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

Monthly Cost of Living

A single person spends $1,260 per month in Playa del Carmen vs $670 in Khouribga, rent included.

A couple spends around $2,125 per month in Playa del Carmen vs $1,036 in Khouribga, rent included.

A family of three spends $2,990 per month in Playa del Carmen vs $1,403 in Khouribga, rent included.

Playa del Carmen costs about 88% more than Khouribga, driven mainly by Eating Out.

Both Playa del Carmen and Khouribga are more affordable than the global median – Playa del Carmen 5% lower, Khouribga 50% lower.

Currency
🍽 Eating Out
Playa del Carmen
Khouribga
Difference
Meal at Budget Restaurant
$11.72 MX$203
$3.81 MAD 35.51
207.61%
Three-Course Dinner for Two, Mid-Range
$41.89 MX$725
$23.93 MAD 223
75.05%
Fast Food Meal (McDonalds, etc)
$10.51 MX$182
$4.74 MAD 44.18
121.73%
Cappuccino
$3.59 MX$62.0
$1.23 MAD 11.44
191.87%
Coke/Pepsi/Fanta/Sprite (0.33 liter bottle)
$1.51 MX$26.10
$0.40 MAD 3.69
277.50%
Water (0.33 liter bottle)
$0.92 MX$15.83
$0.23 MAD 2.15
300.00%
Local Beer (0.5 liter draught)
$2.96 MX$51.2
$3.20 MAD 29.84
-7.50%
Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)
$4.41 MX$76.3
$2.51 MAD 23.37
75.70%
🛒 Groceries & Markets
Playa del Carmen
Khouribga
Difference
Milk (1 liter)
$1.40 MX$24.16
$0.96 MAD 8.98
45.83%
White Bread (500g)
$1.88 MX$32.60
$0.50 MAD 4.63
276.00%
Rice (white) (1kg)
$1.56 MX$26.97
$1.80 MAD 16.79
-13.33%
Eggs
$2.61 MX$45.14
$1.74 MAD 16.24
50.00%
Local Cheese (1kg)
$8.32 MX$144
$9.99 MAD 93.2
-16.72%
Chicken Fillets (1kg)
$8.35 MX$145
$5.37 MAD 50.0
55.49%
Beef Round Steak (1kg)
$10.86 MX$188
$10.01 MAD 93.3
8.49%
Apples (1kg)
$2.71 MX$46.93
$1.38 MAD 12.91
96.38%
Banana (1kg)
$1.51 MX$26.04
$1.60 MAD 14.96
-5.63%
Oranges (1kg)
$1.87 MX$32.41
$0.78 MAD 7.31
139.74%
Tomato (1kg)
$2.19 MX$37.89
$1.01 MAD 9.46
116.83%
Potato (1kg)
$1.86 MX$32.14
$1.01 MAD 9.42
84.16%
Onion (1kg)
$2.23 MX$38.59
$0.71 MAD 6.58
214.08%
Lettuce (1 head)
$1.07 MX$18.48
$0.43 MAD 3.97
148.84%
Water (1.5 liter bottle)
$1.09 MX$18.79
$0.59 MAD 5.46
84.75%
Cigarettes 20 Pack (Marlboro, Camel)
$4.19 MX$72.4
$4.11 MAD 38.28
1.95%
Wine (Bottle)
$10.43 MX$180
$8.00 MAD 74.6
30.37%
Local Beer (0.5 liter bottle)
$1.66 MX$28.68
$2.70 MAD 25.19
-38.52%
Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)
$2.61 MX$45.19
$2.74 MAD 25.53
-4.74%
🚌 Getting Around
Playa del Carmen
Khouribga
Difference
One-way Ticket (Public Transport)
$0.54 MX$9.37
$0.57 MAD 5.29
-5.26%
Public Transport Monthly Pass (Regular Price)
$26.16 MX$453
$16.66 MAD 155
57.02%
Taxi Start (Normal Tariff)
$3.08 MX$53.3
$0.78 MAD 7.27
294.87%
Taxi (Normal Tariff) (1km)
$2.40 MX$41.61
$0.52 MAD 4.85
361.54%
Taxi 1hour Waiting (Normal Tariff)
$3.13 MX$54.1
$4.30 MAD 40.08
-27.21%
Gasoline (1 liter)
$1.31 MX$22.69
$1.55 MAD 14.44
-15.48%
Midsize Hatchback 1.4l (Volkswagen Golf, Toyota Prius, Honda Civic, etc)
$29.8K MX$515.7K
$37.6K MAD 350.6K
-20.74%
Compact Sedan 1.6l (Toyota Corolla, Mazda3, Kia K4, Hyundai Elantra, etc)
$23.3K MX$403.5K
$29.0K MAD 270.5K
-19.62%
🧾 Monthly Utilities & Internet
Playa del Carmen
Khouribga
Difference
Utilities for 2 People in 2-bedroom Apartment (Heating, Electricity, Gas, Water, Garbage) (85m2)
$81.3 MX$1,406
$48.33 MAD 451
68.18%
SIM Card Monthly Plan (Calls and 10GB+ Data)
$22.56 MX$390
$11.17 MAD 104
101.97%
Internet (50+ Mbps, Unlimited Data)
$30.05 MX$520
$35.36 MAD 330
-15.02%
🎉 Sport & Entertainment
Playa del Carmen
Khouribga
Difference
Gym Membership (Monthly)
$52.9 MX$915
$14.63 MAD 136
261.65%
Tennis Court (1 Hour on Weekend)
$18.39 MX$318
$23.07 MAD 215
-20.29%
Cinema Ticket
$4.92 MX$85.1
$6.47 MAD 60.3
-23.96%
🧸 Childcare & Education
Playa del Carmen
Khouribga
Difference
Preschool or Kindergarten, Full Day, Private, 1 Child (Monthly)
$201 MX$3,474
$96.2 MAD 897
108.68%
International Primary School, 1 Child (Yearly)
$5,175 MX$89.5K
$3,496 MAD 32.6K
48.01%
👕👟 Clothing & Footwear
Playa del Carmen
Khouribga
Difference
Jeans (Levis 501 Or Similar)
$35.92 MX$622
$15.15 MAD 141
137.10%
Summer Dress (H&M, Zara, etc)
$40.13 MX$694
$33.23 MAD 310
20.76%
Sport Shoes (Adidas, Nike)
$79.7 MX$1,379
$86.6 MAD 807
-7.94%
Men's Leather Business Shoes
$86.5 MX$1,496
$32.25 MAD 301
168.09%
🏠 Accommodation & Living
Playa del Carmen
Khouribga
Difference
1-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)
$978 MX$16.9K
$280 MAD 2,609
249.54%
1-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)
$470 MX$8,140
$176 MAD 1,639
167.72%
3-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)
$1,651 MX$28.6K
$508 MAD 4,738
224.96%
3-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)
$1,203 MX$20.8K
$302 MAD 2,817
298.36%
Buy Apartment in City Center (m2)
$3,953 MX$68.4K
$1,257 MAD 11.7K
214.42%
Buy Apartment Outside City Center (m2)
$6,607 MX$114.3K
$896 MAD 8,352
637.60%
💵 Salaries & Financials
Playa del Carmen
Khouribga
Difference
Average Monthly Net Salary (After Tax)
$677 MX$11.7K
$348 MAD 3,245
94.42%
20-Year Fixed Mortgage Interest Rate (Annual %)
11.42
4.78
138.91%

