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 $1,256 per month in Playa del Carmen vs $837 in Essaouira, rent included.

A couple spends around $2,137 per month in Playa del Carmen vs $1,254 in Essaouira, rent included.

A family of three spends $3,017 per month in Playa del Carmen vs $1,671 in Essaouira, rent included.

Playa del Carmen costs about 50% more than Essaouira, driven mainly by Eating Out.

Both Playa del Carmen and Essaouira are more affordable than the global median – Playa del Carmen 6% lower, Essaouira 37% lower.

Meal at Budget Restaurant

$11.99 MX$210

$4.36 MAD 40.68

175.00%

Three-Course Dinner for Two, Mid-Range

$41.78 MX$733

$25.14 MAD 234

66.19%

Fast Food Meal (McDonalds, etc)

$10.75 MX$189

$4.97 MAD 46.37

116.30%

Cappuccino

$3.50 MX$61.3

$1.76 MAD 16.37

98.86%

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

$1.45 MX$25.41

$0.46 MAD 4.26

215.22%

Water (0.33 liter bottle)

$0.88 MX$15.52

$0.26 MAD 2.41

238.46%

Local Beer (0.5 liter draught)

$2.95 MX$51.7

$3.79 MAD 35.36

-22.16%

Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$4.51 MX$79.1

$3.72 MAD 34.69

21.24%

Milk (1 liter)

$1.43 MX$25.12

$0.84 MAD 7.87

70.24%

White Bread (500g)

$1.84 MX$32.23

$0.49 MAD 4.57

275.51%

Rice (white) (1kg)

$1.57 MX$27.51

$1.65 MAD 15.43

-4.85%

Eggs

$2.51 MX$44.06

$1.81 MAD 16.90

38.67%

Local Cheese (1kg)

$8.28 MX$145

$9.24 MAD 86.1

-10.39%

Chicken Fillets (1kg)

$8.43 MX$148

$5.29 MAD 49.31

59.36%

Beef Round Steak (1kg)

$10.68 MX$187

$11.42 MAD 107

-6.48%

Apples (1kg)

$2.61 MX$45.76

$1.42 MAD 13.21

83.80%

Banana (1kg)

$1.44 MX$25.22

$1.22 MAD 11.42

18.03%

Oranges (1kg)

$1.96 MX$34.41

$0.72 MAD 6.69

172.22%

Tomato (1kg)

$2.09 MX$36.74

$0.88 MAD 8.22

137.50%

Potato (1kg)

$1.85 MX$32.47

$0.70 MAD 6.52

164.29%

Onion (1kg)

$2.17 MX$38.02

$0.91 MAD 8.48

138.46%

Lettuce (1 head)

$1.03 MX$18.09

$0.39 MAD 3.66

164.10%

Water (1.5 liter bottle)

$1.07 MX$18.84

$0.53 MAD 4.97

101.89%

Cigarettes 20 Pack (Marlboro, Camel)

$4.10 MX$72.0

$4.15 MAD 38.66

-1.20%

Wine (Bottle)

$10.17 MX$178

$6.45 MAD 60.1

57.67%

Local Beer (0.5 liter bottle)

$1.68 MX$29.38

$1.93 MAD 18.03

-12.95%

Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$2.53 MX$44.31

$2.20 MAD 20.52

15.00%

One-way Ticket (Public Transport)

$0.51 MX$8.93

$0.87 MAD 8.11

-41.38%

Public Transport Monthly Pass (Regular Price)

$26.04 MX$457

$16.46 MAD 154

58.20%

Taxi Start (Normal Tariff)

$3.23 MX$56.7

$0.63 MAD 5.92

412.70%

Taxi (Normal Tariff) (1km)

$2.41 MX$42.19

$0.48 MAD 4.43

402.08%

Taxi 1hour Waiting (Normal Tariff)

$3.23 MX$56.6

$8.98 MAD 83.8

-64.03%

Gasoline (1 liter)

$1.32 MX$23.17

$1.58 MAD 14.70

-16.46%

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

$29.7K MX$520.9K

$37.2K MAD 346.5K

-20.08%

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

$23.7K MX$415.0K

$21.1K MAD 196.4K

12.37%

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

$82.0 MX$1,439

$27.86 MAD 260

194.36%

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

$22.95 MX$403

$13.90 MAD 130

65.11%

Internet (50+ Mbps, Unlimited Data)

$30.11 MX$528

$27.94 MAD 261

7.77%

Gym Membership (Monthly)

$52.0 MX$912

$21.61 MAD 202

140.49%

Tennis Court (1 Hour on Weekend)

$18.53 MX$325

$22.76 MAD 212

-18.59%

Cinema Ticket

$4.98 MX$87.3

$6.65 MAD 62.0

-25.11%

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

$197 MX$3,463

$75.3 MAD 702

162.24%

International Primary School, 1 Child (Yearly)

$5,336 MX$93.6K

$1,956 MAD 18.2K

172.77%

Jeans (Levis 501 Or Similar)

$35.60 MX$624

$30.88 MAD 288

15.28%

Summer Dress (H&M, Zara, etc)

$40.33 MX$707

$39.68 MAD 370

1.64%

Sport Shoes (Adidas, Nike)

$78.8 MX$1,381

$49.28 MAD 460

59.80%

Men's Leather Business Shoes

$88.9 MX$1,560

$44.34 MAD 413

100.56%

1-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)

$947 MX$16.6K

$388 MAD 3,617

144.16%

1-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)

$474 MX$8,314

$346 MAD 3,229

36.90%

3-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)

$1,644 MX$28.8K

$813 MAD 7,584

102.13%

3-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)

$1,211 MX$21.2K

$559 MAD 5,209

116.71%

Buy Apartment in City Center (m2)

$4,056 MX$71.1K

Buy Apartment Outside City Center (m2)

$6,470 MX$113.5K

Average Monthly Net Salary (After Tax)

$654 MX$11.5K

$268 MAD 2,498

144.07%

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: July 13, 2026

Last update for Essaouira: July 12, 2026

Cost Breakdown

A central one-bedroom costs $947 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 144% 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 $176 – 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 50%, 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 $1,884 per month in Playa del Carmen and $1,256 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 41% 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 $837, than in Playa del Carmen at $1,256. 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.