Last update: Oct 2026

Cost of Living Comparison Between Beni Mellal and Playa del Carmen

For one person, living is cheaper in Beni Mellal: $627 a month against $1,210 in Playa del Carmen, rent and utilities included – about $7,000 less a year. Rent and utilities account for about half of the difference.

Beni Mellal
🇲🇦 Morocco
$627
/mo nomad
Playa del Carmen
🇲🇽 Mexico
$1,210
/mo nomad
Monthly Cost of Living

How much you'll spend in Beni Mellal and in Playa del Carmen

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

A single person spends $627 per month in Beni Mellal vs $1,210 in Playa del Carmen, rent included.

  • Beni Mellal $627
  • Playa del Carmen $1,210

A couple spends around $985 per month in Beni Mellal vs $2,113 in Playa del Carmen, rent included.

  • Beni Mellal $985
  • Playa del Carmen $2,113

A family of three spends $1,342 per month in Beni Mellal vs $3,016 in Playa del Carmen, rent included.

  • Beni Mellal $1,342
  • Playa del Carmen $3,016

Beni Mellal is about 48% cheaper than Playa del Carmen, and outside of rent the biggest gap is in eating out.

Both Beni Mellal and Playa del Carmen are more affordable than the global median – Beni Mellal 54% lower, Playa del Carmen 10% lower.

