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

Monthly Cost of Living

A single person spends $1,297 per month in Playa del Carmen vs $806 in Larache, rent included.

A couple spends around $2,181 per month in Playa del Carmen vs $1,228 in Larache, rent included.

A family of three spends $3,065 per month in Playa del Carmen vs $1,650 in Larache, rent included.

Playa del Carmen costs about 61% more than Larache, driven mainly by Eating Out.

Both Playa del Carmen and Larache are more affordable than the global median – Playa del Carmen 3% lower, Larache 40% lower.

Meal at Budget Restaurant

$11.73 MX$203

$3.75 MAD 34.51

212.80%

Three-Course Dinner for Two, Mid-Range

$41.62 MX$721

$21.85 MAD 201

90.48%

Fast Food Meal (McDonalds, etc)

$10.64 MX$184

$7.04 MAD 64.8

51.14%

Cappuccino

$3.52 MX$61.0

$2.41 MAD 22.20

46.06%

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

$1.51 MX$26.17

$0.63 MAD 5.78

139.68%

Water (0.33 liter bottle)

$0.97 MX$16.87

$0.34 MAD 3.17

185.29%

Local Beer (0.5 liter draught)

$2.95 MX$51.1

$2.76 MAD 25.38

6.88%

Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$4.45 MX$77.2

$3.25 MAD 29.95

36.92%

Milk (1 liter)

$1.38 MX$23.97

$0.92 MAD 8.51

50.00%

White Bread (500g)

$1.89 MX$32.78

$0.77 MAD 7.05

145.45%

Rice (white) (1kg)

$1.64 MX$28.37

$1.96 MAD 18.08

-16.33%

Eggs

$2.51 MX$43.42

$1.89 MAD 17.43

32.80%

Local Cheese (1kg)

$8.34 MX$145

$11.37 MAD 105

-26.65%

Chicken Fillets (1kg)

$8.34 MX$145

$7.19 MAD 66.2

15.99%

Beef Round Steak (1kg)

$10.73 MX$186

$11.66 MAD 107

-7.98%

Apples (1kg)

$2.60 MX$45.12

$1.84 MAD 16.98

41.30%

Banana (1kg)

$1.46 MX$25.25

$1.57 MAD 14.42

-7.01%

Oranges (1kg)

$1.90 MX$32.94

$0.93 MAD 8.52

104.30%

Tomato (1kg)

$2.08 MX$35.98

$0.84 MAD 7.72

147.62%

Potato (1kg)

$1.78 MX$30.77

$0.73 MAD 6.72

143.84%

Onion (1kg)

$2.19 MX$37.87

$0.73 MAD 6.76

200.00%

Lettuce (1 head)

$1.04 MX$18.02

$0.46 MAD 4.21

126.09%

Water (1.5 liter bottle)

$1.08 MX$18.66

$0.58 MAD 5.36

86.21%

Cigarettes 20 Pack (Marlboro, Camel)

$4.08 MX$70.7

$4.37 MAD 40.22

-6.64%

Wine (Bottle)

$10.32 MX$179

$8.48 MAD 78.1

21.70%

Local Beer (0.5 liter bottle)

$1.71 MX$29.67

$2.76 MAD 25.38

-38.04%

Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$2.58 MX$44.63

$2.83 MAD 26.04

-8.83%

One-way Ticket (Public Transport)

$0.51 MX$8.83

$0.47 MAD 4.36

8.51%

Public Transport Monthly Pass (Regular Price)

$26.46 MX$459

$16.46 MAD 152

60.75%

Taxi Start (Normal Tariff)

$3.26 MX$56.5

$0.53 MAD 4.84

515.09%

Taxi (Normal Tariff) (1km)

$2.49 MX$43.17

$0.51 MAD 4.72

388.24%

Taxi 1hour Waiting (Normal Tariff)

$3.25 MX$56.3

$5.24 MAD 48.26

-37.98%

Gasoline (1 liter)

$1.31 MX$22.65

$1.52 MAD 13.98

-13.82%

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

$30.3K MX$524.7K

$26.2K MAD 241.1K

15.62%

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

$23.4K MX$406.0K

$28.4K MAD 261.4K

-17.48%

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

$82.9 MX$1,436

$48.65 MAD 448

70.34%

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

$22.22 MX$385

$12.19 MAD 112

82.28%

Internet (50+ Mbps, Unlimited Data)

$29.34 MX$508

$41.98 MAD 387

-30.11%

Gym Membership (Monthly)

$51.6 MX$895

$22.27 MAD 205

131.84%

Tennis Court (1 Hour on Weekend)

$18.32 MX$317

$23.51 MAD 216

-22.08%

Cinema Ticket

$5.07 MX$87.8

$5.41 MAD 49.79

-6.28%

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

$201 MX$3,480

$207 MAD 1,901

-2.76%

International Primary School, 1 Child (Yearly)

$5,212 MX$90.3K

$5,318 MAD 49.0K

-2.00%

Jeans (Levis 501 Or Similar)

$36.92 MX$640

$65.7 MAD 605

-43.80%

Summer Dress (H&M, Zara, etc)

$39.79 MX$689

$54.6 MAD 503

-27.12%

Sport Shoes (Adidas, Nike)

$78.5 MX$1,360

$109 MAD 1,003

-28.01%

Men's Leather Business Shoes

$87.1 MX$1,509

$91.8 MAD 845

-5.08%

1-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)

$973 MX$16.9K

$276 MAD 2,544

251.96%

1-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)

$468 MX$8,105

$176 MAD 1,622

165.56%

3-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)

$1,641 MX$28.4K

$509 MAD 4,684

222.58%

3-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)

$1,221 MX$21.2K

$307 MAD 2,827

297.53%

Buy Apartment in City Center (m2)

$3,946 MX$68.4K

$1,499 MAD 13.8K

163.16%

Buy Apartment Outside City Center (m2)

$6,498 MX$112.6K

$1,025 MAD 9,438

533.87%

Average Monthly Net Salary (After Tax)

$664 MX$11.5K

$295 MAD 2,718

124.87%

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: June 2, 2026

Last update for Larache: June 1, 2026

Cost Breakdown

A central one-bedroom costs $973 in Playa del Carmen versus $276 in Larache. 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 125% 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 $22.00 in Larache. Monthly groceries follow the same trend: $249 vs $213 – making Larache 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 Larache: Cost of Living - Frequently Asked Questions

Monthly costs with rent: $1,297 in Playa del Carmen, $806 in Larache – roughly 61% apart. Playa del Carmen costs more across the board, with Eating Out showing the biggest gap.

For a comfortable life, plan on about $1,945 per month in Playa del Carmen and $1,210 in Larache. That covers rent, food, utilities, transport, and enough left over to feel settled – not just surviving.

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

A mid-range dinner for two costs $42.00 in Playa del Carmen and $22.00 in Larache. That's a good indicator of the overall restaurant and café pricing gap between the two cities.

Monthly expenses with rent come to $1,297 in Playa del Carmen and $806 in Larache. The difference isn't just one category – it shows up across housing, food, transport, and services.

A $2,000 monthly budget goes further in Larache, where all-in costs run around $806, than in Playa del Carmen at $1,297. In Larache it covers expenses comfortably, while in Playa del Carmen it requires careful planning or may not stretch far enough.

It depends on your priorities. Playa del Carmen has an edge in some lifestyle areas, with costs from $806 in Larache to $1,297 in Playa del Carmen. Climate, culture, job market, and personal taste all factor in.

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 Larache. 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.