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

Monthly Cost of Living

A single person spends $1,260 per month in Playa del Carmen vs $641 in Laayoune, rent included.

A couple spends around $2,125 per month in Playa del Carmen vs $1,012 in Laayoune, rent included.

A family of three spends $2,990 per month in Playa del Carmen vs $1,384 in Laayoune, rent included.

Playa del Carmen costs about 96% more than Laayoune, driven mainly by Groceries & Markets.

Both Playa del Carmen and Laayoune are more affordable than the global median – Playa del Carmen 5% lower, Laayoune 52% lower.

Meal at Budget Restaurant

$11.72 MX$203

$3.97 MAD 37.05

195.21%

Three-Course Dinner for Two, Mid-Range

$41.89 MX$725

$29.09 MAD 271

44.00%

Fast Food Meal (McDonalds, etc)

$10.51 MX$182

$4.74 MAD 44.18

121.73%

Cappuccino

$3.59 MX$62.0

$1.61 MAD 15.00

122.98%

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

$1.51 MX$26.10

$0.52 MAD 4.83

190.38%

Water (0.33 liter bottle)

$0.92 MX$15.83

$0.35 MAD 3.22

162.86%

Local Beer (0.5 liter draught)

$2.96 MX$51.2

$3.40 MAD 31.69

-12.94%

Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$4.41 MX$76.3

$4.74 MAD 44.22

-6.96%

Milk (1 liter)

$1.40 MX$24.16

$0.78 MAD 7.27

79.49%

White Bread (500g)

$1.88 MX$32.60

$0.56 MAD 5.26

235.71%

Rice (white) (1kg)

$1.56 MX$26.97

$1.86 MAD 17.37

-16.13%

Eggs

$2.61 MX$45.14

$1.41 MAD 13.16

85.11%

Local Cheese (1kg)

$8.32 MX$144

$11.47 MAD 107

-27.46%

Chicken Fillets (1kg)

$8.35 MX$145

$3.43 MAD 31.95

143.44%

Beef Round Steak (1kg)

$10.86 MX$188

$9.15 MAD 85.3

18.69%

Apples (1kg)

$2.71 MX$46.93

$1.51 MAD 14.11

79.47%

Banana (1kg)

$1.51 MX$26.04

$1.13 MAD 10.54

33.63%

Oranges (1kg)

$1.87 MX$32.41

$0.67 MAD 6.25

179.10%

Tomato (1kg)

$2.19 MX$37.89

$0.56 MAD 5.21

291.07%

Potato (1kg)

$1.86 MX$32.14

$0.48 MAD 4.48

287.50%

Onion (1kg)

$2.23 MX$38.59

$0.34 MAD 3.13

555.88%

Lettuce (1 head)

$1.07 MX$18.48

$0.91 MAD 8.48

17.58%

Water (1.5 liter bottle)

$1.09 MX$18.79

$0.57 MAD 5.28

91.23%

Cigarettes 20 Pack (Marlboro, Camel)

$4.19 MX$72.4

Wine (Bottle)

$10.43 MX$180

Local Beer (0.5 liter bottle)

$1.66 MX$28.68

Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$2.61 MX$45.19

$3.39 MAD 31.57

-23.01%

One-way Ticket (Public Transport)

$0.54 MX$9.37

$0.60 MAD 5.61

-10.00%

Public Transport Monthly Pass (Regular Price)

$26.16 MX$453

$11.64 MAD 109

124.74%

Taxi Start (Normal Tariff)

$3.08 MX$53.3

$0.73 MAD 6.77

321.92%

Taxi (Normal Tariff) (1km)

$2.40 MX$41.61

$0.66 MAD 6.11

263.64%

Taxi 1hour Waiting (Normal Tariff)

$3.13 MX$54.1

Gasoline (1 liter)

$1.31 MX$22.69

$1.23 MAD 11.45

6.50%

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

$29.8K MX$515.7K

$38.8K MAD 361.9K

-23.20%

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

$23.3K MX$403.5K

$26.7K MAD 249.2K

-12.74%

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

$81.3 MX$1,406

$32.21 MAD 300

152.34%

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

$22.56 MX$390

Internet (50+ Mbps, Unlimited Data)

$30.05 MX$520

$22.47 MAD 210

33.73%

Gym Membership (Monthly)

$52.9 MX$915

$22.78 MAD 212

132.27%

Tennis Court (1 Hour on Weekend)

$18.39 MX$318

$34.05 MAD 317

-45.99%

Cinema Ticket

$4.92 MX$85.1

$3.40 MAD 31.67

44.71%

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

$201 MX$3,474

$286 MAD 2,667

-29.79%

International Primary School, 1 Child (Yearly)

$5,175 MX$89.5K

$3,476 MAD 32.4K

48.86%

Jeans (Levis 501 Or Similar)

$35.92 MX$622

$34.07 MAD 318

5.43%

Summer Dress (H&M, Zara, etc)

$40.13 MX$694

$57.9 MAD 540

-30.74%

Sport Shoes (Adidas, Nike)

$79.7 MX$1,379

$75.3 MAD 702

5.91%

Men's Leather Business Shoes

$86.5 MX$1,496

$82.6 MAD 770

4.69%

1-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)

$978 MX$16.9K

$349 MAD 3,255

180.15%

1-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)

$470 MX$8,140

$176 MAD 1,643

166.94%

3-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)

$1,651 MX$28.6K

$685 MAD 6,385

141.15%

3-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)

$1,203 MX$20.8K

$293 MAD 2,734

310.47%

Buy Apartment in City Center (m2)

$3,953 MX$68.4K

Buy Apartment Outside City Center (m2)

$6,607 MX$114.3K

Average Monthly Net Salary (After Tax)

$677 MX$11.7K

20-Year Fixed Mortgage Interest Rate (Annual %)

11.42

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 Laayoune: July 26, 2026

Cost Breakdown

A central one-bedroom costs $978 in Playa del Carmen versus $349 in Laayoune. Rent is usually the largest line item in a monthly budget, so the gap here sets the tone for the overall comparison.

A mid-range dinner for two costs $42.00 in Playa del Carmen versus $29.00 in Laayoune. Monthly groceries follow the same trend: $252 vs $145 – making Laayoune 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 Laayoune: Cost of Living - Frequently Asked Questions

Yes – Playa del Carmen is pricier by about 96%, and the gap shows up most in Groceries & Markets. It's not just housing either; the difference applies across most spending categories.

For a comfortable life, plan on about $1,890 per month in Playa del Carmen and $962 in Laayoune. That covers rent, food, utilities, transport, and enough left over to feel settled – not just surviving.

Rent is clearly cheaper in Laayoune, especially for central apartments. Housing is actually the single biggest factor behind the overall cost gap between these two cities.

Groceries cost about 74% more in Playa del Carmen, though it depends on what you buy. Local produce may be comparable; imported and premium items show the biggest price gap.

A mid-range dinner for two costs $42.00 in Playa del Carmen and $29.00 in Laayoune. That's a good indicator of the overall restaurant and café pricing gap between the two cities.

A $1,500 monthly budget goes further in Laayoune, where all-in costs run around $641, than in Playa del Carmen at $1,260. In Laayoune it covers expenses comfortably, while in Playa del Carmen it requires careful planning or may not stretch far enough.

Families tend to lean toward Laayoune – lower housing and cheaper childcare make a real difference, especially on a single income or when paying for private education.

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.

If budget matters most, go with Laayoune. 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.