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 $905 per month in Marrakech vs $1,297 in Playa del Carmen, rent included.

A couple spends around $1,396 per month in Marrakech vs $2,181 in Playa del Carmen, rent included.

A family of three spends $1,888 per month in Marrakech vs $3,065 in Playa del Carmen, rent included.

Marrakech is about 30% cheaper than Playa del Carmen, driven mainly by Eating Out.

Both Marrakech and Playa del Carmen are more affordable than the global median – Marrakech 32% lower, Playa del Carmen 3% lower.

Meal at Budget Restaurant

$4.56 MAD 41.93

$11.73 MX$203

-61.13%

Three-Course Dinner for Two, Mid-Range

$33.31 MAD 306

$41.62 MX$720

-19.97%

Fast Food Meal (McDonalds, etc)

$6.99 MAD 64.2

$10.64 MX$184

-34.30%

Cappuccino

$2.54 MAD 23.33

$3.52 MX$60.9

-27.84%

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

$1.27 MAD 11.63

$1.51 MX$26.12

-15.89%

Water (0.33 liter bottle)

$0.60 MAD 5.55

$0.97 MX$16.84

-38.14%

Local Beer (0.5 liter draught)

$5.34 MAD 49.06

$2.95 MX$51.0

81.02%

Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$6.32 MAD 58.1

$4.45 MX$77.0

42.02%

Milk (1 liter)

$0.90 MAD 8.28

$1.38 MX$23.93

-34.78%

White Bread (500g)

$0.58 MAD 5.35

$1.89 MX$32.72

-69.31%

Rice (white) (1kg)

$1.75 MAD 16.06

$1.64 MX$28.32

6.71%

Eggs

$2.09 MAD 19.19

$2.51 MX$43.34

-16.73%

Local Cheese (1kg)

$9.56 MAD 87.9

$8.34 MX$144

14.63%

Chicken Fillets (1kg)

$5.98 MAD 55.0

$8.34 MX$144

-28.30%

Beef Round Steak (1kg)

$11.03 MAD 101

$10.73 MX$186

2.80%

Apples (1kg)

$1.58 MAD 14.53

$2.60 MX$45.04

-39.23%

Banana (1kg)

$1.35 MAD 12.38

$1.46 MX$25.20

-7.53%

Oranges (1kg)

$0.90 MAD 8.27

$1.90 MX$32.87

-52.63%

Tomato (1kg)

$0.88 MAD 8.08

$2.08 MX$35.91

-57.69%

Potato (1kg)

$0.80 MAD 7.39

$1.78 MX$30.71

-55.06%

Onion (1kg)

$0.74 MAD 6.83

$2.19 MX$37.80

-66.21%

Lettuce (1 head)

$0.42 MAD 3.88

$1.04 MX$17.99

-59.62%

Water (1.5 liter bottle)

$0.64 MAD 5.88

$1.08 MX$18.62

-40.74%

Cigarettes 20 Pack (Marlboro, Camel)

$4.35 MAD 39.94

$4.08 MX$70.6

6.62%

Wine (Bottle)

$8.22 MAD 75.5

$10.32 MX$178

-20.35%

Local Beer (0.5 liter bottle)

$2.68 MAD 24.63

$1.71 MX$29.61

56.73%

Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$2.96 MAD 27.18

$2.58 MX$44.54

14.73%

One-way Ticket (Public Transport)

$0.43 MAD 3.92

$0.51 MX$8.81

-15.69%

Public Transport Monthly Pass (Regular Price)

$10.91 MAD 100

$26.46 MX$458

-58.77%

Taxi Start (Normal Tariff)

$1.02 MAD 9.42

$3.26 MX$56.4

-68.71%

Taxi (Normal Tariff) (1km)

$0.51 MAD 4.71

$2.49 MX$43.09

-79.52%

Taxi 1hour Waiting (Normal Tariff)

$5.44 MAD 50.0

$3.25 MX$56.2

67.38%

Gasoline (1 liter)

$1.58 MAD 14.54

$1.31 MX$22.61

20.61%

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

$37.8K MAD 347.2K

$30.3K MX$523.7K

24.76%

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

$30.1K MAD 276.5K

$23.4K MX$405.3K

28.39%

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

$31.74 MAD 292

$82.9 MX$1,433

-61.70%

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

$10.91 MAD 100

$22.22 MX$384

-50.90%

Internet (50+ Mbps, Unlimited Data)

$46.40 MAD 426

$29.34 MX$507

58.15%

Gym Membership (Monthly)

$23.72 MAD 218

$51.6 MX$893

-54.06%

Tennis Court (1 Hour on Weekend)

$32.52 MAD 299

$18.32 MX$317

77.51%

Cinema Ticket

$6.74 MAD 62.0

$5.07 MX$87.6

32.94%

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

$111 MAD 1,023

$201 MX$3,473

-44.59%

International Primary School, 1 Child (Yearly)

$6,435 MAD 59.1K

$5,212 MX$90.1K

23.47%

Jeans (Levis 501 Or Similar)

$41.93 MAD 385

$36.92 MX$639

13.57%

Summer Dress (H&M, Zara, etc)

$50.0 MAD 460

$39.79 MX$688

25.68%

Sport Shoes (Adidas, Nike)

$110 MAD 1,013

$78.5 MX$1,357

40.48%

Men's Leather Business Shoes

$102 MAD 938

$87.1 MX$1,506

17.15%

1-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)

$435 MAD 3,997

$973 MX$16.8K

-55.28%

1-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)

$283 MAD 2,601

$468 MX$8,090

-39.48%

3-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)

$763 MAD 7,015

$1,641 MX$28.4K

-53.49%

3-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)

$443 MAD 4,072

$1,221 MX$21.1K

-63.71%

Buy Apartment in City Center (m2)

$1,993 MAD 18.3K

$3,946 MX$68.3K

-49.49%

Buy Apartment Outside City Center (m2)

$1,039 MAD 9,550

$6,498 MX$112.4K

-84.01%

Average Monthly Net Salary (After Tax)

$528 MAD 4,850

$664 MX$11.5K

-20.51%

20-Year Fixed Mortgage Interest Rate (Annual %)

4.75

11.42

-58.41%

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

Last update for Marrakech: June 1, 2026

Last update for Playa del Carmen: June 2, 2026

Cost Breakdown

A central one-bedroom costs $435 in Marrakech versus $973 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 26% 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 $33.00 in Marrakech versus $42.00 in Playa del Carmen. Monthly groceries follow the same trend: $195 vs $249 – 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 43%, and the gap shows up most in Eating Out. It's not just housing either; the difference applies across most spending categories.

For a comfortable life, plan on about $1,357 per month in Marrakech and $1,945 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 $111 per month in Marrakech and $201 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 28% 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 $905, than in Playa del Carmen at $1,297. 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.