Last update: Oct 2026

Cost of Living Comparison Between Playa del Carmen and Martil

For one person, living is cheaper in Martil: $662 a month against $1,204 in Playa del Carmen, rent and utilities included – about $6,500 less a year. Rent and utilities account for about half of the difference.

Playa del Carmen
🇲🇽 Mexico
$1,204
/mo nomad
Martil
🇲🇦 Morocco
$662
/mo nomad
Monthly Cost of Living

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

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 Martil actually costs, broken down by who's living it.

Monthly costs for one person with rent: $1,204 in Playa del Carmen versus $662 in Martil.

  • Playa del Carmen $1,204
  • Martil $662

Estimated couple costs with rent: $2,102 in Playa del Carmen versus $1,030 in Martil.

  • Playa del Carmen $2,102
  • Martil $1,030

Monthly costs for a family of three with rent: $3,000 in Playa del Carmen versus $1,398 in Martil.

  • Playa del Carmen $3,000
  • Martil $1,398

Living in Playa del Carmen is roughly 82% more expensive than in Martil, and outside of rent the biggest gap is in eating out.

Both cities sit below the global median: Playa del Carmen 11% lower, Martil 51% lower.

Currency
🍽 Eating Out
Playa del Carmen
Martil
Difference
Meal at Budget Restaurant
$10.86 MX$201
$2.94 MAD 28.64
269.39%
Three-Course Dinner for Two, Mid-Range
$44.21 MX$817
$25.73 MAD 251
71.82%
Fast Food Meal (McDonalds, etc)
$11.76 MX$217
$7.11 MAD 69.4
65.40%
Cappuccino
$3.68 MX$68.0
$1.86 MAD 18.14
97.85%
Coke/Pepsi/Fanta/Sprite (0.33 liter bottle)
$1.34 MX$24.79
$0.54 MAD 5.23
148.15%
Water (0.33 liter bottle)
$0.82 MX$15.24
$0.37 MAD 3.58
121.62%
Local Beer (0.5 liter draught)
$3.06 MX$56.6
$2.65 MAD 25.82
15.47%
Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)
$4.94 MX$91.2
$3.12 MAD 30.42
58.33%
🛒 Groceries & Markets
Playa del Carmen
Martil
Difference
Milk (1 liter)
$1.47 MX$27.17
$0.89 MAD 8.71
65.17%
White Bread (500g)
$2.22 MX$40.95
$0.19 MAD 1.80
1068.42%
Rice (white) (1kg)
$1.48 MX$27.32
$1.92 MAD 18.72
-22.92%
Eggs
$2.49 MX$45.99
$1.83 MAD 17.84
36.07%
Local Cheese (1kg)
$7.52 MX$139
$5.74 MAD 56.0
31.01%
Chicken Fillets (1kg)
$7.96 MX$147
$6.85 MAD 66.8
16.20%
Beef Round Steak (1kg)
$12.57 MX$232
$11.96 MAD 117
5.10%
Apples (1kg)
$2.78 MX$51.3
$1.57 MAD 15.32
77.07%
Banana (1kg)
$1.43 MX$26.37
$1.38 MAD 13.46
3.62%
Oranges (1kg)
$2.62 MX$48.37
$0.82 MAD 8.01
219.51%
Tomato (1kg)
$2.14 MX$39.49
$0.82 MAD 7.96
160.98%
Potato (1kg)
$2.02 MX$37.38
$0.68 MAD 6.67
197.06%
Onion (1kg)
$1.99 MX$36.74
$0.71 MAD 6.97
180.28%
Lettuce (1 head)
$1.14 MX$21.01
$0.41 MAD 3.97
178.05%
Water (1.5 liter bottle)
$1.20 MX$22.18
$0.60 MAD 5.84
100.00%
Cigarettes 20 Pack (Marlboro, Camel)
$4.26 MX$78.7
$3.81 MAD 37.15
11.81%
Wine (Bottle)
$10.02 MX$185
$7.61 MAD 74.2
31.67%
