Cost of Living Comparison Between Playa del Carmen and Ksar El Kebir Cost of Living Comparison Between Playa del Carmen and Ksar El Kebir

Monthly Cost of Living

Monthly costs for one person with rent: $1,287 in Playa del Carmen versus $799 in Ksar El Kebir.

Estimated couple costs with rent: $2,184 in Playa del Carmen versus $1,273 in Ksar El Kebir.

Monthly costs for a family of three with rent: $3,082 in Playa del Carmen versus $1,748 in Ksar El Kebir.

Living in Playa del Carmen is roughly 61% more expensive than Ksar El Kebir, driven mainly by Eating Out.

Both cities sit below the global median: Playa del Carmen 4% lower, Ksar El Kebir 40% lower.

Meal at Budget Restaurant

$11.94 MX$208

$2.80 MAD 25.88

326.43%

Three-Course Dinner for Two, Mid-Range

$42.75 MX$744

$32.69 MAD 302

30.77%

Fast Food Meal (McDonalds, etc)

$10.59 MX$184

$8.27 MAD 76.5

28.05%

Cappuccino

$3.62 MX$63.0

$1.60 MAD 14.79

126.25%

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

$1.47 MX$25.54

$0.45 MAD 4.21

226.67%

Water (0.33 liter bottle)

$0.94 MX$16.41

$0.31 MAD 2.90

203.23%

Local Beer (0.5 liter draught)

$3.09 MX$53.8

$3.75 MAD 34.64

-17.60%

Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$4.46 MX$77.6

$4.41 MAD 40.81

1.13%

Milk (1 liter)

$1.43 MX$24.80

$0.90 MAD 8.29

58.89%

White Bread (500g)

$1.88 MX$32.79

$0.77 MAD 7.16

144.16%

Rice (white) (1kg)

$1.63 MX$28.34

$1.96 MAD 18.11

-16.84%

Eggs

$2.64 MX$45.99

$1.99 MAD 18.45

32.66%

Local Cheese (1kg)

$8.21 MX$143

$11.40 MAD 105

-27.98%

Chicken Fillets (1kg)

$8.29 MX$144

$7.19 MAD 66.5

15.30%

Beef Round Steak (1kg)

$11.10 MX$193

$11.80 MAD 109

-5.93%

Apples (1kg)

$2.65 MX$46.14

$1.84 MAD 17.01

44.02%

Banana (1kg)

$1.50 MX$26.11

$1.57 MAD 14.54

-4.46%

Oranges (1kg)

$1.99 MX$34.59

$0.87 MAD 8.04

128.74%

Tomato (1kg)

$2.08 MX$36.13

$0.89 MAD 8.24

133.71%

Potato (1kg)

$1.79 MX$31.11

$0.72 MAD 6.63

148.61%

Onion (1kg)

$2.18 MX$37.87

$0.73 MAD 6.79

198.63%

Lettuce (1 head)

$1.08 MX$18.73

$0.46 MAD 4.25

134.78%

Water (1.5 liter bottle)

$1.04 MX$18.04

$0.62 MAD 5.75

67.74%

Cigarettes 20 Pack (Marlboro, Camel)

$3.97 MX$69.1

$4.41 MAD 40.83

-9.98%

Wine (Bottle)

$10.20 MX$178

$8.01 MAD 74.1

27.34%

Local Beer (0.5 liter bottle)

$1.73 MX$30.04

$2.78 MAD 25.70

-37.77%

Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$2.50 MX$43.46

$2.78 MAD 25.72

-10.07%

One-way Ticket (Public Transport)

$0.52 MX$9.02

$0.51 MAD 4.73

1.96%

Public Transport Monthly Pass (Regular Price)

$26.97 MX$469

$16.70 MAD 154

61.50%

Taxi Start (Normal Tariff)

$3.14 MX$54.7

$0.85 MAD 7.88

269.41%

Taxi (Normal Tariff) (1km)

$2.40 MX$41.80

$0.82 MAD 7.61

192.68%

Taxi 1hour Waiting (Normal Tariff)

$3.09 MX$53.7

$5.47 MAD 50.6

-43.51%

Gasoline (1 liter)

