Cost of Living Comparison Between Oued Zem and Playa del Carmen Cost of Living Comparison Between Oued Zem and Playa del Carmen

Monthly Cost of Living

A single person spends $790 per month in Oued Zem vs $1,260 in Playa del Carmen, rent included.

A couple spends around $1,321 per month in Oued Zem vs $2,125 in Playa del Carmen, rent included.

A family of three spends $1,851 per month in Oued Zem vs $2,990 in Playa del Carmen, rent included.

Oued Zem is about 37% cheaper than Playa del Carmen, driven mainly by Eating Out.

Both Oued Zem and Playa del Carmen are more affordable than the global median – Oued Zem 41% lower, Playa del Carmen 5% lower.

Meal at Budget Restaurant

$4.73 MAD 44.34

$11.72 MX$204

-59.64%

Three-Course Dinner for Two, Mid-Range

$50.2 MAD 471

$41.89 MX$731

19.77%

Fast Food Meal (McDonalds, etc)

$6.53 MAD 61.3

$10.51 MX$183

-37.87%

Cappuccino

$2.04 MAD 19.17

$3.59 MX$62.5

-43.18%

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

$0.63 MAD 5.90

$1.51 MX$26.31

-58.28%

Water (0.33 liter bottle)

$0.37 MAD 3.48

$0.92 MX$15.96

-59.78%

Local Beer (0.5 liter draught)

$5.62 MAD 52.7

$2.96 MX$51.6

89.86%

Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$4.06 MAD 38.05

$4.41 MX$76.9

-7.94%

Milk (1 liter)

$0.82 MAD 7.66

$1.40 MX$24.35

-41.43%

White Bread (500g)

$0.47 MAD 4.42

$1.88 MX$32.87

-75.00%

Rice (white) (1kg)

$1.96 MAD 18.42

$1.56 MX$27.19

25.64%

Eggs

$1.93 MAD 18.13

$2.61 MX$45.50

-26.05%

Local Cheese (1kg)

$13.18 MAD 124

$8.32 MX$145

58.41%

Chicken Fillets (1kg)

$6.90 MAD 64.7

$8.35 MX$146

-17.37%

Beef Round Steak (1kg)

$11.99 MAD 113

$10.86 MX$189

10.41%

Apples (1kg)

$1.58 MAD 14.87

$2.71 MX$47.31

-41.70%

Banana (1kg)

$1.44 MAD 13.51

$1.51 MX$26.25

-4.64%

Oranges (1kg)

$0.82 MAD 7.65

$1.87 MX$32.67

-56.15%

Tomato (1kg)

$0.86 MAD 8.08

$2.19 MX$38.19

-60.73%

Potato (1kg)

$0.67 MAD 6.29

$1.86 MX$32.40

-63.98%

Onion (1kg)

$0.67 MAD 6.27

$2.23 MX$38.90

-69.96%

Lettuce (1 head)

$0.42 MAD 3.96

$1.07 MX$18.63

-60.75%

Water (1.5 liter bottle)

$0.60 MAD 5.60

$1.09 MX$18.94

-44.95%

Cigarettes 20 Pack (Marlboro, Camel)

$4.44 MAD 41.71

$4.19 MX$73.0

5.97%

Wine (Bottle)

$7.70 MAD 72.3

$10.43 MX$182

-26.17%

Local Beer (0.5 liter bottle)

$2.62 MAD 24.60

$1.66 MX$28.91

57.83%

Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$2.55 MAD 23.94

$2.61 MX$45.56

-2.30%

One-way Ticket (Public Transport)

$0.50 MAD 4.72

$0.54 MX$9.45

-7.41%

Public Transport Monthly Pass (Regular Price)

$16.19 MAD 152

$26.16 MX$456

-38.11%

Taxi Start (Normal Tariff)

$0.53 MAD 4.99

$3.08 MX$53.7

-82.79%

Taxi (Normal Tariff) (1km)

