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 $783 per month in Oued Zem vs $1,271 in Playa del Carmen, rent included.

A couple spends around $1,295 per month in Oued Zem vs $2,126 in Playa del Carmen, rent included.

A family of three spends $1,808 per month in Oued Zem vs $2,980 in Playa del Carmen, rent included.

Oued Zem is about 38% 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 42% lower, Playa del Carmen 5% lower.

Meal at Budget Restaurant

$4.63 MAD 42.81

$11.87 MX$204

-60.99%

Three-Course Dinner for Two, Mid-Range

$49.13 MAD 454

$42.90 MX$736

14.52%

Fast Food Meal (McDonalds, etc)

$6.81 MAD 63.0

$10.65 MX$183

-36.06%

Cappuccino

$2.04 MAD 18.87

$3.45 MX$59.2

-40.87%

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

$0.58 MAD 5.35

$1.50 MX$25.81

-61.33%

Water (0.33 liter bottle)

$0.41 MAD 3.77

$0.95 MX$16.28

-56.84%

Local Beer (0.5 liter draught)

$5.38 MAD 49.78

$3.03 MX$51.9

77.56%

Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$4.05 MAD 37.46

$4.61 MX$79.1

-12.15%

Milk (1 liter)

$0.89 MAD 8.21

$1.38 MX$23.61

-35.51%

White Bread (500g)

$0.50 MAD 4.65

$1.85 MX$31.70

-72.97%

Rice (white) (1kg)

$1.87 MAD 17.30

$1.61 MX$27.65

16.15%

Eggs

$2.02 MAD 18.73

$2.59 MX$44.51

-22.01%

Local Cheese (1kg)

$13.04 MAD 121

$8.26 MX$142

57.87%

Chicken Fillets (1kg)

$6.95 MAD 64.3

$8.37 MX$144

-16.97%

Beef Round Steak (1kg)

$11.61 MAD 107

$10.66 MX$183

8.91%

Apples (1kg)

$1.60 MAD 14.78

$2.63 MX$45.12

-39.16%

Banana (1kg)

$1.39 MAD 12.89

$1.49 MX$25.53

-6.71%

Oranges (1kg)

$0.78 MAD 7.23

$1.92 MX$32.94

-59.38%

Tomato (1kg)

$0.86 MAD 7.96

$2.09 MX$35.81

-58.85%

Potato (1kg)

$0.72 MAD 6.70

$1.86 MX$31.88

-61.29%

Onion (1kg)

$0.69 MAD 6.39

$2.26 MX$38.81

-69.47%

Lettuce (1 head)

$0.39 MAD 3.65

$1.06 MX$18.23

-63.21%

Water (1.5 liter bottle)

$0.58 MAD 5.38

$1.09 MX$18.67

-46.79%

Cigarettes 20 Pack (Marlboro, Camel)

$4.40 MAD 40.70

$4.15 MX$71.2

6.02%

Wine (Bottle)

$7.73 MAD 71.5

$10.39 MX$178

-25.60%

Local Beer (0.5 liter bottle)

$2.74 MAD 25.34

$1.72 MX$29.59

59.30%

Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$2.43 MAD 22.48

$2.61 MX$44.85

-6.90%

One-way Ticket (Public Transport)

$0.47 MAD 4.38

$0.54 MX$9.30

-12.96%

Public Transport Monthly Pass (Regular Price)

$16.59 MAD 153

$26.94 MX$462

-38.42%

Taxi Start (Normal Tariff)

$0.56 MAD 5.22

$3.13 MX$53.7

-82.11%

Taxi (Normal Tariff) (1km)

$0.88 MAD 8.11

$2.51 MX$43.09

-64.94%

Taxi 1hour Waiting (Normal Tariff)

$4.33 MAD 40.08

$3.15 MX$54.1

37.46%

Gasoline (1 liter)

$1.53 MAD 14.16

$1.27 MX$21.88

20.47%

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

$36.5K MAD 338.0K

$30.4K MX$521.3K

20.31%

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

$29.0K MAD 268.1K

$23.6K MX$404.5K

22.99%

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

$41.67 MAD 385

$83.0 MX$1,425

-49.80%

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

$10.86 MAD 100

$22.71 MX$390

-52.18%

Internet (50+ Mbps, Unlimited Data)

$39.64 MAD 367

$29.46 MX$506

34.56%

Gym Membership (Monthly)

$23.97 MAD 222

$51.0 MX$875

-53.00%

Tennis Court (1 Hour on Weekend)

$23.10 MAD 214

$18.33 MX$315

26.02%

Cinema Ticket

$6.76 MAD 62.5

$4.93 MX$84.5

37.12%

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

$160 MAD 1,480

$197 MX$3,386

-18.90%

International Primary School, 1 Child (Yearly)

$6,473 MAD 59.9K

$5,280 MX$90.6K

22.59%

Jeans (Levis 501 Or Similar)

$53.4 MAD 494

$36.90 MX$633

44.82%

Summer Dress (H&M, Zara, etc)

$47.87 MAD 443

$39.89 MX$685

20.01%

Sport Shoes (Adidas, Nike)

$106 MAD 979

$80.0 MX$1,373

32.21%

Men's Leather Business Shoes

$101 MAD 931

$89.5 MX$1,536

12.48%

1-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)

$279 MAD 2,584

$956 MX$16.4K

-70.79%

1-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)

$176 MAD 1,632

$477 MX$8,189

-63.02%

3-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)

$509 MAD 4,707

$1,646 MX$28.3K

-69.09%

3-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)

$307 MAD 2,841

$1,225 MX$21.0K

-74.92%

Buy Apartment in City Center (m2)

$1,380 MAD 12.8K

$3,918 MX$67.2K

-64.79%

Buy Apartment Outside City Center (m2)

$1,050 MAD 9,710

$6,459 MX$110.9K

-83.75%

Average Monthly Net Salary (After Tax)

$246 MAD 2,274

$667 MX$11.4K

-63.15%

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: June 9, 2026

Last update for Playa del Carmen: June 7, 2026

Cost Breakdown

A central one-bedroom costs $279 in Oued Zem versus $956 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 171% 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 $49.00 in Oued Zem versus $43.00 in Playa del Carmen. Groceries tell a different story – $208 in Oued Zem vs $250 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: $783 in Oued Zem, $1,271 in Playa del Carmen – roughly 62% apart. Playa del Carmen costs more across the board, with Eating Out showing the biggest gap.

For a comfortable life, plan on about $1,174 per month in Oued Zem and $1,906 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 $783 in Oued Zem and $1,271 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 $783, than in Playa del Carmen at $1,271. 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 $783 in Oued Zem to $1,271 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.