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

Monthly Cost of Living

Monthly costs for one person with rent: $670 in Msaken versus $1,297 in Playa del Carmen.

Estimated couple costs with rent: $1,077 in Msaken versus $2,181 in Playa del Carmen.

Monthly costs for a family of three with rent: $1,483 in Msaken versus $3,065 in Playa del Carmen.

Living in Msaken costs roughly 48% less than in Playa del Carmen, driven mainly by Eating Out.

Both cities sit below the global median: Msaken 50% lower, Playa del Carmen 3% lower.

Meal at Budget Restaurant

$4.96 TND 14.42

$11.73 MX$203

-57.72%

Three-Course Dinner for Two, Mid-Range

$24.14 TND 70.1

$41.62 MX$720

-42.00%

Fast Food Meal (McDonalds, etc)

$5.06 TND 14.69

$10.64 MX$184

-52.44%

Cappuccino

$1.02 TND 2.97

$3.52 MX$60.9

-71.02%

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

$0.69 TND 2.02

$1.51 MX$26.12

-54.30%

Water (0.33 liter bottle)

$0.29 TND 0.84

$0.97 MX$16.84

-70.10%

Local Beer (0.5 liter draught)

$1.17 TND 3.41

$2.95 MX$51.0

-60.34%

Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$2.76 TND 8.01

$4.45 MX$77.0

-37.98%

Milk (1 liter)

$0.49 TND 1.43

$1.38 MX$23.93

-64.49%

White Bread (500g)

$0.17 TND 0.48

$1.89 MX$32.72

-91.01%

Rice (white) (1kg)

$1.29 TND 3.75

$1.64 MX$28.32

-21.34%

Eggs

$1.67 TND 4.86

$2.51 MX$43.34

-33.47%

Local Cheese (1kg)

$12.06 TND 35.00

$8.34 MX$144

44.60%

Chicken Fillets (1kg)

$6.33 TND 18.37

$8.34 MX$144

-24.10%

Beef Round Steak (1kg)

$13.76 TND 39.95

$10.73 MX$186

28.24%

Apples (1kg)

$2.09 TND 6.06

$2.60 MX$45.04

-19.62%

Banana (1kg)

$3.20 TND 9.30

$1.46 MX$25.20

119.18%

Oranges (1kg)

$1.12 TND 3.26

$1.90 MX$32.87

-41.05%

Tomato (1kg)

$0.75 TND 2.19

$2.08 MX$35.91

-63.94%

Potato (1kg)

$0.70 TND 2.02

$1.78 MX$30.71

-60.67%

Onion (1kg)

$0.59 TND 1.71

$2.19 MX$37.80

-73.06%

Lettuce (1 head)

$0.40 TND 1.17

$1.04 MX$17.99

-61.54%

Water (1.5 liter bottle)

$0.29 TND 0.84

$1.08 MX$18.62

-73.15%

Cigarettes 20 Pack (Marlboro, Camel)

$3.43 TND 9.96

$4.08 MX$70.6

-15.93%

Wine (Bottle)

$5.93 TND 17.23

$10.32 MX$178

-42.54%

Local Beer (0.5 liter bottle)

$1.15 TND 3.35

$1.71 MX$29.61

-32.75%

Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$1.33 TND 3.86

$2.58 MX$44.54

-48.45%

One-way Ticket (Public Transport)

$0.35 TND 1.03

$0.51 MX$8.81

-31.37%

Public Transport Monthly Pass (Regular Price)

$9.97 TND 28.96

$26.46 MX$458

-62.32%

Taxi Start (Normal Tariff)

$0.31 TND 0.89

$3.26 MX$56.4

-90.49%

Taxi (Normal Tariff) (1km)

$0.31 TND 0.89

$2.49 MX$43.09

-87.55%

Taxi 1hour Waiting (Normal Tariff)

$3.49 TND 10.14

$3.25 MX$56.2

7.38%

Gasoline (1 liter)