Local Beer (0.5 liter bottle)
$1.54 MX$28.41
$2.12 MAD 20.64
-27.36%
Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)
$2.66 MX$49.17
$2.51 MAD 24.42
5.98%
🚌 Getting Around
Playa del Carmen
Martil
Difference
One-way Ticket (Public Transport)
$0.53 MX$9.73
$0.50 MAD 4.88
6.00%
Public Transport Monthly Pass (Regular Price)
$27.51 MX$508
$20.73 MAD 202
32.71%
Taxi Start (Normal Tariff)
$4.90 MX$90.6
$0.68 MAD 6.68
620.59%
Taxi (Normal Tariff) (1km)
$3.43 MX$63.5
$0.74 MAD 7.18
363.51%
Taxi 1hour Waiting (Normal Tariff)
$5.38 MX$99.4
$3.37 MAD 32.90
59.64%
Gasoline (1 liter)
$1.45 MX$26.76
$1.52 MAD 14.85
-4.61%
Midsize Hatchback 1.4l (Volkswagen Golf, Toyota Prius, Honda Civic, etc)
$21.2K MX$391.0K
$31.3K MAD 305.5K
-32.48%
Compact Sedan 1.6l (Toyota Corolla, Mazda3, Kia K4, Hyundai Elantra, etc)
$23.0K MX$425.3K
$30.5K MAD 297.8K
-24.63%
🧾 Monthly Utilities & Internet
Playa del Carmen
Martil
Difference
Utilities for 2 People in 2-bedroom Apartment (Heating, Electricity, Gas, Water, Garbage) (85m2)
$85.4 MX$1,577
$36.77 MAD 359
132.15%
SIM Card Monthly Plan (Calls and 10GB+ Data)
$23.46 MX$434
$10.13 MAD 98.8
131.59%
Internet (50+ Mbps, Unlimited Data)
$28.43 MX$525
$34.04 MAD 332
-16.48%
🎉 Sport & Entertainment
Playa del Carmen
Martil
Difference
Gym Membership (Monthly)
$62.2 MX$1,149
$26.01 MAD 254
139.10%
Tennis Court (1 Hour on Weekend)
$28.68 MX$530
$20.99 MAD 205
36.64%
Cinema Ticket
$5.10 MX$94.3
$3.84 MAD 37.45
32.81%
🧸 Childcare & Education
Playa del Carmen
Martil
Difference
Preschool or Kindergarten, Full Day, Private, 1 Child (Monthly)
$201 MX$3,715
$47.05 MAD 459
327.35%
International Primary School, 1 Child (Yearly)
$3,947 MX$72.9K
$5,704 MAD 55.6K
-30.80%
👕👟 Clothing & Footwear
Playa del Carmen
Martil
Difference
Jeans (Levis 501 Or Similar)
$44.39 MX$820
$18.08 MAD 176
145.52%
Summer Dress (H&M, Zara, etc)
$41.35 MX$764
$40.40 MAD 394
2.35%
Sport Shoes (Adidas, Nike)
$72.7 MX$1,344
$56.2 MAD 548
29.52%
Men's Leather Business Shoes
$89.6 MX$1,656
$66.0 MAD 643
35.77%
🏠 Accommodation & Living
Playa del Carmen
Martil
Difference
1-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)
$979 MX$18.1K
$266 MAD 2,593
268.17%
1-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)
$373 MX$6,887
$169 MAD 1,647
120.64%
3-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)
$1,681 MX$31.1K
$461 MAD 4,497
264.45%
3-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)
$1,095 MX$20.2K
$270 MAD 2,635
305.29%
Buy Apartment in City Center (m2)
$3,949 MX$73.0K
$1,185 MAD 11.6K
233.20%
Buy Apartment Outside City Center (m2)
$6,137 MX$113.4K
$835 MAD 8,145
634.56%
💵 Salaries & Financials
Playa del Carmen
Martil
Difference
Average Monthly Net Salary (After Tax)
$738 MX$13.6K
-
-
20-Year Fixed Mortgage Interest Rate (Annual %)
11.45
4.55
151.65%

