🙂A single person spends $988 per month in Resen vs $1,266 in Playa del Carmen, rent included.
🙂A couple spends around $1,492 per month in Resen vs $2,279 in Playa del Carmen, rent included.
🙂A family of three spends $1,997 per month in Resen vs $3,292 in Playa del Carmen, rent included.
🙂Resen is about 22% cheaper than Playa del Carmen, driven mainly by Groceries & Markets.
📊Both Resen and Playa del Carmen are more affordable than the global median – Resen28% lower, Playa del Carmen7% lower.
Currency
🍽 Eating Out
Resen
Playa del Carmen
Difference
Meal at Budget Restaurant
$9.48MKD 507
$11.60MX$200
-18.28%
Three-Course Dinner for Two, Mid-Range
$35.55MKD 1,903
$47.11MX$811
-24.54%
Fast Food Meal(McDonalds, etc)
$6.80MKD 364
$11.88MX$205
-42.76%
Cappuccino
$2.18MKD 117
$3.98MX$68.5
-45.23%
Coke/Pepsi/Fanta/Sprite(0.33 liter bottle)
$1.89MKD 101
$1.43MX$24.57
32.17%
Water(0.33 liter bottle)
$1.31MKD 70.2
$0.82MX$14.20
59.76%
Local Beer(0.5 liter draught)
$2.63MKD 141
$3.19MX$54.9
-17.55%
Imported Beer(0.33 liter bottle)
$2.65MKD 142
$6.79MX$117
-60.97%
🛒 Groceries & Markets
Resen
Playa del Carmen
Difference
Milk(1 liter)
$1.33MKD 71.4
$1.68MX$28.85
-20.83%
White Bread(500g)
$0.76MKD 40.91
$2.20MX$37.83
-65.45%
Rice(white)(1kg)
$1.83MKD 98.0
$1.71MX$29.41
7.02%
Eggs
$2.45MKD 131
$2.74MX$47.20
-10.58%
Local Cheese(1kg)
$8.27MKD 443
$9.58MX$165
-13.67%
Chicken Fillets(1kg)
$7.34MKD 393
$9.01MX$155
-18.53%
Beef Round Steak(1kg)
$14.84MKD 794
$12.81MX$221
15.85%
Apples(1kg)
$1.47MKD 78.6
$2.89MX$49.74
-49.13%
Banana(1kg)
$1.47MKD 78.8
$1.50MX$25.78
-2.00%
Oranges(1kg)
$1.37MKD 73.2
$2.15MX$36.98
-36.28%
Tomato(1kg)
$2.09MKD 112
$2.26MX$38.91
-7.52%
Potato(1kg)
$0.91MKD 48.77
$1.98MX$34.10
-54.04%
Onion(1kg)
$0.86MKD 46.23
$1.99MX$34.26
-56.78%
Lettuce(1 head)
$0.60MKD 32.12
$1.23MX$21.25
-51.22%
Water(1.5 liter bottle)
$0.63MKD 33.68
$1.20MX$20.60
-47.50%
Cigarettes 20 Pack(Marlboro, Camel)
$3.65MKD 195
$4.55MX$78.3
-19.78%
Wine(Bottle)
$7.48MKD 400
$10.37MX$179
-27.87%
Local Beer(0.5 liter bottle)
$1.08MKD 57.9
$1.62MX$27.88
-33.33%
Imported Beer(0.33 liter bottle)
$1.54MKD 82.3
$2.88MX$49.60
-46.53%
🚌 Getting Around
Resen
Playa del Carmen
Difference
One-way Ticket(Public Transport)
$0.77MKD 41.23
$0.60MX$10.34
28.33%
Public Transport Monthly Pass(Regular Price)
$24.07MKD 1,288
$28.80MX$496
-16.42%
Taxi Start(Normal Tariff)
$1.12MKD 59.9
$5.39MX$92.8
-79.22%
Taxi(Normal Tariff)(1km)
$0.63MKD 33.81
$3.73MX$64.2
-83.11%
Taxi 1hour Waiting(Normal Tariff)
$7.99MKD 427
$5.77MX$99.3
38.47%
Gasoline(1 liter)
$1.61MKD 86.0
$1.54MX$26.45
4.55%
Midsize Hatchback 1.4l(Volkswagen Golf, Toyota Prius, Honda Civic, etc)
$36.4KMKD 1.9M
$22.5KMX$388.3K
61.32%
Compact Sedan 1.6l(Toyota Corolla, Mazda3, Kia K4, Hyundai Elantra, etc)
$27.9KMKD 1.5M
$26.1KMX$448.7K
7.19%
🧾 Monthly Utilities & Internet
Resen
Playa del Carmen
Difference
Utilities for 2 People in 2-bedroom Apartment(Heating, Electricity, Gas, Water, Garbage)(85m2)
$165MKD 8,816
$91.4MX$1,573
80.27%
SIM Card Monthly Plan(Calls and 10GB+ Data)
$18.71MKD 1,002
$25.20MX$434
-25.75%
Internet(50+ Mbps, Unlimited Data)
$19.33MKD 1,034
$31.24MX$538
-38.12%
🎉 Sport & Entertainment
Resen
Playa del Carmen
Difference
Gym Membership(Monthly)
$25.43MKD 1,361
$67.2MX$1,157
