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

Monthly Cost of Living

Monthly costs for one person with rent: $1,297 in Playa del Carmen versus $799 in Ifrane.

Estimated couple costs with rent: $2,181 in Playa del Carmen versus $1,203 in Ifrane.

Monthly costs for a family of three with rent: $3,065 in Playa del Carmen versus $1,607 in Ifrane.

Living in Playa del Carmen is roughly 62% more expensive than Ifrane, driven mainly by Eating Out.

Both cities sit below the global median: Playa del Carmen 3% lower, Ifrane 40% lower.

Meal at Budget Restaurant

$11.73 MX$203

$3.52 MAD 32.42

233.24%

Three-Course Dinner for Two, Mid-Range

$41.62 MX$719

$11.72 MAD 108

255.12%

Fast Food Meal (McDonalds, etc)

$10.64 MX$184

$8.08 MAD 74.4

31.68%

Cappuccino

$3.52 MX$60.8

$1.29 MAD 11.83

172.87%

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

$1.51 MX$26.09

$0.69 MAD 6.32

118.84%

Water (0.33 liter bottle)

$0.97 MX$16.82

$0.46 MAD 4.26

110.87%

Local Beer (0.5 liter draught)

$2.95 MX$51.0

$2.67 MAD 24.62

10.49%

Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$4.45 MX$77.0

$4.42 MAD 40.69

0.68%

Milk (1 liter)

$1.38 MX$23.90

$0.90 MAD 8.32

53.33%

White Bread (500g)

$1.89 MX$32.69

$0.70 MAD 6.49

170.00%

Rice (white) (1kg)

$1.64 MX$28.29

$1.55 MAD 14.29

5.81%

Eggs

$2.51 MX$43.30

$1.99 MAD 18.34

26.13%

Local Cheese (1kg)

$8.34 MX$144

$11.06 MAD 102

-24.59%

Chicken Fillets (1kg)

$8.34 MX$144

$7.53 MAD 69.4

10.76%

Beef Round Steak (1kg)

$10.73 MX$185

$11.68 MAD 108

-8.13%

Apples (1kg)

$2.60 MX$45.00

$0.95 MAD 8.75

173.68%

Banana (1kg)

$1.46 MX$25.18

$1.19 MAD 10.92

22.69%

Oranges (1kg)

$1.90 MX$32.84

$0.90 MAD 8.27

111.11%

Tomato (1kg)

$2.08 MX$35.88

$0.56 MAD 5.19

271.43%

Potato (1kg)

$1.78 MX$30.68

$0.63 MAD 5.80

182.54%

Onion (1kg)

$2.19 MX$37.76

$0.42 MAD 3.87

421.43%

Lettuce (1 head)

$1.04 MX$17.97

$0.45 MAD 4.17

131.11%

Water (1.5 liter bottle)

$1.08 MX$18.60

$0.58 MAD 5.35

86.21%

Cigarettes 20 Pack (Marlboro, Camel)

$4.08 MX$70.5

$4.43 MAD 40.84

-7.90%

Wine (Bottle)

$10.32 MX$178

$8.56 MAD 78.8

20.56%

Local Beer (0.5 liter bottle)

$1.71 MX$29.59

$2.81 MAD 25.87

-39.15%

Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$2.58 MX$44.50

$2.92 MAD 26.88

-11.64%

One-way Ticket (Public Transport)

$0.51 MX$8.81

$0.51 MAD 4.72

Public Transport Monthly Pass (Regular Price)

$26.46 MX$457

$16.33 MAD 150

62.03%

Taxi Start (Normal Tariff)

$3.26 MX$56.4

$0.79 MAD 7.27

312.66%

Taxi (Normal Tariff) (1km)

$2.49 MX$43.05

$0.79 MAD 7.27

215.19%

Taxi 1hour Waiting (Normal Tariff)

$3.25 MX$56.1

$5.23 MAD 48.13

-37.86%

Gasoline (1 liter)

$1.31 MX$22.59

$1.46 MAD 13.48

-10.27%

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

$30.3K MX$523.2K

$37.0K MAD 340.7K

-18.15%

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

$23.4K MX$404.9K

$28.8K MAD 264.8K

-18.52%

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

$82.9 MX$1,432

$50.6 MAD 466

63.87%

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

$22.22 MX$384

$12.27 MAD 113

81.09%

Internet (50+ Mbps, Unlimited Data)

