Last update: Oct 2026

Cost of Living Comparison Between Playa del Carmen and Mohammedia

For one person, living is cheaper in Mohammedia: $786 a month against $1,210 in Playa del Carmen, rent and utilities included – about $5,100 less a year. Rent and utilities account for most of the difference.

Playa del Carmen
🇲🇽 Mexico
$1,210
/mo nomad
Mohammedia
🇲🇦 Morocco
$786
/mo nomad
Monthly Cost of Living

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

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

Monthly costs for one person with rent: $1,210 in Playa del Carmen versus $786 in Mohammedia.

  • Playa del Carmen $1,210
  • Mohammedia $786

Estimated couple costs with rent: $2,113 in Playa del Carmen versus $1,228 in Mohammedia.

  • Playa del Carmen $2,113
  • Mohammedia $1,228

Monthly costs for a family of three with rent: $3,016 in Playa del Carmen versus $1,669 in Mohammedia.

  • Playa del Carmen $3,016
  • Mohammedia $1,669

Living in Playa del Carmen is roughly 54% more expensive than in Mohammedia, and outside of rent the biggest gap is in eating out.

Both cities sit below the global median: Playa del Carmen 10% lower, Mohammedia 42% lower.

Currency
🍽 Eating Out
Playa del Carmen
Mohammedia
Difference
Meal at Budget Restaurant
$10.76 MX$199
$4.67 MAD 45.52
130.41%
Three-Course Dinner for Two, Mid-Range
$43.03 MX$795
$31.14 MAD 304
38.18%
Fast Food Meal (McDonalds, etc)
$11.79 MX$218
$6.90 MAD 67.3
70.87%
Cappuccino
$3.87 MX$71.4
$1.91 MAD 18.60
102.62%
Coke/Pepsi/Fanta/Sprite (0.33 liter bottle)
$1.37 MX$25.29
$0.76 MAD 7.36
80.26%
Water (0.33 liter bottle)
$0.84 MX$15.44
$0.41 MAD 4.04
104.88%
Local Beer (0.5 liter draught)
$3.10 MX$57.3
$5.09 MAD 49.66
-39.10%
Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)
$5.07 MX$93.6
$5.12 MAD 49.96
-0.98%
🛒 Groceries & Markets
Playa del Carmen
Mohammedia
Difference
Milk (1 liter)
$1.44 MX$26.55
$0.98 MAD 9.56
46.94%
White Bread (500g)
$2.23 MX$41.23
$1.11 MAD 10.79
100.90%
Rice (white) (1kg)
$1.47 MX$27.17
$1.80 MAD 17.52
-18.33%
Eggs
$2.53 MX$46.71
$1.86 MAD 18.18
36.02%
Local Cheese (1kg)
$7.30 MX$135
$10.82 MAD 105
-32.53%
Chicken Fillets (1kg)
$7.86 MX$145
$7.01 MAD 68.3
12.13%
Beef Round Steak (1kg)
$12.79 MX$236
$11.92 MAD 116
7.30%
Apples (1kg)
$2.90 MX$53.6
$1.47 MAD 14.30
97.28%
Banana (1kg)
$1.44 MX$26.53
$1.37 MAD 13.37
5.11%
Oranges (1kg)
$2.55 MX$47.07
$0.71 MAD 6.90
259.15%
Tomato (1kg)
$2.06 MX$38.03
$0.71 MAD 6.91
190.14%
Potato (1kg)
$2.00 MX$36.97
$0.64 MAD 6.24
212.50%
Onion (1kg)
$2.01 MX$37.07
$0.64 MAD 6.20
214.06%
Lettuce (1 head)
$1.19 MX$22.02
$0.49 MAD 4.79
142.86%
Water (1.5 liter bottle)
$1.26 MX$23.23
$0.57 MAD 5.60
121.05%
Cigarettes 20 Pack (Marlboro, Camel)
$4.40 MX$81.4
$3.91 MAD 38.13
12.53%
Wine (Bottle)
$9.59 MX$177
$8.24 MAD 80.4
16.38%
Local Beer (0.5 liter bottle)
