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

Monthly Cost of Living

Monthly costs for one person with rent: $1,297 in Playa del Carmen versus $1,014 in Casablanca.

Estimated couple costs with rent: $2,181 in Playa del Carmen versus $1,561 in Casablanca.

Monthly costs for a family of three with rent: $3,065 in Playa del Carmen versus $2,108 in Casablanca.

Living in Playa del Carmen is roughly 28% more expensive than Casablanca, driven mainly by Eating Out.

Both cities sit below the global median: Playa del Carmen 3% lower, Casablanca 24% lower.

Meal at Budget Restaurant

$11.73 MX$203

$5.57 MAD 51.3

110.59%

Three-Course Dinner for Two, Mid-Range

$41.62 MX$719

$32.50 MAD 299

28.06%

Fast Food Meal (McDonalds, etc)

$10.64 MX$184

$8.00 MAD 73.7

33.00%

Cappuccino

$3.52 MX$60.8

$2.30 MAD 21.17

53.04%

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

$1.51 MX$26.09

$0.68 MAD 6.30

122.06%

Water (0.33 liter bottle)

$0.97 MX$16.82

$0.47 MAD 4.28

106.38%

Local Beer (0.5 liter draught)

$2.95 MX$51.0

$3.79 MAD 34.92

-22.16%

Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$4.45 MX$77.0

$4.47 MAD 41.20

-0.45%

Milk (1 liter)

$1.38 MX$23.90

$0.93 MAD 8.60

48.39%

White Bread (500g)

$1.89 MX$32.69

$0.77 MAD 7.07

145.45%

Rice (white) (1kg)

$1.64 MX$28.29

$1.93 MAD 17.76

-15.03%

Eggs

$2.51 MX$43.30

$2.00 MAD 18.42

25.50%

Local Cheese (1kg)

$8.34 MX$144

$11.50 MAD 106

-27.48%

Chicken Fillets (1kg)

$8.34 MX$144

$7.44 MAD 68.6

12.10%

Beef Round Steak (1kg)

$10.73 MX$185

$11.75 MAD 108

-8.68%

Apples (1kg)

$2.60 MX$45.00

$1.84 MAD 16.96

41.30%

Banana (1kg)

$1.46 MX$25.18

$1.59 MAD 14.66

-8.18%

Oranges (1kg)

$1.90 MX$32.84

$0.86 MAD 7.89

120.93%

Tomato (1kg)

$2.08 MX$35.88

$0.81 MAD 7.48

156.79%

Potato (1kg)

$1.78 MX$30.68

$0.77 MAD 7.14

131.17%

Onion (1kg)

$2.19 MX$37.76

$0.74 MAD 6.86

195.95%

Lettuce (1 head)

$1.04 MX$17.97

$0.45 MAD 4.15

131.11%

Water (1.5 liter bottle)

$1.08 MX$18.60

$0.58 MAD 5.36

86.21%

Cigarettes 20 Pack (Marlboro, Camel)

$4.08 MX$70.5

$4.38 MAD 40.32

-6.85%

Wine (Bottle)

$10.32 MX$178

$8.26 MAD 76.1

24.94%

Local Beer (0.5 liter bottle)

$1.71 MX$29.59

$2.79 MAD 25.69

-38.71%

Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$2.58 MX$44.50

$2.92 MAD 26.88

-11.64%

One-way Ticket (Public Transport)

$0.51 MX$8.81

$0.74 MAD 6.81

-31.08%

Public Transport Monthly Pass (Regular Price)

$26.46 MX$457

$25.24 MAD 232

4.83%

Taxi Start (Normal Tariff)

$3.26 MX$56.4

$0.91 MAD 8.42

258.24%

Taxi (Normal Tariff) (1km)

$2.49 MX$43.05

$0.82 MAD 7.58

203.66%

Taxi 1hour Waiting (Normal Tariff)

$3.25 MX$56.1

$5.40 MAD 49.75

-39.81%

Gasoline (1 liter)

