Last update: Oct 2026

Cost of Living Comparison Between Playa del Carmen and Larache

For one person, living is cheaper in Larache: $755 a month against $1,204 in Playa del Carmen, rent and utilities included – about $5,400 less a year. Rent and utilities account for about half of the difference.

Playa del Carmen
🇲🇽 Mexico
$1,204
/mo nomad
Larache
🇲🇦 Morocco
$755
/mo nomad
Monthly Cost of Living

How much you'll spend in Playa del Carmen and in Larache

Real prices from locals and on-the-ground checks – rent, groceries, transit and the daily extras. Here's what a month in Playa del Carmen and in Larache actually costs, broken down by who's living it.

A single person spends $1,204 per month in Playa del Carmen vs $755 in Larache, rent included.

  • Playa del Carmen $1,204
  • Larache $755

A couple spends around $2,102 per month in Playa del Carmen vs $1,155 in Larache, rent included.

  • Playa del Carmen $2,102
  • Larache $1,155

A family of three spends $3,000 per month in Playa del Carmen vs $1,556 in Larache, rent included.

  • Playa del Carmen $3,000
  • Larache $1,556

Playa del Carmen costs about 60% more than Larache, and outside of rent the biggest gap is in eating out.

Both Playa del Carmen and Larache are more affordable than the global median – Playa del Carmen 11% lower, Larache 44% lower.