$29.34 MX$507

$41.69 MAD 384

-29.62%

Gym Membership (Monthly)

$51.6 MX$892

$24.02 MAD 221

114.95%

Tennis Court (1 Hour on Weekend)

$18.32 MX$317

$23.45 MAD 216

-21.88%

Cinema Ticket

$5.07 MX$87.5

$8.51 MAD 78.4

-40.42%

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

$201 MX$3,470

$203 MAD 1,865

-0.85%

International Primary School, 1 Child (Yearly)

$5,212 MX$90.1K

$5,487 MAD 50.5K

-5.02%

Jeans (Levis 501 Or Similar)

$36.92 MX$638

$66.4 MAD 612

-44.41%

Summer Dress (H&M, Zara, etc)

$39.79 MX$688

$53.0 MAD 488

-24.90%

Sport Shoes (Adidas, Nike)

$78.5 MX$1,356

$110 MAD 1,012

-28.62%

Men's Leather Business Shoes

$87.1 MX$1,505

$92.5 MAD 852

-5.86%

1-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)

$973 MX$16.8K

$284 MAD 2,617

242.28%

1-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)

$468 MX$8,082

$172 MAD 1,579

172.73%

3-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)

$1,641 MX$28.4K

$503 MAD 4,629

226.55%

3-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)

$1,221 MX$21.1K

$311 MAD 2,864

292.60%

Buy Apartment in City Center (m2)

$3,946 MX$68.2K

$1,461 MAD 13.5K

170.10%

Buy Apartment Outside City Center (m2)

$6,498 MX$112.3K

$833 MAD 7,669

680.38%

Average Monthly Net Salary (After Tax)

$664 MX$11.5K

$299 MAD 2,752

122.20%

20-Year Fixed Mortgage Interest Rate (Annual %)

11.42

5.29

115.88%

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 Ifrane: June 1, 2026

Cost Breakdown

A one-bedroom apartment in the center runs $973 in Playa del Carmen and $284 in Ifrane. Housing cost is often the main lever when comparing two cities.

Playa del Carmen pays 122% more on average. The extra income cushions the higher costs, though housing choices and lifestyle decide how much of the gap is truly closed.

Dining out: $42.00 in Playa del Carmen vs $12.00 in Ifrane for a mid-range dinner for two. Groceries echo the gap at $249 vs $203 per month, with Ifrane cheaper across the board.

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 Ifrane: Cost of Living - Frequently Asked Questions

Playa del Carmen and Ifrane differ by about 62% in total monthly costs ($1,297 vs $799 including rent). Ifrane is meaningfully more affordable – a gap that matters a lot on a fixed or modest income.

Playa del Carmen pays 122% more on average, which matters when comparing affordability. Whether that higher income actually nets you more depends on your spending habits and housing choices.

Rent for a central apartment: $973 in Playa del Carmen versus $284 in Ifrane. Housing is usually the single largest factor when comparing overall living costs between the two.

A monthly transit pass in Ifrane runs roughly 62% less than in Playa del Carmen. Both cities have functional networks, but the price difference matters if you're watching your budget.

Childcare runs $201 in Playa del Carmen versus $203 in Ifrane. Over years of preschool, even a modest monthly gap compounds into a major financial factor for families.

At $799 in Ifrane versus $1,297 in Playa del Carmen, a $2,000 budget is realistic in Ifrane but tight or insufficient in Playa del Carmen. The gap between the two cities makes Ifrane the clear choice for anyone on this budget.

Both cities offer a good standard of living with different trade-offs. Neither is objectively better – the right pick depends on what matters most: affordability, career, cultural scene, or climate.

Safety-wise, Playa del Carmen and Ifrane are on par. Petty crime is typical for cities this size, and most residents feel comfortable going about their daily routines in either place.

Expats usually find Ifrane gentler on the wallet – expenses run 62% less than in Playa del Carmen. Beyond cost, consider language, visa policies, and how big the international community is in each city.