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 Khouribga: July 27, 2026

Cost Breakdown

A central one-bedroom costs $978 in Playa del Carmen versus $280 in Khouribga. 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 94% 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 $24.00 in Khouribga. Monthly groceries follow the same trend: $252 vs $189 – making Khouribga 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 Khouribga: Cost of Living - Frequently Asked Questions
Which city is more expensive, Playa del Carmen or Khouribga?
Playa del Carmen costs about 88% more than Khouribga, with the gap driven mainly by Eating Out. That's enough to noticeably affect everyday spending and lifestyle for anyone choosing between the two.
How much do you need to earn to live comfortably in Playa del Carmen and in Khouribga?
For a comfortable life, plan on about $1,890 per month in Playa del Carmen and $1,005 in Khouribga. That covers rent, food, utilities, transport, and enough left over to feel settled – not just surviving.
Where is rent cheaper, Playa del Carmen or Khouribga?
Rent is clearly cheaper in Khouribga, especially for central apartments. Housing is actually the single biggest factor behind the overall cost gap between these two cities.
How expensive is transport in Playa del Carmen compared to Khouribga?
Public transport costs about 57% less in Khouribga. For daily commuters, that gap adds up to noticeable savings over a year.
How do childcare costs compare in Playa del Carmen and in Khouribga?
Kindergarten costs $201 per month in Playa del Carmen and $96.2 in Khouribga. For families with young kids, this one expense can tip the scales when choosing between the two cities.
Can you live on $1,000/month in Playa del Carmen or in Khouribga?
A $1,000 monthly budget goes further in Khouribga, where all-in costs run around $670, than in Playa del Carmen at $1,260. In Khouribga it covers expenses comfortably, while in Playa del Carmen it requires careful planning or may not stretch far enough.
Which city is better for digital nomads, Playa del Carmen or Khouribga?
For digital nomads, it depends on budget. Khouribga costs $670 versus $1,260 in Playa del Carmen. Both have workable remote work infrastructure, but the cost gap matters when income varies month to month.
How safe is Playa del Carmen compared to Khouribga?
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.
Should I move to Playa del Carmen or to Khouribga?
If budget matters most, go with Khouribga. 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.

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