$1.27 MX$22.16

$1.49 MAD 13.78

-14.77%

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

$30.9K MX$537.3K

$36.7K MAD 339.1K

-15.77%

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

$23.3K MX$405.7K

$28.7K MAD 265.1K

-18.65%

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

$82.0 MX$1,427

$49.73 MAD 460

64.91%

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

$22.45 MX$391

$12.16 MAD 112

84.62%

Internet (50+ Mbps, Unlimited Data)

$29.66 MX$516

$42.80 MAD 396

-30.70%

Gym Membership (Monthly)

$51.9 MX$903

$24.74 MAD 229

109.66%

Tennis Court (1 Hour on Weekend)

$18.67 MX$325

$23.29 MAD 215

-19.84%

Cinema Ticket

$4.97 MX$86.5

$8.72 MAD 80.7

-43.00%

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

$198 MX$3,442

$208 MAD 1,920

-4.70%

International Primary School, 1 Child (Yearly)

$5,273 MX$91.7K

$5,476 MAD 50.7K

-3.72%

Jeans (Levis 501 Or Similar)

$36.34 MX$632

$65.9 MAD 609

-44.84%

Summer Dress (H&M, Zara, etc)

$40.05 MX$697

$53.5 MAD 495

-25.08%

Sport Shoes (Adidas, Nike)

$79.9 MX$1,390

$112 MAD 1,037

-28.72%

Men's Leather Business Shoes

$88.9 MX$1,547

$90.1 MAD 833

-1.33%

1-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)

$963 MX$16.8K

$285 MAD 2,633

238.37%

1-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)

$465 MX$8,086

$176 MAD 1,626

164.34%

3-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)

$1,596 MX$27.8K

$511 MAD 4,724

212.57%

3-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)

$1,209 MX$21.0K

$310 MAD 2,871

289.53%

Buy Apartment in City Center (m2)

$3,942 MX$68.6K

$1,638 MAD 15.1K

140.69%

Buy Apartment Outside City Center (m2)

$6,448 MX$112.2K

$1,091 MAD 10.1K

490.78%

Average Monthly Net Salary (After Tax)

$720 MX$12.5K

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: April 25, 2026

Last update for Ksar El Kebir: April 27, 2026

Cost Breakdown

A one-bedroom apartment in the center runs $963 in Playa del Carmen and $285 in Ksar El Kebir. Housing cost is often the main lever when comparing two cities.

Dining out: $43.00 in Playa del Carmen vs $33.00 in Ksar El Kebir for a mid-range dinner for two. Groceries echo the gap at $251 vs $213 per month, with Ksar El Kebir 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 Ksar El Kebir: Cost of Living - Frequently Asked Questions

Ksar El Kebir is cheaper overall, especially in Groceries & Markets, Eating Out, Sport & Entertainment, Getting Around. The 61% gap adds up to real monthly savings that compound significantly over time.

You'd need roughly $1,930 in Playa del Carmen and $1,198 in Ksar El Kebir to live well. The gap comes down to housing and overall price levels. Both cities are liveable on less, but these numbers represent actual comfort.

Rent for a central apartment: $963 in Playa del Carmen versus $285 in Ksar El Kebir. Housing is usually the single largest factor when comparing overall living costs between the two.

Supermarket bills run roughly 18% higher in Playa del Carmen. For households that cook at home regularly, that difference adds up over a month.

Dining out is cheaper in Ksar El Kebir – a meal for two runs $33.00 versus $43.00 in Playa del Carmen. If you eat out regularly, this makes a real dent in your monthly spending.

At $799 in Ksar El Kebir versus $1,287 in Playa del Carmen, a $1,500 budget is realistic in Ksar El Kebir but tight or insufficient in Playa del Carmen. The gap between the two cities makes Ksar El Kebir the clear choice for anyone on this budget.

For families, Ksar El Kebir is more practical. Housing and childcare are both notably cheaper than in Playa del Carmen, and the savings on those two alone free up budget for education, activities, and family trips.

Safety-wise, Playa del Carmen and Ksar El Kebir 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 Ksar El Kebir gentler on the wallet – expenses run 61% less than in Playa del Carmen. Beyond cost, consider language, visa policies, and how big the international community is in each city.