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

Monthly Cost of Living

Monthly costs for one person with rent: $816 in Mohammedia versus $1,260 in Playa del Carmen.

Estimated couple costs with rent: $1,384 in Mohammedia versus $2,125 in Playa del Carmen.

Monthly costs for a family of three with rent: $1,952 in Mohammedia versus $2,990 in Playa del Carmen.

Living in Mohammedia costs roughly 35% less than in Playa del Carmen, driven mainly by Eating Out.

Both cities sit below the global median: Mohammedia 39% lower, Playa del Carmen 5% lower.

Currency
🍽 Eating Out
Mohammedia
Playa del Carmen
Difference
Meal at Budget Restaurant
$4.35 MAD 40.59
$11.72 MX$203
-62.88%
Three-Course Dinner for Two, Mid-Range
$29.74 MAD 277
$41.89 MX$725
-29.00%
Fast Food Meal (McDonalds, etc)
$7.31 MAD 68.2
$10.51 MX$182
-30.45%
Cappuccino
$1.89 MAD 17.59
$3.59 MX$62.0
-47.35%
Coke/Pepsi/Fanta/Sprite (0.33 liter bottle)
$0.71 MAD 6.64
$1.51 MX$26.10
-52.98%
Water (0.33 liter bottle)
$0.38 MAD 3.54
$0.92 MX$15.83
-58.70%
Local Beer (0.5 liter draught)
$3.90 MAD 36.35
$2.96 MX$51.2
31.76%
Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)
$4.51 MAD 42.05
$4.41 MX$76.3
2.27%
🛒 Groceries & Markets
Mohammedia
Playa del Carmen
Difference
Milk (1 liter)
$0.99 MAD 9.20
$1.40 MX$24.16
-29.29%
White Bread (500g)
$0.87 MAD 8.07
$1.88 MX$32.60
-53.72%
Rice (white) (1kg)
$2.01 MAD 18.72
$1.56 MX$26.97
28.85%
Eggs
$2.19 MAD 20.42
$2.61 MX$45.14
-16.09%
Local Cheese (1kg)
$11.44 MAD 107
$8.32 MX$144
37.50%
Chicken Fillets (1kg)
$7.13 MAD 66.5
$8.35 MX$145
-14.61%
Beef Round Steak (1kg)
$11.77 MAD 110
$10.86 MX$188
8.38%
Apples (1kg)
$1.56 MAD 14.57
$2.71 MX$46.93
-42.44%
Banana (1kg)
$1.43 MAD 13.33
$1.51 MX$26.04
-5.30%
Oranges (1kg)
$0.78 MAD 7.30
$1.87 MX$32.41
-58.29%
Tomato (1kg)
$0.83 MAD 7.70
$2.19 MX$37.89
-62.10%
Potato (1kg)
$0.72 MAD 6.72
$1.86 MX$32.14
-61.29%
Onion (1kg)
$0.75 MAD 7.02
$2.23 MX$38.59
-66.37%
Lettuce (1 head)
$0.50 MAD 4.68
$1.07 MX$18.48
-53.27%
Water (1.5 liter bottle)
$0.61 MAD 5.73
$1.09 MX$18.79
-44.04%
Cigarettes 20 Pack (Marlboro, Camel)
$4.41 MAD 41.07
$4.19 MX$72.4
5.25%
Wine (Bottle)
$8.53 MAD 79.5
$10.43 MX$180
-18.22%
Local Beer (0.5 liter bottle)
$2.90 MAD 27.06
$1.66 MX$28.68
74.70%
Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)
$3.31 MAD 30.82
$2.61 MX$45.19
26.82%
🚌 Getting Around
Mohammedia
Playa del Carmen
Difference
One-way Ticket (Public Transport)
$0.67 MAD 6.29
$0.54 MX$9.37
24.07%
Public Transport Monthly Pass (Regular Price)
$16.68 MAD 156
$26.16 MX$453
-36.24%
Taxi Start (Normal Tariff)
$0.80 MAD 7.50
$3.08 MX$53.3
-74.03%
Taxi (Normal Tariff) (1km)
$0.58 MAD 5.40
$2.40 MX$41.61
-75.83%
Taxi 1hour Waiting (Normal Tariff)
$5.42 MAD 50.6
$3.13 MX$54.1
73.16%
Gasoline (1 liter)
$1.54 MAD 14.36
$1.31 MX$22.69
17.56%
Midsize Hatchback 1.4l (Volkswagen Golf, Toyota Prius, Honda Civic, etc)
$37.2K MAD 346.6K
$29.8K MX$515.7K
24.72%
Compact Sedan 1.6l (Toyota Corolla, Mazda3, Kia K4, Hyundai Elantra, etc)
$26.8K MAD 250.3K
$23.3K MX$403.5K
15.10%
🧾 Monthly Utilities & Internet
Mohammedia
Playa del Carmen
Difference
Utilities for 2 People in 2-bedroom Apartment (Heating, Electricity, Gas, Water, Garbage) (85m2)
$50.5 MAD 471
$81.3 MX$1,406
-37.92%
SIM Card Monthly Plan (Calls and 10GB+ Data)
$11.14 MAD 104
$22.56 MX$390
-50.62%
Internet (50+ Mbps, Unlimited Data)
$40.26 MAD 375
$30.05 MX$520
33.98%
🎉 Sport & Entertainment
Mohammedia
Playa del Carmen
Difference
Gym Membership (Monthly)
$26.91 MAD 251
$52.9 MX$915
-49.14%
Tennis Court (1 Hour on Weekend)
$23.36 MAD 218
$18.39 MX$318
27.03%
Cinema Ticket
$8.83 MAD 82.4
$4.92 MX$85.1
79.47%
🧸 Childcare & Education
Mohammedia
Playa del Carmen
Difference
Preschool or Kindergarten, Full Day, Private, 1 Child (Monthly)
$154 MAD 1,435
$201 MX$3,474
-23.36%
International Primary School, 1 Child (Yearly)
$5,487 MAD 51.2K
$5,175 MX$89.5K
6.03%
👕👟 Clothing & Footwear
Mohammedia
Playa del Carmen
Difference
Jeans (Levis 501 Or Similar)
$52.0 MAD 485
$35.92 MX$622
44.85%
Summer Dress (H&M, Zara, etc)
$53.0 MAD 494
$40.13 MX$694
32.07%
Sport Shoes (Adidas, Nike)
$111 MAD 1,032
$79.7 MX$1,379
38.92%
Men's Leather Business Shoes
$88.5 MAD 825
$86.5 MX$1,496
2.34%
🏠 Accommodation & Living
Mohammedia
Playa del Carmen
Difference
1-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)
$272 MAD 2,533
$978 MX$16.9K
-72.22%
1-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)
$172 MAD 1,600
$470 MX$8,140
-63.53%
3-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)
$512 MAD 4,773
$1,651 MX$28.6K
-69.00%
3-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)
$511 MAD 4,769
$1,203 MX$20.8K
-57.50%
Buy Apartment in City Center (m2)
$1,637 MAD 15.3K
$3,953 MX$68.4K
-58.59%
Buy Apartment Outside City Center (m2)
$1,030 MAD 9,599
$6,607 MX$114.3K
-84.42%
💵 Salaries & Financials
Mohammedia
Playa del Carmen
Difference
Average Monthly Net Salary (After Tax)
$577 MAD 5,384
$677 MX$11.7K
-14.67%
20-Year Fixed Mortgage Interest Rate (Annual %)
4.35
11.42
-61.91%