Currency
🍽 Eating Out
Beni Mellal
Playa del Carmen
Difference
Meal at Budget Restaurant
$3.58 MAD 34.88
$10.76 MX$199
-66.73%
Three-Course Dinner for Two, Mid-Range
$25.65 MAD 250
$43.03 MX$795
-40.39%
Fast Food Meal (McDonalds, etc)
$5.29 MAD 51.6
$11.79 MX$218
-55.13%
Cappuccino
$1.20 MAD 11.73
$3.87 MX$71.4
-68.99%
Coke/Pepsi/Fanta/Sprite (0.33 liter bottle)
$0.54 MAD 5.25
$1.37 MX$25.29
-60.58%
Water (0.33 liter bottle)
$0.35 MAD 3.43
$0.84 MX$15.44
-58.33%
Local Beer (0.5 liter draught)
$2.53 MAD 24.70
$3.10 MX$57.3
-18.39%
Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)
$3.13 MAD 30.55
$5.07 MX$93.6
-38.26%
🛒 Groceries & Markets
Beni Mellal
Playa del Carmen
Difference
Milk (1 liter)
$0.90 MAD 8.77
$1.44 MX$26.55
-37.50%
White Bread (500g)
$0.67 MAD 6.53
$2.23 MX$41.23
-69.96%
Rice (white) (1kg)
$1.96 MAD 19.13
$1.47 MX$27.17
33.33%
Eggs
$1.65 MAD 16.13
$2.53 MX$46.71
-34.78%
Local Cheese (1kg)
$11.13 MAD 109
$7.30 MX$135
52.47%
Chicken Fillets (1kg)
$6.76 MAD 65.9
$7.86 MX$145
-13.99%
Beef Round Steak (1kg)
$10.48 MAD 102
$12.79 MX$236
-18.06%
Apples (1kg)
$1.20 MAD 11.70
$2.90 MX$53.6
-58.62%
Banana (1kg)
$1.06 MAD 10.32
$1.44 MX$26.53
-26.39%
Oranges (1kg)
$0.66 MAD 6.41
$2.55 MX$47.07
-74.12%
Tomato (1kg)
$0.87 MAD 8.43
$2.06 MX$38.03
-57.77%
Potato (1kg)
$0.65 MAD 6.32
$2.00 MX$36.97
-67.50%
Onion (1kg)
$0.71 MAD 6.90
$2.01 MX$37.07
-64.68%
Lettuce (1 head)
$0.32 MAD 3.13
$1.19 MX$22.02
-73.11%
Water (1.5 liter bottle)
$0.61 MAD 5.92
$1.26 MX$23.23
-51.59%
Cigarettes 20 Pack (Marlboro, Camel)
$4.00 MAD 38.99
$4.40 MX$81.4
-9.09%
Wine (Bottle)
$7.44 MAD 72.5
$9.59 MX$177
-22.42%
Local Beer (0.5 liter bottle)
$2.69 MAD 26.24
$1.59 MX$29.41
69.18%
Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)
$2.66 MAD 25.96
$2.81 MX$51.9
-5.34%
🚌 Getting Around
Beni Mellal
Playa del Carmen
Difference
One-way Ticket (Public Transport)
$0.30 MAD 2.89
$0.57 MX$10.47
-47.37%
Public Transport Monthly Pass (Regular Price)
$8.10 MAD 79.0
$27.82 MX$514
-70.88%
Taxi Start (Normal Tariff)
$0.70 MAD 6.79
$4.98 MX$92.1
-85.94%
Taxi (Normal Tariff) (1km)
$0.79 MAD 7.66
$3.50 MX$64.6
-77.43%
Taxi 1hour Waiting (Normal Tariff)
$2.52 MAD 24.59
$5.40 MX$99.8
-53.33%
Gasoline (1 liter)
$1.57 MAD 15.30
$1.47 MX$27.08
6.80%
Midsize Hatchback 1.4l (Volkswagen Golf, Toyota Prius, Honda Civic, etc)
$31.1K MAD 303.1K
$21.0K MX$387.8K
48.15%
Compact Sedan 1.6l (Toyota Corolla, Mazda3, Kia K4, Hyundai Elantra, etc)
$30.8K MAD 300.4K
$23.9K MX$441.8K
28.86%
🧾 Monthly Utilities & Internet
Beni Mellal
Playa del Carmen
Difference
Utilities for 2 People in 2-bedroom Apartment (Heating, Electricity, Gas, Water, Garbage) (85m2)
$37.03 MAD 361
$84.2 MX$1,556
-56.03%
SIM Card Monthly Plan (Calls and 10GB+ Data)
$10.06 MAD 98.1
$23.99 MX$443
-58.07%
Internet (50+ Mbps, Unlimited Data)
$26.02 MAD 254
$29.02 MX$536
-10.34%
🎉 Sport & Entertainment
Beni Mellal
Playa del Carmen
Difference
Gym Membership (Monthly)
$20.49 MAD 200
$63.0 MX$1,164
-67.47%
Tennis Court (1 Hour on Weekend)
$15.40 MAD 150
$29.14 MX$539
-47.15%
Cinema Ticket
$6.32 MAD 61.6
$4.94 MX$91.3
27.94%
🧸 Childcare & Education
Beni Mellal
Playa del Carmen
Difference
Preschool or Kindergarten, Full Day, Private, 1 Child (Monthly)
$180 MAD 1,753
$204 MX$3,763
-11.70%
International Primary School, 1 Child (Yearly)
$9,519 MAD 92.8K
$3,941 MX$72.8K
141.54%
👕👟 Clothing & Footwear
Beni Mellal
Playa del Carmen
Difference
Jeans (Levis 501 Or Similar)
$47.77 MAD 466
$43.60 MX$806
9.56%
Summer Dress (H&M, Zara, etc)
$41.04 MAD 400
$43.12 MX$797
-4.82%
Sport Shoes (Adidas, Nike)
$77.4 MAD 755
$75.8 MX$1,400
2.14%
Men's Leather Business Shoes
$66.0 MAD 643
$88.6 MX$1,637
-25.52%
🏠 Accommodation & Living
Beni Mellal
Playa del Carmen
Difference
1-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)
$194 MAD 1,895
$1,008 MX$18.6K
-80.73%
1-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)
$128 MAD 1,243
$374 MX$6,911
-65.91%
3-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)
$280 MAD 2,726
$1,708 MX$31.6K
-83.63%
3-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)
$193 MAD 1,884
$1,106 MX$20.4K
-82.53%
Buy Apartment in City Center (m2)
$1,228 MAD 12.0K
$3,944 MX$72.9K
-68.85%
Buy Apartment Outside City Center (m2)
$819 MAD 7,982
$6,169 MX$114.0K
-86.73%
💵 Salaries & Financials
Beni Mellal
Playa del Carmen
Difference
Average Monthly Net Salary (After Tax)
$324 MAD 3,164
$754 MX$13.9K
-56.98%
20-Year Fixed Mortgage Interest Rate (Annual %)
4.55
11.45
-60.26%

