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

Monthly Cost of Living

A single person spends $773 per month in Larache vs $1,293 in Playa del Carmen, rent included.

A couple spends around $1,202 per month in Larache vs $2,334 in Playa del Carmen, rent included.

A family of three spends $1,630 per month in Larache vs $3,374 in Playa del Carmen, rent included.

Larache is about 40% cheaper than Playa del Carmen, driven mainly by Eating Out.

Both Larache and Playa del Carmen are more affordable than the global median – Larache 44% lower, Playa del Carmen 6% lower.

Meal at Budget Restaurant

$3.83 MAD 35.85

$11.71 MX$198

-67.29%

Three-Course Dinner for Two, Mid-Range

$21.14 MAD 198

$46.59 MX$786

-54.63%

Fast Food Meal (McDonalds, etc)

$6.80 MAD 63.6

$11.65 MX$197

-41.63%

Cappuccino

$2.05 MAD 19.15

$4.09 MX$69.1

-49.88%

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

$0.63 MAD 5.87

$1.37 MX$23.20

-54.01%

Water (0.33 liter bottle)

$0.35 MAD 3.31

$0.83 MX$14.07

-57.83%

Local Beer (0.5 liter draught)

$2.67 MAD 24.96

$3.35 MX$56.6

-20.30%

Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$3.27 MAD 30.63

$6.91 MX$117

-52.68%

Milk (1 liter)

$0.95 MAD 8.86

$1.73 MX$29.15

-45.09%

White Bread (500g)

$0.78 MAD 7.28

$2.26 MX$38.15

-65.49%

Rice (white) (1kg)

$1.91 MAD 17.83

$1.77 MX$29.86

7.91%

Eggs

$1.90 MAD 17.73

$2.73 MX$46.12

-30.40%

Local Cheese (1kg)

$11.52 MAD 108

$9.18 MX$155

25.49%

Chicken Fillets (1kg)

$7.35 MAD 68.8

$8.92 MX$151

-17.60%

Beef Round Steak (1kg)

$12.81 MAD 120

$12.60 MX$213

1.67%

Apples (1kg)

$1.73 MAD 16.17

$3.02 MX$51.0

-42.72%

Banana (1kg)

$1.55 MAD 14.46

$1.57 MX$26.51

-1.27%

Oranges (1kg)

$0.84 MAD 7.90

$2.13 MX$35.88

-60.56%

Tomato (1kg)

$0.77 MAD 7.16

$2.26 MX$38.22

-65.93%

Potato (1kg)

$0.67 MAD 6.28

$2.00 MX$33.82

-66.50%

Onion (1kg)

$0.75 MAD 7.05

$2.06 MX$34.85

-63.59%

Lettuce (1 head)

$0.46 MAD 4.35

$1.18 MX$19.91

-61.02%

Water (1.5 liter bottle)

$0.55 MAD 5.16

$1.20 MX$20.32

-54.17%

Cigarettes 20 Pack (Marlboro, Camel)

$4.34 MAD 40.62

$4.63 MX$78.2

-6.26%

Wine (Bottle)

$8.46 MAD 79.2

$10.69 MX$180

-20.86%

Local Beer (0.5 liter bottle)

$2.74 MAD 25.67

$1.62 MX$27.33

69.14%

Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$3.16 MAD 29.60

$2.88 MX$48.63

9.72%

One-way Ticket (Public Transport)

$0.55 MAD 5.14

$0.57 MX$9.68

-3.51%

Public Transport Monthly Pass (Regular Price)

$19.74 MAD 185

$29.83 MX$503

-33.83%

Taxi Start (Normal Tariff)

$0.56 MAD 5.25

$5.45 MX$91.9

-89.72%

Taxi (Normal Tariff) (1km)

$0.33 MAD 3.11

$3.70 MX$62.5

-91.08%

Taxi 1hour Waiting (Normal Tariff)

$4.80 MAD 44.86

$5.98 MX$101

-19.73%

Gasoline (1 liter)

$1.57 MAD 14.65

$1.55 MX$26.22

1.29%

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

$25.6K MAD 239.1K

$22.3K MX$376.8K

14.46%

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

$32.2K MAD 300.8K

$25.9K MX$438.0K

23.90%

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

$51.0 MAD 477

$89.1 MX$1,504

-42.75%

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

$11.56 MAD 108

$25.04 MX$423

-53.83%

Internet (50+ Mbps, Unlimited Data)

$45.37 MAD 424

$31.50 MX$532

44.03%

Gym Membership (Monthly)

$21.39 MAD 200

$67.8 MX$1,144

-68.44%

Tennis Court (1 Hour on Weekend)

$21.26 MAD 199

$28.92 MX$488

-26.49%

Cinema Ticket

$5.40 MAD 50.6

$5.05 MX$85.2

6.93%

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

$105 MAD 985

$225 MX$3,797

-53.18%

International Primary School, 1 Child (Yearly)

$5,680 MAD 53.1K

$4,222 MX$71.3K

34.51%

Jeans (Levis 501 Or Similar)

$60.7 MAD 568

$47.44 MX$801

27.89%

Summer Dress (H&M, Zara, etc)

$49.49 MAD 463

$44.98 MX$759

10.03%

Sport Shoes (Adidas, Nike)

$102 MAD 953

$82.0 MX$1,384

24.28%

Men's Leather Business Shoes

$67.7 MAD 633

$92.1 MX$1,555

-26.53%

1-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)

$278 MAD 2,601

$1,069 MX$18.0K

-74.00%

1-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)

$177 MAD 1,660

$405 MX$6,842

-56.22%

3-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)

$478 MAD 4,476

$1,935 MX$32.7K

-75.28%

3-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)

$281 MAD 2,626

$1,301 MX$22.0K

-78.43%

Buy Apartment in City Center (m2)

$1,231 MAD 11.5K

$3,995 MX$67.4K

-69.18%

Buy Apartment Outside City Center (m2)

$947 MAD 8,859

$6,626 MX$111.8K

-85.71%

Average Monthly Net Salary (After Tax)

$287 MAD 2,686

$749 MX$12.6K

-61.66%

20-Year Fixed Mortgage Interest Rate (Annual %)

5.01

11.45

-56.24%

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

Last update for Larache: August 31, 2026

Last update for Playa del Carmen: August 29, 2026

Cost Breakdown

A central one-bedroom costs $278 in Larache versus $1,069 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 161% 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 $21.00 in Larache versus $47.00 in Playa del Carmen. Monthly groceries follow the same trend: $216 vs $277 – making Larache 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

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

Monthly costs with rent: $773 in Larache, $1,293 in Playa del Carmen – roughly 67% apart. Playa del Carmen costs more across the board, with Eating Out showing the biggest gap.

For a comfortable life, plan on about $1,160 per month in Larache and $1,940 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 Larache, especially for central apartments. Housing is actually the single biggest factor behind the overall cost gap between these two cities.

A mid-range dinner for two costs $21.00 in Larache and $47.00 in Playa del Carmen. That's a good indicator of the overall restaurant and café pricing gap between the two cities.

Monthly expenses with rent come to $773 in Larache and $1,293 in Playa del Carmen. The difference isn't just one category – it shows up across housing, food, transport, and services.

A $2,000 monthly budget goes further in Larache, where all-in costs run around $773, than in Playa del Carmen at $1,293. In Larache it covers expenses comfortably, while in Playa del Carmen it requires careful planning or may not stretch far enough.

It depends on your priorities. Playa del Carmen has an edge in some lifestyle areas, with costs from $773 in Larache to $1,293 in Playa del Carmen. Climate, culture, job market, and personal taste all factor in.

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 Larache. 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.