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

Monthly Cost of Living

Monthly costs for one person with rent: $1,260 in Playa del Carmen versus $647 in Meknes.

Estimated couple costs with rent: $2,125 in Playa del Carmen versus $986 in Meknes.

Monthly costs for a family of three with rent: $2,990 in Playa del Carmen versus $1,324 in Meknes.

Living in Playa del Carmen is roughly 95% more expensive than in Meknes, driven mainly by Eating Out.

Both cities sit below the global median: Playa del Carmen 5% lower, Meknes 51% lower.

Meal at Budget Restaurant

$11.72 MX$203

$2.25 MAD 20.97

420.89%

Three-Course Dinner for Two, Mid-Range

$41.89 MX$725

$12.70 MAD 118

229.84%

Fast Food Meal (McDonalds, etc)

$10.51 MX$182

$5.35 MAD 49.91

96.45%

Cappuccino

$3.59 MX$62.0

$1.31 MAD 12.18

174.05%

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

$1.51 MX$26.10

$0.75 MAD 6.97

101.33%

Water (0.33 liter bottle)

$0.92 MX$15.83

$0.48 MAD 4.45

91.67%

Local Beer (0.5 liter draught)

$2.96 MX$51.2

$3.37 MAD 31.44

-12.17%

Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$4.41 MX$76.3

$4.08 MAD 38.05

8.09%

Milk (1 liter)

$1.40 MX$24.16

$0.81 MAD 7.53

72.84%

White Bread (500g)

$1.88 MX$32.60

$0.32 MAD 2.96

487.50%

Rice (white) (1kg)

$1.56 MX$26.97

$1.30 MAD 12.09

20.00%

Eggs

$2.61 MX$45.14

$1.91 MAD 17.85

36.65%

Local Cheese (1kg)

$8.32 MX$144

$10.96 MAD 102

-24.09%

Chicken Fillets (1kg)

$8.35 MX$145

$4.51 MAD 42.02

85.14%

Beef Round Steak (1kg)

$10.86 MX$188

$9.45 MAD 88.1

14.92%

Apples (1kg)

$2.71 MX$46.93

$1.38 MAD 12.85

96.38%

Banana (1kg)

$1.51 MX$26.04

$1.25 MAD 11.66

20.80%

Oranges (1kg)

$1.87 MX$32.41

$0.90 MAD 8.42

107.78%

Tomato (1kg)

$2.19 MX$37.89

$0.66 MAD 6.14

231.82%

Potato (1kg)

$1.86 MX$32.14

$0.72 MAD 6.69

158.33%

Onion (1kg)

$2.23 MX$38.59

$0.76 MAD 7.05

193.42%

Lettuce (1 head)

$1.07 MX$18.48

$0.46 MAD 4.30

132.61%

Water (1.5 liter bottle)

$1.09 MX$18.79

$0.57 MAD 5.34

91.23%

Cigarettes 20 Pack (Marlboro, Camel)

$4.19 MX$72.4

$4.38 MAD 40.88

-4.34%

Wine (Bottle)

$10.43 MX$180

$11.26 MAD 105

-7.37%

Local Beer (0.5 liter bottle)

$1.66 MX$28.68

$2.82 MAD 26.32

-41.13%

Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$2.61 MX$45.19

$2.66 MAD 24.82

-1.88%

One-way Ticket (Public Transport)

$0.54 MX$9.37

$0.46 MAD 4.25

17.39%

Public Transport Monthly Pass (Regular Price)

$26.16 MX$453

$16.53 MAD 154

58.26%

Taxi Start (Normal Tariff)

$3.08 MX$53.3

$0.39 MAD 3.66

689.74%

Taxi (Normal Tariff) (1km)

$2.40 MX$41.61

$0.52 MAD 4.86

361.54%

Taxi 1hour Waiting (Normal Tariff)

$3.13 MX$54.1

$4.45 MAD 41.52

-29.66%

Gasoline (1 liter)

$1.31 MX$22.69

$1.49 MAD 13.87

-12.08%

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

$29.8K MX$515.7K

$36.8K MAD 342.8K

-18.92%

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

$23.3K MX$403.5K

$29.0K MAD 270.7K

-19.67%

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

$81.3 MX$1,406

$37.82 MAD 353

114.91%

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

$22.56 MX$390

$10.76 MAD 100

109.67%

Internet (50+ Mbps, Unlimited Data)

