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 $1,260 in Playa del Carmen.

Estimated couple costs with rent: $1,267 in Ksar El Kebir versus $2,125 in Playa del Carmen.

Monthly costs for a family of three with rent: $1,747 in Ksar El Kebir versus $2,990 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

$2.68 MAD 24.95

$11.72 MX$203

-77.13%

Three-Course Dinner for Two, Mid-Range

$33.54 MAD 313

$41.89 MX$725

-19.93%

Fast Food Meal (McDonalds, etc)

$8.20 MAD 76.4

$10.51 MX$182

-21.98%

Cappuccino

$1.59 MAD 14.86

$3.59 MX$62.0

-55.71%

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

$0.46 MAD 4.27

$1.51 MX$26.10

-69.54%

Water (0.33 liter bottle)

$0.34 MAD 3.18

$0.92 MX$15.83

-63.04%

Local Beer (0.5 liter draught)

$3.86 MAD 36.00

$2.96 MX$51.2

30.41%

Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$4.33 MAD 40.37

$4.41 MX$76.3

-1.81%

Milk (1 liter)

$0.84 MAD 7.85

$1.40 MX$24.16

-40.00%

White Bread (500g)

$0.71 MAD 6.63

$1.88 MX$32.60

-62.23%

Rice (white) (1kg)

$2.03 MAD 18.88

$1.56 MX$26.97

30.13%

Eggs

$1.99 MAD 18.56

$2.61 MX$45.14

-23.75%

Local Cheese (1kg)

$11.11 MAD 104

$8.32 MX$144

33.53%

Chicken Fillets (1kg)

$7.33 MAD 68.4

$8.35 MX$145

-12.22%

Beef Round Steak (1kg)

$11.91 MAD 111

$10.86 MX$188

9.67%

Apples (1kg)

$1.92 MAD 17.87

$2.71 MX$46.93

-29.15%

Banana (1kg)

$1.56 MAD 14.58

$1.51 MX$26.04

3.31%

Oranges (1kg)

$0.93 MAD 8.63

$1.87 MX$32.41

-50.27%

Tomato (1kg)

$0.89 MAD 8.30

$2.19 MX$37.89

-59.36%

Potato (1kg)

$0.78 MAD 7.27

$1.86 MX$32.14

-58.06%

Onion (1kg)

$0.80 MAD 7.45

$2.23 MX$38.59

-64.13%

Lettuce (1 head)

$0.46 MAD 4.25

$1.07 MX$18.48

-57.01%

Water (1.5 liter bottle)

$0.62 MAD 5.80

$1.09 MX$18.79

-43.12%

Cigarettes 20 Pack (Marlboro, Camel)

$4.28 MAD 39.93

$4.19 MX$72.4

2.15%

Wine (Bottle)

$8.31 MAD 77.5

$10.43 MX$180

-20.33%

Local Beer (0.5 liter bottle)

$2.82 MAD 26.28

$1.66 MX$28.68

69.88%

Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$2.79 MAD 26.01

$2.61 MX$45.19

6.90%

One-way Ticket (Public Transport)

$0.48 MAD 4.43

$0.54 MX$9.37

-11.11%

Public Transport Monthly Pass (Regular Price)

$16.27 MAD 152

$26.16 MX$453

-37.81%

Taxi Start (Normal Tariff)

$0.90 MAD 8.38

$3.08 MX$53.3

-70.78%

Taxi (Normal Tariff) (1km)

$0.82 MAD 7.63

$2.40 MX$41.61

-65.83%

Taxi 1hour Waiting (Normal Tariff)

$5.40 MAD 50.3

$3.13 MX$54.1

72.52%

Gasoline (1 liter)

$1.47 MAD 13.71

$1.31 MX$22.69

12.21%

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

$37.3K MAD 347.7K

$29.8K MX$515.7K

25.11%

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

$29.4K MAD 274.3K

$23.3K MX$403.5K

26.13%

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

$49.45 MAD 461

$81.3 MX$1,406

-39.16%

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

$11.95 MAD 111

$22.56 MX$390

-47.03%

Internet (50+ Mbps, Unlimited Data)

$41.63 MAD 388

$30.05 MX$520

38.54%

Gym Membership (Monthly)

$24.56 MAD 229

$52.9 MX$915

-53.58%

Tennis Court (1 Hour on Weekend)

$23.43 MAD 218

$18.39 MX$318

27.41%

Cinema Ticket

$8.99 MAD 83.8

$4.92 MX$85.1

82.72%

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

$208 MAD 1,942

$201 MX$3,474

3.70%

International Primary School, 1 Child (Yearly)

$5,371 MAD 50.1K

$5,175 MX$89.5K

3.80%

Jeans (Levis 501 Or Similar)

$67.2 MAD 626

$35.92 MX$622

86.97%

Summer Dress (H&M, Zara, etc)

$54.3 MAD 506

$40.13 MX$694

35.26%

Sport Shoes (Adidas, Nike)

$110 MAD 1,027

$79.7 MX$1,379

38.26%

Men's Leather Business Shoes

$92.0 MAD 858

$86.5 MX$1,496

6.44%

1-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)

$278 MAD 2,593

$978 MX$16.9K

-71.57%

1-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)

$174 MAD 1,620

$470 MX$8,140

-63.06%

3-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)

$514 MAD 4,794

$1,651 MX$28.6K

-68.86%

3-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)

$303 MAD 2,823

$1,203 MX$20.8K

-74.84%

Buy Apartment in City Center (m2)

$1,082 MAD 10.1K

$3,953 MX$68.4K

-72.63%

Buy Apartment Outside City Center (m2)

$917 MAD 8,553

$6,607 MX$114.3K

-86.12%

Average Monthly Net Salary (After Tax)

$677 MX$11.7K

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: July 28, 2026

Last update for Playa del Carmen: July 27, 2026

Cost Breakdown

A one-bedroom apartment in the center runs $278 in Ksar El Kebir and $978 in Playa del Carmen. Housing cost is often the main lever when comparing two cities.

Dining out: $34.00 in Ksar El Kebir vs $42.00 in Playa del Carmen for a mid-range dinner for two. Groceries echo the gap at $214 vs $252 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 60% gap adds up to real monthly savings that compound significantly over time.

You'd need roughly $1,180 in Ksar El Kebir and $1,890 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: $278 in Ksar El Kebir versus $978 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 $34.00 versus $42.00 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 $1,260 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 60% less than in Playa del Carmen. Beyond cost, consider language, visa policies, and how big the international community is in each city.