$0.89 MAD 8.32

$2.40 MX$41.94

-62.92%

Taxi 1hour Waiting (Normal Tariff)

$4.50 MAD 42.22

$3.13 MX$54.5

43.77%

Gasoline (1 liter)

$1.58 MAD 14.79

$1.31 MX$22.87

20.61%

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

$37.0K MAD 347.0K

$29.8K MX$519.9K

24.08%

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

$29.2K MAD 273.8K

$23.3K MX$406.8K

25.11%

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

$40.97 MAD 384

$81.3 MX$1,418

-49.59%

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

$11.09 MAD 104

$22.56 MX$393

-50.84%

Internet (50+ Mbps, Unlimited Data)

$39.78 MAD 373

$30.05 MX$524

32.38%

Gym Membership (Monthly)

$24.64 MAD 231

$52.9 MX$923

-53.43%

Tennis Court (1 Hour on Weekend)

$23.14 MAD 217

$18.39 MX$321

25.83%

Cinema Ticket

$6.56 MAD 61.6

$4.92 MX$85.8

33.33%

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

$160 MAD 1,505

$201 MX$3,502

-20.15%

International Primary School, 1 Child (Yearly)

$6,381 MAD 59.9K

$5,175 MX$90.2K

23.32%

Jeans (Levis 501 Or Similar)

$53.1 MAD 498

$35.92 MX$627

47.77%

Summer Dress (H&M, Zara, etc)

$47.44 MAD 445

$40.13 MX$700

18.22%

Sport Shoes (Adidas, Nike)

$107 MAD 1,005

$79.7 MX$1,390

34.34%

Men's Leather Business Shoes

$98.8 MAD 927

$86.5 MX$1,508

14.21%

1-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)

$286 MAD 2,684

$978 MX$17.1K

-70.75%

1-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)

$176 MAD 1,655

$470 MX$8,206

-62.51%

3-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)

$514 MAD 4,819

$1,651 MX$28.8K

-68.90%

3-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)

$310 MAD 2,910

$1,203 MX$21.0K

-74.23%

Buy Apartment in City Center (m2)

$1,165 MAD 10.9K

$3,953 MX$69.0K

-70.54%

Buy Apartment Outside City Center (m2)

$932 MAD 8,745

$6,607 MX$115.2K

-85.89%

Average Monthly Net Salary (After Tax)

$246 MAD 2,311

$677 MX$11.8K

-63.60%

20-Year Fixed Mortgage Interest Rate (Annual %)

4.81

11.42

-57.88%

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

Last update for Oued Zem: July 26, 2026

Last update for Playa del Carmen: July 27, 2026

Cost Breakdown

A central one-bedroom costs $286 in Oued Zem versus $978 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.

Salaries run about 175% higher in Playa del Carmen, which partly offsets the higher cost of living there. Purchasing power depends on which expenses matter most to you.

A mid-range dinner for two costs $50.0 in Oued Zem versus $42.00 in Playa del Carmen. Groceries tell a different story – $208 in Oued Zem vs $252 in Playa del Carmen – so Oued Zem wins on supermarket bills even if dining out costs more.

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

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

Monthly costs with rent: $790 in Oued Zem, $1,260 in Playa del Carmen – roughly 59% apart. Playa del Carmen costs more across the board, with Eating Out showing the biggest gap.

For a comfortable life, plan on about $1,186 per month in Oued Zem and $1,890 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 Oued Zem, especially for central apartments. Housing is actually the single biggest factor behind the overall cost gap between these two cities.

Monthly expenses with rent come to $790 in Oued Zem and $1,260 in Playa del Carmen. The difference isn't just one category – it shows up across housing, food, transport, and services.

Public transport costs about 62% less in Oued Zem. For daily commuters, that gap adds up to noticeable savings over a year.

A $2,000 monthly budget goes further in Oued Zem, where all-in costs run around $790, than in Playa del Carmen at $1,260. In Oued Zem 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 $790 in Oued Zem to $1,260 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 Oued Zem. 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.