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

Monthly Cost of Living

A single person spends $1,305 per month in Playa del Carmen vs $924 in Marrakech, rent included.

A couple spends around $2,334 per month in Playa del Carmen vs $1,359 in Marrakech, rent included.

A family of three spends $3,362 per month in Playa del Carmen vs $1,794 in Marrakech, rent included.

Playa del Carmen costs about 41% more than Marrakech, driven mainly by Groceries & Markets.

Both Playa del Carmen and Marrakech are more affordable than the global median – Playa del Carmen 5% lower, Marrakech 33% lower.

Meal at Budget Restaurant

$11.96 MX$203

$3.65 MAD 34.34

227.67%

Three-Course Dinner for Two, Mid-Range

$47.38 MX$804

$31.90 MAD 300

48.53%

Fast Food Meal (McDonalds, etc)

$11.75 MX$199

$6.44 MAD 60.5

82.45%

Cappuccino

$4.12 MX$70.0

$2.37 MAD 22.31

73.84%

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

$1.40 MX$23.74

$1.93 MAD 18.18

-27.46%

Water (0.33 liter bottle)

$0.91 MX$15.48

$0.67 MAD 6.32

35.82%

Local Beer (0.5 liter draught)

$3.21 MX$54.4

$6.75 MAD 63.4

-52.44%

Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$7.07 MX$120

$5.34 MAD 50.2

32.40%

Milk (1 liter)

$1.68 MX$28.44

$0.83 MAD 7.78

102.41%

White Bread (500g)

$2.15 MX$36.48

$0.83 MAD 7.83

159.04%

Rice (white) (1kg)

$1.77 MX$30.10

$1.57 MAD 14.73

12.74%

Eggs

$2.82 MX$47.76

$1.97 MAD 18.50

43.15%

Local Cheese (1kg)

$9.20 MX$156

$7.91 MAD 74.4

16.31%

Chicken Fillets (1kg)

$9.23 MX$157

$5.40 MAD 50.8

70.93%

Beef Round Steak (1kg)

$12.64 MX$214

$12.09 MAD 114

4.55%

Apples (1kg)

$2.95 MX$50.1

$1.62 MAD 15.23

82.10%

Banana (1kg)

$1.58 MX$26.79

$1.46 MAD 13.74

8.22%

Oranges (1kg)

$2.22 MX$37.70

$0.92 MAD 8.63

141.30%

Tomato (1kg)

$2.36 MX$40.09

$0.77 MAD 7.26

206.49%

Potato (1kg)

$1.99 MX$33.81

$0.69 MAD 6.48

188.41%

Onion (1kg)

$1.98 MX$33.58

$0.84 MAD 7.85

135.71%

Lettuce (1 head)

$1.24 MX$21.04

$0.24 MAD 2.25

416.67%

Water (1.5 liter bottle)

$1.21 MX$20.55

$0.59 MAD 5.58

105.08%

Cigarettes 20 Pack (Marlboro, Camel)

$4.60 MX$78.1

$4.32 MAD 40.55

6.48%

Wine (Bottle)

$10.52 MX$178

$8.05 MAD 75.6

30.68%

Local Beer (0.5 liter bottle)

$1.69 MX$28.70

$2.35 MAD 22.05

-28.09%

Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$2.77 MX$47.06

$3.43 MAD 32.28

-19.24%

One-way Ticket (Public Transport)

$0.60 MX$10.22

$0.42 MAD 3.93

42.86%

Public Transport Monthly Pass (Regular Price)

$29.70 MX$504

$26.58 MAD 250

11.74%

Taxi Start (Normal Tariff)

$5.24 MX$88.8

$0.89 MAD 8.36

488.76%

Taxi (Normal Tariff) (1km)

$3.65 MX$61.9

$0.66 MAD 6.23

453.03%

Taxi 1hour Waiting (Normal Tariff)

$5.78 MX$98.1

$7.64 MAD 71.8

-24.35%

Gasoline (1 liter)

$1.54 MX$26.09

$1.57 MAD 14.77

-1.91%

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

$22.8K MX$386.8K

$34.6K MAD 325.2K

-34.11%

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

$25.8K MX$437.9K

$30.2K MAD 284.0K

-14.58%

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

$90.7 MX$1,538

$36.21 MAD 340

150.40%

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

$25.19 MX$427

$9.59 MAD 90.1

162.67%

Internet (50+ Mbps, Unlimited Data)

$31.75 MX$539

$38.33 MAD 360

-17.17%

Gym Membership (Monthly)

$68.8 MX$1,167

$29.61 MAD 278

132.32%

Tennis Court (1 Hour on Weekend)

$29.37 MX$498

$21.79 MAD 205

34.79%

Cinema Ticket

$4.86 MX$82.5

$6.61 MAD 62.1

-26.48%

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

$226 MX$3,828

$101 MAD 953

122.63%

International Primary School, 1 Child (Yearly)

$4,194 MX$71.1K

$8,643 MAD 81.2K

-51.48%

Jeans (Levis 501 Or Similar)

$47.38 MX$804

$32.31 MAD 304

46.64%

Summer Dress (H&M, Zara, etc)

$43.45 MX$737

$47.07 MAD 442

-7.69%

Sport Shoes (Adidas, Nike)

$80.2 MX$1,361

$84.6 MAD 795

-5.20%

Men's Leather Business Shoes

$91.4 MX$1,550

$84.5 MAD 794

8.12%

1-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)

$1,086 MX$18.4K

$491 MAD 4,615

121.05%

1-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)

$409 MX$6,933

$328 MAD 3,086

24.43%

3-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)

$1,972 MX$33.5K

$760 MAD 7,139

159.60%

3-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)

$1,281 MX$21.7K

$460 MAD 4,322

178.61%

Buy Apartment in City Center (m2)

$4,046 MX$68.6K

$1,975 MAD 18.6K

104.91%

Buy Apartment Outside City Center (m2)

$6,704 MX$113.7K

$954 MAD 8,962

602.99%

Average Monthly Net Salary (After Tax)

$773 MX$13.1K

$510 MAD 4,791

51.68%

20-Year Fixed Mortgage Interest Rate (Annual %)

11.45

3.5

227.14%

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

Last update for Playa del Carmen: September 7, 2026

Last update for Marrakech: September 6, 2026

Cost Breakdown

A central one-bedroom costs $1,086 in Playa del Carmen versus $491 in Marrakech. 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 52% 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 $32.00 in Marrakech. Monthly groceries follow the same trend: $278 vs $189 – making Marrakech 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 Marrakech: Cost of Living - Frequently Asked Questions

Yes – Playa del Carmen is pricier by about 41%, and the gap shows up most in Groceries & Markets. It's not just housing either; the difference applies across most spending categories.

For a comfortable life, plan on about $1,958 per month in Playa del Carmen and $1,387 in Marrakech. That covers rent, food, utilities, transport, and enough left over to feel settled – not just surviving.

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

Kindergarten costs $226 per month in Playa del Carmen and $101 in Marrakech. For families with young kids, this one expense can tip the scales when choosing between the two cities.

Groceries cost about 47% 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 $1,500 monthly budget goes further in Marrakech, where all-in costs run around $924, than in Playa del Carmen at $1,305. In Marrakech it covers expenses comfortably, while in Playa del Carmen it requires careful planning or may not stretch far enough.

Families tend to lean toward Marrakech – 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 Marrakech. 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.