$0.88 TND 2.56

$1.31 MX$22.61

-32.82%

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

$40.0K TND 116.1K

$30.3K MX$523.7K

32.06%

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

$35.9K TND 104.1K

$23.4K MX$405.3K

53.09%

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

$58.2 TND 169

$82.9 MX$1,433

-29.73%

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

$9.99 TND 28.99

$22.22 MX$384

-55.04%

Internet (50+ Mbps, Unlimited Data)

$18.91 TND 54.9

$29.34 MX$507

-35.55%

Gym Membership (Monthly)

$23.79 TND 69.1

$51.6 MX$893

-53.92%

Tennis Court (1 Hour on Weekend)

$12.54 TND 36.42

$18.32 MX$317

-31.55%

Cinema Ticket

$5.32 TND 15.44

$5.07 MX$87.6

4.93%

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

$106 TND 308

$201 MX$3,473

-47.23%

International Primary School, 1 Child (Yearly)

$3,137 TND 9,109

$5,212 MX$90.1K

-39.80%

Jeans (Levis 501 Or Similar)

$41.07 TND 119

$36.92 MX$639

11.24%

Summer Dress (H&M, Zara, etc)

$60.7 TND 176

$39.79 MX$688

52.45%

Sport Shoes (Adidas, Nike)

$101 TND 293

$78.5 MX$1,357

28.57%

Men's Leather Business Shoes

$79.2 TND 230

$87.1 MX$1,506

-9.04%

1-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)

$195 TND 566

$973 MX$16.8K

-79.96%

1-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)

$136 TND 395

$468 MX$8,090

-70.93%

3-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)

$373 TND 1,083

$1,641 MX$28.4K

-77.27%

3-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)

$269 TND 780

$1,221 MX$21.1K

-77.99%

Buy Apartment in City Center (m2)

$987 TND 2,866

$3,946 MX$68.3K

-74.99%

Buy Apartment Outside City Center (m2)

$715 TND 2,076

$6,498 MX$112.4K

-89.00%

Average Monthly Net Salary (After Tax)

$248 TND 719

$664 MX$11.5K

-62.72%

20-Year Fixed Mortgage Interest Rate (Annual %)

10.96

11.42

-4.03%

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

Last update for Msaken: June 2, 2026

Last update for Playa del Carmen: June 2, 2026

Cost Breakdown

A one-bedroom apartment in the center runs $195 in Msaken and $973 in Playa del Carmen. Housing cost is often the main lever when comparing two cities.

Playa del Carmen pays 168% 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: $24.00 in Msaken vs $42.00 in Playa del Carmen for a mid-range dinner for two. Groceries echo the gap at $194 vs $249 per month, with Msaken 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

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

Msaken is cheaper overall, especially in Groceries & Markets, Eating Out, Sport & Entertainment, Monthly Utilities & Internet, Getting Around. The 93% gap adds up to real monthly savings that compound significantly over time.

On paper, Playa del Carmen earns 168% less. That's worth factoring in alongside costs, though remote workers earning in a stronger currency may not notice the difference at all.

Rent for a central apartment: $195 in Msaken versus $973 in Playa del Carmen. Housing is usually the single largest factor when comparing overall living costs between the two.

A monthly transit pass in Msaken runs roughly 165% less than in Playa del Carmen. Both cities have functional networks, but the price difference matters if you're watching your budget.

Childcare runs $106 in Msaken versus $201 in Playa del Carmen. Over years of preschool, even a modest monthly gap compounds into a major financial factor for families.

At $670 in Msaken versus $1,297 in Playa del Carmen, a $1,500 budget is realistic in Msaken but tight or insufficient in Playa del Carmen. The gap between the two cities makes Msaken the clear choice for anyone on this budget.

For families, Msaken is more practical. Housing and childcare are both notably cheaper than in Playa del Carmen, and the savings on those two alone free up budget for education, activities, and family trips.

Safety-wise, Msaken 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.

Expats usually find Msaken gentler on the wallet – expenses run 93% less than in Playa del Carmen. Beyond cost, consider language, visa policies, and how big the international community is in each city.