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 $1,293 per month in Playa del Carmen vs $773 in Larache, rent included.

A couple spends around $2,334 per month in Playa del Carmen vs $1,202 in Larache, rent included.

A family of three spends $3,374 per month in Playa del Carmen vs $1,630 in Larache, rent included.

Playa del Carmen costs about 67% 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 44% lower.

Meal at Budget Restaurant

$11.71 MX$198

$3.83 MAD 35.85

205.74%

Three-Course Dinner for Two, Mid-Range

$46.59 MX$786

$21.14 MAD 198

120.39%

Fast Food Meal (McDonalds, etc)

$11.65 MX$197

$6.80 MAD 63.6

71.32%

Cappuccino

$4.09 MX$69.1

$2.05 MAD 19.15

99.51%

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

$1.37 MX$23.20

$0.63 MAD 5.87

117.46%

Water (0.33 liter bottle)

$0.83 MX$14.07

$0.35 MAD 3.31

137.14%

Local Beer (0.5 liter draught)

$3.35 MX$56.6

$2.67 MAD 24.96

25.47%

Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$6.91 MX$117

$3.27 MAD 30.63

111.31%

Milk (1 liter)

$1.73 MX$29.15

$0.95 MAD 8.86

82.11%

White Bread (500g)

$2.26 MX$38.15

$0.78 MAD 7.28

189.74%

Rice (white) (1kg)

$1.77 MX$29.86

$1.91 MAD 17.83

-7.33%

Eggs

$2.73 MX$46.12

$1.90 MAD 17.73

43.68%

Local Cheese (1kg)

$9.18 MX$155

$11.52 MAD 108

-20.31%

Chicken Fillets (1kg)

$8.92 MX$151

$7.35 MAD 68.8

21.36%

Beef Round Steak (1kg)

$12.60 MX$213

$12.81 MAD 120

-1.64%

Apples (1kg)

$3.02 MX$51.0

$1.73 MAD 16.17

74.57%

Banana (1kg)

$1.57 MX$26.51

$1.55 MAD 14.46

1.29%

Oranges (1kg)

$2.13 MX$35.88

$0.84 MAD 7.90

153.57%

Tomato (1kg)

$2.26 MX$38.22

$0.77 MAD 7.16

193.51%

Potato (1kg)

$2.00 MX$33.82

$0.67 MAD 6.28

198.51%

Onion (1kg)

$2.06 MX$34.85

$0.75 MAD 7.05

174.67%

Lettuce (1 head)

$1.18 MX$19.91

$0.46 MAD 4.35

156.52%

Water (1.5 liter bottle)

$1.20 MX$20.32

$0.55 MAD 5.16

118.18%

Cigarettes 20 Pack (Marlboro, Camel)

$4.63 MX$78.2

$4.34 MAD 40.62

6.68%

Wine (Bottle)

$10.69 MX$180

$8.46 MAD 79.2

26.36%

Local Beer (0.5 liter bottle)

$1.62 MX$27.33

$2.74 MAD 25.67

-40.88%

Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$2.88 MX$48.63

$3.16 MAD 29.60

-8.86%

One-way Ticket (Public Transport)

$0.57 MX$9.68

$0.55 MAD 5.14

3.64%

Public Transport Monthly Pass (Regular Price)

$29.83 MX$503

$19.74 MAD 185

51.11%

Taxi Start (Normal Tariff)

$5.45 MX$91.9

$0.56 MAD 5.25

873.21%

Taxi (Normal Tariff) (1km)

$3.70 MX$62.5

$0.33 MAD 3.11

1021.21%

Taxi 1hour Waiting (Normal Tariff)

$5.98 MX$101

$4.80 MAD 44.86

24.58%

Gasoline (1 liter)

$1.55 MX$26.22

$1.57 MAD 14.65

-1.27%

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

$22.3K MX$376.8K

$25.6K MAD 239.1K

-12.63%

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

$25.9K MX$438.0K

$32.2K MAD 300.8K

-19.29%

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

$89.1 MX$1,504

$51.0 MAD 477

74.66%

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

$25.04 MX$423

$11.56 MAD 108

116.61%

Internet (50+ Mbps, Unlimited Data)

$31.50 MX$532

$45.37 MAD 424

-30.57%

Gym Membership (Monthly)

$67.8 MX$1,144

$21.39 MAD 200

216.88%

Tennis Court (1 Hour on Weekend)

$28.92 MX$488

$21.26 MAD 199

36.03%

Cinema Ticket

$5.05 MX$85.2

$5.40 MAD 50.6

-6.48%

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

$225 MX$3,797

$105 MAD 985

113.59%

International Primary School, 1 Child (Yearly)

$4,222 MX$71.3K

$5,680 MAD 53.1K

-25.66%

Jeans (Levis 501 Or Similar)

$47.44 MX$801

$60.7 MAD 568

-21.81%

Summer Dress (H&M, Zara, etc)

$44.98 MX$759

$49.49 MAD 463

-9.11%

Sport Shoes (Adidas, Nike)

$82.0 MX$1,384

$102 MAD 953

-19.54%

Men's Leather Business Shoes

$92.1 MX$1,555

$67.7 MAD 633

36.12%

1-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)

$1,069 MX$18.0K

$278 MAD 2,601

284.60%

1-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)

$405 MX$6,842

$177 MAD 1,660

128.42%

3-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)

$1,935 MX$32.7K

$478 MAD 4,476

304.54%

3-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)

$1,301 MX$22.0K

$281 MAD 2,626

363.50%

Buy Apartment in City Center (m2)

$3,995 MX$67.4K

$1,231 MAD 11.5K

224.45%

Buy Apartment Outside City Center (m2)

$6,626 MX$111.8K

$947 MAD 8,859

599.70%

Average Monthly Net Salary (After Tax)

$749 MX$12.6K

$287 MAD 2,686

160.81%

20-Year Fixed Mortgage Interest Rate (Annual %)

11.45

5.01

128.54%

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

Last update for Playa del Carmen: August 29, 2026

Last update for Larache: August 31, 2026

Cost Breakdown

A central one-bedroom costs $1,069 in Playa del Carmen versus $278 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 161% 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 $47.00 in Playa del Carmen versus $21.00 in Larache. Monthly groceries follow the same trend: $277 vs $216 – 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: $1,293 in Playa del Carmen, $773 in Larache – roughly 67% apart. Playa del Carmen costs more across the board, with Eating Out showing the biggest gap.

For a comfortable life, plan on about $1,940 per month in Playa del Carmen and $1,160 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 $47.00 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.

Monthly expenses with rent come to $1,293 in Playa del Carmen and $773 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 $773, than in Playa del Carmen at $1,293. 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 $773 in Larache to $1,293 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.