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 Martil: October 17, 2026

Monthly budget structure
Share of the monthly basket for one person, rent included.
Accommodation & Living
Playa del Carmen
$373
Martil
$169 54.7% $204
Groceries & Markets
Playa del Carmen
$258
Martil
$180 30.5% $79
Eating Out
Playa del Carmen
$200
Martil
$90 54.9% $110
Monthly Utilities & Internet
Playa del Carmen
$137
Martil
$81 41% $56
Clothing & Footwear
Playa del Carmen
$112
Martil
$81 27.2% $30
Sport & Entertainment
Playa del Carmen
$72
Martil
$34 53.5% $39
Getting Around
Playa del Carmen
$52
Martil
$27 47.6% $25

Cost Breakdown

A one-bedroom apartment in the center runs $979 in Playa del Carmen and $266 in Martil. Housing cost is often the main lever when comparing two cities.

Dining out: $44.00 in Playa del Carmen vs $26.00 in Martil for a mid-range dinner for two. Groceries echo the gap at $258 vs $180 per month, with Martil cheaper across the board.

Good to know
🇲🇽 Playa del Carmen
🇲🇦 Martil
🕒 Local time
22:18 10:18 PM
04:18 4:18 AM
6 h ahead of Playa del Carmen
🌤 Weather
👥 Population
149,923
64,355
💱 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 Martil 7,970 km ≈ 10 h nonstop flight
From you
  • Playa del Carmen
  • Martil

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 Martil: Cost of Living - Frequently Asked Questions
Which city is more expensive, Playa del Carmen or Martil?
Martil wins on cost – living expenses run 82% lower than in Playa del Carmen. Housing and daily spending are where you'll feel the difference most, making Martil the obvious pick if budget is a priority.
How much do you need to earn to live comfortably in Playa del Carmen and in Martil?
You'd need roughly $1,806 in Playa del Carmen and $993 in Martil to live well. The gap comes down to housing and overall price levels. Both cities are liveable on less, but these numbers represent actual comfort.
How much does a 1-bedroom apartment cost in Playa del Carmen compared to Martil?
Rent for a central apartment: $979 in Playa del Carmen versus $266 in Martil. Housing is usually the single largest factor when comparing overall living costs between the two.
How expensive is transport in Playa del Carmen compared to Martil?
A monthly transit pass in Martil runs roughly 33% less than in Playa del Carmen. Both cities have functional networks, but the price difference matters if you're watching your budget.
How do childcare costs compare in Playa del Carmen and in Martil?
Childcare runs $201 in Playa del Carmen versus $47.05 in Martil. Over years of preschool, even a modest monthly gap compounds into a major financial factor for families.
Can you live on $1,000/month in Playa del Carmen or in Martil?
At $662 in Martil versus $1,204 in Playa del Carmen, a $1,000 budget is realistic in Martil but tight or insufficient in Playa del Carmen. The gap between the two cities makes Martil the clear choice for anyone on this budget.
Which city is better for digital nomads, Playa del Carmen or Martil?
Both work as nomad bases, but Martil delivers better value – similar infrastructure at $662 monthly. If stretching your runway or maximizing savings is the goal, the price difference makes Martil hard to pass up.
How safe is Playa del Carmen compared to Martil?
Safety-wise, Playa del Carmen and Martil are on par. Petty crime is typical for cities this size, and most residents feel comfortable going about their daily routines in either place.
Which city is more affordable for expats?
Expats usually find Martil gentler on the wallet – expenses run 82% less than in Playa del Carmen. Beyond cost, consider language, visa policies, and how big the international community is in each city.

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