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

Monthly Cost of Living

A single person spends $723 per month in Berkane vs $1,266 in Playa del Carmen, rent included.

A couple spends around $1,124 per month in Berkane vs $2,279 in Playa del Carmen, rent included.

A family of three spends $1,524 per month in Berkane vs $3,292 in Playa del Carmen, rent included.

Berkane is about 43% cheaper than Playa del Carmen, driven mainly by Groceries & Markets.

Both Berkane and Playa del Carmen are more affordable than the global median – Berkane 47% lower, Playa del Carmen 7% lower.

Meal at Budget Restaurant

$6.41 MAD 60.7

$11.60 MX$199

-44.74%

Three-Course Dinner for Two, Mid-Range

$17.33 MAD 164

$47.11 MX$808

-63.21%

Fast Food Meal (McDonalds, etc)

$6.09 MAD 57.7

$11.88 MX$204

-48.74%

Cappuccino

$1.90 MAD 18.00

$3.98 MX$68.2

-52.26%

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

$0.57 MAD 5.44

$1.43 MX$24.46

-60.14%

Water (0.33 liter bottle)

$0.34 MAD 3.26

$0.82 MX$14.14

-58.54%

Local Beer (0.5 liter draught)

$4.15 MAD 39.33

$3.19 MX$54.7

30.09%

Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$3.40 MAD 32.16

$6.79 MX$116

-49.93%

Milk (1 liter)

$0.86 MAD 8.15

$1.68 MX$28.72

-48.81%

White Bread (500g)

$0.54 MAD 5.07

$2.20 MX$37.67

-75.45%

Rice (white) (1kg)

$1.68 MAD 15.95

$1.71 MX$29.29

-1.75%

Eggs

$1.93 MAD 18.28

$2.74 MX$46.99

-29.56%

Local Cheese (1kg)

$7.12 MAD 67.5

$9.58 MX$164

-25.68%

Chicken Fillets (1kg)

$6.27 MAD 59.4

$9.01 MX$154

-30.41%

Beef Round Steak (1kg)

$10.50 MAD 99.5

$12.81 MX$220

-18.03%

Apples (1kg)

$1.54 MAD 14.55

$2.89 MX$49.52

-46.71%

Banana (1kg)

$1.37 MAD 12.93

$1.50 MX$25.67

-8.67%

Oranges (1kg)

$0.85 MAD 8.02

$2.15 MX$36.83

-60.47%

Tomato (1kg)

$0.80 MAD 7.55

$2.26 MX$38.74

-64.60%

Potato (1kg)

$0.74 MAD 7.04

$1.98 MX$33.96

-62.63%

Onion (1kg)

$0.80 MAD 7.55

$1.99 MX$34.11

-59.80%

Lettuce (1 head)

$0.41 MAD 3.89

$1.23 MX$21.16

-66.67%

Water (1.5 liter bottle)

$0.58 MAD 5.51

$1.20 MX$20.52

-51.67%

Cigarettes 20 Pack (Marlboro, Camel)

$4.08 MAD 38.62

$4.55 MX$78.0

-10.33%

Wine (Bottle)

$7.98 MAD 75.6

$10.37 MX$178

-23.05%

Local Beer (0.5 liter bottle)

$2.55 MAD 24.13

$1.62 MX$27.76

57.41%

Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$2.65 MAD 25.13

$2.88 MX$49.39

-7.99%

One-way Ticket (Public Transport)

$0.49 MAD 4.60

$0.60 MX$10.29

-18.33%

Public Transport Monthly Pass (Regular Price)

$18.86 MAD 179

$28.80 MX$494

-34.51%

Taxi Start (Normal Tariff)

$0.70 MAD 6.67

$5.39 MX$92.4

-87.01%

Taxi (Normal Tariff) (1km)

$0.70 MAD 6.61

$3.73 MX$63.9

-81.23%

Taxi 1hour Waiting (Normal Tariff)

$4.87 MAD 46.15

$5.77 MX$98.9

-15.60%

Gasoline (1 liter)

$1.62 MAD 15.37

$1.54 MX$26.34

5.19%

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

$34.8K MAD 329.8K

$22.5K MX$386.6K

54.41%

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

$31.8K MAD 301.7K

$26.1K MX$446.7K

22.23%

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

$40.11 MAD 380

$91.4 MX$1,567

-56.11%

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

$10.37 MAD 98.3

$25.20 MX$432

-58.85%

Internet (50+ Mbps, Unlimited Data)

$36.56 MAD 346

$31.24 MX$536

17.03%

Gym Membership (Monthly)

$26.22 MAD 248

$67.2 MX$1,152

-60.98%

Tennis Court (1 Hour on Weekend)

$21.42 MAD 203

$29.11 MX$499

-26.42%

Cinema Ticket

$5.97 MAD 56.6

$4.86 MX$83.4

22.84%

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

$88.5 MAD 839

$224 MX$3,834

-60.42%

International Primary School, 1 Child (Yearly)

$5,945 MAD 56.3K

$4,229 MX$72.5K

40.58%

Jeans (Levis 501 Or Similar)

$32.84 MAD 311

$47.10 MX$808

-30.28%

Summer Dress (H&M, Zara, etc)

$49.53 MAD 469

$44.29 MX$759

11.83%

Sport Shoes (Adidas, Nike)

$80.1 MAD 759

$80.1 MX$1,373

0.01%

Men's Leather Business Shoes

$66.2 MAD 627

$92.7 MX$1,589

-28.60%

1-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)

$274 MAD 2,595

$1,063 MX$18.2K

-74.22%

1-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)

$169 MAD 1,605

$390 MX$6,690

-56.58%

3-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)

$480 MAD 4,547

$2,149 MX$36.8K

-77.67%

3-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)

$272 MAD 2,580

$1,272 MX$21.8K

-78.59%

Buy Apartment in City Center (m2)

$1,036 MAD 9,817

$4,001 MX$68.6K

-74.10%

Buy Apartment Outside City Center (m2)

$721 MAD 6,826

$6,502 MX$111.5K

-88.92%

Average Monthly Net Salary (After Tax)

$278 MAD 2,630

$758 MX$13.0K

-63.39%

20-Year Fixed Mortgage Interest Rate (Annual %)

4.52

11.45

-60.52%

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

Last update for Berkane: September 13, 2026

Last update for Playa del Carmen: September 12, 2026

Cost Breakdown

A central one-bedroom costs $274 in Berkane 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.

Salaries run about 173% 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 $17.00 in Berkane versus $47.00 in Playa del Carmen. Monthly groceries follow the same trend: $182 vs $276 – making Berkane 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

Berkane vs Playa del Carmen: Cost of Living - Frequently Asked Questions

Yes – Playa del Carmen is pricier by about 75%, and the gap shows up most in Groceries & Markets. It's not just housing either; the difference applies across most spending categories.

For a comfortable life, plan on about $1,085 per month in Berkane and $1,899 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 Berkane, especially for central apartments. Housing is actually the single biggest factor behind the overall cost gap between these two cities.

A mid-range dinner for two costs $17.00 in Berkane and $47.00 in Playa del Carmen. That's a good indicator of the overall restaurant and café pricing gap between the two cities.

Monthly expenses with rent come to $723 in Berkane and $1,266 in Playa del Carmen. The difference isn't just one category – it shows up across housing, food, transport, and services.

A $1,500 monthly budget goes further in Berkane, where all-in costs run around $723, than in Playa del Carmen at $1,266. In Berkane it covers expenses comfortably, while in Playa del Carmen it requires careful planning or may not stretch far enough.

Families tend to lean toward Berkane – 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 Berkane. 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.