$1.59 MX$29.41
$2.31 MAD 22.48
-31.17%
Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)
$2.81 MX$51.9
$2.43 MAD 23.71
15.64%
🚌 Getting Around
Playa del Carmen
Mohammedia
Difference
One-way Ticket (Public Transport)
$0.57 MX$10.47
$0.72 MAD 6.99
-20.83%
Public Transport Monthly Pass (Regular Price)
$27.82 MX$514
$22.10 MAD 215
25.88%
Taxi Start (Normal Tariff)
$4.98 MX$92.1
$0.72 MAD 7.05
591.67%
Taxi (Normal Tariff) (1km)
$3.50 MX$64.6
$0.69 MAD 6.69
407.25%
Taxi 1hour Waiting (Normal Tariff)
$5.40 MX$99.8
$4.49 MAD 43.80
20.27%
Gasoline (1 liter)
$1.47 MX$27.08
$1.47 MAD 14.34
-
Midsize Hatchback 1.4l (Volkswagen Golf, Toyota Prius, Honda Civic, etc)
$21.0K MX$387.8K
$32.8K MAD 319.6K
-35.97%
Compact Sedan 1.6l (Toyota Corolla, Mazda3, Kia K4, Hyundai Elantra, etc)
$23.9K MX$441.8K
$28.6K MAD 278.5K
-16.32%
🧾 Monthly Utilities & Internet
Playa del Carmen
Mohammedia
Difference
Utilities for 2 People in 2-bedroom Apartment (Heating, Electricity, Gas, Water, Garbage) (85m2)
$84.2 MX$1,556
$49.99 MAD 487
68.45%
SIM Card Monthly Plan (Calls and 10GB+ Data)
$23.99 MX$443
$9.97 MAD 97.2
140.62%
Internet (50+ Mbps, Unlimited Data)
$29.02 MX$536
$38.42 MAD 375
-24.47%
🎉 Sport & Entertainment
Playa del Carmen
Mohammedia
Difference
Gym Membership (Monthly)
$63.0 MX$1,164
$27.81 MAD 271
126.47%
Tennis Court (1 Hour on Weekend)
$29.14 MX$539
$20.56 MAD 200
41.73%
Cinema Ticket
$4.94 MX$91.3
$7.37 MAD 71.9
-32.97%
🧸 Childcare & Education
Playa del Carmen
Mohammedia
Difference
Preschool or Kindergarten, Full Day, Private, 1 Child (Monthly)
$204 MX$3,763
$140 MAD 1,361
45.90%
International Primary School, 1 Child (Yearly)
$3,941 MX$72.8K
$5,644 MAD 55.0K
-30.17%
👕👟 Clothing & Footwear
Playa del Carmen
Mohammedia
Difference
Jeans (Levis 501 Or Similar)
$43.60 MX$806
$54.8 MAD 534
-20.42%
Summer Dress (H&M, Zara, etc)
$43.12 MX$797
$46.69 MAD 455
-7.65%
Sport Shoes (Adidas, Nike)
$75.8 MX$1,400
$94.2 MAD 918
-19.56%
Men's Leather Business Shoes
$88.6 MX$1,637
$80.3 MAD 783
10.34%
🏠 Accommodation & Living
Playa del Carmen
Mohammedia
Difference
1-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)
$1,008 MX$18.6K
$255 MAD 2,483
295.97%
1-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)
$374 MX$6,911
$165 MAD 1,607
126.93%
3-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)
$1,708 MX$31.6K
$458 MAD 4,464
273.13%
3-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)
$1,106 MX$20.4K
$263 MAD 2,560
321.31%
Buy Apartment in City Center (m2)
$3,944 MX$72.9K
$1,514 MAD 14.8K
160.49%
Buy Apartment Outside City Center (m2)
$6,169 MX$114.0K
$961 MAD 9,372
541.77%
💵 Salaries & Financials
Playa del Carmen
Mohammedia
Difference
Average Monthly Net Salary (After Tax)
$754 MX$13.9K
$542 MAD 5,285
39.15%
20-Year Fixed Mortgage Interest Rate (Annual %)
11.45
3.67
211.99%

