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 $1,271 per month in Playa del Carmen vs $627 in Laayoune, rent included.

A couple spends around $2,126 per month in Playa del Carmen vs $1,026 in Laayoune, rent included.

A family of three spends $2,980 per month in Playa del Carmen vs $1,425 in Laayoune, rent included.

Playa del Carmen costs about 103% more than Laayoune, driven mainly by Eating Out.

Both Playa del Carmen and Laayoune are more affordable than the global median – Playa del Carmen 5% lower, Laayoune 53% lower.

Meal at Budget Restaurant

$11.87 MX$204

$3.90 MAD 36.11

204.36%

Three-Course Dinner for Two, Mid-Range

$42.90 MX$736

$29.17 MAD 270

47.07%

Fast Food Meal (McDonalds, etc)

$10.65 MX$183

$4.72 MAD 43.65

125.64%

Cappuccino

$3.45 MX$59.2

$1.61 MAD 14.91

114.29%

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

$1.50 MX$25.81

$0.48 MAD 4.48

212.50%

Water (0.33 liter bottle)

$0.95 MX$16.28

$0.32 MAD 2.95

196.87%

Local Beer (0.5 liter draught)

$3.03 MX$51.9

$3.45 MAD 31.88

-12.17%

Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$4.61 MX$79.1

$4.57 MAD 42.26

0.88%

Milk (1 liter)

$1.38 MX$23.61

$0.83 MAD 7.72

66.27%

White Bread (500g)

$1.85 MX$31.70

$0.59 MAD 5.47

213.56%

Rice (white) (1kg)

$1.61 MX$27.65

$1.90 MAD 17.55

-15.26%

Eggs

$2.59 MX$44.51

$1.37 MAD 12.64

89.05%

Local Cheese (1kg)

$8.26 MX$142

$11.62 MAD 107

-28.92%

Chicken Fillets (1kg)

$8.37 MX$144

$3.53 MAD 32.66

137.11%

Beef Round Steak (1kg)

$10.66 MX$183

$9.12 MAD 84.3

16.89%

Apples (1kg)

$2.63 MX$45.12

$1.54 MAD 14.24

70.78%

Banana (1kg)

$1.49 MX$25.53

$1.18 MAD 10.91

26.27%

Oranges (1kg)

$1.92 MX$32.94

$0.71 MAD 6.53

170.42%

Tomato (1kg)

$2.09 MX$35.81

$0.55 MAD 5.11

280.00%

Potato (1kg)

$1.86 MX$31.88

$0.44 MAD 4.10

322.73%

Onion (1kg)

$2.26 MX$38.81

$0.36 MAD 3.33

527.78%

Lettuce (1 head)

$1.06 MX$18.23

$0.95 MAD 8.79

11.58%

Water (1.5 liter bottle)

$1.09 MX$18.67

$0.59 MAD 5.48

84.75%

Cigarettes 20 Pack (Marlboro, Camel)

$4.15 MX$71.2

Wine (Bottle)

$10.39 MX$178

Local Beer (0.5 liter bottle)

$1.72 MX$29.59

Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$2.61 MX$44.85

$3.45 MAD 31.94

-24.35%

One-way Ticket (Public Transport)

$0.54 MX$9.30

$0.59 MAD 5.49

-8.47%

Public Transport Monthly Pass (Regular Price)

$26.94 MX$462

$11.44 MAD 106

135.49%

Taxi Start (Normal Tariff)

$3.13 MX$53.7

$0.75 MAD 6.96

317.33%

Taxi (Normal Tariff) (1km)

$2.51 MX$43.09

$0.70 MAD 6.46

258.57%

Taxi 1hour Waiting (Normal Tariff)

$3.15 MX$54.1

Gasoline (1 liter)

$1.27 MX$21.88

$1.24 MAD 11.50

2.42%

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

$30.4K MX$521.3K

$39.0K MAD 360.8K

-22.12%

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

$23.6K MX$404.5K

$26.9K MAD 249.1K

-12.49%

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

$83.0 MX$1,425

$33.13 MAD 307

150.53%

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

$22.71 MX$390

Internet (50+ Mbps, Unlimited Data)

$29.46 MX$506

$22.13 MAD 205

33.12%

Gym Membership (Monthly)

$51.0 MX$875

$23.45 MAD 217

117.48%

Tennis Court (1 Hour on Weekend)

$18.33 MX$315

$34.92 MAD 323

-47.51%

Cinema Ticket

$4.93 MX$84.5

$3.44 MAD 31.86

43.31%

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

$197 MX$3,386

$293 MAD 2,709

-32.62%

International Primary School, 1 Child (Yearly)

$5,280 MX$90.6K

$3,405 MAD 31.5K

55.05%

Jeans (Levis 501 Or Similar)

$36.90 MX$633

$35.29 MAD 326

4.56%

Summer Dress (H&M, Zara, etc)

$39.89 MX$685

$58.5 MAD 541

-31.79%

Sport Shoes (Adidas, Nike)

$80.0 MX$1,373

$73.9 MAD 684

8.27%

Men's Leather Business Shoes

$89.5 MX$1,536

$80.8 MAD 747

10.76%

1-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)

$956 MX$16.4K

$347 MAD 3,207

175.84%

1-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)

$477 MX$8,189

$172 MAD 1,593

177.05%

3-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)

$1,646 MX$28.3K

$685 MAD 6,334

140.40%

3-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)

$1,225 MX$21.0K

$289 MAD 2,677

323.14%

Buy Apartment in City Center (m2)

$3,918 MX$67.2K

Buy Apartment Outside City Center (m2)

$6,459 MX$110.9K

Average Monthly Net Salary (After Tax)

$667 MX$11.4K

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: June 7, 2026

Last update for Laayoune: June 7, 2026

Cost Breakdown

A central one-bedroom costs $956 in Playa del Carmen versus $347 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: $250 vs $147 – 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 103%, and the gap shows up most in Eating Out. It's not just housing either; the difference applies across most spending categories.

For a comfortable life, plan on about $1,906 per month in Playa del Carmen and $940 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 70% 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 $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.

A $1,500 monthly budget goes further in Laayoune, where all-in costs run around $627, than in Playa del Carmen at $1,271. 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.