Currency
🍽 Eating Out
Playa del Carmen
Larache
Difference
Meal at Budget Restaurant
$10.86 MX$201
$3.69 MAD 35.97
194.31%
Three-Course Dinner for Two, Mid-Range
$44.21 MX$817
$20.68 MAD 202
113.78%
Fast Food Meal (McDonalds, etc)
$11.76 MX$217
$6.87 MAD 67.0
71.18%
Cappuccino
$3.68 MX$68.0
$1.98 MAD 19.27
85.86%
Coke/Pepsi/Fanta/Sprite (0.33 liter bottle)
$1.34 MX$24.79
$0.64 MAD 6.24
109.38%
Water (0.33 liter bottle)
$0.82 MX$15.24
$0.34 MAD 3.29
141.18%
Local Beer (0.5 liter draught)
$3.06 MX$56.6
$2.65 MAD 25.81
15.47%
Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)
$4.94 MX$91.2
$3.19 MAD 31.12
54.86%
🛒 Groceries & Markets
Playa del Carmen
Larache
Difference
Milk (1 liter)
$1.47 MX$27.17
$0.97 MAD 9.44
51.55%
White Bread (500g)
$2.22 MX$40.95
$0.84 MAD 8.15
164.29%
Rice (white) (1kg)
$1.48 MX$27.32
$1.85 MAD 18.01
-20.00%
Eggs
$2.49 MX$45.99
$1.88 MAD 18.29
32.45%
Local Cheese (1kg)
$7.52 MX$139
$11.09 MAD 108
-32.19%
Chicken Fillets (1kg)
$7.96 MX$147
$7.51 MAD 73.2
5.99%
Beef Round Steak (1kg)
$12.57 MX$232
$11.83 MAD 115
6.26%
Apples (1kg)
$2.78 MX$51.3
$1.62 MAD 15.83
71.60%
Banana (1kg)
$1.43 MX$26.37
$1.59 MAD 15.46
-10.06%
Oranges (1kg)
$2.62 MX$48.37
$0.84 MAD 8.18
211.90%
Tomato (1kg)
$2.14 MX$39.49
$0.76 MAD 7.38
181.58%
Potato (1kg)
$2.02 MX$37.38
$0.63 MAD 6.17
220.63%
Onion (1kg)
$1.99 MX$36.74
$0.66 MAD 6.45
201.52%
Lettuce (1 head)
$1.14 MX$21.01
$0.48 MAD 4.70
137.50%
Water (1.5 liter bottle)
$1.20 MX$22.18
$0.55 MAD 5.32
118.18%
Cigarettes 20 Pack (Marlboro, Camel)
$4.26 MX$78.7
$4.20 MAD 40.96
1.43%
Wine (Bottle)
$10.02 MX$185
$8.37 MAD 81.6
19.71%
Local Beer (0.5 liter bottle)
$1.54 MX$28.41
$2.37 MAD 23.14
-35.02%
Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)
$2.66 MX$49.17
$3.14 MAD 30.65
-15.29%
🚌 Getting Around
Playa del Carmen
Larache
Difference
One-way Ticket (Public Transport)
$0.53 MX$9.73
$0.50 MAD 4.83
6.00%
Public Transport Monthly Pass (Regular Price)
$27.51 MX$508
$21.03 MAD 205
30.81%
Taxi Start (Normal Tariff)
$4.90 MX$90.6
$0.54 MAD 5.23
807.41%
Taxi (Normal Tariff) (1km)
$3.43 MX$63.5
$0.32 MAD 3.12
971.88%
Taxi 1hour Waiting (Normal Tariff)
$5.38 MX$99.4
$4.46 MAD 43.48
20.63%
Gasoline (1 liter)
$1.45 MX$26.76
$1.49 MAD 14.52
-2.68%
Midsize Hatchback 1.4l (Volkswagen Golf, Toyota Prius, Honda Civic, etc)
$21.2K MX$391.0K
$25.2K MAD 246.0K
-16.13%
Compact Sedan 1.6l (Toyota Corolla, Mazda3, Kia K4, Hyundai Elantra, etc)
$23.0K MX$425.3K
$30.5K MAD 297.6K
-24.58%
🧾 Monthly Utilities & Internet
Playa del Carmen
Larache
Difference
Utilities for 2 People in 2-bedroom Apartment (Heating, Electricity, Gas, Water, Garbage) (85m2)
$85.4 MX$1,577
$52.1 MAD 508
63.96%
SIM Card Monthly Plan (Calls and 10GB+ Data)
$23.46 MX$434
$10.15 MAD 99.0
131.13%
Internet (50+ Mbps, Unlimited Data)
$28.43 MX$525
$42.42 MAD 414
-32.98%
🎉 Sport & Entertainment
Playa del Carmen
Larache
Difference
Gym Membership (Monthly)
$62.2 MX$1,149
$20.98 MAD 205
196.43%
Tennis Court (1 Hour on Weekend)
$28.68 MX$530
$21.29 MAD 208
34.71%
Cinema Ticket
$5.10 MX$94.3
$5.14 MAD 50.1
-0.78%
🧸 Childcare & Education
Playa del Carmen
Larache
Difference
Preschool or Kindergarten, Full Day, Private, 1 Child (Monthly)
$201 MX$3,715
$101 MAD 981
99.79%
International Primary School, 1 Child (Yearly)
$3,947 MX$72.9K
$5,642 MAD 55.0K
-30.05%
👕👟 Clothing & Footwear
Playa del Carmen
Larache
Difference
Jeans (Levis 501 Or Similar)
$44.39 MX$820
$60.2 MAD 587
-26.27%
Summer Dress (H&M, Zara, etc)
$41.35 MX$764
$44.95 MAD 438
-8.01%
Sport Shoes (Adidas, Nike)
$72.7 MX$1,344
$94.2 MAD 918
-22.78%
Men's Leather Business Shoes
$89.6 MX$1,656
$61.2 MAD 596
46.54%
🏠 Accommodation & Living
Playa del Carmen
Larache
Difference
1-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)
$979 MX$18.1K
$275 MAD 2,685
255.62%
1-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)
$373 MX$6,887
$168 MAD 1,641
121.44%
3-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)
$1,681 MX$31.1K
$470 MAD 4,582
257.67%
3-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)
$1,095 MX$20.2K
$273 MAD 2,666
300.49%
Buy Apartment in City Center (m2)
$3,949 MX$73.0K
$1,193 MAD 11.6K
230.93%
Buy Apartment Outside City Center (m2)
$6,137 MX$113.4K
$827 MAD 8,063
641.99%
💵 Salaries & Financials
Playa del Carmen
Larache
Difference
Average Monthly Net Salary (After Tax)
$738 MX$13.6K
$274 MAD 2,674
168.94%
20-Year Fixed Mortgage Interest Rate (Annual %)
11.45
4.83
137.06%

CityCost data is based on AI and user input – minor inaccuracies may occur.

