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 $1,297 per month in Playa del Carmen vs $905 in Marrakech, rent included.

A couple spends around $2,181 per month in Playa del Carmen vs $1,396 in Marrakech, rent included.

A family of three spends $3,065 per month in Playa del Carmen vs $1,888 in Marrakech, rent included.

Playa del Carmen costs about 43% more than Marrakech, driven mainly by Eating Out.

Both Playa del Carmen and Marrakech are more affordable than the global median – Playa del Carmen 3% lower, Marrakech 32% lower.

Meal at Budget Restaurant

$11.73 MX$203

$4.56 MAD 41.93

157.24%

Three-Course Dinner for Two, Mid-Range

$41.62 MX$720

$33.31 MAD 306

24.95%

Fast Food Meal (McDonalds, etc)

$10.64 MX$184

$6.99 MAD 64.2

52.22%

Cappuccino

$3.52 MX$60.9

$2.54 MAD 23.33

38.58%

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

$1.51 MX$26.12

$1.27 MAD 11.63

18.90%

Water (0.33 liter bottle)

$0.97 MX$16.84

$0.60 MAD 5.55

61.67%

Local Beer (0.5 liter draught)

$2.95 MX$51.0

$5.34 MAD 49.06

-44.76%

Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$4.45 MX$77.0

$6.32 MAD 58.1

-29.59%

Milk (1 liter)

$1.38 MX$23.93

$0.90 MAD 8.28

53.33%

White Bread (500g)

$1.89 MX$32.72

$0.58 MAD 5.35

225.86%

Rice (white) (1kg)

$1.64 MX$28.32

$1.75 MAD 16.06

-6.29%

Eggs

$2.51 MX$43.34

$2.09 MAD 19.19

20.10%

Local Cheese (1kg)

$8.34 MX$144

$9.56 MAD 87.9

-12.76%

Chicken Fillets (1kg)

$8.34 MX$144

$5.98 MAD 55.0

39.46%

Beef Round Steak (1kg)

$10.73 MX$186

$11.03 MAD 101

-2.72%

Apples (1kg)

$2.60 MX$45.04

$1.58 MAD 14.53

64.56%

Banana (1kg)

$1.46 MX$25.20

$1.35 MAD 12.38

8.15%

Oranges (1kg)

$1.90 MX$32.87

$0.90 MAD 8.27

111.11%

Tomato (1kg)

$2.08 MX$35.91

$0.88 MAD 8.08

136.36%

Potato (1kg)

$1.78 MX$30.71

$0.80 MAD 7.39

122.50%

Onion (1kg)

$2.19 MX$37.80

$0.74 MAD 6.83

195.95%

Lettuce (1 head)

$1.04 MX$17.99

$0.42 MAD 3.88

147.62%

Water (1.5 liter bottle)

$1.08 MX$18.62

$0.64 MAD 5.88

68.75%

Cigarettes 20 Pack (Marlboro, Camel)

$4.08 MX$70.6

$4.35 MAD 39.94

-6.21%

Wine (Bottle)

$10.32 MX$178

$8.22 MAD 75.5

25.55%

Local Beer (0.5 liter bottle)

$1.71 MX$29.61

$2.68 MAD 24.63

-36.19%

Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$2.58 MX$44.54

$2.96 MAD 27.18

-12.84%

One-way Ticket (Public Transport)

$0.51 MX$8.81

$0.43 MAD 3.92

18.60%

Public Transport Monthly Pass (Regular Price)

$26.46 MX$458

$10.91 MAD 100

142.53%

Taxi Start (Normal Tariff)

$3.26 MX$56.4

$1.02 MAD 9.42

219.61%

Taxi (Normal Tariff) (1km)

$2.49 MX$43.09

$0.51 MAD 4.71

388.24%

Taxi 1hour Waiting (Normal Tariff)

$3.25 MX$56.2

$5.44 MAD 50.0

-40.26%

Gasoline (1 liter)

$1.31 MX$22.61

$1.58 MAD 14.54

-17.09%

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

$30.3K MX$523.7K

$37.8K MAD 347.2K

-19.85%

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

$23.4K MX$405.3K

$30.1K MAD 276.5K

-22.11%

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

$82.9 MX$1,433

$31.74 MAD 292

161.09%

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

$22.22 MX$384

$10.91 MAD 100

103.67%

Internet (50+ Mbps, Unlimited Data)

$29.34 MX$507

$46.40 MAD 426

-36.77%

Gym Membership (Monthly)

$51.6 MX$893

$23.72 MAD 218

117.66%

Tennis Court (1 Hour on Weekend)

$18.32 MX$317

$32.52 MAD 299

-43.67%

Cinema Ticket

$5.07 MX$87.6

$6.74 MAD 62.0

-24.78%

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

$201 MX$3,473

$111 MAD 1,023

80.47%

International Primary School, 1 Child (Yearly)

$5,212 MX$90.1K

$6,435 MAD 59.1K

-19.01%

Jeans (Levis 501 Or Similar)

$36.92 MX$639

$41.93 MAD 385

-11.95%

Summer Dress (H&M, Zara, etc)

$39.79 MX$688

$50.0 MAD 460

-20.44%

Sport Shoes (Adidas, Nike)

$78.5 MX$1,357

$110 MAD 1,013

-28.82%

Men's Leather Business Shoes

$87.1 MX$1,506

$102 MAD 938

-14.64%

1-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)

$973 MX$16.8K

$435 MAD 3,997

123.61%

1-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)

$468 MX$8,090

$283 MAD 2,601

65.24%

3-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)

$1,641 MX$28.4K

$763 MAD 7,015

115.03%

3-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)

$1,221 MX$21.1K

$443 MAD 4,072

175.53%

Buy Apartment in City Center (m2)

$3,946 MX$68.3K

$1,993 MAD 18.3K

97.98%

Buy Apartment Outside City Center (m2)

$6,498 MX$112.4K

$1,039 MAD 9,550

525.30%

Average Monthly Net Salary (After Tax)

$664 MX$11.5K

$528 MAD 4,850

25.79%

20-Year Fixed Mortgage Interest Rate (Annual %)

11.42

4.75

140.42%

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 Marrakech: June 1, 2026

Cost Breakdown

A central one-bedroom costs $973 in Playa del Carmen versus $435 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 26% 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 $33.00 in Marrakech. Monthly groceries follow the same trend: $249 vs $195 – 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 43%, and the gap shows up most in Eating Out. It's not just housing either; the difference applies across most spending categories.

For a comfortable life, plan on about $1,945 per month in Playa del Carmen and $1,357 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 $201 per month in Playa del Carmen and $111 in Marrakech. For families with young kids, this one expense can tip the scales when choosing between the two cities.

Groceries cost about 28% 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 $905, than in Playa del Carmen at $1,297. 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.