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

Monthly Cost of Living

Monthly costs for one person with rent: $1,014 in Casablanca versus $1,297 in Playa del Carmen.

Estimated couple costs with rent: $1,561 in Casablanca versus $2,181 in Playa del Carmen.

Monthly costs for a family of three with rent: $2,108 in Casablanca versus $3,065 in Playa del Carmen.

Living in Casablanca costs roughly 22% less than in Playa del Carmen, driven mainly by Eating Out.

Both cities sit below the global median: Casablanca 24% lower, Playa del Carmen 3% lower.

Meal at Budget Restaurant

$5.57 MAD 51.3

$11.73 MX$203

-52.51%

Three-Course Dinner for Two, Mid-Range

$32.50 MAD 299

$41.62 MX$719

-21.91%

Fast Food Meal (McDonalds, etc)

$8.00 MAD 73.7

$10.64 MX$184

-24.81%

Cappuccino

$2.30 MAD 21.17

$3.52 MX$60.8

-34.66%

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

$0.68 MAD 6.30

$1.51 MX$26.09

-54.97%

Water (0.33 liter bottle)

$0.47 MAD 4.28

$0.97 MX$16.82

-51.55%

Local Beer (0.5 liter draught)

$3.79 MAD 34.92

$2.95 MX$51.0

28.47%

Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$4.47 MAD 41.20

$4.45 MX$77.0

0.45%

Milk (1 liter)

$0.93 MAD 8.60

$1.38 MX$23.90

-32.61%

White Bread (500g)

$0.77 MAD 7.07

$1.89 MX$32.69

-59.26%

Rice (white) (1kg)

$1.93 MAD 17.76

$1.64 MX$28.29

17.68%

Eggs

$2.00 MAD 18.42

$2.51 MX$43.30

-20.32%

Local Cheese (1kg)

$11.50 MAD 106

$8.34 MX$144

37.89%

Chicken Fillets (1kg)

$7.44 MAD 68.6

$8.34 MX$144

-10.79%

Beef Round Steak (1kg)

$11.75 MAD 108

$10.73 MX$185

9.51%

Apples (1kg)

$1.84 MAD 16.96

$2.60 MX$45.00

-29.23%

Banana (1kg)

$1.59 MAD 14.66

$1.46 MX$25.18

8.90%

Oranges (1kg)

$0.86 MAD 7.89

$1.90 MX$32.84

-54.74%

Tomato (1kg)

$0.81 MAD 7.48

$2.08 MX$35.88

-61.06%

Potato (1kg)

$0.77 MAD 7.14

$1.78 MX$30.68

-56.74%

Onion (1kg)

$0.74 MAD 6.86

$2.19 MX$37.76

-66.21%

Lettuce (1 head)

$0.45 MAD 4.15

$1.04 MX$17.97

-56.73%

Water (1.5 liter bottle)

$0.58 MAD 5.36

$1.08 MX$18.60

-46.30%

Cigarettes 20 Pack (Marlboro, Camel)

$4.38 MAD 40.32

$4.08 MX$70.5

7.35%

Wine (Bottle)

$8.26 MAD 76.1

$10.32 MX$178

-19.96%

Local Beer (0.5 liter bottle)

$2.79 MAD 25.69

$1.71 MX$29.59

63.16%

Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$2.92 MAD 26.88

$2.58 MX$44.50

13.18%

One-way Ticket (Public Transport)

$0.74 MAD 6.81

$0.51 MX$8.81

45.10%

Public Transport Monthly Pass (Regular Price)

$25.24 MAD 232

$26.46 MX$457

-4.61%

Taxi Start (Normal Tariff)

$0.91 MAD 8.42

$3.26 MX$56.4

-72.09%

Taxi (Normal Tariff) (1km)

$0.82 MAD 7.58

$2.49 MX$43.05

-67.07%

Taxi 1hour Waiting (Normal Tariff)

$5.40 MAD 49.75

$3.25 MX$56.1

66.15%

Gasoline (1 liter)

$1.46 MAD 13.44

$1.31 MX$22.59

11.45%

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

$36.7K MAD 338.3K

$30.3K MX$523.2K

21.30%

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

$29.1K MAD 268.1K

$23.4K MX$404.9K

24.26%

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

$49.48 MAD 456

$82.9 MX$1,432

-40.29%

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

$12.14 MAD 112

$22.22 MX$384

-45.36%

Internet (50+ Mbps, Unlimited Data)