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

Last update for Beni Mellal: October 13, 2026

Last update for Playa del Carmen: October 10, 2026

Monthly budget structure
Share of the monthly basket for one person, rent included.
Groceries & Markets
Beni Mellal
$194
Playa del Carmen
$258 33.5% $65
Accommodation & Living
Beni Mellal
$128
Playa del Carmen
$374 193% $247
Clothing & Footwear
Beni Mellal
$104
Playa del Carmen
$113 8.1% $8.5
Eating Out
Beni Mellal
$81
Playa del Carmen
$202 148% $121
Monthly Utilities & Internet
Beni Mellal
$73
Playa del Carmen
$137 87.7% $64
Sport & Entertainment
Beni Mellal
$33
Playa del Carmen
$73 120% $40
Getting Around
Beni Mellal
$14
Playa del Carmen
$53 278% $39

Cost Breakdown

A central one-bedroom costs $194 in Beni Mellal versus $1,008 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.

Salaries run about 132% higher in Playa del Carmen, which partly offsets the higher cost of living there. Purchasing power depends on which expenses matter most to you.

A mid-range dinner for two costs $26.00 in Beni Mellal versus $43.00 in Playa del Carmen. Monthly groceries follow the same trend: $194 vs $258 – making Beni Mellal the more affordable choice for daily food spending.

Good to know
🇲🇦 Beni Mellal
🇲🇽 Playa del Carmen
🕒 Local time
06:42 6:42 AM
00:42 12:42 AM
6 h behind Beni Mellal
🌤 Weather
👥 Population
192,676
149,923
💱 Currency
Exchange rates and currency converter

MXN, USD, EUR to MAD – Moroccan Dirham Converter

Moroccan Dirham exchange rates as of October 19, 2026: 1 USD = 9.75 MAD (1 MAD = 0.103 USD). 1 EUR = 10.96 MAD (100 MAD = 9.12 EUR).

Mexican Peso exchange rates as of October 19, 2026: 1 USD = 18.48 MXN (100 MXN = 5.41 USD). 1 EUR = 20.77 MXN (100 MXN = 4.81 EUR).

On the map
Between locations
  • Beni Mellal Playa del Carmen 7,960 km ≈ 10 h nonstop flight
From you
  • Beni Mellal
  • Playa del Carmen

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
Beni Mellal vs Playa del Carmen: Cost of Living - Frequently Asked Questions
How do living costs in Beni Mellal and in Playa del Carmen compare overall?
Monthly costs with rent: $627 in Beni Mellal, $1,210 in Playa del Carmen – roughly 93% apart. Outside of rent, the biggest gap is in eating out.
What salary covers living expenses in Beni Mellal compared to Playa del Carmen?
For a comfortable life, plan on about $941 per month in Beni Mellal and $1,816 in Playa del Carmen. That covers rent, food, utilities, transport, and enough left over to feel settled – not just surviving.
How do rents compare between Beni Mellal and Playa del Carmen?
Rent is clearly cheaper in Beni Mellal, especially for central apartments. Housing is actually the single biggest factor behind the overall cost gap between these two cities.
How do commuting costs compare in Beni Mellal and in Playa del Carmen?
Public transport costs about 243% less in Beni Mellal. For daily commuters, that gap adds up to noticeable savings over a year.
What is the difference in childcare costs between Beni Mellal and Playa del Carmen?
Kindergarten costs $180 per month in Beni Mellal and $204 in Playa del Carmen. For families with young kids, this one expense can tip the scales when choosing between the two cities.
Which city is more doable on $2,000 per month?
A $2,000 monthly budget goes further in Beni Mellal, where all-in costs run around $627, than in Playa del Carmen at $1,210. In Beni Mellal it covers expenses comfortably, while in Playa del Carmen it requires careful planning or may not stretch far enough.
How does quality of life compare between Beni Mellal and Playa del Carmen?
It depends on your priorities. Playa del Carmen has an edge in some lifestyle areas, with costs from $627 in Beni Mellal to $1,210 in Playa del Carmen. Climate, culture, job market, and personal taste all factor in.
Is Beni Mellal or Playa del Carmen safer for residents?
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.
How do I decide between Beni Mellal and Playa del Carmen?
If budget matters most, go with Beni Mellal. 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.

Beni Mellal vs other spots: cost of living compared

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