$1.31 MX$22.59

$1.46 MAD 13.44

-10.27%

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

$30.3K MX$523.2K

$36.7K MAD 338.3K

-17.56%

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

$23.4K MX$404.9K

$29.1K MAD 268.1K

-19.52%

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

$82.9 MX$1,432

$49.48 MAD 456

67.48%

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

$22.22 MX$384

$12.14 MAD 112

83.03%

Internet (50+ Mbps, Unlimited Data)

$29.34 MX$507

$42.05 MAD 387

-30.23%

Gym Membership (Monthly)

$51.6 MX$892

$29.44 MAD 271

75.37%

Tennis Court (1 Hour on Weekend)

$18.32 MX$317

$41.26 MAD 380

-55.60%

Cinema Ticket

$5.07 MX$87.5

$8.87 MAD 81.7

-42.84%

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

$201 MX$3,470

$207 MAD 1,911

-3.21%

International Primary School, 1 Child (Yearly)

$5,212 MX$90.1K

$5,466 MAD 50.3K

-4.65%

Jeans (Levis 501 Or Similar)

$36.92 MX$638

$66.7 MAD 614

-44.63%

Summer Dress (H&M, Zara, etc)

$39.79 MX$688

$54.5 MAD 502

-26.98%

Sport Shoes (Adidas, Nike)

$78.5 MX$1,356

$110 MAD 1,012

-28.63%

Men's Leather Business Shoes

$87.1 MX$1,505

$92.5 MAD 852

-5.89%

1-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)

$973 MX$16.8K

$590 MAD 5,436

64.77%

1-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)

$468 MX$8,082

$346 MAD 3,184

35.28%

3-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)

$1,641 MX$28.4K

$1,117 MAD 10.3K

46.88%

3-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)

$1,221 MX$21.1K

$582 MAD 5,363

109.63%

Buy Apartment in City Center (m2)

$3,946 MX$68.2K

$2,245 MAD 20.7K

75.79%

Buy Apartment Outside City Center (m2)

$6,498 MX$112.3K

$1,217 MAD 11.2K

433.85%

Average Monthly Net Salary (After Tax)

$664 MX$11.5K

$640 MAD 5,893

3.75%

20-Year Fixed Mortgage Interest Rate (Annual %)

11.42

5.29

115.88%

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

Last update for Playa del Carmen: June 2, 2026

Last update for Casablanca: June 1, 2026

Cost Breakdown

A one-bedroom apartment in the center runs $973 in Playa del Carmen and $590 in Casablanca. Housing cost is often the main lever when comparing two cities.

Playa del Carmen pays 4% 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: $42.00 in Playa del Carmen vs $33.00 in Casablanca for a mid-range dinner for two. Groceries echo the gap at $249 vs $215 per month, with Casablanca 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

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

Casablanca is cheaper overall, especially in Groceries & Markets, Eating Out, Sport & Entertainment, Getting Around. The 28% gap adds up to real monthly savings that compound significantly over time.

Playa del Carmen pays 4% more on average, which matters when comparing affordability. Whether that higher income actually nets you more depends on your spending habits and housing choices.

Rent for a central apartment: $973 in Playa del Carmen versus $590 in Casablanca. Housing is usually the single largest factor when comparing overall living costs between the two.

Dining out is cheaper in Casablanca – a meal for two runs $33.00 versus $42.00 in Playa del Carmen. If you eat out regularly, this makes a real dent in your monthly spending.

All in, you'll spend $1,297 per month in Playa del Carmen versus $1,014 in Casablanca – a 28% gap that adds up to real savings over time for anyone picking the cheaper option.

At $1,014 in Casablanca versus $1,297 in Playa del Carmen, a $1,500 budget is realistic in Casablanca but tight or insufficient in Playa del Carmen. The gap between the two cities makes Casablanca the clear choice for anyone on this budget.

For families, Casablanca is more practical. Housing and childcare are both notably cheaper than in Playa del Carmen, and the savings on those two alone free up budget for education, activities, and family trips.

Safety-wise, Playa del Carmen and Casablanca are on par. Petty crime is typical for cities this size, and most residents feel comfortable going about their daily routines in either place.

Expats usually find Casablanca gentler on the wallet – expenses run 28% less than in Playa del Carmen. Beyond cost, consider language, visa policies, and how big the international community is in each city.