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: $1,293 in Playa del Carmen versus $771 in Ifrane.

Estimated couple costs with rent: $2,334 in Playa del Carmen versus $1,153 in Ifrane.

Monthly costs for a family of three with rent: $3,374 in Playa del Carmen versus $1,534 in Ifrane.

Living in Playa del Carmen is roughly 68% more expensive than in Ifrane, driven mainly by Eating Out.

Both cities sit below the global median: Playa del Carmen 6% lower, Ifrane 44% lower.

Meal at Budget Restaurant

$11.71 MX$198

$3.59 MAD 33.62

226.18%

Three-Course Dinner for Two, Mid-Range

$46.59 MX$787

$11.69 MAD 109

298.55%

Fast Food Meal (McDonalds, etc)

$11.65 MX$197

$7.61 MAD 71.2

53.09%

Cappuccino

$4.09 MX$69.2

$1.27 MAD 11.89

222.05%

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

$1.37 MX$23.23

$0.76 MAD 7.15

80.26%

Water (0.33 liter bottle)

$0.83 MX$14.09

$0.36 MAD 3.35

130.56%

Local Beer (0.5 liter draught)

$3.35 MX$56.7

$2.77 MAD 25.91

20.94%

Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$6.91 MX$117

$4.30 MAD 40.20

60.70%

Milk (1 liter)

$1.73 MX$29.19

$0.90 MAD 8.43

92.22%

White Bread (500g)

$2.26 MX$38.20

$0.77 MAD 7.20

193.51%

Rice (white) (1kg)

$1.77 MX$29.90

$1.47 MAD 13.75

20.41%

Eggs

$2.73 MX$46.18

$1.86 MAD 17.43

46.77%

Local Cheese (1kg)

$9.18 MX$155

$10.78 MAD 101

-14.84%

Chicken Fillets (1kg)

$8.92 MX$151

$7.43 MAD 69.5

20.05%

Beef Round Steak (1kg)

$12.60 MX$213

$12.80 MAD 120

-1.56%

Apples (1kg)

$3.02 MX$51.1

$0.99 MAD 9.21

205.05%

Banana (1kg)

$1.57 MX$26.54

$1.21 MAD 11.32

29.75%

Oranges (1kg)

$2.13 MX$35.92

$0.81 MAD 7.61

162.96%

Tomato (1kg)

$2.26 MX$38.27

$0.56 MAD 5.26

303.57%

Potato (1kg)

$2.00 MX$33.87

$0.68 MAD 6.36

194.12%

Onion (1kg)

$2.06 MX$34.89

$0.44 MAD 4.15

368.18%

Lettuce (1 head)

$1.18 MX$19.94

$0.50 MAD 4.67

136.00%

Water (1.5 liter bottle)

$1.20 MX$20.35

$0.56 MAD 5.27

114.29%

Cigarettes 20 Pack (Marlboro, Camel)

$4.63 MX$78.3

$4.28 MAD 40.07

8.18%

Wine (Bottle)

$10.69 MX$181

$8.42 MAD 78.8

26.96%

Local Beer (0.5 liter bottle)

$1.62 MX$27.37

$2.72 MAD 25.48

-40.44%

Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$2.88 MX$48.69

$3.16 MAD 29.54

-8.86%

One-way Ticket (Public Transport)

$0.57 MX$9.69

$0.51 MAD 4.73

11.76%

Public Transport Monthly Pass (Regular Price)

$29.83 MX$504

$17.63 MAD 165

69.20%

Taxi Start (Normal Tariff)

$5.45 MX$92.1

$0.88 MAD 8.19

519.32%

Taxi (Normal Tariff) (1km)

$3.70 MX$62.6

$0.33 MAD 3.13

1021.21%

Taxi 1hour Waiting (Normal Tariff)

$5.98 MX$101

$4.88 MAD 45.64

22.54%

Gasoline (1 liter)

$1.55 MX$26.25

$1.59 MAD 14.90

-2.52%

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

$22.3K MX$377.3K

$32.0K MAD 299.3K

-30.22%

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

$25.9K MX$438.5K

$31.9K MAD 298.0K

-18.54%

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

$89.1 MX$1,506

$50.6 MAD 473

76.18%

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

$25.04 MX$423

$11.79 MAD 110

112.38%

Internet (50+ Mbps, Unlimited Data)

$31.50 MX$532

$44.60 MAD 417

-29.37%

Gym Membership (Monthly)

$67.8 MX$1,145

$24.01 MAD 225

182.30%

Tennis Court (1 Hour on Weekend)

$28.92 MX$489

$18.95 MAD 177

52.61%

Cinema Ticket

$5.05 MX$85.3

$7.65 MAD 71.5

-33.99%

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

$225 MX$3,802

$106 MAD 988

112.90%

International Primary School, 1 Child (Yearly)

$4,222 MX$71.4K

$5,684 MAD 53.2K

-25.71%

Jeans (Levis 501 Or Similar)

$47.44 MX$802

$61.4 MAD 574

-22.71%

Summer Dress (H&M, Zara, etc)

$44.98 MX$760

$49.68 MAD 465

-9.46%

Sport Shoes (Adidas, Nike)

$82.0 MX$1,386

$103 MAD 959

-20.02%

Men's Leather Business Shoes

$92.1 MX$1,556

$66.3 MAD 620

38.95%

1-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)

$1,069 MX$18.1K

$294 MAD 2,755

263.10%

1-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)

$405 MX$6,850

$163 MAD 1,522

149.09%

3-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)

$1,935 MX$32.7K

$527 MAD 4,933

267.00%

3-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)

$1,301 MX$22.0K

$315 MAD 2,950

312.58%

Buy Apartment in City Center (m2)

$3,995 MX$67.5K

$1,085 MAD 10.1K

268.40%

Buy Apartment Outside City Center (m2)

$6,626 MX$112.0K

$811 MAD 7,585

717.28%

Average Monthly Net Salary (After Tax)

$749 MX$12.7K

$301 MAD 2,816

148.72%

20-Year Fixed Mortgage Interest Rate (Annual %)

11.45

5.01

128.54%

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 Ifrane: August 31, 2026

Cost Breakdown

A one-bedroom apartment in the center runs $1,069 in Playa del Carmen and $294 in Ifrane. Housing cost is often the main lever when comparing two cities.

Playa del Carmen pays 149% 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: $47.00 in Playa del Carmen vs $12.00 in Ifrane for a mid-range dinner for two. Groceries echo the gap at $277 vs $205 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 68% in total monthly costs ($1,293 vs $771 including rent). Ifrane is meaningfully more affordable – a gap that matters a lot on a fixed or modest income.

Average pay runs 149% higher in Playa del Carmen, 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: $1,069 in Playa del Carmen versus $294 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 69% less than in Playa del Carmen. Both cities have functional networks, but the price difference matters if you're watching your budget.

Childcare runs $225 in Playa del Carmen versus $106 in Ifrane. Over years of preschool, even a modest monthly gap compounds into a major financial factor for families.

At $771 in Ifrane versus $1,293 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 68% less than in Playa del Carmen. Beyond cost, consider language, visa policies, and how big the international community is in each city.