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: $1,256 in Playa del Carmen versus $796 in Ifrane.

Estimated couple costs with rent: $2,137 in Playa del Carmen versus $1,210 in Ifrane.

Monthly costs for a family of three with rent: $3,017 in Playa del Carmen versus $1,623 in Ifrane.

Living in Playa del Carmen is roughly 58% more expensive than in Ifrane, driven mainly by Eating Out.

Both cities sit below the global median: Playa del Carmen 6% lower, Ifrane 40% lower.

Meal at Budget Restaurant

$11.99 MX$209

$3.53 MAD 32.99

239.66%

Three-Course Dinner for Two, Mid-Range

$41.78 MX$728

$11.77 MAD 110

254.97%

Fast Food Meal (McDonalds, etc)

$10.75 MX$187

$7.81 MAD 73.1

37.64%

Cappuccino

$3.50 MX$60.9

$1.33 MAD 12.48

163.16%

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

$1.45 MX$25.22

$0.69 MAD 6.48

110.14%

Water (0.33 liter bottle)

$0.88 MX$15.41

$0.47 MAD 4.38

87.23%

Local Beer (0.5 liter draught)

$2.95 MX$51.3

$2.81 MAD 26.29

4.98%

Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$4.51 MX$78.6

$4.35 MAD 40.69

3.68%

Milk (1 liter)

$1.43 MX$24.94

$0.91 MAD 8.54

57.14%

White Bread (500g)

$1.84 MX$31.99

$0.75 MAD 7.06

145.33%

Rice (white) (1kg)

$1.57 MX$27.31

$1.51 MAD 14.09

3.97%

Eggs

$2.51 MX$43.74

$1.92 MAD 17.98

30.73%

Local Cheese (1kg)

$8.28 MX$144

$11.25 MAD 105

-26.40%

Chicken Fillets (1kg)

$8.43 MX$147

$7.20 MAD 67.4

17.08%

Beef Round Steak (1kg)

$10.68 MX$186

$11.53 MAD 108

-7.37%

Apples (1kg)

$2.61 MX$45.43

$1.04 MAD 9.71

150.96%

Banana (1kg)

$1.44 MX$25.04

$1.24 MAD 11.56

16.13%

Oranges (1kg)

$1.96 MX$34.16

$0.84 MAD 7.89

133.33%

Tomato (1kg)

$2.09 MX$36.47

$0.52 MAD 4.90

301.92%

Potato (1kg)

$1.85 MX$32.24

$0.68 MAD 6.38

172.06%

Onion (1kg)

$2.17 MX$37.74

$0.45 MAD 4.23

382.22%

Lettuce (1 head)

$1.03 MX$17.96

$0.43 MAD 3.98

139.53%

Water (1.5 liter bottle)

$1.07 MX$18.70

$0.58 MAD 5.43

84.48%

Cigarettes 20 Pack (Marlboro, Camel)

$4.10 MX$71.4

$4.31 MAD 40.34

-4.87%

Wine (Bottle)

$10.17 MX$177

$8.26 MAD 77.3

23.12%

Local Beer (0.5 liter bottle)

$1.68 MX$29.17

$2.80 MAD 26.18

-40.00%

Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$2.53 MX$43.98

$2.82 MAD 26.37

-10.28%

One-way Ticket (Public Transport)

$0.51 MX$8.87

$0.50 MAD 4.68

2.00%

Public Transport Monthly Pass (Regular Price)

$26.04 MX$453

$16.32 MAD 153

59.56%

Taxi Start (Normal Tariff)

$3.23 MX$56.3

$0.78 MAD 7.34

314.10%

Taxi (Normal Tariff) (1km)

$2.41 MX$41.88

$0.83 MAD 7.74

190.36%

Taxi 1hour Waiting (Normal Tariff)

$3.23 MX$56.2

$5.24 MAD 49.07

-38.36%

Gasoline (1 liter)

$1.32 MX$23.00

$1.53 MAD 14.32

-13.73%

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

$29.7K MX$517.1K

$37.3K MAD 348.5K

-20.28%

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

$23.7K MX$412.0K

$28.7K MAD 268.5K

-17.54%

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

$82.0 MX$1,428

$48.71 MAD 456

68.36%

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

$22.95 MX$400

$12.16 MAD 114

88.73%

Internet (50+ Mbps, Unlimited Data)

$30.11 MX$524

$42.69 MAD 399

-29.47%

Gym Membership (Monthly)

$52.0 MX$905

$24.73 MAD 231

110.15%

Tennis Court (1 Hour on Weekend)

$18.53 MX$323

$23.60 MAD 221

-21.48%

Cinema Ticket

$4.98 MX$86.6

$8.71 MAD 81.5

-42.82%

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

$197 MX$3,438

$208 MAD 1,942

-4.85%

International Primary School, 1 Child (Yearly)

$5,336 MX$92.9K

$5,501 MAD 51.5K

-3.00%

Jeans (Levis 501 Or Similar)

$35.60 MX$620

$67.3 MAD 630

-47.09%

Summer Dress (H&M, Zara, etc)

$40.33 MX$702

$53.6 MAD 501

-24.72%

Sport Shoes (Adidas, Nike)

$78.8 MX$1,371

$109 MAD 1,022

-27.93%

Men's Leather Business Shoes

$88.9 MX$1,549

$92.0 MAD 860

-3.28%

1-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)

$947 MX$16.5K

$275 MAD 2,574

244.21%

1-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)

$474 MX$8,254

$171 MAD 1,598

177.53%

3-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)

$1,644 MX$28.6K

$509 MAD 4,763

222.95%

3-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)

$1,211 MX$21.1K

$309 MAD 2,889

292.06%

Buy Apartment in City Center (m2)

$4,056 MX$70.6K

$1,066 MAD 9,973

280.55%

Buy Apartment Outside City Center (m2)

$6,470 MX$112.7K

$820 MAD 7,673

688.97%

Average Monthly Net Salary (After Tax)

$654 MX$11.4K

$300 MAD 2,810

117.71%

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: July 13, 2026

Last update for Ifrane: July 12, 2026

Cost Breakdown

A one-bedroom apartment in the center runs $947 in Playa del Carmen and $275 in Ifrane. Housing cost is often the main lever when comparing two cities.

Playa del Carmen pays 118% 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 $201 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 58% in total monthly costs ($1,256 vs $796 including rent). Ifrane is meaningfully more affordable – a gap that matters a lot on a fixed or modest income.

Average pay runs 118% 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: $947 in Playa del Carmen versus $275 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 60% less than in Playa del Carmen. Both cities have functional networks, but the price difference matters if you're watching your budget.

Childcare runs $197 in Playa del Carmen versus $208 in Ifrane. Over years of preschool, even a modest monthly gap compounds into a major financial factor for families.

At $796 in Ifrane versus $1,256 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 58% less than in Playa del Carmen. Beyond cost, consider language, visa policies, and how big the international community is in each city.