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 $1,256 per month in Playa del Carmen vs $888 in Marrakech, rent included.

A couple spends around $2,137 per month in Playa del Carmen vs $1,365 in Marrakech, rent included.

A family of three spends $3,017 per month in Playa del Carmen vs $1,842 in Marrakech, rent included.

Playa del Carmen costs about 41% more than Marrakech, driven mainly by Eating Out.

Both Playa del Carmen and Marrakech are more affordable than the global median – Playa del Carmen 6% lower, Marrakech 34% lower.

Meal at Budget Restaurant

$11.99 MX$210

$4.56 MAD 42.55

162.94%

Three-Course Dinner for Two, Mid-Range

$41.78 MX$733

$33.35 MAD 311

25.28%

Fast Food Meal (McDonalds, etc)

$10.75 MX$189

$7.22 MAD 67.3

48.89%

Cappuccino

$3.50 MX$61.3

$2.50 MAD 23.30

40.00%

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

$1.45 MX$25.41

$1.23 MAD 11.44

17.89%

Water (0.33 liter bottle)

$0.88 MX$15.52

$0.59 MAD 5.53

49.15%

Local Beer (0.5 liter draught)

$2.95 MX$51.7

$5.44 MAD 50.7

-45.77%

Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$4.51 MX$79.1

$6.47 MAD 60.4

-30.29%

Milk (1 liter)

$1.43 MX$25.12

$0.89 MAD 8.35

60.67%

White Bread (500g)

$1.84 MX$32.23

$0.59 MAD 5.46

211.86%

Rice (white) (1kg)

$1.57 MX$27.51

$1.82 MAD 17.01

-13.74%

Eggs

$2.51 MX$44.06

$2.03 MAD 18.92

23.65%

Local Cheese (1kg)

$8.28 MX$145

$9.55 MAD 89.0

-13.30%

Chicken Fillets (1kg)

$8.43 MX$148

$6.29 MAD 58.6

34.02%

Beef Round Steak (1kg)

$10.68 MX$187

$11.16 MAD 104

-4.30%

Apples (1kg)

$2.61 MX$45.76

$1.52 MAD 14.16

71.71%

Banana (1kg)

$1.44 MX$25.22

$1.39 MAD 13.01

3.60%

Oranges (1kg)

$1.96 MX$34.41

$0.97 MAD 9.01

102.06%

Tomato (1kg)

$2.09 MX$36.74

$0.82 MAD 7.64

154.88%

Potato (1kg)

$1.85 MX$32.47

$0.78 MAD 7.31

137.18%

Onion (1kg)

$2.17 MX$38.02

$0.80 MAD 7.44

171.25%

Lettuce (1 head)

$1.03 MX$18.09

$0.42 MAD 3.96

145.24%

Water (1.5 liter bottle)

$1.07 MX$18.84

$0.63 MAD 5.90

69.84%

Cigarettes 20 Pack (Marlboro, Camel)

$4.10 MX$72.0

$4.27 MAD 39.86

-3.98%

Wine (Bottle)

$10.17 MX$178

$8.00 MAD 74.6

27.13%

Local Beer (0.5 liter bottle)

$1.68 MX$29.38

$2.65 MAD 24.67

-36.60%

Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$2.53 MX$44.31

$3.05 MAD 28.44

-17.05%

One-way Ticket (Public Transport)

$0.51 MX$8.93

$0.45 MAD 4.20

13.33%

Public Transport Monthly Pass (Regular Price)

$26.04 MX$457

$10.79 MAD 101

141.33%

Taxi Start (Normal Tariff)

$3.23 MX$56.7

$0.97 MAD 9.02

232.99%

Taxi (Normal Tariff) (1km)

$2.41 MX$42.19

$0.48 MAD 4.51

402.08%

Taxi 1hour Waiting (Normal Tariff)

$3.23 MX$56.6

$5.38 MAD 50.2

-39.96%

Gasoline (1 liter)

$1.32 MX$23.17

$1.52 MAD 14.14

-13.16%

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

$29.7K MX$520.9K

$37.8K MAD 352.1K

-21.35%

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

$23.7K MX$415.0K

$30.2K MAD 281.7K

-21.68%

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

$82.0 MX$1,439

$32.73 MAD 305

150.57%

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

$22.95 MX$403

$10.96 MAD 102

109.40%

Internet (50+ Mbps, Unlimited Data)

$30.11 MX$528

$46.56 MAD 434

-35.33%

Gym Membership (Monthly)

$52.0 MX$912

$24.04 MAD 224

116.18%

Tennis Court (1 Hour on Weekend)

$18.53 MX$325

$31.63 MAD 295

-41.42%

Cinema Ticket

$4.98 MX$87.3

$6.47 MAD 60.3

-23.03%

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

$197 MX$3,463

$111 MAD 1,030

78.68%

International Primary School, 1 Child (Yearly)

$5,336 MX$93.6K

$6,450 MAD 60.1K

-17.26%

Jeans (Levis 501 Or Similar)

$35.60 MX$624

$42.93 MAD 400

-17.07%

Summer Dress (H&M, Zara, etc)

$40.33 MX$707

$50.2 MAD 468

-19.71%

Sport Shoes (Adidas, Nike)

$78.8 MX$1,381

$107 MAD 995

-26.17%

Men's Leather Business Shoes

$88.9 MX$1,560

$104 MAD 970

-14.49%

1-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)

$947 MX$16.6K

$439 MAD 4,093

115.78%

1-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)

$474 MX$8,314

$276 MAD 2,571

71.92%

3-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)

$1,644 MX$28.8K

$755 MAD 7,041

117.71%

3-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)

$1,211 MX$21.2K

$441 MAD 4,111

174.58%

Buy Apartment in City Center (m2)

$4,056 MX$71.1K

$1,983 MAD 18.5K

104.56%

Buy Apartment Outside City Center (m2)

$6,470 MX$113.5K

$952 MAD 8,876

579.70%

Average Monthly Net Salary (After Tax)

$654 MX$11.5K

$521 MAD 4,857

25.54%

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: July 13, 2026

Last update for Marrakech: July 12, 2026

Cost Breakdown

A central one-bedroom costs $947 in Playa del Carmen versus $439 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 $196 – 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 Eating Out. It's not just housing either; the difference applies across most spending categories.

For a comfortable life, plan on about $1,884 per month in Playa del Carmen and $1,332 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 $197 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 27% 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 $888, than in Playa del Carmen at $1,256. 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.