Carmen.
What are total monthly expenses in Playa del Carmen and in Resita?
Monthly expenses with rent come to $1,202 in Playa del Carmen and $1,005 in Resita. That makes Resita about 16% cheaper.
Which city has cheaper public transport?
Public transport costs about 21% less in Resita. For daily commuters, that gap adds up to noticeable savings over a year.
Is $1,500 enough for either Playa del Carmen or Resita?
$1,500 covers both cities comfortably – all-in costs are $1,202 in Playa del Carmen and $1,005 in Resita, leaving budget for savings and extras in both cases.
Is it better to live in Playa del Carmen or in Resita?
It depends on your priorities. Playa del Carmen has an edge in some lifestyle areas, with costs from $1,005 in Resita to $1,202 in Playa del Carmen. Climate, culture, job market, and personal taste all factor in.
Which city is easier to live in as a foreigner?
For expats, Resita is the easier option financially – housing and daily costs are lower, and overall it costs about 16% less, which matters a lot on a fixed budget or early-career salary.

Playa del Carmen vs other spots: cost of living compared

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