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

Last update for Mohammedia: July 25, 2026

Last update for Playa del Carmen: July 27, 2026

Cost Breakdown

A one-bedroom apartment in the center runs $272 in Mohammedia and $978 in Playa del Carmen. Housing cost is often the main lever when comparing two cities.

Playa del Carmen pays 17% more on average. The extra income cushions the higher costs, though housing choices and lifestyle decide how much of the gap is truly closed.

Dining out: $30.00 in Mohammedia vs $42.00 in Playa del Carmen for a mid-range dinner for two. Groceries echo the gap at $215 vs $252 per month, with Mohammedia 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
Mohammedia vs Playa del Carmen: Cost of Living - Frequently Asked Questions
What is the total cost difference between living in Mohammedia and in Playa del Carmen?
Mohammedia and Playa del Carmen differ by about 55% in total monthly costs ($816 vs $1,260 including rent). Mohammedia is meaningfully more affordable – a gap that matters a lot on a fixed or modest income.
Which city has better-paying jobs?
On paper, salaries run 17% lower in Playa del Carmen. That's worth factoring in alongside costs, though remote workers earning in a stronger currency may not notice the difference at all.
How do apartment prices compare in Mohammedia and in Playa del Carmen?
Rent for a central apartment: $272 in Mohammedia versus $978 in Playa del Carmen. Housing is usually the single largest factor when comparing overall living costs between the two.
Which city has cheaper grocery shopping?
Supermarket bills run roughly 17% higher in Playa del Carmen. For households that cook at home regularly, that difference adds up over a month.
Which city has cheaper restaurants?
Dining out is cheaper in Mohammedia – a meal for two runs $30.00 versus $42.00 in Playa del Carmen. If you eat out regularly, this makes a real dent in your monthly spending.
Which city is more doable on $2,000 per month?
At $816 in Mohammedia versus $1,260 in Playa del Carmen, a $2,000 budget is realistic in Mohammedia but tight or insufficient in Playa del Carmen. The gap between the two cities makes Mohammedia the clear choice for anyone on this budget.
How does quality of life compare between Mohammedia and Playa del Carmen?
Both cities offer a good standard of living with different trade-offs. Neither is objectively better – the right pick depends on what matters most: affordability, career, cultural scene, or climate.
Is Mohammedia or Playa del Carmen safer for residents?
Safety-wise, Mohammedia 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.
Where should expats move: Mohammedia or Playa del Carmen?
Expats usually find Mohammedia gentler on the wallet – expenses run 55% less than in Playa del Carmen. Beyond cost, consider language, visa policies, and how big the international community is in each city.

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