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

Monthly Cost of Living

A single person spends $1,297 per month in Playa del Carmen vs $810 in Essaouira, rent included.

A couple spends around $2,181 per month in Playa del Carmen vs $1,226 in Essaouira, rent included.

A family of three spends $3,065 per month in Playa del Carmen vs $1,642 in Essaouira, rent included.

Playa del Carmen costs about 60% more than Essaouira, driven mainly by Eating Out.

Both Playa del Carmen and Essaouira are more affordable than the global median – Playa del Carmen 3% lower, Essaouira 40% lower.

Meal at Budget Restaurant

$11.73 MX$203

$4.34 MAD 39.86

170.28%

Three-Course Dinner for Two, Mid-Range

$41.62 MX$720

$24.74 MAD 227

68.23%

Fast Food Meal (McDonalds, etc)

$10.64 MX$184

$4.99 MAD 45.88

113.23%

Cappuccino

$3.52 MX$60.9

$1.84 MAD 16.91

91.30%

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

$1.51 MX$26.12

$0.45 MAD 4.13

235.56%

Water (0.33 liter bottle)

$0.97 MX$16.84

$0.26 MAD 2.36

273.08%

Local Beer (0.5 liter draught)

$2.95 MX$51.0

$3.85 MAD 35.40

-23.38%

Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$4.45 MX$77.0

$3.57 MAD 32.83

24.65%

Milk (1 liter)

$1.38 MX$23.93

$0.85 MAD 7.80

62.35%

White Bread (500g)

$1.89 MX$32.72

$0.53 MAD 4.90

256.60%

Rice (white) (1kg)

$1.64 MX$28.32

$1.69 MAD 15.57

-2.96%

Eggs

$2.51 MX$43.34

$1.80 MAD 16.52

39.44%

Local Cheese (1kg)

$8.34 MX$144

$9.59 MAD 88.1

-13.03%

Chicken Fillets (1kg)

$8.34 MX$144

$5.34 MAD 49.08

56.18%

Beef Round Steak (1kg)

$10.73 MX$186

$11.51 MAD 106

-6.78%

Apples (1kg)

$2.60 MX$45.04

$1.37 MAD 12.55

89.78%

Banana (1kg)

$1.46 MX$25.20

$1.27 MAD 11.70

14.96%

Oranges (1kg)

$1.90 MX$32.87

$0.72 MAD 6.59

163.89%

Tomato (1kg)

$2.08 MX$35.91

$0.93 MAD 8.56

123.66%

Potato (1kg)

$1.78 MX$30.71

$0.69 MAD 6.36

157.97%

Onion (1kg)

$2.19 MX$37.80

$0.92 MAD 8.47

138.04%

Lettuce (1 head)

$1.04 MX$17.99

$0.39 MAD 3.60

166.67%

Water (1.5 liter bottle)

$1.08 MX$18.62

$0.54 MAD 4.92

100.00%

Cigarettes 20 Pack (Marlboro, Camel)

$4.08 MX$70.6

$4.07 MAD 37.43

0.25%

Wine (Bottle)

$10.32 MX$178

$6.61 MAD 60.8

56.13%

Local Beer (0.5 liter bottle)

$1.71 MX$29.61

$1.93 MAD 17.76

-11.40%

Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$2.58 MX$44.54

$2.16 MAD 19.83

19.44%

One-way Ticket (Public Transport)

$0.51 MX$8.81

$0.90 MAD 8.25

-43.33%

Public Transport Monthly Pass (Regular Price)

$26.46 MX$458

$16.40 MAD 151

61.34%

Taxi Start (Normal Tariff)

$3.26 MX$56.4

$0.68 MAD 6.26

379.41%

Taxi (Normal Tariff) (1km)

$2.49 MX$43.09

$0.51 MAD 4.72

388.24%

Taxi 1hour Waiting (Normal Tariff)

$3.25 MX$56.2

$8.69 MAD 79.8

-62.60%

Gasoline (1 liter)

$1.31 MX$22.61

$1.58 MAD 14.54

-17.09%

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

$30.3K MX$523.7K

$37.6K MAD 345.7K

-19.51%

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

$23.4K MX$405.3K

$21.0K MAD 193.3K

11.38%

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

$82.9 MX$1,433

$28.04 MAD 258

195.54%

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

$22.22 MX$384

$13.82 MAD 127

60.78%

Internet (50+ Mbps, Unlimited Data)

$29.34 MX$507

$28.65 MAD 263

2.41%

Gym Membership (Monthly)

$51.6 MX$893

$22.11 MAD 203

133.51%

Tennis Court (1 Hour on Weekend)

$18.32 MX$317

$23.63 MAD 217

-22.47%

Cinema Ticket

$5.07 MX$87.6

$6.71 MAD 61.7

-24.44%

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

$201 MX$3,473

$75.6 MAD 695

165.66%

International Primary School, 1 Child (Yearly)

$5,212 MX$90.1K

$1,990 MAD 18.3K

161.83%

Jeans (Levis 501 Or Similar)

$36.92 MX$639

$31.43 MAD 289

17.47%

Summer Dress (H&M, Zara, etc)

$39.79 MX$688

$39.79 MAD 366

Sport Shoes (Adidas, Nike)

$78.5 MX$1,357

$48.84 MAD 449

60.63%

Men's Leather Business Shoes

$87.1 MX$1,506

$44.20 MAD 406

97.04%

1-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)

$973 MX$16.8K

$388 MAD 3,563

150.83%

1-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)

$468 MX$8,090

$345 MAD 3,173

35.47%

3-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)

$1,641 MX$28.4K

$795 MAD 7,308

106.40%

3-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)

$1,221 MX$21.1K

$545 MAD 5,011

123.88%

Buy Apartment in City Center (m2)

$3,946 MX$68.3K

Buy Apartment Outside City Center (m2)

$6,498 MX$112.4K

Average Monthly Net Salary (After Tax)

$664 MX$11.5K

$268 MAD 2,462

147.79%

20-Year Fixed Mortgage Interest Rate (Annual %)

11.42

5.5

107.64%

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 Essaouira: June 1, 2026

Cost Breakdown

A central one-bedroom costs $973 in Playa del Carmen versus $388 in Essaouira. 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 148% 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 $42.00 in Playa del Carmen versus $25.00 in Essaouira. Monthly groceries follow the same trend: $249 vs $179 – making Essaouira the more affordable choice for daily food spending.

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 Essaouira: Cost of Living - Frequently Asked Questions

Yes – Playa del Carmen is pricier by about 60%, and the gap shows up most in Eating Out. It's not just housing either; the difference applies across most spending categories.

For a comfortable life, plan on about $1,945 per month in Playa del Carmen and $1,215 in Essaouira. That covers rent, food, utilities, transport, and enough left over to feel settled – not just surviving.

Rent is clearly cheaper in Essaouira, especially for central apartments. Housing is actually the single biggest factor behind the overall cost gap between these two cities.

Groceries cost about 39% more in Playa del Carmen, though it depends on what you buy. Local produce may be comparable; imported and premium items show the biggest price gap.

A mid-range dinner for two costs $42.00 in Playa del Carmen and $25.00 in Essaouira. That's a good indicator of the overall restaurant and café pricing gap between the two cities.

A $1,500 monthly budget goes further in Essaouira, where all-in costs run around $810, than in Playa del Carmen at $1,297. In Essaouira it covers expenses comfortably, while in Playa del Carmen it requires careful planning or may not stretch far enough.

Families tend to lean toward Essaouira – lower housing and cheaper childcare make a real difference, especially on a single income or when paying for private education.

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 Essaouira. 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.