$30.05 MX$520

$34.00 MAD 317

-11.62%

Gym Membership (Monthly)

$52.9 MX$915

$24.36 MAD 227

117.20%

Tennis Court (1 Hour on Weekend)

$18.39 MX$318

$19.34 MAD 180

-4.91%

Cinema Ticket

$4.92 MX$85.1

$4.42 MAD 41.23

11.31%

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

$201 MX$3,474

$154 MAD 1,434

30.53%

International Primary School, 1 Child (Yearly)

$5,175 MX$89.5K

$1,668 MAD 15.6K

210.19%

Jeans (Levis 501 Or Similar)

$35.92 MX$622

$45.92 MAD 428

-21.78%

Summer Dress (H&M, Zara, etc)

$40.13 MX$694

$40.74 MAD 380

-1.50%

Sport Shoes (Adidas, Nike)

$79.7 MX$1,379

$56.6 MAD 528

40.74%

Men's Leather Business Shoes

$86.5 MX$1,496

$54.3 MAD 506

59.26%

1-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)

$978 MX$16.9K

$270 MAD 2,515

262.66%

1-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)

$470 MX$8,140

$169 MAD 1,578

177.94%

3-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)

$1,651 MX$28.6K

$420 MAD 3,913

293.50%

3-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)

$1,203 MX$20.8K

$278 MAD 2,589

333.46%

Buy Apartment in City Center (m2)

$3,953 MX$68.4K

$981 MAD 9,144

303.14%

Buy Apartment Outside City Center (m2)

$6,607 MX$114.3K

$612 MAD 5,702

980.42%

Average Monthly Net Salary (After Tax)

$677 MX$11.7K

$485 MAD 4,524

39.45%

20-Year Fixed Mortgage Interest Rate (Annual %)

11.42

4.5

153.78%

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

Last update for Playa del Carmen: July 27, 2026

Last update for Meknes: July 28, 2026

Cost Breakdown

A one-bedroom apartment in the center runs $978 in Playa del Carmen and $270 in Meknes. Housing cost is often the main lever when comparing two cities.

Playa del Carmen pays 39% more on average. The extra income cushions the higher costs, though housing choices and lifestyle decide how much of the gap is truly closed.

Dining out: $42.00 in Playa del Carmen vs $13.00 in Meknes for a mid-range dinner for two. Groceries echo the gap at $252 vs $183 per month, with Meknes cheaper across the board.

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 Meknes: Cost of Living - Frequently Asked Questions

Meknes wins on cost – living expenses run 95% lower than in Playa del Carmen. Housing and daily spending are where you'll feel the difference most, making Meknes the obvious pick if budget is a priority.

Average pay runs 39% higher in Playa del Carmen, which matters when comparing affordability. Whether that higher income actually nets you more depends on your spending habits and housing choices.

Rent for a central apartment: $978 in Playa del Carmen versus $270 in Meknes. Housing is usually the single largest factor when comparing overall living costs between the two.

Dining out is cheaper in Meknes – a meal for two runs $13.00 versus $42.00 in Playa del Carmen. If you eat out regularly, this makes a real dent in your monthly spending.

All in, you'll spend $1,260 per month in Playa del Carmen versus $647 in Meknes – a 95% gap that adds up to real savings over time for anyone picking the cheaper option.

At $647 in Meknes versus $1,260 in Playa del Carmen, a $1,000 budget is realistic in Meknes but tight or insufficient in Playa del Carmen. The gap between the two cities makes Meknes the clear choice for anyone on this budget.

Both work as nomad bases, but Meknes delivers better value – similar infrastructure at $647 monthly. If stretching your runway or maximizing savings is the goal, the price difference makes Meknes hard to pass up.

Safety-wise, Playa del Carmen and Meknes are on par. Petty crime is typical for cities this size, and most residents feel comfortable going about their daily routines in either place.

Expats usually find Meknes gentler on the wallet – expenses run 95% less than in Playa del Carmen. Beyond cost, consider language, visa policies, and how big the international community is in each city.