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: $787 in Ksar El Kebir versus $1,271 in Playa del Carmen.

Estimated couple costs with rent: $1,242 in Ksar El Kebir versus $2,126 in Playa del Carmen.

Monthly costs for a family of three with rent: $1,697 in Ksar El Kebir versus $2,980 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 41% lower, Playa del Carmen 5% lower.

Meal at Budget Restaurant

$2.78 MAD 25.71

$11.87 MX$204

-76.58%

Three-Course Dinner for Two, Mid-Range

$33.21 MAD 307

$42.90 MX$736

-22.59%

Fast Food Meal (McDonalds, etc)

$7.94 MAD 73.4

$10.65 MX$183

-25.45%

Cappuccino

$1.60 MAD 14.77

$3.45 MX$59.2

-53.62%

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

$0.43 MAD 3.94

$1.50 MX$25.81

-71.33%

Water (0.33 liter bottle)

$0.35 MAD 3.20

$0.95 MX$16.28

-63.16%

Local Beer (0.5 liter draught)

$3.74 MAD 34.56

$3.03 MX$51.9

23.43%

Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$4.32 MAD 39.97

$4.61 MX$79.1

-6.29%

Milk (1 liter)

$0.84 MAD 7.80

$1.38 MX$23.61

-39.13%

White Bread (500g)

$0.71 MAD 6.53

$1.85 MX$31.70

-61.62%

Rice (white) (1kg)

$1.93 MAD 17.87

$1.61 MX$27.65

19.88%

Eggs

$1.91 MAD 17.66

$2.59 MX$44.51

-26.25%

Local Cheese (1kg)

$11.14 MAD 103

$8.26 MX$142

34.87%

Chicken Fillets (1kg)

$7.20 MAD 66.6

$8.37 MX$144

-13.98%

Beef Round Steak (1kg)

$11.87 MAD 110

$10.66 MX$183

11.35%

Apples (1kg)

$1.93 MAD 17.81

$2.63 MX$45.12

-26.62%

Banana (1kg)

$1.51 MAD 14.01

$1.49 MX$25.53

1.34%

Oranges (1kg)

$0.88 MAD 8.10

$1.92 MX$32.94

-54.17%

Tomato (1kg)

$0.83 MAD 7.64

$2.09 MX$35.81

-60.29%

Potato (1kg)

$0.78 MAD 7.21

$1.86 MX$31.88

-58.06%

Onion (1kg)

$0.80 MAD 7.36

$2.26 MX$38.81

-64.60%

Lettuce (1 head)

$0.46 MAD 4.27

$1.06 MX$18.23

-56.60%

Water (1.5 liter bottle)

$0.58 MAD 5.34

$1.09 MX$18.67

-46.79%

Cigarettes 20 Pack (Marlboro, Camel)

$4.51 MAD 41.68

$4.15 MX$71.2

8.67%

Wine (Bottle)

$8.12 MAD 75.2

$10.39 MX$178

-21.85%

Local Beer (0.5 liter bottle)

$2.85 MAD 26.41

$1.72 MX$29.59

65.70%

Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$2.88 MAD 26.68

$2.61 MX$44.85

10.34%

One-way Ticket (Public Transport)

$0.47 MAD 4.37

$0.54 MX$9.30

-12.96%

Public Transport Monthly Pass (Regular Price)

$16.69 MAD 154

$26.94 MX$462

-38.05%

Taxi Start (Normal Tariff)

$0.85 MAD 7.84

$3.13 MX$53.7

-72.84%

Taxi (Normal Tariff) (1km)

$0.82 MAD 7.59

$2.51 MX$43.09

-67.33%

Taxi 1hour Waiting (Normal Tariff)

$5.21 MAD 48.21

$3.15 MX$54.1

65.40%

Gasoline (1 liter)

$1.52 MAD 14.03

$1.27 MX$21.88

19.69%

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

$37.2K MAD 344.3K

$30.4K MX$521.3K

22.53%

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

$29.2K MAD 269.7K

$23.6K MX$404.5K

23.72%

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

$49.43 MAD 457

$83.0 MX$1,425

-40.45%

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

$12.24 MAD 113

$22.71 MX$390

-46.10%

Internet (50+ Mbps, Unlimited Data)

$42.02 MAD 389

$29.46 MX$506

42.63%

Gym Membership (Monthly)

$24.79 MAD 229

$51.0 MX$875

-51.39%

Tennis Court (1 Hour on Weekend)

$23.06 MAD 213

$18.33 MX$315

25.80%

Cinema Ticket

$8.60 MAD 79.5

$4.93 MX$84.5

74.44%

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

$209 MAD 1,933

$197 MX$3,386

5.92%

International Primary School, 1 Child (Yearly)

$5,500 MAD 50.9K

$5,280 MX$90.6K

4.17%

Jeans (Levis 501 Or Similar)

$65.3 MAD 604

$36.90 MX$633

77.02%

Summer Dress (H&M, Zara, etc)

$53.5 MAD 494

$39.89 MX$685

33.99%

Sport Shoes (Adidas, Nike)

$109 MAD 1,004

$80.0 MX$1,373

35.70%

Men's Leather Business Shoes

$89.3 MAD 826

$89.5 MX$1,536

-0.16%

1-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)

$279 MAD 2,583

$956 MX$16.4K

-70.80%

1-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)

$177 MAD 1,640

$477 MX$8,189

-62.84%

3-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)

$497 MAD 4,594

$1,646 MX$28.3K

-69.83%

3-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)

$301 MAD 2,788

$1,225 MX$21.0K

-75.39%

Buy Apartment in City Center (m2)

$1,654 MAD 15.3K

$3,918 MX$67.2K

-57.78%

Buy Apartment Outside City Center (m2)

$963 MAD 8,913

$6,459 MX$110.9K

-85.08%

Average Monthly Net Salary (After Tax)

$667 MX$11.4K

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: June 8, 2026

Last update for Playa del Carmen: June 7, 2026

Cost Breakdown

A one-bedroom apartment in the center runs $279 in Ksar El Kebir and $956 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 $211 vs $250 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 62% gap adds up to real monthly savings that compound significantly over time.

You'd need roughly $1,180 in Ksar El Kebir and $1,906 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: $279 in Ksar El Kebir versus $956 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 $787 in Ksar El Kebir versus $1,271 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 62% less than in Playa del Carmen. Beyond cost, consider language, visa policies, and how big the international community is in each city.