Cost of Living Comparison Between Ksar El Kebir and Playa del Carmen Cost of Living Comparison Between Ksar El Kebir and Playa del Carmen

Monthly Cost of Living

Monthly costs for one person with rent: $799 in Ksar El Kebir versus $1,287 in Playa del Carmen.

Estimated couple costs with rent: $1,273 in Ksar El Kebir versus $2,184 in Playa del Carmen.

Monthly costs for a family of three with rent: $1,748 in Ksar El Kebir versus $3,082 in Playa del Carmen.

Living in Ksar El Kebir costs roughly 38% less than in Playa del Carmen, driven mainly by Eating Out.

Both cities sit below the global median: Ksar El Kebir 40% lower, Playa del Carmen 4% lower.

Meal at Budget Restaurant

$2.80 MAD 25.88

$11.94 MX$208

-76.55%

Three-Course Dinner for Two, Mid-Range

$32.69 MAD 302

$42.75 MX$744

-23.53%

Fast Food Meal (McDonalds, etc)

$8.27 MAD 76.5

$10.59 MX$184

-21.91%

Cappuccino

$1.60 MAD 14.79

$3.62 MX$63.0

-55.80%

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

$0.45 MAD 4.21

$1.47 MX$25.54

-69.39%

Water (0.33 liter bottle)

$0.31 MAD 2.90

$0.94 MX$16.41

-67.02%

Local Beer (0.5 liter draught)

$3.75 MAD 34.64

$3.09 MX$53.8

21.36%

Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$4.41 MAD 40.81

$4.46 MX$77.6

-1.12%

Milk (1 liter)

$0.90 MAD 8.29

$1.43 MX$24.80

-37.06%

White Bread (500g)

$0.77 MAD 7.16

$1.88 MX$32.79

-59.04%

Rice (white) (1kg)

$1.96 MAD 18.11

$1.63 MX$28.34

20.25%

Eggs

$1.99 MAD 18.45

$2.64 MX$45.99

-24.62%

Local Cheese (1kg)

$11.40 MAD 105

$8.21 MX$143

38.86%

Chicken Fillets (1kg)

$7.19 MAD 66.5

$8.29 MX$144

-13.27%

Beef Round Steak (1kg)

$11.80 MAD 109

$11.10 MX$193

6.31%

Apples (1kg)

$1.84 MAD 17.01

$2.65 MX$46.14

-30.57%

Banana (1kg)

$1.57 MAD 14.54

$1.50 MX$26.11

4.67%

Oranges (1kg)

$0.87 MAD 8.04

$1.99 MX$34.59

-56.28%

Tomato (1kg)

$0.89 MAD 8.24

$2.08 MX$36.13

-57.21%

Potato (1kg)

$0.72 MAD 6.63

$1.79 MX$31.11

-59.78%

Onion (1kg)

$0.73 MAD 6.79

$2.18 MX$37.87

-66.51%

Lettuce (1 head)

$0.46 MAD 4.25

$1.08 MX$18.73

-57.41%

Water (1.5 liter bottle)

$0.62 MAD 5.75

$1.04 MX$18.04

-40.38%

Cigarettes 20 Pack (Marlboro, Camel)

$4.41 MAD 40.83

$3.97 MX$69.1

11.08%

Wine (Bottle)

$8.01 MAD 74.1

$10.20 MX$178

-21.47%

Local Beer (0.5 liter bottle)

$2.78 MAD 25.70

$1.73 MX$30.04

60.69%

Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$2.78 MAD 25.72

$2.50 MX$43.46

11.20%

One-way Ticket (Public Transport)

$0.51 MAD 4.73

$0.52 MX$9.02

-1.92%

Public Transport Monthly Pass (Regular Price)

$16.70 MAD 154

$26.97 MX$469

-38.08%

Taxi Start (Normal Tariff)

$0.85 MAD 7.88

$3.14 MX$54.7

-72.93%

Taxi (Normal Tariff) (1km)

$0.82 MAD 7.61

$2.40 MX$41.80

-65.83%

Taxi 1hour Waiting (Normal Tariff)

$5.47 MAD 50.6

$3.09 MX$53.7

77.02%

Gasoline (1 liter)

