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

Monthly Cost of Living

Monthly costs for one person with rent: $671 in Oujda versus $1,297 in Playa del Carmen.

Estimated couple costs with rent: $1,017 in Oujda versus $2,181 in Playa del Carmen.

Monthly costs for a family of three with rent: $1,363 in Oujda versus $3,065 in Playa del Carmen.

Living in Oujda costs roughly 48% less than in Playa del Carmen, driven mainly by Eating Out.

Both cities sit below the global median: Oujda 50% lower, Playa del Carmen 3% lower.

Currency
🍽 Eating Out
Oujda
Playa del Carmen
Difference
Meal at Budget Restaurant
$2.72 MAD 25.03
$11.73 MX$203
-76.81%
Three-Course Dinner for Two, Mid-Range
$10.77 MAD 99.0
$41.62 MX$720
-74.12%
Fast Food Meal (McDonalds, etc)
$5.24 MAD 48.12
$10.64 MX$184
-50.75%
Cappuccino
$1.51 MAD 13.89
$3.52 MX$60.9
-57.10%
Coke/Pepsi/Fanta/Sprite (0.33 liter bottle)
$0.50 MAD 4.60
$1.51 MX$26.12
-66.89%
Water (0.33 liter bottle)
$0.30 MAD 2.76
$0.97 MX$16.84
-69.07%
Local Beer (0.5 liter draught)
$2.61 MAD 24.00
$2.95 MX$51.0
-11.53%
Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)
$3.60 MAD 33.09
$4.45 MX$77.0
-19.10%
🛒 Groceries & Markets
Oujda
Playa del Carmen
Difference
Milk (1 liter)
$0.83 MAD 7.66
$1.38 MX$23.93
-39.86%
White Bread (500g)
$0.60 MAD 5.50
$1.89 MX$32.72
-68.25%
Rice (white) (1kg)
$1.93 MAD 17.72
$1.64 MX$28.32
17.68%
Eggs
$1.99 MAD 18.25
$2.51 MX$43.34
-20.72%
Local Cheese (1kg)
$13.25 MAD 122
$8.34 MX$144
58.87%
Chicken Fillets (1kg)
$5.11 MAD 46.98
$8.34 MX$144
-38.73%
Beef Round Steak (1kg)
$9.11 MAD 83.7
$10.73 MX$186
-15.10%
Apples (1kg)
$1.58 MAD 14.50
$2.60 MX$45.04
-39.23%
Banana (1kg)
$1.32 MAD 12.15
$1.46 MX$25.20
-9.59%
Oranges (1kg)
$0.78 MAD 7.18
$1.90 MX$32.87
-58.95%
Tomato (1kg)
$0.81 MAD 7.46
$2.08 MX$35.91
-61.06%
Potato (1kg)
$0.65 MAD 5.95
$1.78 MX$30.71
-63.48%
Onion (1kg)
$0.65 MAD 5.93
$2.19 MX$37.80
-70.32%
Lettuce (1 head)
$0.95 MAD 8.71
$1.04 MX$17.99
-8.65%
Water (1.5 liter bottle)
$0.66 MAD 6.03
$1.08 MX$18.62
-38.89%
Cigarettes 20 Pack (Marlboro, Camel)
$4.19 MAD 38.52
$4.08 MX$70.6
2.70%
Wine (Bottle)
$12.62 MAD 116
$10.32 MX$178
22.29%
Local Beer (0.5 liter bottle)
$2.49 MAD 22.86
$1.71 MX$29.61
45.61%
Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)
$3.07 MAD 28.19
$2.58 MX$44.54
18.99%
🚌 Getting Around
Oujda
Playa del Carmen
Difference
One-way Ticket (Public Transport)
$0.39 MAD 3.63
$0.51 MX$8.81
-23.53%
Public Transport Monthly Pass (Regular Price)
$16.22 MAD 149
$26.46 MX$458
-38.70%
Taxi Start (Normal Tariff)
$0.54 MAD 4.93
$3.26 MX$56.4
-83.44%
Taxi (Normal Tariff) (1km)
$0.62 MAD 5.71
$2.49 MX$43.09
-75.10%
Taxi 1hour Waiting (Normal Tariff)
$4.31 MAD 39.61
$3.25 MX$56.2
32.62%
Gasoline (1 liter)
$1.62 MAD 14.87
$1.31 MX$22.61
23.66%
Midsize Hatchback 1.4l (Volkswagen Golf, Toyota Prius, Honda Civic, etc)
$37.3K MAD 342.9K
$30.3K MX$523.7K
23.23%
Compact Sedan 1.6l (Toyota Corolla, Mazda3, Kia K4, Hyundai Elantra, etc)
$29.9K MAD 275.0K
$23.4K MX$405.3K
27.72%
🧾 Monthly Utilities & Internet
Oujda
Playa del Carmen
Difference
Utilities for 2 People in 2-bedroom Apartment (Heating, Electricity, Gas, Water, Garbage) (85m2)
$36.70 MAD 337
$82.9 MX$1,433
-55.71%
SIM Card Monthly Plan (Calls and 10GB+ Data)
$10.77 MAD 99.0
$22.22 MX$384
-51.53%
Internet (50+ Mbps, Unlimited Data)
$54.4 MAD 500
$29.34 MX$507
85.55%
🎉 Sport & Entertainment
Oujda
Playa del Carmen
Difference
Gym Membership (Monthly)
$20.31 MAD 187
$51.6 MX$893
-60.66%
Tennis Court (1 Hour on Weekend)
$16.20 MAD 149
$18.32 MX$317
-11.57%
Cinema Ticket
$6.38 MAD 58.7
$5.07 MX$87.6
25.84%
🧸 Childcare & Education
Oujda
Playa del Carmen
Difference
Preschool or Kindergarten, Full Day, Private, 1 Child (Monthly)
$62.5 MAD 574
$201 MX$3,473
-68.87%
International Primary School, 1 Child (Yearly)
$1,941 MAD 17.8K
$5,212 MX$90.1K
-62.76%
👕👟 Clothing & Footwear
Oujda
Playa del Carmen
Difference
Jeans (Levis 501 Or Similar)
$24.19 MAD 222
$36.92 MX$639
-34.48%
Summer Dress (H&M, Zara, etc)
$46.35 MAD 426
$39.79 MX$688
16.49%
Sport Shoes (Adidas, Nike)
$74.4 MAD 684
$78.5 MX$1,357
-5.19%
Men's Leather Business Shoes
$63.2 MAD 581
$87.1 MX$1,506
-27.44%
🏠 Accommodation & Living
Oujda
Playa del Carmen
Difference
1-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)
$214 MAD 1,966
$973 MX$16.8K
-78.00%
1-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)
$138 MAD 1,267
$468 MX$8,090
-70.52%
3-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)
$408 MAD 3,750
$1,641 MX$28.4K
-75.14%
3-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)
$284 MAD 2,607
$1,221 MX$21.1K
-76.76%
Buy Apartment in City Center (m2)
$803 MAD 7,375
$3,946 MX$68.3K
-79.66%
Buy Apartment Outside City Center (m2)
$516 MAD 4,738
$6,498 MX$112.4K
-92.06%
💵 Salaries & Financials
Oujda
Playa del Carmen
Difference
Average Monthly Net Salary (After Tax)
$388 MAD 3,564
$664 MX$11.5K
-41.59%
20-Year Fixed Mortgage Interest Rate (Annual %)
4.78
11.42
-58.14%

