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: $672 in Msaken versus $1,293 in Playa del Carmen.

Estimated couple costs with rent: $1,081 in Msaken versus $2,334 in Playa del Carmen.

Monthly costs for a family of three with rent: $1,490 in Msaken versus $3,374 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 51% lower, Playa del Carmen 6% lower.

Meal at Budget Restaurant

$5.05 TND 14.59

$11.71 MX$198

-56.87%

Three-Course Dinner for Two, Mid-Range

$22.27 TND 64.4

$46.59 MX$788

-52.20%

Fast Food Meal (McDonalds, etc)

$6.08 TND 17.60

$11.65 MX$197

-47.81%

Cappuccino

$1.05 TND 3.03

$4.09 MX$69.2

-74.33%

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

$0.75 TND 2.18

$1.37 MX$23.23

-45.26%

Water (0.33 liter bottle)

$0.38 TND 1.11

$0.83 MX$14.09

-54.22%

Local Beer (0.5 liter draught)

$1.69 TND 4.89

$3.35 MX$56.7

-49.55%

Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$2.74 TND 7.93

$6.91 MX$117

-60.35%

Milk (1 liter)

$0.49 TND 1.41

$1.73 MX$29.20

-71.68%

White Bread (500g)

$0.33 TND 0.96

$2.26 MX$38.21

-85.40%

Rice (white) (1kg)

$1.79 TND 5.18

$1.77 MX$29.91

1.13%

Eggs

$1.67 TND 4.82

$2.73 MX$46.19

-38.83%

Local Cheese (1kg)

$14.31 TND 41.37

$9.18 MX$155

55.88%

Chicken Fillets (1kg)

$6.06 TND 17.52

$8.92 MX$151

-32.06%

Beef Round Steak (1kg)

$14.47 TND 41.86

$12.60 MX$213

14.84%

Apples (1kg)

$2.09 TND 6.04

$3.02 MX$51.1

-30.79%

Banana (1kg)

$3.80 TND 10.98

$1.57 MX$26.55

142.04%

Oranges (1kg)

$1.11 TND 3.22

$2.13 MX$35.93

-47.89%

Tomato (1kg)

$0.74 TND 2.15

$2.26 MX$38.28

-67.26%

Potato (1kg)

$0.89 TND 2.58

$2.00 MX$33.88

-55.50%

Onion (1kg)

$0.67 TND 1.93

$2.06 MX$34.90

-67.48%

Lettuce (1 head)

$0.43 TND 1.26

$1.18 MX$19.94

-63.56%

Water (1.5 liter bottle)

$0.34 TND 1.00

$1.20 MX$20.35

-71.67%

Cigarettes 20 Pack (Marlboro, Camel)

$3.88 TND 11.22

$4.63 MX$78.4

-16.20%

Wine (Bottle)

$5.92 TND 17.13

$10.69 MX$181

-44.62%

Local Beer (0.5 liter bottle)

$1.01 TND 2.93

$1.62 MX$27.38

-37.65%

Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$1.41 TND 4.09

$2.88 MX$48.70

-51.04%

One-way Ticket (Public Transport)

$0.32 TND 0.94

$0.57 MX$9.69

-43.86%

Public Transport Monthly Pass (Regular Price)

$10.14 TND 29.32

$29.83 MX$504

-66.01%

Taxi Start (Normal Tariff)

$0.33 TND 0.95

$5.45 MX$92.1

-93.94%

Taxi (Normal Tariff) (1km)

$0.36 TND 1.03

$3.70 MX$62.6

-90.27%

Taxi 1hour Waiting (Normal Tariff)

$4.10 TND 11.87

$5.98 MX$101

-31.44%

Gasoline (1 liter)

$0.83 TND 2.41

$1.55 MX$26.26

-46.45%

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

$39.8K TND 115.2K

$22.3K MX$377.4K

78.39%

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

$37.7K TND 109.0K

$25.9K MX$438.7K

45.26%

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

$64.1 TND 185

$89.1 MX$1,507

-28.11%

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

$8.61 TND 24.91

$25.04 MX$423

-65.62%

Internet (50+ Mbps, Unlimited Data)

$20.62 TND 59.6

$31.50 MX$532

-34.54%

Gym Membership (Monthly)

$21.63 TND 62.6

$67.8 MX$1,146

-68.09%

Tennis Court (1 Hour on Weekend)

$14.42 TND 41.70

$28.92 MX$489

-50.14%

Cinema Ticket

$6.36 TND 18.39

$5.05 MX$85.4

25.94%

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

$101 TND 292

$225 MX$3,803

-55.16%

International Primary School, 1 Child (Yearly)

$3,069 TND 8,875

$4,222 MX$71.4K

-27.32%

Jeans (Levis 501 Or Similar)

$48.35 TND 140

$47.44 MX$802

1.92%

Summer Dress (H&M, Zara, etc)

$67.6 TND 196

$44.98 MX$760

50.31%

Sport Shoes (Adidas, Nike)

$121 TND 351

$82.0 MX$1,386

48.18%

Men's Leather Business Shoes

$87.1 TND 252

$92.1 MX$1,557

-5.43%

1-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)

$111 TND 320

$1,069 MX$18.1K

-89.64%

1-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)

$95.5 TND 276

$405 MX$6,852

-76.44%

3-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)

$203 TND 587

$1,935 MX$32.7K

-89.51%

3-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)

$156 TND 452

$1,301 MX$22.0K

-88.00%

Buy Apartment in City Center (m2)

$985 TND 2,848

$3,995 MX$67.5K

-75.35%

Buy Apartment Outside City Center (m2)

$628 TND 1,817

$6,626 MX$112.0K

-90.52%

Average Monthly Net Salary (After Tax)

$247 TND 715

$749 MX$12.7K

-66.97%

20-Year Fixed Mortgage Interest Rate (Annual %)

10.28

11.45

-10.22%

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

Last update for Msaken: August 30, 2026

Last update for Playa del Carmen: August 29, 2026

Cost Breakdown

A one-bedroom apartment in the center runs $111 in Msaken and $1,069 in Playa del Carmen. Housing cost is often the main lever when comparing two cities.

Playa del Carmen pays 203% 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: $22.00 in Msaken vs $47.00 in Playa del Carmen for a mid-range dinner for two. Groceries echo the gap at $210 vs $277 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, salaries run 203% 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.

Rent for a central apartment: $111 in Msaken versus $1,069 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 194% less than in Playa del Carmen. Both cities have functional networks, but the price difference matters if you're watching your budget.

Childcare runs $101 in Msaken versus $225 in Playa del Carmen. Over years of preschool, even a modest monthly gap compounds into a major financial factor for families.

At $672 in Msaken versus $1,293 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.