😐A single person spends $1,287 per month in Playa del Carmen vs $642 in Laayoune, rent included.
😐A couple spends around $2,184 per month in Playa del Carmen vs $1,013 in Laayoune, rent included.
😐A family of three spends $3,082 per month in Playa del Carmen vs $1,385 in Laayoune, rent included.
😐Playa del Carmen costs about 101% more than Laayoune, driven mainly by Eating Out.
📊Both Playa del Carmen and Laayoune are more affordable than the global median – Playa del Carmen4% lower, Laayoune52% lower.
Moneda
🍽 Eating Out
Playa del Carmen
Laayoune
Diferencia
Meal at Budget Restaurant
$11.94MX$209
$3.79MAD 35.08
215.04%
Three-Course Dinner for Two, Mid-Range
$42.75MX$748
$29.20MAD 270
46.40%
Fast Food Meal(McDonalds, etc)
$10.59MX$185
$4.59MAD 42.45
130.72%
Cappuccino
$3.62MX$63.4
$1.59MAD 14.72
127.67%
Coke/Pepsi/Fanta/Sprite(0.33 liter bottle)
$1.47MX$25.69
$0.48MAD 4.44
206.25%
Water(0.33 liter bottle)
$0.94MX$16.51
$0.31MAD 2.91
203.23%
Local Beer(0.5 liter draught)
$3.09MX$54.1
$3.40MAD 31.43
-9.12%
Imported Beer(0.33 liter bottle)
$4.46MX$78.0
$4.68MAD 43.31
-4.70%
🛒 Groceries & Markets
Playa del Carmen
Laayoune
Diferencia
Milk(1 liter)
$1.43MX$24.94
$0.78MAD 7.21
83.33%
White Bread(500g)
$1.88MX$32.97
$0.60MAD 5.50
213.33%
Rice(white)(1kg)
$1.63MX$28.50
$1.89MAD 17.53
-13.76%
Eggs
$2.64MX$46.26
$1.37MAD 12.68
92.70%
Local Cheese(1kg)
$8.21MX$144
$11.64MAD 108
-29.47%
Chicken Fillets(1kg)
$8.29MX$145
$3.39MAD 31.38
144.54%
Beef Round Steak(1kg)
$11.10MX$194
$9.05MAD 83.8
22.65%
Apples(1kg)
$2.65MX$46.40
$1.54MAD 14.28
72.08%
Banana(1kg)
$1.50MX$26.26
$1.19MAD 10.99
26.05%
Oranges(1kg)
$1.99MX$34.79
$0.67MAD 6.24
197.01%
Tomato(1kg)
$2.08MX$36.33
$0.56MAD 5.20
271.43%
Potato(1kg)
$1.79MX$31.29
$0.47MAD 4.37
280.85%
Onion(1kg)
$2.18MX$38.09
$0.36MAD 3.35
505.56%
Lettuce(1 head)
$1.08MX$18.84
$0.89MAD 8.25
21.35%
Water(1.5 liter bottle)
$1.04MX$18.15
$0.55MAD 5.10
89.09%
Cigarettes 20 Pack(Marlboro, Camel)
$3.97MX$69.5
-
-
Wine(Bottle)
$10.20MX$179
-
-
Local Beer(0.5 liter bottle)
$1.73MX$30.22
-
-
Imported Beer(0.33 liter bottle)
$2.50MX$43.71
$3.50MAD 32.36
-28.57%
🚌 Getting Around
Playa del Carmen
Laayoune
Diferencia
One-way Ticket(Public Transport)
$0.52MX$9.07
$0.56MAD 5.17
-7.14%
Public Transport Monthly Pass(Regular Price)
$26.97MX$472
$11.44MAD 106
135.75%
Taxi Start(Normal Tariff)
$3.14MX$55.0
$0.71MAD 6.54
342.25%
Taxi(Normal Tariff)(1km)
$2.40MX$42.04
$0.69MAD 6.34
247.83%
Taxi 1hour Waiting(Normal Tariff)
$3.09MX$54.0
-
-
Gasoline(1 liter)
$1.27MX$22.28
$1.29MAD 11.90
-1.55%
Midsize Hatchback 1.4l(Volkswagen Golf, Toyota Prius, Honda Civic, etc)
$30.9KMX$540.4K
$38.8KMAD 359.4K
-20.51%
Compact Sedan 1.6l(Toyota Corolla, Mazda3, Kia K4, Hyundai Elantra, etc)
$23.3KMX$408.0K
$26.4KMAD 244.5K
-11.78%
🧾 Monthly Utilities & Internet
Playa del Carmen
Laayoune
Diferencia
Utilities for 2 People in 2-bedroom Apartment(Heating, Electricity, Gas, Water, Garbage)(85m2)
$82.0MX$1,435
$32.41MAD 300
153.04%
SIM Card Monthly Plan(Calls and 10GB+ Data)
$22.45MX$393
-
-
Internet(50+ Mbps, Unlimited Data)
$29.66MX$519
$22.36MAD 207
32.65%
🎉 Sport & Entertainment
Playa del Carmen
Laayoune
Diferencia
Gym Membership(Monthly)
$51.9MX$908
$22.75MAD 210
128.00%
Tennis Court(1 Hour on Weekend)
$18.67MX$327
$35.12MAD 325
-46.84%
Cinema Ticket
$4.97MX$87.0
$3.50MAD 32.35
42.00%
🧸 Childcare & Education
Playa del Carmen
Laayoune
Diferencia
Preschool or Kindergarten, Full Day, Private, 1 Child(Monthly)