$42.05 MAD 387

$29.34 MX$507

43.32%

Gym Membership (Monthly)

$29.44 MAD 271

$51.6 MX$892

-42.98%

Tennis Court (1 Hour on Weekend)

$41.26 MAD 380

$18.32 MX$317

125.22%

Cinema Ticket

$8.87 MAD 81.7

$5.07 MX$87.5

74.95%

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

$207 MAD 1,911

$201 MX$3,470

3.31%

International Primary School, 1 Child (Yearly)

$5,466 MAD 50.3K

$5,212 MX$90.1K

4.87%

Jeans (Levis 501 Or Similar)

$66.7 MAD 614

$36.92 MX$638

80.61%

Summer Dress (H&M, Zara, etc)

$54.5 MAD 502

$39.79 MX$688

36.94%

Sport Shoes (Adidas, Nike)

$110 MAD 1,012

$78.5 MX$1,356

40.11%

Men's Leather Business Shoes

$92.5 MAD 852

$87.1 MX$1,505

6.26%

1-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)

$590 MAD 5,436

$973 MX$16.8K

-39.31%

1-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)

$346 MAD 3,184

$468 MX$8,082

-26.08%

3-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)

$1,117 MAD 10.3K

$1,641 MX$28.4K

-31.92%

3-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)

$582 MAD 5,363

$1,221 MX$21.1K

-52.30%

Buy Apartment in City Center (m2)

$2,245 MAD 20.7K

$3,946 MX$68.2K

-43.11%

Buy Apartment Outside City Center (m2)

$1,217 MAD 11.2K

$6,498 MX$112.3K

-81.27%

Average Monthly Net Salary (After Tax)

$640 MAD 5,893

$664 MX$11.5K

-3.62%

20-Year Fixed Mortgage Interest Rate (Annual %)

5.29

11.42

-53.68%

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

Last update for Casablanca: June 1, 2026

Last update for Playa del Carmen: June 2, 2026

Cost Breakdown

A one-bedroom apartment in the center runs $590 in Casablanca and $973 in Playa del Carmen. Housing cost is often the main lever when comparing two cities.

Playa del Carmen pays 4% more on average. The extra income cushions the higher costs, though housing choices and lifestyle decide how much of the gap is truly closed.

Dining out: $33.00 in Casablanca vs $42.00 in Playa del Carmen for a mid-range dinner for two. Groceries echo the gap at $215 vs $249 per month, with Casablanca cheaper across the board.

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

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

Casablanca is cheaper overall, especially in Groceries & Markets, Eating Out, Sport & Entertainment, Getting Around. The 28% gap adds up to real monthly savings that compound significantly over time.

On paper, Playa del Carmen earns 4% less. That's worth factoring in alongside costs, though remote workers earning in a stronger currency may not notice the difference at all.

Rent for a central apartment: $590 in Casablanca versus $973 in Playa del Carmen. Housing is usually the single largest factor when comparing overall living costs between the two.

Dining out is cheaper in Casablanca – a meal for two runs $33.00 versus $42.00 in Playa del Carmen. If you eat out regularly, this makes a real dent in your monthly spending.

All in, you'll spend $1,014 per month in Casablanca versus $1,297 in Playa del Carmen – a 28% gap that adds up to real savings over time for anyone picking the cheaper option.

At $1,014 in Casablanca versus $1,297 in Playa del Carmen, a $1,500 budget is realistic in Casablanca but tight or insufficient in Playa del Carmen. The gap between the two cities makes Casablanca the clear choice for anyone on this budget.

For families, Casablanca is more practical. Housing and childcare are both notably cheaper than in Playa del Carmen, and the savings on those two alone free up budget for education, activities, and family trips.

Safety-wise, Casablanca and Playa del Carmen are on par. Petty crime is typical for cities this size, and most residents feel comfortable going about their daily routines in either place.

Expats usually find Casablanca gentler on the wallet – expenses run 28% less than in Playa del Carmen. Beyond cost, consider language, visa policies, and how big the international community is in each city.