$1.49 MAD 13.78

$1.27 MX$22.16

17.32%

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

$36.7K MAD 339.1K

$30.9K MX$537.3K

18.72%

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

$28.7K MAD 265.1K

$23.3K MX$405.7K

22.93%

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

$49.73 MAD 460

$82.0 MX$1,427

-39.36%

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

$12.16 MAD 112

$22.45 MX$391

-45.84%

Internet (50+ Mbps, Unlimited Data)

$42.80 MAD 396

$29.66 MX$516

44.30%

Gym Membership (Monthly)

$24.74 MAD 229

$51.9 MX$903

-52.30%

Tennis Court (1 Hour on Weekend)

$23.29 MAD 215

$18.67 MX$325

24.75%

Cinema Ticket

$8.72 MAD 80.7

$4.97 MX$86.5

75.45%

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

$208 MAD 1,920

$198 MX$3,442

4.93%

International Primary School, 1 Child (Yearly)

$5,476 MAD 50.7K

$5,273 MX$91.7K

3.86%

Jeans (Levis 501 Or Similar)

$65.9 MAD 609

$36.34 MX$632

81.29%

Summer Dress (H&M, Zara, etc)

$53.5 MAD 495

$40.05 MX$697

33.48%

Sport Shoes (Adidas, Nike)

$112 MAD 1,037

$79.9 MX$1,390

40.30%

Men's Leather Business Shoes

$90.1 MAD 833

$88.9 MX$1,547

1.35%

1-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)

$285 MAD 2,633

$963 MX$16.8K

-70.45%

1-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)

$176 MAD 1,626

$465 MX$8,086

-62.17%

3-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)

$511 MAD 4,724

$1,596 MX$27.8K

-68.01%

3-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)

$310 MAD 2,871

$1,209 MX$21.0K

-74.33%

Buy Apartment in City Center (m2)

$1,638 MAD 15.1K

$3,942 MX$68.6K

-58.45%

Buy Apartment Outside City Center (m2)

$1,091 MAD 10.1K

$6,448 MX$112.2K

-83.07%

Average Monthly Net Salary (After Tax)

$720 MX$12.5K

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 Ksar El Kebir: April 27, 2026

Last update for Playa del Carmen: April 25, 2026

Cost Breakdown

A one-bedroom apartment in the center runs $285 in Ksar El Kebir and $963 in Playa del Carmen. Housing cost is often the main lever when comparing two cities.

Dining out: $33.00 in Ksar El Kebir vs $43.00 in Playa del Carmen for a mid-range dinner for two. Groceries echo the gap at $213 vs $251 per month, with Ksar El Kebir 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

Ksar El Kebir vs Playa del Carmen: Cost of Living - Frequently Asked Questions

Ksar El Kebir is cheaper overall, especially in Groceries & Markets, Eating Out, Sport & Entertainment, Getting Around. The 61% gap adds up to real monthly savings that compound significantly over time.

You'd need roughly $1,198 in Ksar El Kebir and $1,930 in Playa del Carmen to live well. The gap comes down to housing and overall price levels. Both cities are liveable on less, but these numbers represent actual comfort.

Rent for a central apartment: $285 in Ksar El Kebir versus $963 in Playa del Carmen. Housing is usually the single largest factor when comparing overall living costs between the two.

Supermarket bills run roughly 18% higher in Playa del Carmen. For households that cook at home regularly, that difference adds up over a month.

Dining out is cheaper in Ksar El Kebir – a meal for two runs $33.00 versus $43.00 in Playa del Carmen. If you eat out regularly, this makes a real dent in your monthly spending.

At $799 in Ksar El Kebir versus $1,287 in Playa del Carmen, a $1,500 budget is realistic in Ksar El Kebir but tight or insufficient in Playa del Carmen. The gap between the two cities makes Ksar El Kebir the clear choice for anyone on this budget.

For families, Ksar El Kebir 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, Ksar El Kebir 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 Ksar El Kebir gentler on the wallet – expenses run 61% less than in Playa del Carmen. Beyond cost, consider language, visa policies, and how big the international community is in each city.