$198MX$3,462
$295MAD 2,728
-32.92%
International Primary School, 1 Child(Yearly)
$5,273MX$92.3K
$3,407MAD 31.5K
54.76%
👕👟 Clothing & Footwear
Playa del Carmen
Laayoune
Diferencia
Jeans(Levis 501 Or Similar)
$36.34MX$636
$34.06MAD 315
6.69%
Summer Dress(H&M, Zara, etc)
$40.05MX$701
$57.7MAD 533
-30.53%
Sport Shoes(Adidas, Nike)
$79.9MX$1,398
$76.1MAD 704
4.95%
Men's Leather Business Shoes
$88.9MX$1,555
$80.0MAD 740
11.09%
🏠 Accommodation & Living
Playa del Carmen
Laayoune
Diferencia
1-bedroom Apartment, City Center(Monthly)
$963MX$16.9K
$354MAD 3,270
172.51%
1-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center(Monthly)
$465MX$8,133
$171MAD 1,577
172.53%
3-bedroom Apartment, City Center(Monthly)
$1,596MX$27.9K
$693MAD 6,408
130.42%
3-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center(Monthly)
$1,209MX$21.2K
$287MAD 2,657
320.86%
Buy Apartment in City Center(m2)
$3,942MX$69.0K
-
-
Buy Apartment Outside City Center(m2)
$6,448MX$112.8K
-
-
💵 Salaries & Financials
Playa del Carmen
Laayoune
Diferencia
Average Monthly Net Salary(After Tax)
$720MX$12.6K
-
-
20-Year Fixed Mortgage Interest Rate(Annual %)
11.42
0
-
Los datos de CityCost se basan en IA y aportaciones de usuarios. Puede haber pequeñas variaciones.
Última actualización para Playa del Carmen: April 25, 2026
Última actualización para Laayoune: April 26, 2026
Cost Breakdown
🏠A central one-bedroom costs $963 in Playa del Carmen versus $354 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 $43.00 in Playa del Carmen versus $29.00 in Laayoune. Monthly groceries follow the same trend: $251 vs $146 – making Laayoune the more affordable choice for daily food spending.
Comparación de velocidades medias de internet por ciudad (actualizado April 2026)
El gráfico resalta el umbral de precisión para velocidades de internet móvil y fija, actualizado trimestralmente.
Índice del coste de vida para nómadas digitales
Playa del Carmen vs Laayoune: Coste de vida - preguntas frecuentes
Is Laayoune cheaper than Playa del Carmen?
Yes – Playa del Carmen is pricier by about 101%, and the gap shows up most in Eating Out. It's not just housing either; the difference applies across most spending categories.
What income do you need for each city?
For a comfortable life, plan on about $1,930 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.
Which city has lower housing costs?
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.
How do food prices compare in Playa del Carmen and Laayoune?
Groceries cost about 72% 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.
Is eating out cheaper in Playa del Carmen or Laayoune?
A mid-range dinner for two costs $43.00 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.
Is $1,500 a realistic budget for Playa del Carmen or Laayoune?
A $1,500 monthly budget goes further in Laayoune, where all-in costs run around $642, than in Playa del Carmen at $1,287. In Laayoune it covers expenses comfortably, while in Playa del Carmen it requires careful planning or may not stretch far enough.
Is Playa del Carmen or Laayoune more family-friendly?
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.
Which city is safer, Playa del Carmen or Laayoune?
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.
Which city is the better choice to relocate to?
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.
Playa del Carmen vs otros destinos: coste de vida comparado