Last update for Playa del Carmen: October 17, 2026

Last update for Larache: October 19, 2026

Monthly budget structure
Share of the monthly basket for one person, rent included.
Accommodation & Living
Playa del Carmen
$373
Larache
$168 54.8% $204
Groceries & Markets
Playa del Carmen
$258
Larache
$211 18.5% $48
Eating Out
Playa del Carmen
$200
Larache
$97 51.4% $103
Monthly Utilities & Internet
Playa del Carmen
$137
Larache
$105 23.8% $33
Clothing & Footwear
Playa del Carmen
$112
Larache
$117 5% $5.6
Sport & Entertainment
Playa del Carmen
$72
Larache
$31 56.8% $41
Getting Around
Playa del Carmen
$52
Larache
$25 51.3% $27

Cost Breakdown

A central one-bedroom costs $979 in Playa del Carmen versus $275 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 169% 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 $44.00 in Playa del Carmen versus $21.00 in Larache. Monthly groceries follow the same trend: $258 vs $211 – making Larache the more affordable choice for daily food spending.

Good to know
🇲🇽 Playa del Carmen
🇲🇦 Larache
🕒 Local time
10:01 10:01 AM
16:01 4:01 PM
6 h ahead of Playa del Carmen
🌤 Weather
👥 Population
149,923
125,008
💱 Currency
Exchange rates and currency converter

MAD, USD, EUR to MXN – Mexican Peso Converter

Mexican Peso exchange rates as of October 21, 2026: 1 USD = 18.48 MXN (100 MXN = 5.41 USD). 1 EUR = 20.77 MXN (100 MXN = 4.81 EUR).

Moroccan Dirham exchange rates as of October 21, 2026: 1 USD = 9.75 MAD (1 MAD = 0.103 USD). 1 EUR = 10.96 MAD (100 MAD = 9.12 EUR).

On the map
Between locations
  • Playa del Carmen Larache 7,910 km ≈ 10 h nonstop flight
From you
  • Playa del Carmen
  • Larache

Distances are measured in a straight line. Your location is detected approximately.

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
How do living costs in Playa del Carmen and in Larache compare overall?
Monthly costs with rent: $1,204 in Playa del Carmen, $755 in Larache – roughly 60% apart. Outside of rent, the biggest gap is in eating out.
What salary covers living expenses in Playa del Carmen compared to Larache?
For a comfortable life, plan on about $1,806 per month in Playa del Carmen and $1,132 in Larache. That covers rent, food, utilities, transport, and enough left over to feel settled – not just surviving.
How do rents compare between Playa del Carmen and Larache?
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.
Which city has cheaper restaurants?
A mid-range dinner for two costs $44.00 in Playa del Carmen and $21.00 in Larache. That's a good indicator of the overall restaurant and café pricing gap between the two cities.
Which city is more expensive overall: Playa del Carmen or Larache?
Monthly expenses with rent come to $1,204 in Playa del Carmen and $755 in Larache. That's a gap of about 60%.
Which city is more doable on $2,000 per month?
A $2,000 monthly budget goes further in Larache, where all-in costs run around $755, than in Playa del Carmen at $1,204. In Larache it covers expenses comfortably, while in Playa del Carmen it requires careful planning or may not stretch far enough.
How does quality of life compare between Playa del Carmen and Larache?
It depends on your priorities. Playa del Carmen has an edge in some lifestyle areas, with costs from $755 in Larache to $1,204 in Playa del Carmen. Climate, culture, job market, and personal taste all factor in.
Is Playa del Carmen or Larache safer for residents?
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.
How do I decide between Playa del Carmen and Larache?
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.

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