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

Monthly Cost of Living

A single person spends $724 per month in Ouarzazate vs $1,266 in Playa del Carmen, rent included.

A couple spends around $1,136 per month in Ouarzazate vs $2,279 in Playa del Carmen, rent included.

A family of three spends $1,548 per month in Ouarzazate vs $3,292 in Playa del Carmen, rent included.

Ouarzazate is about 43% cheaper than Playa del Carmen, driven mainly by Groceries & Markets.

Both Ouarzazate and Playa del Carmen are more affordable than the global median – Ouarzazate 47% lower, Playa del Carmen 7% lower.

Meal at Budget Restaurant

$3.60 MAD 34.12

$11.60 MX$200

-68.97%

Three-Course Dinner for Two, Mid-Range

$31.85 MAD 302

$47.11 MX$812

-32.39%

Fast Food Meal (McDonalds, etc)

$6.25 MAD 59.3

$11.88 MX$205

-47.39%

Cappuccino

$2.23 MAD 21.19

$3.98 MX$68.6

-43.97%

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

$0.65 MAD 6.21

$1.43 MX$24.60

-54.55%

Water (0.33 liter bottle)

$0.38 MAD 3.56

$0.82 MX$14.22

-53.66%

Local Beer (0.5 liter draught)

$7.00 MAD 66.4

$3.19 MX$55.0

119.44%

Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$5.57 MAD 52.8

$6.79 MX$117

-17.97%

Milk (1 liter)

$0.83 MAD 7.89

$1.68 MX$28.89

-50.60%

White Bread (500g)

$0.82 MAD 7.76

$2.20 MX$37.88

-62.73%

Rice (white) (1kg)

$1.60 MAD 15.21

$1.71 MX$29.45

-6.43%

Eggs

$1.53 MAD 14.49

$2.74 MX$47.26

-44.16%

Local Cheese (1kg)

$7.82 MAD 74.1

$9.58 MX$165

-18.37%

Chicken Fillets (1kg)

$4.68 MAD 44.37

$9.01 MX$155

-48.06%

Beef Round Steak (1kg)

$11.86 MAD 113

$12.81 MX$221

-7.42%

Apples (1kg)

$0.76 MAD 7.25

$2.89 MX$49.81

-73.70%

Banana (1kg)

$1.23 MAD 11.70

$1.50 MX$25.81

-18.00%

Oranges (1kg)

$0.65 MAD 6.19

$2.15 MX$37.03

-69.77%

Tomato (1kg)

$0.81 MAD 7.72

$2.26 MX$38.96

-64.16%

Potato (1kg)

$0.69 MAD 6.59

$1.98 MX$34.15

-65.15%

Onion (1kg)

$0.84 MAD 7.93

$1.99 MX$34.30

-57.79%

Lettuce (1 head)

$0.23 MAD 2.17

$1.23 MX$21.28

-81.30%

Water (1.5 liter bottle)

$0.58 MAD 5.46

$1.20 MX$20.63

-51.67%

Cigarettes 20 Pack (Marlboro, Camel)

$4.18 MAD 39.60

$4.55 MX$78.5

-8.13%

Wine (Bottle)

$7.82 MAD 74.2

$10.37 MX$179

-24.59%

Local Beer (0.5 liter bottle)

$2.40 MAD 22.74

$1.62 MX$27.91

48.15%

Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$3.40 MAD 32.21

$2.88 MX$49.67

18.06%

One-way Ticket (Public Transport)

$0.50 MAD 4.71

$0.60 MX$10.35

-16.67%

Public Transport Monthly Pass (Regular Price)

$16.70 MAD 158

$28.80 MX$497

-42.01%

Taxi Start (Normal Tariff)

$0.52 MAD 4.92

$5.39 MX$92.9

-90.35%

Taxi (Normal Tariff) (1km)

$0.64 MAD 6.10

$3.73 MX$64.3

-82.84%

Taxi 1hour Waiting (Normal Tariff)

$7.36 MAD 69.8

$5.77 MX$99.5

27.56%

Gasoline (1 liter)

$1.52 MAD 14.42

$1.54 MX$26.48

-1.30%

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

$35.4K MAD 335.8K

$22.5K MX$388.8K

57.03%

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

$30.4K MAD 288.4K

$26.1K MX$449.3K

16.69%

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

$36.93 MAD 350

$91.4 MX$1,576

-59.59%

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

$5.12 MAD 48.55

$25.20 MX$435

-79.68%

Internet (50+ Mbps, Unlimited Data)

$26.66 MAD 253

$31.24 MX$539

-14.66%

Gym Membership (Monthly)

$26.09 MAD 247

$67.2 MX$1,159

-61.18%

Tennis Court (1 Hour on Weekend)

$20.47 MAD 194

$29.11 MX$502

-29.68%

Cinema Ticket

$6.47 MAD 61.4

$4.86 MX$83.8

33.13%

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

$100 MAD 953

$224 MX$3,856

-55.09%

International Primary School, 1 Child (Yearly)

$8,459 MAD 80.2K

$4,229 MX$72.9K

100.03%

Jeans (Levis 501 Or Similar)

$32.84 MAD 311

$47.10 MX$812

-30.28%

Summer Dress (H&M, Zara, etc)

$45.96 MAD 436

$44.29 MX$764

3.77%

Sport Shoes (Adidas, Nike)

$84.7 MAD 803

$80.1 MX$1,381

5.67%

Men's Leather Business Shoes

$85.5 MAD 811

$92.7 MX$1,598

-7.72%

1-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)

$271 MAD 2,569

$1,063 MX$18.3K

-74.51%

1-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)

$171 MAD 1,623

$390 MX$6,728

-56.14%

3-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)

$545 MAD 5,166

$2,149 MX$37.1K

-74.65%

3-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)

$311 MAD 2,952

$1,272 MX$21.9K

-75.53%

Buy Apartment in City Center (m2)

$1,222 MAD 11.6K

$4,001 MX$69.0K

-69.46%

Buy Apartment Outside City Center (m2)

$847 MAD 8,035

$6,502 MX$112.1K

-86.97%

Average Monthly Net Salary (After Tax)

$758 MX$13.1K

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 Ouarzazate: September 13, 2026

Last update for Playa del Carmen: September 12, 2026

Cost Breakdown

A central one-bedroom costs $271 in Ouarzazate versus $1,063 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.

A mid-range dinner for two costs $32.00 in Ouarzazate versus $47.00 in Playa del Carmen. Monthly groceries follow the same trend: $175 vs $276 – making Ouarzazate 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

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

Monthly costs with rent: $724 in Ouarzazate, $1,266 in Playa del Carmen – roughly 75% apart. Playa del Carmen costs more across the board, with Groceries & Markets showing the biggest gap.

For a comfortable life, plan on about $1,085 per month in Ouarzazate and $1,899 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 Ouarzazate, especially for central apartments. Housing is actually the single biggest factor behind the overall cost gap between these two cities.

Kindergarten costs $100 per month in Ouarzazate and $224 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 57% 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 $2,000 monthly budget goes further in Ouarzazate, where all-in costs run around $724, than in Playa del Carmen at $1,266. In Ouarzazate it covers expenses comfortably, while in Playa del Carmen it requires careful planning or may not stretch far enough.

It depends on your priorities. Playa del Carmen has an edge in some lifestyle areas, with costs from $724 in Ouarzazate to $1,266 in Playa del Carmen. Climate, culture, job market, and personal taste all factor in.

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 Ouarzazate. 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.