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 $1,256 per month in Playa del Carmen vs $791 in Larache, rent included.

A couple spends around $2,137 per month in Playa del Carmen vs $1,217 in Larache, rent included.

A family of three spends $3,017 per month in Playa del Carmen vs $1,642 in Larache, rent included.

Playa del Carmen costs about 59% more than Larache, driven mainly by Eating Out.

Both Playa del Carmen and Larache are more affordable than the global median – Playa del Carmen 6% lower, Larache 41% lower.

Meal at Budget Restaurant

$11.99 MX$210

$3.86 MAD 36.01

210.62%

Three-Course Dinner for Two, Mid-Range

$41.78 MX$733

$21.60 MAD 201

93.43%

Fast Food Meal (McDonalds, etc)

$10.75 MX$189

$7.18 MAD 66.9

49.72%

Cappuccino

$3.50 MX$61.3

$2.36 MAD 22.02

48.31%

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

$1.45 MX$25.41

$0.69 MAD 6.42

110.14%

Water (0.33 liter bottle)

$0.88 MX$15.52

$0.32 MAD 2.95

175.00%

Local Beer (0.5 liter draught)

$2.95 MX$51.7

$2.79 MAD 26.04

5.73%

Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$4.51 MX$79.1

$3.22 MAD 30.01

40.06%

Milk (1 liter)

$1.43 MX$25.12

$0.99 MAD 9.20

44.44%

White Bread (500g)

$1.84 MX$32.23

$0.71 MAD 6.63

159.15%

Rice (white) (1kg)

$1.57 MX$27.51

$1.97 MAD 18.35

-20.30%

Eggs

$2.51 MX$44.06

$1.94 MAD 18.07

29.38%

Local Cheese (1kg)

$8.28 MX$145

$11.09 MAD 103

-25.34%

Chicken Fillets (1kg)

$8.43 MX$148

$7.43 MAD 69.3

13.46%

Beef Round Steak (1kg)

$10.68 MX$187

$11.92 MAD 111

-10.40%

Apples (1kg)

$2.61 MX$45.76

$1.85 MAD 17.30

41.08%

Banana (1kg)

$1.44 MX$25.22

$1.58 MAD 14.75

-8.86%

Oranges (1kg)

$1.96 MX$34.41

$0.94 MAD 8.72

108.51%

Tomato (1kg)

$2.09 MX$36.74

$0.83 MAD 7.70

151.81%

Potato (1kg)

$1.85 MX$32.47

$0.78 MAD 7.27

137.18%

Onion (1kg)

$2.17 MX$38.02

$0.76 MAD 7.05

185.53%

Lettuce (1 head)

$1.03 MX$18.09

$0.42 MAD 3.92

145.24%

Water (1.5 liter bottle)

$1.07 MX$18.84

$0.57 MAD 5.36

87.72%

Cigarettes 20 Pack (Marlboro, Camel)

$4.10 MX$72.0

$4.50 MAD 41.92

-8.89%

Wine (Bottle)

$10.17 MX$178

$7.83 MAD 73.0

29.89%

Local Beer (0.5 liter bottle)

$1.68 MX$29.38

$2.90 MAD 27.06

-42.07%

Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$2.53 MX$44.31

$2.88 MAD 26.84

-12.15%

One-way Ticket (Public Transport)

$0.51 MX$8.93

$0.51 MAD 4.79

Public Transport Monthly Pass (Regular Price)

$26.04 MX$457

$16.36 MAD 153

59.17%

Taxi Start (Normal Tariff)

$3.23 MX$56.7

$0.58 MAD 5.38

456.90%

Taxi (Normal Tariff) (1km)

$2.41 MX$42.19

$0.48 MAD 4.43

402.08%

Taxi 1hour Waiting (Normal Tariff)

$3.23 MX$56.6

$5.25 MAD 48.94

-38.48%

Gasoline (1 liter)

$1.32 MX$23.17

$1.46 MAD 13.62

-9.59%

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

$29.7K MX$520.9K

$26.7K MAD 249.2K

11.13%

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

$23.7K MX$415.0K

$29.2K MAD 272.3K

-18.98%

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

$82.0 MX$1,439

$49.36 MAD 460

66.15%

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

$22.95 MX$403

$12.28 MAD 115

86.89%

Internet (50+ Mbps, Unlimited Data)

$30.11 MX$528

$42.68 MAD 398

-29.45%

Gym Membership (Monthly)

$52.0 MX$912

$22.08 MAD 206

135.37%

Tennis Court (1 Hour on Weekend)

$18.53 MX$325

$23.36 MAD 218

-20.68%

Cinema Ticket

$4.98 MX$87.3

$5.43 MAD 50.6

-8.29%

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

$197 MX$3,463

$208 MAD 1,943

-5.22%

International Primary School, 1 Child (Yearly)

$5,336 MX$93.6K

$5,407 MAD 50.4K

-1.30%

Jeans (Levis 501 Or Similar)

$35.60 MX$624

$65.0 MAD 606

-45.20%

Summer Dress (H&M, Zara, etc)

$40.33 MX$707

$54.0 MAD 504

-25.31%

Sport Shoes (Adidas, Nike)

$78.8 MX$1,381

$109 MAD 1,015

-27.67%

Men's Leather Business Shoes

$88.9 MX$1,560

$91.1 MAD 849

-2.36%

1-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)

$947 MX$16.6K

$284 MAD 2,650

233.22%

1-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)

$474 MX$8,314

$173 MAD 1,611

174.35%

3-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)

$1,644 MX$28.8K

$497 MAD 4,634

230.78%

3-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)

$1,211 MX$21.2K

$310 MAD 2,892

290.30%

Buy Apartment in City Center (m2)

$4,056 MX$71.1K

$1,209 MAD 11.3K

235.57%

Buy Apartment Outside City Center (m2)

$6,470 MX$113.5K

$915 MAD 8,528

607.41%

Average Monthly Net Salary (After Tax)

$654 MX$11.5K

$285 MAD 2,656

129.54%

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: July 13, 2026

Last update for Larache: July 12, 2026

Cost Breakdown

A central one-bedroom costs $947 in Playa del Carmen versus $284 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 130% 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 $214 – 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: $1,256 in Playa del Carmen, $791 in Larache – roughly 59% apart. Playa del Carmen costs more across the board, with Eating Out showing the biggest gap.

For a comfortable life, plan on about $1,884 per month in Playa del Carmen and $1,187 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 $1,256 in Playa del Carmen and $791 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 $791, than in Playa del Carmen at $1,256. 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 $791 in Larache to $1,256 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.