-62.16%
Tennis Court(1 Hour on Weekend)
$18.76MKD 1,004
$29.11MX$501
-35.55%
Cinema Ticket
$7.67MKD 411
$4.86MX$83.7
57.82%
🧸 Childcare & Education
Resen
Playa del Carmen
Difference
Preschool or Kindergarten, Full Day, Private, 1 Child(Monthly)
$369MKD 19.7K
$224MX$3,851
64.93%
International Primary School, 1 Child(Yearly)
$5,800MKD 310.4K
$4,229MX$72.8K
37.15%
👕👟 Clothing & Footwear
Resen
Playa del Carmen
Difference
Jeans(Levis 501 Or Similar)
$85.8MKD 4,592
$47.10MX$811
82.17%
Summer Dress(H&M, Zara, etc)
$38.45MKD 2,058
$44.29MX$763
-13.19%
Sport Shoes(Adidas, Nike)
$106MKD 5,652
$80.1MX$1,379
31.83%
Men's Leather Business Shoes
$117MKD 6,250
$92.7MX$1,596
26.03%
🏠 Accommodation & Living
Resen
Playa del Carmen
Difference
1-bedroom Apartment, City Center(Monthly)
$265MKD 14.2K
$1,063MX$18.3K
-75.11%
1-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center(Monthly)
$170MKD 9,086
$390MX$6,719
-56.50%
3-bedroom Apartment, City Center(Monthly)
$480MKD 25.7K
$2,149MX$37.0K
-77.65%
3-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center(Monthly)
$307MKD 16.4K
$1,272MX$21.9K
-75.89%
Buy Apartment in City Center(m2)
$1,590MKD 85.1K
$4,001MX$68.9K
-60.27%
Buy Apartment Outside City Center(m2)
$1,202MKD 64.3K
$6,502MX$112.0K
-81.51%
💵 Salaries & Financials
Resen
Playa del Carmen
Difference
Average Monthly Net Salary(After Tax)
-
$758MX$13.1K
-
20-Year Fixed Mortgage Interest Rate(Annual %)
4.23
11.45
-63.06%
CityCost data is based on AI and user input – minor inaccuracies may occur.
Last update for Resen: September 15, 2026
Last update for Playa del Carmen: September 12, 2026
Cost Breakdown
🏠A central one-bedroom costs $265 in Resen versus $1,063 in Playa del Carmen. 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 $36.00 in Resen versus $47.00 in Playa del Carmen. Monthly groceries follow the same trend: $214 vs $276 – 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
Resen vs Playa del Carmen: Cost of Living - Frequently Asked Questions
Is Playa del Carmen cheaper than Resen?
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.
What income do you need for each city?
For a comfortable life, plan on about $1,482 per month in Resen and $1,899 in Playa del Carmen. 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 Resen, especially for central apartments. Housing is actually the single biggest factor behind the overall cost gap between these two cities.
What are total monthly expenses in Resen and in Playa del Carmen?
Monthly expenses with rent come to $988 in Resen and $1,266 in Playa del Carmen. The difference isn't just one category – it shows up across housing, food, transport, and services.
Which city has cheaper public transport?
Public transport costs about 20% less in Resen. For daily commuters, that gap adds up to noticeable savings over a year.
Is $1,500 a realistic budget for living in Resen or in Playa del Carmen?
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.
Is Resen or Playa del Carmen more family-friendly?
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.
Which city is safer, Resen or Playa del Carmen?
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.
Which city is the better choice to relocate to?
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.