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 $1,260 per month in Playa del Carmen vs $652 in Fes, rent included.

A couple spends around $2,125 per month in Playa del Carmen vs $1,031 in Fes, rent included.

A family of three spends $2,990 per month in Playa del Carmen vs $1,410 in Fes, rent included.

Playa del Carmen costs about 93% more than Fes, driven mainly by Eating Out.

Both Playa del Carmen and Fes are more affordable than the global median – Playa del Carmen 5% lower, Fes 51% lower.

Meal at Budget Restaurant

$11.72 MX$203

$3.93 MAD 36.62

198.22%

Three-Course Dinner for Two, Mid-Range

$41.89 MX$725

$32.73 MAD 305

27.99%

Fast Food Meal (McDonalds, etc)

$10.51 MX$182

$6.08 MAD 56.7

72.86%

Cappuccino

$3.59 MX$62.0

$1.58 MAD 14.71

127.22%

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

$1.51 MX$26.10

$0.46 MAD 4.27

228.26%

Water (0.33 liter bottle)

$0.92 MX$15.83

$0.37 MAD 3.46

148.65%

Local Beer (0.5 liter draught)

$2.96 MX$51.2

$2.97 MAD 27.68

-0.34%

Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$4.41 MX$76.3

$3.38 MAD 31.54

30.47%

Milk (1 liter)

$1.40 MX$24.16

$0.84 MAD 7.79

66.67%

White Bread (500g)

$1.88 MX$32.60

$0.53 MAD 4.94

254.72%

Rice (white) (1kg)

$1.56 MX$26.97

$1.65 MAD 15.43

-5.45%

Eggs

$2.61 MX$45.14

$1.96 MAD 18.25

33.16%

Local Cheese (1kg)

$8.32 MX$144

$12.57 MAD 117

-33.81%

Chicken Fillets (1kg)

$8.35 MX$145

$5.43 MAD 50.6

53.78%

Beef Round Steak (1kg)

$10.86 MX$188

$9.71 MAD 90.5

11.84%

Apples (1kg)

$2.71 MX$46.93

$1.14 MAD 10.61

137.72%

Banana (1kg)

$1.51 MX$26.04

$1.29 MAD 11.99

17.05%

Oranges (1kg)

$1.87 MX$32.41

$0.72 MAD 6.75

159.72%

Tomato (1kg)

$2.19 MX$37.89

$0.91 MAD 8.45

140.66%

Potato (1kg)

$1.86 MX$32.14

$0.86 MAD 8.00

116.28%

Onion (1kg)

$2.23 MX$38.59

$0.89 MAD 8.27

150.56%

Lettuce (1 head)

$1.07 MX$18.48

$0.43 MAD 4.04

148.84%

Water (1.5 liter bottle)

$1.09 MX$18.79

$0.59 MAD 5.49

84.75%

Cigarettes 20 Pack (Marlboro, Camel)

$4.19 MX$72.4

$4.05 MAD 37.78

3.46%

Wine (Bottle)

$10.43 MX$180

$4.76 MAD 44.40

119.12%

Local Beer (0.5 liter bottle)

$1.66 MX$28.68

$2.56 MAD 23.83

-35.16%

Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$2.61 MX$45.19

$3.31 MAD 30.86

-21.15%

One-way Ticket (Public Transport)

$0.54 MX$9.37

$0.42 MAD 3.90

28.57%

Public Transport Monthly Pass (Regular Price)

$26.16 MX$453

$10.99 MAD 103

138.03%

Taxi Start (Normal Tariff)

$3.08 MX$53.3

$0.69 MAD 6.39

346.38%

Taxi (Normal Tariff) (1km)

$2.40 MX$41.61

$0.52 MAD 4.87

361.54%

Taxi 1hour Waiting (Normal Tariff)

$3.13 MX$54.1

$4.29 MAD 39.99

-27.04%

Gasoline (1 liter)

$1.31 MX$22.69

$1.61 MAD 14.98

-18.63%

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

$29.8K MX$515.7K

$36.6K MAD 340.9K

-18.48%

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

$23.3K MX$403.5K

$29.6K MAD 275.6K

-21.11%

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

$81.3 MX$1,406

$34.55 MAD 322

135.25%

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

$22.56 MX$390

$10.95 MAD 102

106.03%

Internet (50+ Mbps, Unlimited Data)

$30.05 MX$520

$25.56 MAD 238

17.57%

Gym Membership (Monthly)

$52.9 MX$915

$25.84 MAD 241

104.76%

Tennis Court (1 Hour on Weekend)

$18.39 MX$318

$24.34 MAD 227

-24.45%

Cinema Ticket

$4.92 MX$85.1

$5.33 MAD 49.68

-7.69%

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

$201 MX$3,474

$54.8 MAD 511

266.51%

International Primary School, 1 Child (Yearly)

$5,175 MX$89.5K

$3,304 MAD 30.8K

56.63%

Jeans (Levis 501 Or Similar)

$35.92 MX$622

$32.98 MAD 308

8.91%

Summer Dress (H&M, Zara, etc)

$40.13 MX$694

$33.33 MAD 311

20.40%

Sport Shoes (Adidas, Nike)

$79.7 MX$1,379

$86.3 MAD 805

-7.67%

Men's Leather Business Shoes

$86.5 MX$1,496

$63.3 MAD 590

36.61%

1-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)

$978 MX$16.9K

$285 MAD 2,655

243.47%

1-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)

$470 MX$8,140

$149 MAD 1,388

216.13%

3-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)

$1,651 MX$28.6K

$404 MAD 3,769

308.46%

3-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)

$1,203 MX$20.8K

$220 MAD 2,049

447.65%

Buy Apartment in City Center (m2)

$3,953 MX$68.4K

$745 MAD 6,946

430.72%

Buy Apartment Outside City Center (m2)

$6,607 MX$114.3K

$349 MAD 3,257

1791.58%

Average Monthly Net Salary (After Tax)

$677 MX$11.7K

$499 MAD 4,656

35.49%

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: July 27, 2026

Last update for Fes: July 27, 2026

Cost Breakdown

A central one-bedroom costs $978 in Playa del Carmen versus $285 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 35% 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 $33.00 in Fes. Monthly groceries follow the same trend: $252 vs $185 – 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 93% 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 $1,890 per month in Playa del Carmen and $978 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 $42.00 in Playa del Carmen and $33.00 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 $1,260 in Playa del Carmen and $652 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 $652, than in Playa del Carmen at $1,260. 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 $652 versus $1,260 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.