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

Monthly Cost of Living

A single person spends $837 per month in Essaouira vs $1,256 in Playa del Carmen, rent included.

A couple spends around $1,254 per month in Essaouira vs $2,137 in Playa del Carmen, rent included.

A family of three spends $1,671 per month in Essaouira vs $3,017 in Playa del Carmen, rent included.

Essaouira is about 33% cheaper than Playa del Carmen, driven mainly by Eating Out.

Both Essaouira and Playa del Carmen are more affordable than the global median – Essaouira 37% lower, Playa del Carmen 6% lower.

Meal at Budget Restaurant

$4.36 MAD 40.68

$11.99 MX$210

-63.64%

Three-Course Dinner for Two, Mid-Range

$25.14 MAD 234

$41.78 MX$731

-39.83%

Fast Food Meal (McDonalds, etc)

$4.97 MAD 46.37

$10.75 MX$188

-53.77%

Cappuccino

$1.76 MAD 16.37

$3.50 MX$61.1

-49.71%

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

$0.46 MAD 4.26

$1.45 MX$25.33

-68.28%

Water (0.33 liter bottle)

$0.26 MAD 2.41

$0.88 MX$15.47

-70.45%

Local Beer (0.5 liter draught)

$3.79 MAD 35.36

$2.95 MX$51.6

28.47%

Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$3.72 MAD 34.69

$4.51 MX$78.9

-17.52%

Milk (1 liter)

$0.84 MAD 7.87

$1.43 MX$25.04

-41.26%

White Bread (500g)

$0.49 MAD 4.57

$1.84 MX$32.13

-73.37%

Rice (white) (1kg)

$1.65 MAD 15.43

$1.57 MX$27.42

5.10%

Eggs

$1.81 MAD 16.90

$2.51 MX$43.92

-27.89%

Local Cheese (1kg)

$9.24 MAD 86.1

$8.28 MX$145

11.59%

Chicken Fillets (1kg)

$5.29 MAD 49.31

$8.43 MX$147

-37.25%

Beef Round Steak (1kg)

$11.42 MAD 107

$10.68 MX$187

6.93%

Apples (1kg)

$1.42 MAD 13.21

$2.61 MX$45.62

-45.59%

Banana (1kg)

$1.22 MAD 11.42

$1.44 MX$25.15

-15.28%

Oranges (1kg)

$0.72 MAD 6.69

$1.96 MX$34.31

-63.27%

Tomato (1kg)

$0.88 MAD 8.22

$2.09 MX$36.62

-57.89%

Potato (1kg)

$0.70 MAD 6.52

$1.85 MX$32.37

-62.16%

Onion (1kg)

$0.91 MAD 8.48

$2.17 MX$37.90

-58.06%

Lettuce (1 head)

$0.39 MAD 3.66

$1.03 MX$18.04

-62.14%

Water (1.5 liter bottle)

$0.53 MAD 4.97

$1.07 MX$18.78

-50.47%

Cigarettes 20 Pack (Marlboro, Camel)

$4.15 MAD 38.66

$4.10 MX$71.7

1.22%

Wine (Bottle)

$6.45 MAD 60.1

$10.17 MX$178

-36.58%

Local Beer (0.5 liter bottle)

$1.93 MAD 18.03

$1.68 MX$29.29

14.88%

Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$2.20 MAD 20.52

$2.53 MX$44.17

-13.04%

One-way Ticket (Public Transport)

$0.87 MAD 8.11

$0.51 MX$8.90

70.59%

Public Transport Monthly Pass (Regular Price)

$16.46 MAD 154

$26.04 MX$455

-36.79%

Taxi Start (Normal Tariff)

$0.63 MAD 5.92

$3.23 MX$56.5

-80.50%

Taxi (Normal Tariff) (1km)

$0.48 MAD 4.43

$2.41 MX$42.06

-80.08%

Taxi 1hour Waiting (Normal Tariff)

$8.98 MAD 83.8

$3.23 MX$56.5

178.02%

Gasoline (1 liter)

$1.58 MAD 14.70

$1.32 MX$23.10

19.70%

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

$37.2K MAD 346.5K

$29.7K MX$519.2K

25.13%

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

$21.1K MAD 196.4K

$23.7K MX$413.7K

-11.01%

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

$27.86 MAD 260

$82.0 MX$1,434

-66.03%

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

$13.90 MAD 130

$22.95 MX$401

-39.43%

Internet (50+ Mbps, Unlimited Data)

$27.94 MAD 261

$30.11 MX$527

-7.21%

Gym Membership (Monthly)

$21.61 MAD 202

$52.0 MX$909

-58.42%

Tennis Court (1 Hour on Weekend)

$22.76 MAD 212

$18.53 MX$324

22.83%

Cinema Ticket

$6.65 MAD 62.0

$4.98 MX$87.0

33.53%

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

$75.3 MAD 702

$197 MX$3,452

-61.87%

International Primary School, 1 Child (Yearly)

$1,956 MAD 18.2K

$5,336 MX$93.3K

-63.34%

Jeans (Levis 501 Or Similar)

$30.88 MAD 288

$35.60 MX$622

-13.26%

Summer Dress (H&M, Zara, etc)

$39.68 MAD 370

$40.33 MX$705

-1.61%

Sport Shoes (Adidas, Nike)

$49.28 MAD 460

$78.8 MX$1,377

-37.42%

Men's Leather Business Shoes

$44.34 MAD 413

$88.9 MX$1,555

-50.14%

1-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)

$388 MAD 3,617

$947 MX$16.6K

-59.04%

1-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)

$346 MAD 3,229

$474 MX$8,288

-26.95%

3-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)

$813 MAD 7,584

$1,644 MX$28.7K

-50.53%

3-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)

$559 MAD 5,209

$1,211 MX$21.2K

-53.85%

Buy Apartment in City Center (m2)

$4,056 MX$70.9K

Buy Apartment Outside City Center (m2)

$6,470 MX$113.1K

Average Monthly Net Salary (After Tax)

$268 MAD 2,498

$654 MX$11.4K

-59.03%

20-Year Fixed Mortgage Interest Rate (Annual %)

5.5

11.42

-51.84%

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

Last update for Essaouira: July 12, 2026

Last update for Playa del Carmen: July 13, 2026

Cost Breakdown

A central one-bedroom costs $388 in Essaouira 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.

Salaries run about 144% 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 $25.00 in Essaouira versus $42.00 in Playa del Carmen. Monthly groceries follow the same trend: $176 vs $249 – making Essaouira 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

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

Yes – Playa del Carmen is pricier by about 50%, 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 $1,256 per month in Essaouira 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 Essaouira, especially for central apartments. Housing is actually the single biggest factor behind the overall cost gap between these two cities.

Groceries cost about 41% more in Playa del Carmen, though it depends on what you buy. Local produce may be comparable; imported and premium items show the biggest price gap.

A mid-range dinner for two costs $25.00 in Essaouira and $42.00 in Playa del Carmen. That's a good indicator of the overall restaurant and café pricing gap between the two cities.

A $1,500 monthly budget goes further in Essaouira, where all-in costs run around $837, than in Playa del Carmen at $1,256. In Essaouira it covers expenses comfortably, while in Playa del Carmen it requires careful planning or may not stretch far enough.

Families tend to lean toward Essaouira – 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 Essaouira. 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.