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

Last update for Oujda: May 31, 2026

Last update for Playa del Carmen: June 2, 2026

Cost Breakdown

A one-bedroom apartment in the center runs $214 in Oujda and $973 in Playa del Carmen. Housing cost is often the main lever when comparing two cities.

Playa del Carmen pays 71% 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: $11.00 in Oujda vs $42.00 in Playa del Carmen for a mid-range dinner for two. Groceries echo the gap at $204 vs $249 per month, with Oujda 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
Oujda vs Playa del Carmen: Cost of Living - Frequently Asked Questions
Which city is more expensive, Oujda or Playa del Carmen?
Oujda wins on cost – living expenses run 93% lower than in Playa del Carmen. Housing and daily spending are where you'll feel the difference most, making Oujda the obvious pick if budget is a priority.
Are salaries higher in Oujda or Playa del Carmen?
On paper, Playa del Carmen earns 71% less. That's worth factoring in alongside costs, though remote workers earning in a stronger currency may not notice the difference at all.
How much does a 1-bedroom apartment cost in Oujda vs Playa del Carmen?
Rent for a central apartment: $214 in Oujda versus $973 in Playa del Carmen. Housing is usually the single largest factor when comparing overall living costs between the two.
Are groceries more expensive in Oujda or Playa del Carmen?
Supermarket bills run roughly 22% higher in Playa del Carmen. For households that cook at home regularly, that difference adds up over a month.
How do dining costs compare in Oujda vs Playa del Carmen?
Dining out is cheaper in Oujda – a meal for two runs $11.00 versus $42.00 in Playa del Carmen. If you eat out regularly, this makes a real dent in your monthly spending.
Can you live on $1,000/month in Oujda or Playa del Carmen?
At $671 in Oujda versus $1,297 in Playa del Carmen, a $1,000 budget is realistic in Oujda but tight or insufficient in Playa del Carmen. The gap between the two cities makes Oujda the clear choice for anyone on this budget.
Which city is better for digital nomads, Oujda or Playa del Carmen?
Both work as nomad bases, but Oujda delivers better value – similar infrastructure at $671 monthly. If stretching your runway or maximizing savings is the goal, the price difference makes Oujda hard to pass up.
How safe is Oujda compared to Playa del Carmen?
Safety-wise, Oujda 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.
Which city is more affordable for expats?
Expats usually find Oujda 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.

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