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

Monthly Cost of Living

A single person spends $1,287 per month in Playa del Carmen vs $646 in Fes, rent included.

A couple spends around $2,184 per month in Playa del Carmen vs $1,037 in Fes, rent included.

A family of three spends $3,082 per month in Playa del Carmen vs $1,428 in Fes, rent included.

Playa del Carmen costs about 99% more than Fes, driven mainly by Eating Out.

Both Playa del Carmen and Fes are more affordable than the global median – Playa del Carmen 4% lower, Fes 52% lower.

Meal at Budget Restaurant

$11.94 MX$209

$3.74 MAD 34.56

219.25%

Three-Course Dinner for Two, Mid-Range

$42.75 MX$748

$33.53 MAD 310

27.50%

Fast Food Meal (McDonalds, etc)

$10.59 MX$185

$6.19 MAD 57.3

71.08%

Cappuccino

$3.62 MX$63.4

$1.55 MAD 14.38

133.55%

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

$1.47 MX$25.69

$0.46 MAD 4.24

219.57%

Water (0.33 liter bottle)

$0.94 MX$16.51

$0.41 MAD 3.77

129.27%

Local Beer (0.5 liter draught)

$3.09 MX$54.1

$2.99 MAD 27.62

3.34%

Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$4.46 MX$78.0

$3.26 MAD 30.13

36.81%

Milk (1 liter)

$1.43 MX$24.94

$0.89 MAD 8.20

60.67%

White Bread (500g)

$1.88 MX$32.97

$0.53 MAD 4.89

254.72%

Rice (white) (1kg)

$1.63 MX$28.50

$1.67 MAD 15.43

-2.40%

Eggs

$2.64 MX$46.26

$2.02 MAD 18.65

30.69%

Local Cheese (1kg)

$8.21 MX$144

$12.34 MAD 114

-33.47%

Chicken Fillets (1kg)

$8.29 MX$145

$5.36 MAD 49.54

54.66%

Beef Round Steak (1kg)

$11.10 MX$194

$9.92 MAD 91.8

11.90%

Apples (1kg)

$2.65 MX$46.40

$1.13 MAD 10.42

134.51%

Banana (1kg)

$1.50 MX$26.26

$1.29 MAD 11.93

16.28%

Oranges (1kg)

$1.99 MX$34.79

$0.77 MAD 7.13

158.44%

Tomato (1kg)

$2.08 MX$36.33

$0.92 MAD 8.51

126.09%

Potato (1kg)

$1.79 MX$31.29

$0.81 MAD 7.47

120.99%

Onion (1kg)

$2.18 MX$38.09

$0.94 MAD 8.74

131.91%

Lettuce (1 head)

$1.08 MX$18.84

$0.47 MAD 4.35

129.79%

Water (1.5 liter bottle)

$1.04 MX$18.15

$0.59 MAD 5.48

76.27%

Cigarettes 20 Pack (Marlboro, Camel)

$3.97 MX$69.5

$4.03 MAD 37.30

-1.49%

Wine (Bottle)

$10.20 MX$179

$4.88 MAD 45.15

109.02%

Local Beer (0.5 liter bottle)

$1.73 MX$30.22

$2.48 MAD 22.91

-30.24%

Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$2.50 MX$43.71

$3.30 MAD 30.51

-24.24%

One-way Ticket (Public Transport)

$0.52 MX$9.07

$0.45 MAD 4.17

15.56%

Public Transport Monthly Pass (Regular Price)

$26.97 MX$472

$10.82 MAD 100

149.26%

Taxi Start (Normal Tariff)

$3.14 MX$55.0

$0.68 MAD 6.25

361.76%

Taxi (Normal Tariff) (1km)

$2.40 MX$42.04

$0.48 MAD 4.42

400.00%

Taxi 1hour Waiting (Normal Tariff)

$3.09 MX$54.0

$4.51 MAD 41.70

-31.49%

Gasoline (1 liter)

$1.27 MX$22.28

$1.54 MAD 14.28

-17.53%

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

$30.9K MX$540.4K

$37.0K MAD 342.1K

-16.49%

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

$23.3K MX$408.0K

$29.4K MAD 271.8K

-20.65%

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

$82.0 MX$1,435

$34.34 MAD 318

138.82%

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

$22.45 MX$393

$10.85 MAD 100

106.91%

Internet (50+ Mbps, Unlimited Data)

$29.66 MX$519

$24.85 MAD 230

19.36%

Gym Membership (Monthly)

$51.9 MX$908

$26.34 MAD 244

96.92%

Tennis Court (1 Hour on Weekend)

$18.67 MX$327

$24.95 MAD 231

-25.17%

Cinema Ticket

$4.97 MX$87.0

$5.58 MAD 51.6

-10.93%

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

$198 MX$3,462

$55.1 MAD 510

258.87%

International Primary School, 1 Child (Yearly)

$5,273 MX$92.3K

$3,286 MAD 30.4K

60.46%

Jeans (Levis 501 Or Similar)

$36.34 MX$636

$33.56 MAD 310

8.28%

Summer Dress (H&M, Zara, etc)

$40.05 MX$701

$33.14 MAD 307

20.85%

Sport Shoes (Adidas, Nike)

$79.9 MX$1,398

$85.7 MAD 793

-6.79%

Men's Leather Business Shoes

$88.9 MX$1,555

$63.9 MAD 591

39.03%

1-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)

$963 MX$16.9K

$284 MAD 2,627

239.25%

1-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)

$465 MX$8,133

$151 MAD 1,400

207.00%

3-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)

$1,596 MX$27.9K

$407 MAD 3,766

292.03%

3-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)

$1,209 MX$21.2K

$218 MAD 2,016

454.61%

Buy Apartment in City Center (m2)

$3,942 MX$69.0K

$928 MAD 8,588

324.55%

Buy Apartment Outside City Center (m2)

$6,448 MX$112.8K

$535 MAD 4,952

1104.48%

Average Monthly Net Salary (After Tax)

$720 MX$12.6K

$396 MAD 3,665

81.81%

20-Year Fixed Mortgage Interest Rate (Annual %)

11.42

4.5

153.78%

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

Last update for Playa del Carmen: April 25, 2026

Last update for Fes: April 26, 2026

Cost Breakdown

A central one-bedroom costs $963 in Playa del Carmen versus $284 in Fes. 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 82% 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 $43.00 in Playa del Carmen versus $34.00 in Fes. Monthly groceries follow the same trend: $251 vs $186 – making Fes 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 Fes: Cost of Living - Frequently Asked Questions

Playa del Carmen costs about 99% more than Fes, with the gap driven mainly by Eating Out. That's enough to noticeably affect everyday spending and lifestyle for anyone choosing between the two.

For a comfortable life, plan on about $1,930 per month in Playa del Carmen and $969 in Fes. That covers rent, food, utilities, transport, and enough left over to feel settled – not just surviving.

Rent is clearly cheaper in Fes, 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 $43.00 in Playa del Carmen and $34.00 in Fes. That's a good indicator of the overall restaurant and café pricing gap between the two cities.

Monthly expenses with rent come to $1,287 in Playa del Carmen and $646 in Fes. The difference isn't just one category – it shows up across housing, food, transport, and services.

A $1,000 monthly budget goes further in Fes, where all-in costs run around $646, than in Playa del Carmen at $1,287. In Fes it covers expenses comfortably, while in Playa del Carmen it requires careful planning or may not stretch far enough.

For digital nomads, it depends on budget. Fes costs $646 versus $1,287 in Playa del Carmen. Both have workable remote work infrastructure, but the cost gap matters when income varies month to month.

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 Fes. 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.