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: $1,256 in Playa del Carmen versus $1,017 in Casablanca.

Estimated couple costs with rent: $2,137 in Playa del Carmen versus $1,578 in Casablanca.

Monthly costs for a family of three with rent: $3,017 in Playa del Carmen versus $2,139 in Casablanca.

Living in Playa del Carmen is roughly 23% more expensive than in Casablanca, driven mainly by Eating Out.

Both cities sit below the global median: Playa del Carmen 6% lower, Casablanca 24% lower.

Meal at Budget Restaurant

$11.99 MX$209

$5.41 MAD 50.7

121.63%

Three-Course Dinner for Two, Mid-Range

$41.78 MX$728

$33.33 MAD 312

25.35%

Fast Food Meal (McDonalds, etc)

$10.75 MX$187

$8.18 MAD 76.5

31.42%

Cappuccino

$3.50 MX$60.9

$2.32 MAD 21.69

50.86%

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

$1.45 MX$25.22

$0.70 MAD 6.54

107.14%

Water (0.33 liter bottle)

$0.88 MX$15.41

$0.50 MAD 4.66

76.00%

Local Beer (0.5 liter draught)

$2.95 MX$51.3

$3.76 MAD 35.21

-21.54%

Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$4.51 MX$78.6

$4.52 MAD 42.29

-0.22%

Milk (1 liter)

$1.43 MX$24.94

$0.91 MAD 8.54

57.14%

White Bread (500g)

$1.84 MX$31.99

$0.77 MAD 7.16

138.96%

Rice (white) (1kg)

$1.57 MX$27.31

$2.03 MAD 19.00

-22.66%

Eggs

$2.51 MX$43.74

$1.91 MAD 17.84

31.41%

Local Cheese (1kg)

$8.28 MX$144

$11.15 MAD 104

-25.74%

Chicken Fillets (1kg)

$8.43 MX$147

$7.43 MAD 69.5

13.46%

Beef Round Steak (1kg)

$10.68 MX$186

$11.85 MAD 111

-9.87%

Apples (1kg)

$2.61 MX$45.43

$1.91 MAD 17.87

36.65%

Banana (1kg)

$1.44 MX$25.04

$1.51 MAD 14.10

-4.64%

Oranges (1kg)

$1.96 MX$34.16

$0.87 MAD 8.14

125.29%

Tomato (1kg)

$2.09 MX$36.47

$0.82 MAD 7.67

154.88%

Potato (1kg)

$1.85 MX$32.24

$0.72 MAD 6.70

156.94%

Onion (1kg)

$2.17 MX$37.74

$0.81 MAD 7.54

167.90%

Lettuce (1 head)

$1.03 MX$17.96

$0.45 MAD 4.22

128.89%

Water (1.5 liter bottle)

$1.07 MX$18.70

$0.59 MAD 5.50

81.36%

Cigarettes 20 Pack (Marlboro, Camel)

$4.10 MX$71.4

$4.45 MAD 41.60

-7.87%

Wine (Bottle)

$10.17 MX$177

$8.07 MAD 75.5

26.02%

Local Beer (0.5 liter bottle)

$1.68 MX$29.17

$2.89 MAD 27.00

-41.87%

Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$2.53 MX$43.98

$2.80 MAD 26.23

-9.64%

One-way Ticket (Public Transport)

$0.51 MX$8.87

$0.74 MAD 6.90

-31.08%

Public Transport Monthly Pass (Regular Price)

$26.04 MX$453

$25.46 MAD 238

2.28%

Taxi Start (Normal Tariff)

$3.23 MX$56.3

$0.91 MAD 8.48

254.95%

Taxi (Normal Tariff) (1km)

$2.41 MX$41.88

$0.77 MAD 7.19

212.99%

Taxi 1hour Waiting (Normal Tariff)

$3.23 MX$56.2

$5.21 MAD 48.75

-38.00%

Gasoline (1 liter)

$1.32 MX$23.00

$1.52 MAD 14.20

-13.16%

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

$29.7K MX$517.1K

$37.5K MAD 350.9K

-20.81%

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

$23.7K MX$412.0K

$28.8K MAD 269.7K

-17.91%

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

$82.0 MX$1,428

$49.48 MAD 463

65.74%

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

$22.95 MX$400

$11.91 MAD 111

92.70%

Internet (50+ Mbps, Unlimited Data)

$30.11 MX$524

$42.90 MAD 401

-29.81%

Gym Membership (Monthly)

$52.0 MX$905

$29.76 MAD 278

74.63%

Tennis Court (1 Hour on Weekend)

$18.53 MX$323

$40.59 MAD 380

-54.35%

Cinema Ticket

$4.98 MX$86.6

$8.85 MAD 82.8

-43.73%

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

$197 MX$3,438

$209 MAD 1,954

-5.46%

International Primary School, 1 Child (Yearly)

$5,336 MX$92.9K

$5,325 MAD 49.8K

0.22%

Jeans (Levis 501 Or Similar)

$35.60 MX$620

$65.7 MAD 615

-45.80%

Summer Dress (H&M, Zara, etc)

$40.33 MX$702

$53.8 MAD 503

-25.01%

Sport Shoes (Adidas, Nike)

$78.8 MX$1,371

$112 MAD 1,043

-29.37%

Men's Leather Business Shoes

$88.9 MX$1,549

$91.6 MAD 857

-2.88%

1-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)

$947 MX$16.5K

$586 MAD 5,483

61.62%

1-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)

$474 MX$8,254

$341 MAD 3,186

39.19%

3-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)

$1,644 MX$28.6K

$1,126 MAD 10.5K

45.97%

3-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)

$1,211 MX$21.1K

$582 MAD 5,441

108.18%

Buy Apartment in City Center (m2)

$4,056 MX$70.6K

$2,263 MAD 21.2K

79.19%

Buy Apartment Outside City Center (m2)

$6,470 MX$112.7K

$1,273 MAD 11.9K

408.37%

Average Monthly Net Salary (After Tax)

$654 MX$11.4K

$610 MAD 5,709

7.18%

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: July 13, 2026

Last update for Casablanca: July 14, 2026

Cost Breakdown

A one-bedroom apartment in the center runs $947 in Playa del Carmen and $586 in Casablanca. Housing cost is often the main lever when comparing two cities.

Playa del Carmen pays 7% 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 $214 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 23% gap adds up to real monthly savings that compound significantly over time.

Average pay runs 7% higher in Playa del Carmen, 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: $947 in Playa del Carmen versus $586 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 $1,256 per month in Playa del Carmen versus $1,017 in Casablanca – a 23% gap that adds up to real savings over time for anyone picking the cheaper option.

At $1,017 in Casablanca versus $1,256 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 23% less than in Playa del Carmen. Beyond cost, consider language, visa policies, and how big the international community is in each city.