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: $1,293 in Playa del Carmen versus $1,045 in Casablanca.

Estimated couple costs with rent: $2,334 in Playa del Carmen versus $1,601 in Casablanca.

Monthly costs for a family of three with rent: $3,374 in Playa del Carmen versus $2,156 in Casablanca.

Living in Playa del Carmen is roughly 24% 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

$11.71 MX$198

$5.36 MAD 50.2

118.47%

Three-Course Dinner for Two, Mid-Range

$46.59 MX$787

$32.15 MAD 301

44.91%

Fast Food Meal (McDonalds, etc)

$11.65 MX$197

$8.55 MAD 80.0

36.26%

Cappuccino

$4.09 MX$69.2

$2.14 MAD 20.03

91.12%

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

$1.37 MX$23.23

$1.16 MAD 10.84

18.10%

Water (0.33 liter bottle)

$0.83 MX$14.09

$0.70 MAD 6.59

18.57%

Local Beer (0.5 liter draught)

$3.35 MX$56.7

$4.97 MAD 46.46

-32.60%

Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$6.91 MX$117

$5.50 MAD 51.5

25.64%

Milk (1 liter)

$1.73 MX$29.19

$0.97 MAD 9.08

78.35%

White Bread (500g)

$2.26 MX$38.20

$0.77 MAD 7.17

193.51%

Rice (white) (1kg)

$1.77 MX$29.90

$1.89 MAD 17.66

-6.35%

Eggs

$2.73 MX$46.18

$1.94 MAD 18.13

40.72%

Local Cheese (1kg)

$9.18 MX$155

$11.37 MAD 106

-19.26%

Chicken Fillets (1kg)

$8.92 MX$151

$7.70 MAD 72.0

15.84%

Beef Round Steak (1kg)

$12.60 MX$213

$12.82 MAD 120

-1.72%

Apples (1kg)

$3.02 MX$51.1

$1.72 MAD 16.10

75.58%

Banana (1kg)

$1.57 MX$26.54

$1.57 MAD 14.73

Oranges (1kg)

$2.13 MX$35.92

$0.80 MAD 7.45

166.25%

Tomato (1kg)

$2.26 MX$38.27

$0.84 MAD 7.82

169.05%

Potato (1kg)

$2.00 MX$33.87

$0.67 MAD 6.28

198.51%

Onion (1kg)

$2.06 MX$34.89

$0.70 MAD 6.58

194.29%

Lettuce (1 head)

$1.18 MX$19.94

$0.50 MAD 4.67

136.00%

Water (1.5 liter bottle)

$1.20 MX$20.35

$0.52 MAD 4.87

130.77%

Cigarettes 20 Pack (Marlboro, Camel)

$4.63 MX$78.3

$4.26 MAD 39.82

8.69%

Wine (Bottle)

$10.69 MX$181

$8.74 MAD 81.8

22.31%

Local Beer (0.5 liter bottle)

$1.62 MX$27.37

$2.77 MAD 25.96

-41.52%

Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$2.88 MX$48.69

$3.17 MAD 29.64

-9.15%

One-way Ticket (Public Transport)

$0.57 MX$9.69

$0.83 MAD 7.75

-31.33%

Public Transport Monthly Pass (Regular Price)

$29.83 MX$504

$27.44 MAD 257

8.71%

Taxi Start (Normal Tariff)

$5.45 MX$92.1

$0.83 MAD 7.73

556.63%

Taxi (Normal Tariff) (1km)

$3.70 MX$62.6

$0.31 MAD 2.88

1093.55%

Taxi 1hour Waiting (Normal Tariff)

$5.98 MX$101

$4.66 MAD 43.60

28.33%

Gasoline (1 liter)

$1.55 MX$26.25

$1.56 MAD 14.55

-0.64%

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

$22.3K MX$377.3K

$32.8K MAD 306.8K

-31.93%

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

$25.9K MX$438.5K

$31.5K MAD 294.5K

-17.58%

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

$89.1 MX$1,506

$50.7 MAD 475

75.66%

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

$25.04 MX$423

$11.56 MAD 108

116.61%

Internet (50+ Mbps, Unlimited Data)

$31.50 MX$532

$44.32 MAD 415

-28.93%

Gym Membership (Monthly)

$67.8 MX$1,145

$33.76 MAD 316

100.77%

Tennis Court (1 Hour on Weekend)

$28.92 MX$489

$23.16 MAD 217

24.87%

Cinema Ticket

$5.05 MX$85.3

$7.51 MAD 70.3

-32.76%

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

$225 MX$3,802

$618 MAD 5,783

-63.61%

International Primary School, 1 Child (Yearly)

$4,222 MX$71.4K

$5,665 MAD 53.0K

-25.46%

Jeans (Levis 501 Or Similar)

$47.44 MX$802

$61.8 MAD 578

-23.27%

Summer Dress (H&M, Zara, etc)

$44.98 MX$760

$50.0 MAD 468

-10.06%

Sport Shoes (Adidas, Nike)

$82.0 MX$1,386

$106 MAD 989

-22.45%

Men's Leather Business Shoes

$92.1 MX$1,556

$67.8 MAD 634

35.88%

1-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)

$1,069 MX$18.1K

$636 MAD 5,947

68.20%

1-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)

$405 MX$6,850

$383 MAD 3,582

5.85%

3-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)

$1,935 MX$32.7K

$1,084 MAD 10.1K

78.57%

3-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)

$1,301 MX$22.0K

$644 MAD 6,025

102.04%

Buy Apartment in City Center (m2)

$3,995 MX$67.5K

$2,323 MAD 21.7K

72.01%

Buy Apartment Outside City Center (m2)

$6,626 MX$112.0K

$1,331 MAD 12.4K

397.98%

Average Monthly Net Salary (After Tax)

$749 MX$12.7K

$705 MAD 6,596

6.20%

20-Year Fixed Mortgage Interest Rate (Annual %)

11.45

5.01

128.54%

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

Last update for Playa del Carmen: August 29, 2026

Last update for Casablanca: August 30, 2026

Cost Breakdown

A one-bedroom apartment in the center runs $1,069 in Playa del Carmen and $636 in Casablanca. Housing cost is often the main lever when comparing two cities.

Playa del Carmen pays 6% 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: $47.00 in Playa del Carmen vs $32.00 in Casablanca for a mid-range dinner for two. Groceries echo the gap at $277 vs $219 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, Monthly Utilities & Internet, Getting Around. The 24% gap adds up to real monthly savings that compound significantly over time.

Average pay runs 6% 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: $1,069 in Playa del Carmen versus $636 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 $32.00 versus $47.00 in Playa del Carmen. If you eat out regularly, this makes a real dent in your monthly spending.

All in, you'll spend $1,293 per month in Playa del Carmen versus $1,045 in Casablanca – a 24% gap that adds up to real savings over time for anyone picking the cheaper option.

At $1,045 in Casablanca versus $1,293 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 24% less than in Playa del Carmen. Beyond cost, consider language, visa policies, and how big the international community is in each city.