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

Monthly Cost of Living

A single person spends $943 per month in Marrakech vs $1,293 in Playa del Carmen, rent included.

A couple spends around $1,380 per month in Marrakech vs $2,334 in Playa del Carmen, rent included.

A family of three spends $1,817 per month in Marrakech vs $3,374 in Playa del Carmen, rent included.

Marrakech is about 27% cheaper than Playa del Carmen, driven mainly by Groceries & Markets.

Both Marrakech and Playa del Carmen are more affordable than the global median – Marrakech 31% lower, Playa del Carmen 6% lower.

Meal at Budget Restaurant

$3.85 MAD 35.92

$11.71 MX$199

-67.12%

Three-Course Dinner for Two, Mid-Range

$32.21 MAD 301

$46.59 MX$791

-30.86%

Fast Food Meal (McDonalds, etc)

$6.32 MAD 59.0

$11.65 MX$198

-45.75%

Cappuccino

$2.36 MAD 22.05

$4.09 MX$69.5

-42.30%

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

$2.01 MAD 18.79

$1.37 MX$23.34

46.72%

Water (0.33 liter bottle)

$0.64 MAD 5.94

$0.83 MX$14.16

-22.89%

Local Beer (0.5 liter draught)

$6.97 MAD 65.1

$3.35 MX$56.9

108.06%

Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$5.45 MAD 50.9

$6.91 MX$117

-21.13%

Milk (1 liter)

$0.92 MAD 8.55

$1.73 MX$29.33

-46.82%

White Bread (500g)

$0.90 MAD 8.43

$2.26 MX$38.39

-60.18%

Rice (white) (1kg)

$1.56 MAD 14.61

$1.77 MX$30.05

-11.86%

Eggs

$2.07 MAD 19.34

$2.73 MX$46.41

-24.18%

Local Cheese (1kg)

$7.99 MAD 74.6

$9.18 MX$156

-12.96%

Chicken Fillets (1kg)

$5.45 MAD 50.8

$8.92 MX$151

-38.90%

Beef Round Steak (1kg)

$12.01 MAD 112

$12.60 MX$214

-4.68%

Apples (1kg)

$1.69 MAD 15.82

$3.02 MX$51.3

-44.04%

Banana (1kg)

$1.43 MAD 13.34

$1.57 MX$26.68

-8.92%

Oranges (1kg)

$0.94 MAD 8.80

$2.13 MX$36.10

-55.87%

Tomato (1kg)

$0.77 MAD 7.18

$2.26 MX$38.46

-65.93%

Potato (1kg)

$0.75 MAD 7.05

$2.00 MX$34.04

-62.50%

Onion (1kg)

$0.81 MAD 7.53

$2.06 MX$35.06

-60.68%

Lettuce (1 head)

$0.26 MAD 2.43

$1.18 MX$20.04

-77.97%

Water (1.5 liter bottle)

$0.59 MAD 5.52

$1.20 MX$20.45

-50.83%

Cigarettes 20 Pack (Marlboro, Camel)

$4.37 MAD 40.76

$4.63 MX$78.7

-5.62%

Wine (Bottle)

$8.30 MAD 77.5

$10.69 MX$182

-22.36%

Local Beer (0.5 liter bottle)

$2.31 MAD 21.60

$1.62 MX$27.50

42.59%

Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$3.38 MAD 31.59

$2.88 MX$48.93

17.36%

One-way Ticket (Public Transport)

$0.42 MAD 3.90

$0.57 MX$9.74

-26.32%

Public Transport Monthly Pass (Regular Price)

$26.70 MAD 249

$29.83 MX$507

-10.49%

Taxi Start (Normal Tariff)

$0.93 MAD 8.72

$5.45 MX$92.5

-82.94%

Taxi (Normal Tariff) (1km)

$0.62 MAD 5.82

$3.70 MX$62.9

-83.24%

Taxi 1hour Waiting (Normal Tariff)

$7.32 MAD 68.4

$5.98 MX$102

22.41%

Gasoline (1 liter)

$1.57 MAD 14.61

$1.55 MX$26.38

1.29%

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

$34.9K MAD 325.4K

$22.3K MX$379.2K

56.11%

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

$31.4K MAD 293.3K

$25.9K MX$440.7K

21.07%

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

$37.01 MAD 346

$89.1 MX$1,514

-58.48%

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

$9.67 MAD 90.3

$25.04 MX$425

-61.38%

Internet (50+ Mbps, Unlimited Data)

$38.22 MAD 357

$31.50 MX$535

21.33%

Gym Membership (Monthly)

$30.63 MAD 286

$67.8 MX$1,151

-54.81%

Tennis Court (1 Hour on Weekend)

$22.32 MAD 208

$28.92 MX$491

-22.82%

Cinema Ticket

$6.56 MAD 61.3

$5.05 MX$85.8

29.90%

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

$102 MAD 955

$225 MX$3,820

-54.54%

International Primary School, 1 Child (Yearly)

$8,697 MAD 81.2K

$4,222 MX$71.7K

105.97%

Jeans (Levis 501 Or Similar)

$32.69 MAD 305

$47.44 MX$806

-31.09%

Summer Dress (H&M, Zara, etc)

$47.05 MAD 439

$44.98 MX$764

4.60%

Sport Shoes (Adidas, Nike)

$85.9 MAD 802

$82.0 MX$1,392

4.78%

Men's Leather Business Shoes

$84.5 MAD 788

$92.1 MX$1,564

-8.32%

1-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)

$500 MAD 4,671

$1,069 MX$18.2K

-53.20%

1-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)

$333 MAD 3,110

$405 MX$6,884

-17.82%

3-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)

$740 MAD 6,910

$1,935 MX$32.9K

-61.76%

3-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)

$470 MAD 4,385

$1,301 MX$22.1K

-63.90%

Buy Apartment in City Center (m2)

$1,979 MAD 18.5K

$3,995 MX$67.9K

-50.47%

Buy Apartment Outside City Center (m2)

$975 MAD 9,104

$6,626 MX$112.5K

-85.28%

Average Monthly Net Salary (After Tax)

$514 MAD 4,797

$749 MX$12.7K

-31.37%

20-Year Fixed Mortgage Interest Rate (Annual %)

3.5

11.45

-69.43%

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

Last update for Marrakech: August 29, 2026

Last update for Playa del Carmen: August 29, 2026

Cost Breakdown

A central one-bedroom costs $500 in Marrakech 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 46% 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 $32.00 in Marrakech versus $47.00 in Playa del Carmen. Monthly groceries follow the same trend: $192 vs $277 – making Marrakech 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

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

Yes – Playa del Carmen is pricier by about 37%, and the gap shows up most in Groceries & Markets. It's not just housing either; the difference applies across most spending categories.

For a comfortable life, plan on about $1,414 per month in Marrakech 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 Marrakech, especially for central apartments. Housing is actually the single biggest factor behind the overall cost gap between these two cities.

Kindergarten costs $102 per month in Marrakech and $225 in Playa del Carmen. For families with young kids, this one expense can tip the scales when choosing between the two cities.

Groceries cost about 44% more in Playa del Carmen, though it depends on what you buy. Local produce may be comparable; imported and premium items show the biggest price gap.

A $1,500 monthly budget goes further in Marrakech, where all-in costs run around $943, than in Playa del Carmen at $1,293. In Marrakech it covers expenses comfortably, while in Playa del Carmen it requires careful planning or may not stretch far enough.

Families tend to lean toward Marrakech – lower housing and cheaper childcare make a real difference, especially on a single income or when paying for private education.

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 Marrakech. 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.