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 $571 per month in Ouarzazate vs $1,287 in Playa del Carmen, rent included.

A couple spends around $922 per month in Ouarzazate vs $2,184 in Playa del Carmen, rent included.

A family of three spends $1,273 per month in Ouarzazate vs $3,082 in Playa del Carmen, rent included.

Ouarzazate is about 56% cheaper than Playa del Carmen, driven mainly by Eating Out.

Both Ouarzazate and Playa del Carmen are more affordable than the global median – Ouarzazate 57% lower, Playa del Carmen 4% lower.

Meal at Budget Restaurant

$4.75 MAD 43.92

$11.94 MX$208

-60.22%

Three-Course Dinner for Two, Mid-Range

$11.07 MAD 102

$42.75 MX$744

-74.11%

Fast Food Meal (McDonalds, etc)

$4.45 MAD 41.20

$10.59 MX$184

-57.98%

Cappuccino

$1.07 MAD 9.89

$3.62 MX$63.0

-70.44%

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

$0.46 MAD 4.27

$1.47 MX$25.54

-68.71%

Water (0.33 liter bottle)

$0.33 MAD 3.01

$0.94 MX$16.41

-64.89%

Local Beer (0.5 liter draught)

$2.67 MAD 24.72

$3.09 MX$53.8

-13.59%

Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$2.67 MAD 24.73

$4.46 MX$77.6

-40.13%

Milk (1 liter)

$0.81 MAD 7.47

$1.43 MX$24.80

-43.36%

White Bread (500g)

$0.53 MAD 4.92

$1.88 MX$32.79

-71.81%

Rice (white) (1kg)

$1.52 MAD 14.10

$1.63 MX$28.34

-6.75%

Eggs

$1.63 MAD 15.11

$2.64 MX$45.99

-38.26%

Local Cheese (1kg)

$7.81 MAD 72.3

$8.21 MX$143

-4.87%

Chicken Fillets (1kg)

$4.00 MAD 37.00

$8.29 MX$144

-51.75%

Beef Round Steak (1kg)

$6.68 MAD 61.8

$11.10 MX$193

-39.82%

Apples (1kg)

$0.92 MAD 8.49

$2.65 MX$46.14

-65.28%

Banana (1kg)

$1.38 MAD 12.76

$1.50 MX$26.11

-8.00%

Oranges (1kg)

$0.64 MAD 5.94

$1.99 MX$34.59

-67.84%

Tomato (1kg)

$0.69 MAD 6.35

$2.08 MX$36.13

-66.83%

Potato (1kg)

$0.64 MAD 5.91

$1.79 MX$31.11

-64.25%

Onion (1kg)

$0.46 MAD 4.27

$2.18 MX$37.87

-78.90%

Lettuce (1 head)

$0.21 MAD 1.94

$1.08 MX$18.73

-80.56%

Water (1.5 liter bottle)

$0.62 MAD 5.76

$1.04 MX$18.04

-40.38%

Cigarettes 20 Pack (Marlboro, Camel)

$4.30 MAD 39.75

$3.97 MX$69.1

8.31%

Wine (Bottle)

$7.98 MAD 73.8

$10.20 MX$178

-21.76%

Local Beer (0.5 liter bottle)

$2.70 MAD 24.99

$1.73 MX$30.04

56.07%

Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$2.93 MAD 27.10

$2.50 MX$43.46

17.20%

One-way Ticket (Public Transport)

$0.51 MAD 4.68

$0.52 MX$9.02

-1.92%

Public Transport Monthly Pass (Regular Price)

$16.15 MAD 149

$26.97 MX$469

-40.12%

Taxi Start (Normal Tariff)

$0.57 MAD 5.27

$3.14 MX$54.7

-81.85%

Taxi (Normal Tariff) (1km)

$0.48 MAD 4.41

$2.40 MX$41.80

-80.00%

Taxi 1hour Waiting (Normal Tariff)

$2.70 MAD 25.02

$3.09 MX$53.7

-12.62%

Gasoline (1 liter)

$1.57 MAD 14.48

$1.27 MX$22.16

23.62%

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

$37.2K MAD 344.3K

$30.9K MX$537.3K

20.53%

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

$30.3K MAD 280.3K

$23.3K MX$405.7K

29.96%

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

$32.25 MAD 298

$82.0 MX$1,427

-60.68%

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

$5.32 MAD 49.17

$22.45 MX$391

-76.30%

Internet (50+ Mbps, Unlimited Data)

$24.24 MAD 224

$29.66 MX$516

-18.27%

Gym Membership (Monthly)

$15.54 MAD 144

$51.9 MX$903

-70.04%

Tennis Court (1 Hour on Weekend)

$23.07 MAD 213

$18.67 MX$325

23.57%

Cinema Ticket

$3.92 MAD 36.23

$4.97 MX$86.5

-21.13%

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

$76.2 MAD 705

$198 MX$3,442

-61.49%

International Primary School, 1 Child (Yearly)

$6,286 MAD 58.1K

$5,273 MX$91.7K

19.21%

Jeans (Levis 501 Or Similar)

$39.02 MAD 361

$36.34 MX$632

7.37%

Summer Dress (H&M, Zara, etc)

$49.86 MAD 461

$40.05 MX$697

24.49%

Sport Shoes (Adidas, Nike)

$48.44 MAD 448

$79.9 MX$1,390

-39.36%

Men's Leather Business Shoes

$65.1 MAD 602

$88.9 MX$1,547

-26.81%

1-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)

$243 MAD 2,249

$963 MX$16.8K

-74.76%

1-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)

$133 MAD 1,232

$465 MX$8,086

-71.35%

3-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)

$509 MAD 4,706

$1,596 MX$27.8K

-68.13%

3-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)

$308 MAD 2,849

$1,209 MX$21.0K

-74.52%

Buy Apartment in City Center (m2)

$1,599 MAD 14.8K

$3,942 MX$68.6K

-59.43%

Buy Apartment Outside City Center (m2)

$941 MAD 8,703

$6,448 MX$112.2K

-85.41%

Average Monthly Net Salary (After Tax)

$720 MX$12.5K

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 Ouarzazate: April 28, 2026

Last update for Playa del Carmen: April 25, 2026

Cost Breakdown

A central one-bedroom costs $243 in Ouarzazate versus $963 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 $11.00 in Ouarzazate versus $43.00 in Playa del Carmen. Monthly groceries follow the same trend: $155 vs $251 – 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: $571 in Ouarzazate, $1,287 in Playa del Carmen – roughly 125% apart. Playa del Carmen costs more across the board, with Eating Out showing the biggest gap.

For a comfortable life, plan on about $856 per month in Ouarzazate and $1,930 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 $76.2 per month in Ouarzazate and $198 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 62% 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 $571, than in Playa del Carmen at $1,287. 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 $571 in Ouarzazate to $1,287 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.