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

Monthly Cost of Living

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

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

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

Resen is about 28% cheaper than Playa del Carmen, driven mainly by Eating Out.

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

Meal at Budget Restaurant

$5.78 MKD 310

$11.99 MX$210

-51.79%

Three-Course Dinner for Two, Mid-Range

$33.52 MKD 1,798

$41.78 MX$733

-19.77%

Fast Food Meal (McDonalds, etc)

$6.75 MKD 362

$10.75 MX$189

-37.21%

Cappuccino

$2.28 MKD 122

$3.50 MX$61.3

-34.86%

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

$2.03 MKD 109

$1.45 MX$25.41

40.00%

Water (0.33 liter bottle)

$1.29 MKD 69.0

$0.88 MX$15.52

46.59%

Local Beer (0.5 liter draught)

$2.59 MKD 139

$2.95 MX$51.7

-12.20%

Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$2.70 MKD 145

$4.51 MX$79.1

-40.13%

Milk (1 liter)

$1.34 MKD 71.8

$1.43 MX$25.12

-6.29%

White Bread (500g)

$0.68 MKD 36.58

$1.84 MX$32.23

-63.04%

Rice (white) (1kg)

$1.75 MKD 94.0

$1.57 MX$27.51

11.46%

Eggs

$2.04 MKD 109

$2.51 MX$44.06

-18.73%

Local Cheese (1kg)

$9.43 MKD 506

$8.28 MX$145

13.89%

Chicken Fillets (1kg)

$7.13 MKD 383

$8.43 MX$148

-15.42%

Beef Round Steak (1kg)

$13.40 MKD 719

$10.68 MX$187

25.47%

Apples (1kg)

$1.01 MKD 54.2

$2.61 MX$45.76

-61.30%

Banana (1kg)

$1.37 MKD 73.6

$1.44 MX$25.22

-4.86%

Oranges (1kg)

$1.25 MKD 67.2

$1.96 MX$34.41

-36.22%

Tomato (1kg)

$1.64 MKD 87.8

$2.09 MX$36.74

-21.53%

Potato (1kg)

$0.83 MKD 44.66

$1.85 MX$32.47

-55.14%

Onion (1kg)

$0.91 MKD 48.57

$2.17 MX$38.02

-58.06%

Lettuce (1 head)

$0.58 MKD 31.30

$1.03 MX$18.09

-43.69%

Water (1.5 liter bottle)

$0.54 MKD 28.96

$1.07 MX$18.84

-49.53%

Cigarettes 20 Pack (Marlboro, Camel)

$3.05 MKD 163

$4.10 MX$72.0

-25.61%

Wine (Bottle)

$7.45 MKD 399

$10.17 MX$178

-26.75%

Local Beer (0.5 liter bottle)

$0.95 MKD 50.9

$1.68 MX$29.38

-43.45%

Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$1.57 MKD 84.3

$2.53 MX$44.31

-37.94%

One-way Ticket (Public Transport)

$0.68 MKD 36.68

$0.51 MX$8.93

33.33%

Public Transport Monthly Pass (Regular Price)

$20.59 MKD 1,105

$26.04 MX$457

-20.93%

Taxi Start (Normal Tariff)

$0.91 MKD 48.84

$3.23 MX$56.7

-71.83%

Taxi (Normal Tariff) (1km)

$0.53 MKD 28.43

$2.41 MX$42.19

-78.01%

Taxi 1hour Waiting (Normal Tariff)

$6.45 MKD 346

$3.23 MX$56.6

99.69%

Gasoline (1 liter)

$1.48 MKD 79.5

$1.32 MX$23.17

12.12%

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

$32.5K MKD 1.7M

$29.7K MX$520.9K

9.47%

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

$29.4K MKD 1.6M

$23.7K MX$415.0K

24.29%

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

$145 MKD 7,762

$82.0 MX$1,439

76.45%

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

$17.69 MKD 949

$22.95 MX$403

-22.92%

Internet (50+ Mbps, Unlimited Data)

$15.61 MKD 837

$30.11 MX$528

-48.16%

Gym Membership (Monthly)

$26.59 MKD 1,426

$52.0 MX$912

-48.84%

Tennis Court (1 Hour on Weekend)

$18.53 MX$325

Cinema Ticket

$4.67 MKD 251

$4.98 MX$87.3

-6.22%

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

$218 MKD 11.7K

$197 MX$3,463

10.65%

International Primary School, 1 Child (Yearly)

$1,200 MKD 64.4K

$5,336 MX$93.6K

-77.51%

Jeans (Levis 501 Or Similar)

$78.0 MKD 4,183

$35.60 MX$624

119.04%

Summer Dress (H&M, Zara, etc)

$39.47 MKD 2,117

$40.33 MX$707

-2.13%

Sport Shoes (Adidas, Nike)

$74.9 MKD 4,015

$78.8 MX$1,381

-4.95%

Men's Leather Business Shoes

$110 MKD 5,886

$88.9 MX$1,560

23.40%

1-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)

$285 MKD 15.3K

$947 MX$16.6K

-69.92%

1-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)

$198 MKD 10.6K

$474 MX$8,314

-58.26%

3-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)

$563 MKD 30.2K

$1,644 MX$28.8K

-65.77%

3-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)

$308 MKD 16.5K

$1,211 MX$21.2K

-74.52%

Buy Apartment in City Center (m2)

$1,572 MKD 84.3K

$4,056 MX$71.1K

-61.23%

Buy Apartment Outside City Center (m2)

$1,191 MKD 63.9K

$6,470 MX$113.5K

-81.60%

Average Monthly Net Salary (After Tax)

$654 MX$11.5K

20-Year Fixed Mortgage Interest Rate (Annual %)

4.54

11.42

-60.25%

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

Last update for Resen: July 11, 2026

Last update for Playa del Carmen: July 13, 2026

Cost Breakdown

A central one-bedroom costs $285 in Resen versus $947 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 $34.00 in Resen versus $42.00 in Playa del Carmen. Monthly groceries follow the same trend: $202 vs $249 – 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

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 $1,349 per month in Resen and $1,884 in Playa del Carmen. 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 $899 in Resen and $1,256 in Playa del Carmen. 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.