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 $1,293 per month in Playa del Carmen vs $816 in Essaouira, rent included.

A couple spends around $2,334 per month in Playa del Carmen vs $1,214 in Essaouira, rent included.

A family of three spends $3,374 per month in Playa del Carmen vs $1,613 in Essaouira, rent included.

Playa del Carmen costs about 58% more than Essaouira, driven mainly by Groceries & Markets.

Both Playa del Carmen and Essaouira are more affordable than the global median – Playa del Carmen 6% lower, Essaouira 41% lower.

Meal at Budget Restaurant

$11.71 MX$198

$4.80 MAD 44.90

143.96%

Three-Course Dinner for Two, Mid-Range

$46.59 MX$786

$19.41 MAD 182

140.03%

Fast Food Meal (McDonalds, etc)

$11.65 MX$197

$7.75 MAD 72.5

50.32%

Cappuccino

$4.09 MX$69.1

$1.48 MAD 13.82

176.35%

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

$1.37 MX$23.20

$0.48 MAD 4.51

185.42%

Water (0.33 liter bottle)

$0.83 MX$14.07

$0.39 MAD 3.68

112.82%

Local Beer (0.5 liter draught)

$3.35 MX$56.6

$5.24 MAD 49.03

-36.07%

Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$6.91 MX$117

$4.57 MAD 42.76

51.20%

Milk (1 liter)

$1.73 MX$29.15

$0.90 MAD 8.45

92.22%

White Bread (500g)

$2.26 MX$38.15

$0.51 MAD 4.81

343.14%

Rice (white) (1kg)

$1.77 MX$29.86

$1.82 MAD 17.01

-2.75%

Eggs

$2.73 MX$46.12

$1.69 MAD 15.80

61.54%

Local Cheese (1kg)

$9.18 MX$155

$8.60 MAD 80.5

6.74%

Chicken Fillets (1kg)

$8.92 MX$151

$6.26 MAD 58.5

42.49%

Beef Round Steak (1kg)

$12.60 MX$213

$10.96 MAD 103

14.96%

Apples (1kg)

$3.02 MX$51.0

$1.31 MAD 12.29

130.53%

Banana (1kg)

$1.57 MX$26.51

$1.18 MAD 11.04

33.05%

Oranges (1kg)

$2.13 MX$35.88

$0.69 MAD 6.43

208.70%

Tomato (1kg)

$2.26 MX$38.22

$0.80 MAD 7.50

182.50%

Potato (1kg)

$2.00 MX$33.82

$0.57 MAD 5.37

250.88%

Onion (1kg)

$2.06 MX$34.85

$0.72 MAD 6.75

186.11%

Lettuce (1 head)

$1.18 MX$19.91

$0.36 MAD 3.38

227.78%

Water (1.5 liter bottle)

$1.20 MX$20.32

$0.61 MAD 5.73

96.72%

Cigarettes 20 Pack (Marlboro, Camel)

$4.63 MX$78.2

$3.98 MAD 37.24

16.33%

Wine (Bottle)

$10.69 MX$180

$6.56 MAD 61.3

62.96%

Local Beer (0.5 liter bottle)

$1.62 MX$27.33

$1.83 MAD 17.13

-11.48%

Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$2.88 MX$48.63

$2.20 MAD 20.54

30.91%

One-way Ticket (Public Transport)

$0.57 MX$9.68

$0.88 MAD 8.24

-35.23%

Public Transport Monthly Pass (Regular Price)

$29.83 MX$503

Taxi Start (Normal Tariff)

$5.45 MX$91.9

$0.66 MAD 6.20

725.76%

Taxi (Normal Tariff) (1km)

$3.70 MX$62.5

$0.64 MAD 5.96

478.13%

Taxi 1hour Waiting (Normal Tariff)

$5.98 MX$101

Gasoline (1 liter)

$1.55 MX$26.22

$1.50 MAD 14.04

3.33%

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

$22.3K MX$376.8K

$35.5K MAD 331.7K

-37.02%

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

$25.9K MX$438.0K

$30.8K MAD 287.9K

-15.67%

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

$89.1 MX$1,504

$25.43 MAD 238

250.49%

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

$25.04 MX$423

$18.07 MAD 169

38.57%

Internet (50+ Mbps, Unlimited Data)

$31.50 MX$532

$30.61 MAD 286

2.91%

Gym Membership (Monthly)

$67.8 MX$1,144

Tennis Court (1 Hour on Weekend)

$28.92 MX$488

Cinema Ticket

$5.05 MX$85.2

$5.49 MAD 51.4

-8.01%

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

$225 MX$3,797

$71.3 MAD 667

215.32%

International Primary School, 1 Child (Yearly)

$4,222 MX$71.3K

$1,919 MAD 18.0K

120.02%

Jeans (Levis 501 Or Similar)

$47.44 MX$801

$30.05 MAD 281

57.87%

Summer Dress (H&M, Zara, etc)

$44.98 MX$759

$45.60 MAD 427

-1.36%

Sport Shoes (Adidas, Nike)

$82.0 MX$1,384

$61.7 MAD 577

32.86%

Men's Leather Business Shoes

$92.1 MX$1,555

$42.99 MAD 402

114.26%

1-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)

$1,069 MX$18.0K

$406 MAD 3,801

163.15%

1-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)

$405 MX$6,842

$356 MAD 3,331

13.82%

3-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)

$1,935 MX$32.7K

$970 MAD 9,072

99.58%

3-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)

$1,301 MX$22.0K

$594 MAD 5,555

119.15%

Buy Apartment in City Center (m2)

$3,995 MX$67.4K

Buy Apartment Outside City Center (m2)

$6,626 MX$111.8K

Average Monthly Net Salary (After Tax)

$749 MX$12.6K

$268 MAD 2,508

179.25%

20-Year Fixed Mortgage Interest Rate (Annual %)

11.45

6.5

76.15%

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 Essaouira: August 30, 2026

Cost Breakdown

A central one-bedroom costs $1,069 in Playa del Carmen versus $406 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 179% 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 $47.00 in Playa del Carmen versus $19.00 in Essaouira. Monthly groceries follow the same trend: $277 vs $177 – 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 58%, and the gap shows up most in Groceries & Markets. It's not just housing either; the difference applies across most spending categories.

For a comfortable life, plan on about $1,940 per month in Playa del Carmen and $1,224 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.

A mid-range dinner for two costs $47.00 in Playa del Carmen and $19.00 in Essaouira. That's a good indicator of the overall restaurant and café pricing gap between the two cities.

Groceries cost about 56% 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 $1,500 monthly budget goes further in Essaouira, where all-in costs run around $816, than in Playa del Carmen at $1,293. 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.