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 $791 per month in Larache vs $1,256 in Playa del Carmen, rent included.

A couple spends around $1,217 per month in Larache vs $2,137 in Playa del Carmen, rent included.

A family of three spends $1,642 per month in Larache vs $3,017 in Playa del Carmen, rent included.

Larache is about 37% cheaper than Playa del Carmen, driven mainly by Eating Out.

Both Larache and Playa del Carmen are more affordable than the global median – Larache 41% lower, Playa del Carmen 6% lower.

Meal at Budget Restaurant

$3.86 MAD 36.01

$11.99 MX$210

-67.81%

Three-Course Dinner for Two, Mid-Range

$21.60 MAD 201

$41.78 MX$731

-48.30%

Fast Food Meal (McDonalds, etc)

$7.18 MAD 66.9

$10.75 MX$188

-33.21%

Cappuccino

$2.36 MAD 22.02

$3.50 MX$61.1

-32.57%

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

$0.69 MAD 6.42

$1.45 MX$25.33

-52.41%

Water (0.33 liter bottle)

$0.32 MAD 2.95

$0.88 MX$15.47

-63.64%

Local Beer (0.5 liter draught)

$2.79 MAD 26.04

$2.95 MX$51.6

-5.42%

Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$3.22 MAD 30.01

$4.51 MX$78.9

-28.60%

Milk (1 liter)

$0.99 MAD 9.20

$1.43 MX$25.04

-30.77%

White Bread (500g)

$0.71 MAD 6.63

$1.84 MX$32.13

-61.41%

Rice (white) (1kg)

$1.97 MAD 18.35

$1.57 MX$27.42

25.48%

Eggs

$1.94 MAD 18.07

$2.51 MX$43.92

-22.71%

Local Cheese (1kg)

$11.09 MAD 103

$8.28 MX$145

33.94%

Chicken Fillets (1kg)

$7.43 MAD 69.3

$8.43 MX$147

-11.86%

Beef Round Steak (1kg)

$11.92 MAD 111

$10.68 MX$187

11.61%

Apples (1kg)

$1.85 MAD 17.30

$2.61 MX$45.62

-29.12%

Banana (1kg)

$1.58 MAD 14.75

$1.44 MX$25.15

9.72%

Oranges (1kg)

$0.94 MAD 8.72

$1.96 MX$34.31

-52.04%

Tomato (1kg)

$0.83 MAD 7.70

$2.09 MX$36.62

-60.29%

Potato (1kg)

$0.78 MAD 7.27

$1.85 MX$32.37

-57.84%

Onion (1kg)

$0.76 MAD 7.05

$2.17 MX$37.90

-64.98%

Lettuce (1 head)

$0.42 MAD 3.92

$1.03 MX$18.04

-59.22%

Water (1.5 liter bottle)

$0.57 MAD 5.36

$1.07 MX$18.78

-46.73%

Cigarettes 20 Pack (Marlboro, Camel)

$4.50 MAD 41.92

$4.10 MX$71.7

9.76%

Wine (Bottle)

$7.83 MAD 73.0

$10.17 MX$178

-23.01%

Local Beer (0.5 liter bottle)

$2.90 MAD 27.06

$1.68 MX$29.29

72.62%

Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$2.88 MAD 26.84

$2.53 MX$44.17

13.83%

One-way Ticket (Public Transport)

$0.51 MAD 4.79

$0.51 MX$8.90

Public Transport Monthly Pass (Regular Price)

$16.36 MAD 153

$26.04 MX$455

-37.17%

Taxi Start (Normal Tariff)

$0.58 MAD 5.38

$3.23 MX$56.5

-82.04%

Taxi (Normal Tariff) (1km)

$0.48 MAD 4.43

$2.41 MX$42.06

-80.08%

Taxi 1hour Waiting (Normal Tariff)

$5.25 MAD 48.94

$3.23 MX$56.5

62.54%

Gasoline (1 liter)

$1.46 MAD 13.62

$1.32 MX$23.10

10.61%

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

$26.7K MAD 249.2K

$29.7K MX$519.2K

-10.01%

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

$29.2K MAD 272.3K

$23.7K MX$413.7K

23.43%

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

$49.36 MAD 460

$82.0 MX$1,434

-39.81%

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

$12.28 MAD 115

$22.95 MX$401

-46.49%

Internet (50+ Mbps, Unlimited Data)

$42.68 MAD 398

$30.11 MX$527

41.75%

Gym Membership (Monthly)

$22.08 MAD 206

$52.0 MX$909

-57.51%

Tennis Court (1 Hour on Weekend)

$23.36 MAD 218

$18.53 MX$324

26.07%

Cinema Ticket

$5.43 MAD 50.6

$4.98 MX$87.0

9.04%

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

$208 MAD 1,943

$197 MX$3,452

5.51%

International Primary School, 1 Child (Yearly)

$5,407 MAD 50.4K

$5,336 MX$93.3K

1.32%

Jeans (Levis 501 Or Similar)

$65.0 MAD 606

$35.60 MX$622

82.47%

Summer Dress (H&M, Zara, etc)

$54.0 MAD 504

$40.33 MX$705

33.90%

Sport Shoes (Adidas, Nike)

$109 MAD 1,015

$78.8 MX$1,377

38.26%

Men's Leather Business Shoes

$91.1 MAD 849

$88.9 MX$1,555

2.42%

1-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)

$284 MAD 2,650

$947 MX$16.6K

-69.99%

1-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)

$173 MAD 1,611

$474 MX$8,288

-63.55%

3-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)

$497 MAD 4,634

$1,644 MX$28.7K

-69.77%

3-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)

$310 MAD 2,892

$1,211 MX$21.2K

-74.38%

Buy Apartment in City Center (m2)

$1,209 MAD 11.3K

$4,056 MX$70.9K

-70.20%

Buy Apartment Outside City Center (m2)

$915 MAD 8,528

$6,470 MX$113.1K

-85.86%

Average Monthly Net Salary (After Tax)

$285 MAD 2,656

$654 MX$11.4K

-56.43%

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 Larache: July 12, 2026

Last update for Playa del Carmen: July 13, 2026

Cost Breakdown

A central one-bedroom costs $284 in Larache 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 130% 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 $22.00 in Larache versus $42.00 in Playa del Carmen. Monthly groceries follow the same trend: $214 vs $249 – 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: $791 in Larache, $1,256 in Playa del Carmen – roughly 59% apart. Playa del Carmen costs more across the board, with Eating Out showing the biggest gap.

For a comfortable life, plan on about $1,187 per month in Larache 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 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 $22.00 in Larache and $42.00 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 $791 in Larache and $1,256 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 $791, than in Playa del Carmen at $1,256. 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 $791 in Larache to $1,256 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.