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

Last update for Playa del Carmen: October 10, 2026

Last update for Mohammedia: October 12, 2026

Monthly budget structure
Share of the monthly basket for one person, rent included.
Accommodation & Living
Playa del Carmen
$374
Mohammedia
$165 55.9% $209
Groceries & Markets
Playa del Carmen
$258
Mohammedia
$206 20.4% $53
Eating Out
Playa del Carmen
$202
Mohammedia
$121 40% $81
Monthly Utilities & Internet
Playa del Carmen
$137
Mohammedia
$98 28.3% $39
Clothing & Footwear
Playa del Carmen
$113
Mohammedia
$124 9.9% $11
Sport & Entertainment
Playa del Carmen
$73
Mohammedia
$43 41.6% $30
Getting Around
Playa del Carmen
$53
Mohammedia
$29 44.6% $23

Cost Breakdown

A one-bedroom apartment in the center runs $1,008 in Playa del Carmen and $255 in Mohammedia. 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: $43.00 in Playa del Carmen vs $31.00 in Mohammedia for a mid-range dinner for two. Groceries echo the gap at $258 vs $206 per month, with Mohammedia cheaper across the board.

Good to know
🇲🇽 Playa del Carmen
🇲🇦 Mohammedia
🕒 Local time
13:44 1:44 PM
19:44 7:44 PM
6 h ahead of Playa del Carmen
🌤 Weather
👥 Population
149,923
194,358
💱 Currency
Exchange rates and currency converter

MAD, USD, EUR to MXN – Mexican Peso Converter

Mexican Peso exchange rates as of October 18, 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 18, 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 Mohammedia 7,830 km ≈ 10 h nonstop flight
From you
  • Playa del Carmen
  • Mohammedia

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 Mohammedia: Cost of Living - Frequently Asked Questions
What is the total cost difference between living in Playa del Carmen and in Mohammedia?
Playa del Carmen and Mohammedia differ by about 54% in total monthly costs ($1,210 vs $786 including rent). Mohammedia is meaningfully more affordable – a gap that matters a lot on a fixed or modest income.
Which city pays better: Playa del Carmen or Mohammedia?
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.
How do apartment prices compare in Playa del Carmen and in Mohammedia?
Rent for a central apartment: $1,008 in Playa del Carmen versus $255 in Mohammedia. Housing is usually the single largest factor when comparing overall living costs between the two.
Which city has cheaper grocery shopping?
Supermarket bills run roughly 26% higher in Playa del Carmen. For households that cook at home regularly, that difference adds up over a month.
Which city has cheaper restaurants?
Dining out is cheaper in Mohammedia – a meal for two runs $31.00 versus $43.00 in Playa del Carmen. If you eat out regularly, this makes a real dent in your monthly spending.
Which city is more doable on $2,000 per month?
At $786 in Mohammedia versus $1,210 in Playa del Carmen, a $2,000 budget is realistic in Mohammedia but tight or insufficient in Playa del Carmen. The gap between the two cities makes Mohammedia the clear choice for anyone on this budget.
How does quality of life compare between Playa del Carmen and Mohammedia?
Both cities offer a good standard of living with different trade-offs. Neither is objectively better – the right pick depends on what matters most: affordability, career, cultural scene, or climate.
Is Playa del Carmen or Mohammedia safer for residents?
Safety-wise, Playa del Carmen and Mohammedia are on par. Petty crime is typical for cities this size, and most residents feel comfortable going about their daily routines in either place.
Where should expats move: Playa del Carmen or Mohammedia?
Expats usually find Mohammedia gentler on the wallet – expenses run 54% less than in Playa del Carmen. Beyond cost, consider language, visa policies, and how big the international community is in each city.

Playa del Carmen vs other spots: cost of living compared

Similar cities

Show times on the 12-hour clock, temperatures in °F and distances in miles?